Natchez aldermen took one step forward Tuesday in opting to tap the brakes on the city’s depot renovation project long enough to consider proposals from other developers.

Unfortunately, the city had already taken two steps back previously.

In Tuesday’s decision, however, the city opted to stick a “but” in the middle of their invitation to other developers.

The “but” was essentially a qualification that was unspecific. They opened up the idea of accepting new proposals for the depot, but apparently added only if the developers met certain qualifications. Exactly what those qualifications would be wasn’t immediately apparent.

Their action reads as if they’re trying to appear to do the right thing, but plan on driving the project to the person or persons they handpick.

That’s not terribly different than what started the depot debacle late last year. Aldermen split over the decision to lease the vacant railroad depot to New Orleans hotel magnate and Natchez tourism investor Warren Reuther. We criticized the city at the time because the deal with Reuther was made privately and in short order the city announced the deal, declared the property as surplus and agreed to a complicated lease structure with Reuther.

The mayor — along with former city attorney Walter Brown, who now represents Reuther — apparently hatched up the idea. While it may wind up being the best option for the depot, we’re glad the city has backtracked and says it will consider other alternatives. The challenge at this point, of course, is because of the city’s poor judgment in the first place, Reuther has now invested significantly into the depot’s renovation. That’s money he’ll be owed if the city opts to go with another developer’s plans.