Something about the City of Natchez’s handling — or mishandling — of the former train depot on the bluff is wrong.

The city-owned building has fallen into a horrible state of disrepair in recent years.

That such a historic building in such a prominent location has become such an eyesore is an embarrassment.

But to make matters worse, the City appears to be poised to evict the building’s two current tenants to clear the way for grant money to help rehabilitate the depot.

Repairs to the building are long overdue and massively needed. Anyone walking the beautiful Natchez Trails walks past the depot, seeing one of the most unattractive building facades around.

As owners of the building, evicting tenants may be legally OK, but it appears to be being handled poorly.

The City has neither communicated what it’s doing nor created a public plan that works well for all involved.

Assuming both tenants are current on their rent payment, shouldn’t the City have been using that money to pay for repairs all along?

Instead, it appears the funds were pocketed and now — years and years later — the City is holding out its hand for more grant money to pay for repairs that should have been routine maintenance matters.

Of course, if either of the tenants were behind on the rent, then perhaps involuntarily relocating their business would be in order.

Regardless of rent payments, at the very least, the City owes better communication to, and better consideration for, the two tenants before any additional plans are made or actions are taken.