NATCHEZ — After nearly 12 years on the bench, Natchez Municipal Court Judge Jim Blough said Wednesday he will not seek re-election in June.

Blough said he has been contemplating stepping down for more than a year.

“It’s just time to move on to something else,” Blough said. “There’s a lot of stress involved in this job.”

Some of that stress has been caused by the lack of communication between Mayor Butch Brown and the board of aldermen and municipal court, as well as the mayor and board overreaching their authority in an attempt to control the court, Blough said.

“Under the Constitution, there are things they’re not supposed to have their fingers in,” he said. “The board of aldermen is a legislative body that sets policy, and the court is judicial government function. They’re not to intermingle and have one directing what the other one does.”

An example, Blough said, is the mayor and board of aldermen attempting to establish an environmental court without consulting Blough, a move Blough pointed out was illegal and against the city charter.

The board of aldermen ultimately decided to appoint Municipal Judge pro tem Tony Heidelberg to handle code enforcement cases in municipal court, an appointment about which Blough said he was never consulted.

“To establish a new court without talking to the judge of the current court and to appoint a judge pro tem without consulting with the judge … it’s not that there was anything wrong with when they did it or who they appointed, I was glad to have the help, but I was never even told about it,” Blough said.

The lack of communication from the mayor and board goes beyond just municipal court, Blough said.

“I’ve worked with three different administrations, and up until this administration, everything was easy and enjoyable and people wanted to be working for the city,” Blough said. “It’s not that way anymore.”

Blough said he is also concerned about the financial state of the city in terms of the mayor, board of aldermen and city clerk’s office having a firm grasp on the city’s finances.

“When I take the check (for the money the court generates for the city) or my clerk takes it to the city, more than likely, they say, ‘Thank goodness, we can make payroll,’” Blough said.

Despite his frustration and concerns, Blough said he is pleased with the work the court and its staff have accomplished, especially the caseload they have managed to handle and the amount of collections the court has brought in.

“I think I’ve done my part and obeyed my oath, and I’m ready to move on,” he said.

Blough said he would also like to thank the people of Natchez for their support during his time in office.

Blough decided to announce he has no intention of running for re-election this week, he said, in order to allow local lawyers the opportunity to consider running before the qualifying period begins Monday. The general election is scheduled for June 7.

The board of aldermen previously discussed amending the city charter to make the municipal court judge position appointed rather than elected as the board did with the city clerk’s position.

Mayor pro tem Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said Wednesday she had not heard Blough was not running for re-election and doubted whether the board had time before the election to make the position appointed.

No consensus was reached among the aldermen in previous discussions about the judge’s position, and Arceneaux-Mathis said she was unsure if those against the change would want to take up the matter again.

“I’m sure we will discuss it, but I don’t think there will be anything we can do at this point.”

Arceneaux-Mathis said she would consult with City Attorney Hyde Carby, and the city may choose to seek an opinion on the matter from the attorney general’s and governor’s offices.