The first few months of practically every job are tough. Learning the “ropes” can be difficult.

Having a few thousand people watching your every move only makes those early jitters more difficult, especially when those folks are effectively signing the paychecks.

Natchez and Vidalia residents elected new mayors earlier this year. Each took office at the beginning of July.

For Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell, the newness is mostly related to having to work with the members of the board of aldermen, who often seem to pull in different directions.

Grennell, a long-time Adams County supervisor, is no stranger to government. He’s just a stranger to city government and its intricacies.

In Vidalia, former banker, turned professional fisherman turned mayor, Buz Craft has had to contend with a myriad of problems.

In addition to learning the ropes of Louisiana municipal government, Craft has been bubbling at the nostrils in financial problems as well.

His banking background may be helping him with these challenges.

No doubt, both Grennell and Craft are working hard to make things right again for the constituencies they each serve.

They need lots of support, however, in the form of both encouraging input, but also blunt feedback when necessary.

With their continued hard work, Craft and Grennell will learn the ropes and know exactly how to drive success in their communities.