Natchez Alderman Dan Dillard’s belief that the City of Natchez should be capable of routinely repaving streets in an orderly fashion is on point.

The city should have the resources and the resolve do this. We’ve long challenged city leaders to not treat repaving as a just-before-the-election-must-do but rather a routine part of annual budgeting.

But Dillard’s belief that the city is capable of restarting the purposefully shelved repaving program is a bit premature.

While city budget matters seem to have improved a bit, the city needs to build a reserve, rainy day fund and take care of immediate needs first before focusing on roads.

Just a month ago, the city announced plans to apply for a federal grant to make badly needed repairs to a city fire station.

Before a single foot of asphalt is poured out and smoothed, first responders, such as Natchez Fire Department workers, should be provided better working environments and potentially a pay raise as well.

To continue to allow firefighters to live and work in a rodent infested, moldy building is tantamount to a dereliction of duties for Natchez aldermen.

For Natchez to succeed as a city, its leaders must get the city’s financial house in permanent order.

To start spending again on asphalt when other needs remain unmet and the true trajectory of city spending is still unclear would simply not be wise.