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Check for $250 keeps city from designation
Published Friday, June 26, 2009
NATCHEZ — A $250 check has kept Natchez from becoming a 2009 accredited Main Street community.
A shift of directors within the Natchez Downtown Development Association, and a lack of an invoice, is more than likely the reason behind lack of payment, an official said.
The Mississippi Main Street Association, a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is responsible for the designation.
To be part a Main Street community the four prongs of MMSA must be fulfilled — promotion, design, organization and economic restructuring — through a checklist which includes sending in reports, having an active downtown development board and more.
“Natchez had done every one,” MMSA Executive Director Bob Wilson said.
The only thing that was missing was a small portion of annual fees to the program.
Each year, Natchez, a member for more than four years — pays $2,000 in annual dues.
An additional $250 is paid for the National Main Street Network Membership program, and that is what the city is missing.
The deadline for that amount of money to be paid to be considered an active and accredited member was in February, Wilson said.
“They were going through all gyrations at that point,” he said of the Natchez Downtown Development Association, which is responsible for the membership.
In March, Carrie Lambert vacated the position of NDDA director.
After that, Barbara Lomasney was the interim director.
Wilson said he spoke with Historic Natchez Foundation Executive Director Mimi Miller, who has an ad hoc position on the NDDA board, about the fee.
She is currently working on finding the check and sending it in.
Wilson said the Main Street Center does not send invoices for this fee, so it’s highly likely the need for its payment was lost in a transition.
And as soon as the check is sent in, Natchez will be accredited.
“For all intents and purposes, as far as we’re concerned, they’re accredited. (Natchez) just has to get that individual network membership paid,” Wilson said.
The check was sent by downtown development this week after officials realized the designation’s hold up.
Wilson said being a Main Street community means Natchez can network with other communities.
“The benefits are endless,” he said. “It’s one of the best networking things I’ve ever seen.”
Main Street community activities are posted on the Web site, along with downtown development contacts, so cities can tap into that as a resource for new ideas.
“There is no competition, so they’re very willing to share their ideas, missteps, artwork, press releases,” he said. “It’s a wonderful resource for a main street manager.”
Wilson also said in the current economic climate, tourists are traveling closer to home and being listed on the Mississippi Main Street Association and the Main Street Center’s Web site is helpful.
“People will travel from one Main Street community to another,” he said.
Comments
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 12:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
nits
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 1:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How come there is no mention of the new NDDA director?
Posted by juju (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 2:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
'FINDING' the check? Huh??
Posted by mslugirl (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 5:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another "missed deadline."
Posted by areader (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All is well. Mr. Wilson said "For all intents and purposes, as far as we're concerned, they are accredited." It must be a slow news day for this to be newsworthy.
Posted by Natchez3 (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree areader.
Posted by excitement (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a pattern that needs to stop. Who's not doing their job here?!!
Posted by mrmojorisin (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So, let me see if I get this right...for $2250 a year we get to call ourselves a Mississippi Mainstreet Community, and we get to share stories with other Mississippi Mainstreet Communities, and we get to post our Downtown Activities on their Website, right? Hmmmm...wonder what an ad on their website would cost? Probably less than $187.50 a month. And we really don't have to advertise but 3 or 4 times a year. I mean. we really don't have anything to offer when the homes are closed or the balloon races aren't happening...the blues fest? Does it ever not rain that weekend? The only touristy thing I can see happening year round are the buggy rides.
Doesn't Natchez already have a website? What is the maintenance cost for that? Maybe we should save the money or spend it on our own signs...Maybe like, "Our Own Natchez Main Street Association", or "come visit downtown Natchez, where the old South died and moved to the suburbs and strip malls", or "if you like to drink and fight, Main Street Natchez is the place for you" or "come visit Natchez Main Street, where the Public Schools operate on $4.4 million dollars a month and the kids still can't spell 'Nashez Mane Steret'", or "come stay downtown in Natchez at our fancy new hotel with its grand Lilliputian Olympic sized pool".......
---mojo
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"MOJO", If you really feel that way about our wonderful city, PLEASE MOVE. Noone is MAKING you stay here. I personally love my city. It's beautiful, safe, inexpensive to live; what more do you want? There's plenty of things to do other than tour homes. Have you ever heard of the Natchez Trace? Indian Village? City & National Cemetary? Walk downtown and see the progress being made in old buildings? Lake St. John? Lake Concordia? Memorial Park? Duncan Park? We're not here to entertain you, you need to do that yourself.
