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Board to talk rec
Published Wednesday, July 22, 2009
NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors is meeting at 11 a.m. today to discuss getting recreation on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The supervisors will be voting on a resolution to place a referendum on the ballot, essentially polling county residents support of a city, county and school district joint recreation effort.
While the supervisors have already accepted an interlocal agreement between themselves, the city and the school district, today’s resolution is actually the first step in the process of getting it on the ballot.
And they need to move quickly.
Attorney Walter Brown, who is a consultant to the recreation effort, said it’s now or never for getting the referendum on the ballot.
First, Brown said state law mandates that any issue going on a local ballot must be submitted to the local election commission 60 days prior to the actual election, which in this case would be roughly Sept. 3.
Absentee ballots must be sent out 45 days before the date of the election.
Secondly, once the supervisors adopt the resolution for the referendum, it must be sent to the U.S. Justice Department to be approved.
The referendum must not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, or the justice department will object to the referendum.
Brown said once the referendum is submitted, the justice department has 60 days to send its response.
Supervisor Mike Lazarus said he hopes everything goes accordingly.
“I would like to see the public decide this issue,” he said.
Justice department approval and election commission submission are not contingent upon each other, Brown said.
The referendum can be submitted to the election commission prior to the justice department’s response.
Brown said that’s not favorable, but at this point, it’s necessary.
“We’re fudging a little bit because we’re asking the election commission to put in on the absentee ballots,” he said.
Supervisor Darryl Grennell said he understands that the resolution needs to be adopted quickly.
“That’s why we’re doing this resolution of referendum in order to move it as expeditiously as possible,” he said.
Putting the referendum on the ballot for a vote is part of the interlocal agreement that has been presented to the supervisors, the Natchez Board of Aldermen and the Natchez-Adams School District.
It was adopted earlier by all three entities, but during a July 7 meeting, the supervisors changed the language of the agreement.
The original agreement only listed the supervisors as being responsible for getting funding for the project.
And while the spirit of the agreement included the city and the school district, the supervisors said they wanted it in writing.
The supervisors readopted the interlocal agreement during the same meeting.
The city followed suit two days later by readopting the agreement during a special called meeting.
The school district has not had a special call meeting to readopt the agreement, and Brown said it’s not necessary.
“They’ll meet Aug. 13, and they’ve got other things to tend to,” he said. “We didn’t ask them to meet again.”
Brown said he’s confident the school district will readopt it and afterward, it will be sent to the Mississippi Attorney General’s office for approval.
The interlocal agreement does not need full approval for the referendum to be voted on by the supervisors, he said.
“It’s just taking one part (of the interlocal agreement) and going ahead because of the time constraints,” Brown said.
Mayor Jake Middleton said he is pleased to see the supervisors moving quickly.
“I’m glad they’re moving forward with it,” he said.
Comments
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 12:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No New Taxes!
Posted by stateofnatchez (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 1 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a joke. Spending money you don't or never will have.
Sounds more like a broken record than a good idea.
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 6:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is truly a sad time for the children.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on July 22, 2009 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why should the schoolboard be part of a recreation agreement? Could it be because it has the ability to ask for tax increases and its members can't be voted off? This will allow the supervisors and boa to shift blame for new taxes to the school board. Agreements like this allow elected officials to use non-elected appointees as a taxing vehicle to shield them from voter disapproval. It is a way to go around what the people really want.
The schoolboard has no real business being in on this. This is not part of its responsibilities and Adams County residents will be very foolish to let this continue. What area of public life will the schoolboard be allowed to intrude upon next?
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't cry about the poor children not having a place to play ball. Cry about their future,and their great-grandchildren's future. The city,county,state and federal governments have spent future income projections beyond this century. Learn to say no. I would rather they hate me over this than to have them hate me for selling out the rest of their lives. Spend, Spend, Spend the world is going to end, ask and you shall receive, if it feels good do it, what me worry.
Posted by oldsouthgent (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Elected officials should look at Baton Rouge (BREC) facilities and practices - they charge nominal fees for admission, operate first class parks across the city, and cram the parks with paying "customers" as a result, including teams from Natchez competing in tournaments there. If we can't charge entry fees for ball parks, why pay green fees at Duncan Park golf course? Same principle, users pay most of cost. These facilities will enhance our attractiveness to new industry, etc. Today's news - Rec.
Dept. makes money, if true, why not ball parks adding to the take?
Posted by oldsouthgent (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Follow up note - The Baton Rouge economy and tax base would seem much more capable of providing "free" admission parks than Natchez, but our officials seem to be pursuing only a 100% public paid facility at taxpayer expense. We will likely need to provide the up front financing to get this off the ground, but admission receipts could offset maintenance and improvements in the future, thus reducing tax burden.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At least our board of aldermen meetings aren't like the one that is in the links I posted below. Click on the second one if you want to move straight to part two and see the craziness (go back and watch the first one for some context if you'd like). This was from Leland, Mississippi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPiAfj_6g...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoeRxnHKa...
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for the link, Swapmeet! That was hilarious, but at the same time, it was sad. So, so sad. What an irrational, insane person to crawl under a table and scream the same thing 35 times in a row (well, I didn't count but I'm sure it was a fair approximation). I assume she was trying to rationalize her theft!
Yall have to see this...click on Swap's link.
Posted by Doc_Fungo (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't DARE look at BREC in Baton Rouge in order to make a decision. This is apples & oranges...
BREC has DEEP pockets to overcome revenue shortages at this facility (tax dollars). Plus, BREC isn't in the tournament business. This is sub-contracted and the outfits doing this in the past have left BREC in the hole. They have ONE facility that hosts tournaments and they struggle most of the time to have enough teams in each division.
Anybody that mentions BREC and tournaments does not have enough details in order to make a informed decision.
Posted by lightcatcher (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately, it's the same few cynical voices that dominate this comment section over and over again. It's important to note that they do not represent Natchez, or it's best interests. Instead, these comments are used as people's personal bully pulpits to spout their own negative agendas. It's a shame that even if an issue deserves some criticism, that there are rarely constructive comments made about how to really improve it in a positive manner.
What could be wrong with letting the people of Adams county decide what they think about building a recreation facility? Nothing, ......let the entire county voice their opinion. I think that having a referendum on the issue is the obvious and fair way to see how the people of this county really feel about recreation.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on July 22, 2009 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree put it on the ballot and let's find out which way the vote blows. I only wish there was a requirement that in order to vote in more taxes you had to prove that you paid taxes.
Posted by crawgator (anonymous) on July 23, 2009 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I WILL cry for the children NOW TOMORROW and FOREVER! THEY can hate me when I'M DEAD!!!!!
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