Recreation

Recreation has been one of the city’s hottest topics since a referendum was passed in 2009, with approximately 78.5 percent of voters supporting the idea of constructing a city-county recreation complex, with construction costs capped at $5.4 million.

Brown said he thinks it would be quite ambitious to look a year ahead and say that a complex will be ready to go. He said, however, in the next year he wants to see improvements to the city’s current recreational facilities and the implementation of wellness programs that will correlate with a new recreation complex.

“The people have seen no change in recreation since that referendum,” he said. “And I look across the river to what Vidalia is doing with a great complex, and I see us just stuck waiting for a green light that’s never going to come. We have to take the initiative.”

Duncan Park, Brown said, has to be postured to accommodate not only the current golf patrons and tournaments, but an influx of golf activity as well. He said that will take work and improvements to the park’s facilities, management and services.

“We need to do more, and we will do more, so we have a starting point when a complex is ready,” Brown said.

Partnership with Alcorn State University

A new program that Brown said is only talk right now is the implementation of a partnership between the City of Natchez and Alcorn State for a theater program that puts students in downtown Natchez.

The program as Brown said he envisions it includes singing, acting, set design, makeup and costumes.

Brown said he would like to see the Ritz Theatre restored and used as a venue for the program under funds that Alcorn can receive through its status as a Historically Black College and University.

“It’s just talk right now, but I would like to see it happen as soon as possible,” he said. “It will be good for Alcorn, as far as increasing enrollment and building their non-African-American student population, and it will be good for the city of Natchez.”

Leadership

Brown said he wants to be a well-liked mayor. He said he is aggressive when it comes to doing what is best for the city, for which he said he has been admired and admonished.

“There are people who don’t like the aggressive side of me, but I hope I never come across as aggressive toward people, because I’m not,” he said. “I don’t mind being aggressive when I am doing business, and I’ve been congratulated and criticized for it.”

Brown said he wants to keep a humble nature while mayor.

“But I have great visions for the City of Natchez, and I don’t know who loves it more than me,” he said.