Posted by southernwoman (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe all these leaders will eventually forget to pay themselves, but I'm not counting on it.
Do we really benefit from this membership? Perhaps this money could be better spent, as mojo suggested.
Posted by mrmojorisin (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOVESNATCHEZ----of course I know about all that stuff, but I am from here...and we are here to entertain the tourists. Tourism is our only industry left. The Natchez Trace runs all the way to Nashville, TN, people don't make the journey to Natchez to see the Trace; they come for the old homes. And maybe some come for the balloon races, but those are mostly the balloonists. And as far as the progress on the buildings downtown, there has been a huge hole on the 100 block of No Commerce for at least 4 years that I know of; the Ritz got a paint job, but the Clark is a boarded up ghost of a building. And you cannot deny the break-ins, the fights, the overgrown vacant lots and crack houses. Memorial Park is not bad if you don't mind the stink from the fountain. The Lakes? How many tourists bring their boats, and without a boat those lakes are useless. Where would they stay on either of the lakes...perhaps Spokane Resort's nasty little cabins.
All I'm saying is we have a long way to go to match the tourist show places connected with what I've come to know as Main Street America. The deal with the new gambling boat hasn't even begun except to open a 'no name' hotel at the foot of the bridge and chop out a divot from the bluff, and now they're bankrupt. Meanwhile back on the ranch we continue to spend money like there is no tomorrow. Typical example, "OUR TOWN" borrows $500,000 dollars, the BOA says because we missed the deadline to recover funding for the last hurricane---OOPs! No deadline, but we still borrow the money even though as the BOA put it , "we don't need it now, but!" Less than a month later, we've spent it all already and need to borrow $30,000 to fix a utility truck, and we don't even have $12,000 to fix a street that WILL cave in and trap the residents in their houses.
So, if we can save $2250 by not joining in with the other sheep by labeling ourselves a "Main Street City", I say, so be it!
Business is easy when it's based on OPM, and no one is responsible for the outcome of the venture...just ask the Wall St billionaires or any of our elected officials, all the way up to our federal Representatives and Senators. The Wall St money boys, they are just greedy oportunists with no conscience, morals, or ethics and huge egos. Same goes for the elected guys, but their job IS staying elected. They tell us what we want to hear; we hear what we want to hear; most don't even bother to vote, and the beat goes on.
Everyone wants something to change, but nobody wants to change. Change is hard because it means CHANGING! Maybe because I HAVE been gone for a long time it's easier for me to see what Natchez has become because it is so different. It breaks my heart that Walmart has become what downtown Natchez used to be...the place where you went to run into all your friends.
---mojo
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 10:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hhh
Posted by juju (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 2:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LovesNatchez, are you kidding, safe and inexpensive? Have you not been reading about the buglary stories lately? And the articles about our having to borrow money? Beautiful? How about the recent articles regarding the need for cleanup and condemned buildings? The people commenting on this website I think believe that it can be all of these things but just believe the present ways aren't working. Don't be so harsh!
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 4:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez is two steps away from complete failure.....mark my words. WONDERFUL CITY??? ARE YOU FREAKING NUTS? You have got to be the biggest idiot on Earth. It's typical for some folks to think everything is gravy and be so oblivious to the OBVIOUS truth about Snatchez. SAFE?? what about the guy that used a hammer to subdue a burglar? Or Mr Andre Farrish having a gun pulled on him? What about all the yard tools and trailers?? I commend your optimism for Natchez...but you must face reality. Natchez is bleedin to death. Im so infuriated i cannot even type anymore. Carry on Natchez lovers....someone has to love it
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WE DO LOVE IT "GHOST". AND WE WILL CARRY ON.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on June 28, 2009 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOVESNATCHEZ, you must be well-off to love Natchez so much. Only the privileged and the crooks don't have a complaint because the middle-class is almost all gone here.
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"JUJU" Well off? Hardly. CONTENT? ABSOLUTELY!!! I have traveled extensively and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart; THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NATCHEZ. MY HOME". I do love it warts and all. The few little burgarlies are just that; not murder or rape. There will always be a few thugs looking for trouble no matter where you live. Every city has budget problems, condemned buildings, etc.
We were in Key West for Christmas. Stayed in a magnificent hotel, right across the street were boarded up buildings needing repair. It's everywhere so don't be so negative about Natchez. And for "GHOST" , I'm really sorry you're so unhappy and discontent. It must be hell to live in that fog every day. Step outside, it's a beautiful day. Take a walk, the crepe myrtles are in full bloom and are gorgeous. Have a great day.
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