City to discuss 15 applications submitted for Natchez Convention Promotion Commission
Published 12:28 am Tuesday, April 19, 2016
NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen will meet at noon Wednesday to discuss replacements of personnel at the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Final details of the appointment of Jennifer Ogden Combs as interim director of the CVB have yet to be decided, Natchez Mayor Butch Brown said Friday.
The details that have yet to be arranged include her compensation package, he said.
Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Carter Smith said she also hopes the board will discuss the method the board will use to decide who will replace the members of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission, and possibly a few of the candidates.
All six previous members and former CVB Director Kevin Kirby were asked to resign earlier this month after several months of discussions surrounding personnel issues and questions about CVB finances.
The board moved to appoint Jennifer Ogden Combs as interim director in its April 12 meeting. Her employment is intended to end Sept. 30, unless a permanent director is found prior to that.
Fifteen people have applied to be considered as members of the Natchez Convention Promotion Commission.
Brown said he has discussed with aldermen several additional candidates who may also be considered.
“They’ve already been asked by me to serve, so I told them they didn’t have to (turn in an application,)” Brown said. “My board knows them too.”
Those who officially applied include Donna Ball, an account manager for First Natchez Radio Group and the former owner of Pearl Street Pasta;
Mike Blattner, a retired businessman who owns antebellum Cherokee and serves as chairman of the board of Trinity Episcopal School;
Stratton Bull, a local attorney who serves on the Natchez Planning Commission;
Andrea Cater, the general manager of Rolling River Bistro;
Rhonda Clifton, a field agent manager for Medical Air Services Association;
Jarita Frazier-King, a nutrition teacher at Alcorn State University;
Lance Harris, the site director for Grand Village of the Natchez Indians;
Patricia Lozon, the general manager of Hampton Inn and Suites;
Katie McCabe, the office manager for financial planner Forrest Johnson and marketing and public relations chairwoman for Natchez Festival of Music;
Katie McCarstle, owner of Katie’s Ladies;
Nancy Reuther, the owner and manager of Monmouth Historic Inn and wife of New Orleans Hotelier Warren Reuther;
Margaret Robison, former chairwoman of McComb Public Schools School Board;
Shelley Rogers, the director of operations at Dunleith Historic Inn;
Brittany Smith, the director of sales at Natchez Grand Hotel;
And Paul Wade, a web technologist who owns Starling’s Rest Bed and Breakfast.
Brown said many of those names are already familiar to him and the board.
“One or two I don’t know or know anything about,” Brown said. “Others on (the list of applicants) are very acceptable to me, and there’s four or five on there I wouldn’t put on the board for the dog catcher.”
Brown said Monday the list of additional names he had discussed with aldermen was not accessible to him as it was city hall and he was not there when contacted.
Brown promised the list would be released soon.