NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams County Recreation Commission will meet with a YMCA executive about the possibility of bringing a Y to the area, said Commission Chairman Tate Hobdy.

“If it were up to me, I’d sign them up tomorrow,” Hobdy said.

But first things first: David Reeves, director of the Metropolitan YMCAs of Mississippi, is tentatively set to meet Rec Commission members on March 17.

Hobdy recently met informally with Reeves to update the director on possible plans for new and updated recreation facilities.

Reeves could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Hobdy said although Reeves will be in town to meet with the commission, he hopes other local leaders will be there as well. That includes aldermen, supervisors and school officials.

Other than the next step to making a Natchez-Adams YMCA a reality would be to consolidate city and county recreation programs and appoint one director over it all.

Hobdy told commission members in a Monday night meeting that there are advantages to bringing a YMCA to Natchez-Adams County.

One of the foremost benefits would be the Y’s extensive expertise, he said. Also, they have programming and a management structure already in place.

Recreation Commission officials in recent years have met Natchez aldermen, Adams County supervisors and the Natchez-Adams County School Board.

Those three bodies appoint Recreation Commission members and would have to work together to make recreation improvements and new facilities a reality.

The commission is not trying to circumvent those agencies’ efforts by meeting with Y officials, Hobdy said.

Another priority has been to get an inter-local agreement on recreation approved by all three groups.

“We’ll go to the school district next for their OK,” Hobdy said.

The commission’s next meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. April 6 in the Natchez Chamber of Commerce boardroom.