Natchez — Adams County supervisors-elect got a crash course in county government Wednesday during a tour of county facilities and brainstorming sessions.

Supervisors-elect David Carter, Angela Hutchins and Calvin Butler joined Adams County Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell, Supervisor Mike Lazarus, County Administrator Joe Murray, County Attorney Bobby Cox and Chancery Clerk Tommy O’Beirne on the retreat.

The officials toured the sheriff’s office, county courts, the juvenile detention center, the port and county department offices.

The Natchez-Adams County Airport was one of the stops on the tour for lunch and a brainstorming session.

Airport Director Clint Pomeroy told the group about the airport facilities and more than 100 acres of land that could be used for aviation-related development.

During the brainstorming session, the group laid out several long-term and short-term goals for Adams County.

The group agreed that making expedient progress on a recreation complex was a major goal they wanted to see accomplished quickly.

Carter said one of the biggest issues in the past with progress on recreation was communication between the Natchez Board of Aldermen, the supervisors and the recreation committee.

Lazarus said he would like to see the county recreation committee dissolved, and the approximately $50,000 used to fund it allotted to maintain county parks.

Grennell said he would like to see the new board create a county logo and slogan. Grennell suggested “Adams County, We Are One” as a possible slogan.

Grennell said working in unity with the community, county departments and the city is important for progress.

“Of course we are not going to be unanimous on every issue, he said. “But one thing we don’t have to do is have to fall out on issues and let personal beliefs and philosophies hinder progress. Let’s respect each other and each other’s decisions.”

Hutchins said during the sessions that she believed updating the county’s website was also essential.

Grennell said forming the information technology partnership with the city that has been discussed by he and Mayor Jake Middleton could help make movement on getting an IT director in place for both city and county governments.

Butler said he agreed the website should be updated because it is important when industries when they first begin searching for cities for a possible development.

Neighborhood Watch programs are something Hutchins said she would like to see built back up in the community, and said she thinks the supervisors could all work together to assist each other with programs in different districts.

Grennell said Neighborhood Watch meetings are also a good way for the supervisors to hear residents’ concerns for the different neighborhoods. He said the programs will inspire residents to take charge and clean up their neighborhoods, which he said will boost community morale.

Carter said he would like to see a county-city committee formed to beautify and maintain the throughways into Natchez, such as John R. Junkin Drive.

The supervisors and supervisors-elect all spoke of the importance of working together in unison, and Lazarus said he believed the new board would have members with different areas of expertise.

Grennell said by having the retreat before the new board officially meets, the supervisors-elect get the opportunity to see what is ahead of them.

“They needed to know what’s going to happen at the first meeting, and they really need to know what to expect during their first term of office,” he said.

“I wish when I was elected that someone would have told me so I could have been prepared.”

Carter said the retreat was very informative, and he is glad to be aware of all the county’s resources.

The retreat, Carter said, allowed the current and future supervisors to begin to form a strong sense of unity.

“We need not only unity for working together as supervisors, but also working with the city and all other departments and employees,” he said.