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Mayoral Candidate Darryl Grennell answers a question during the forum Tuesday. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Supporters of Tony Fields, Rosetta Anderson, Ellen Earls, Gloria Young and Claristeen Beard listen Tuesday. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Mayoral candidate Darryl Grennell answers a question during the candidate forum at the Natchez Convention Center on Tuesday. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Eric Junkin answers a question during the candidate forum at the Natchez Convention Center on Tuesday. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Tony Fields

Mayoral candidate's Darryl Grennell, Tony Fields and Eric Junkin answer questions Tuesday. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Patricia Oliver holds up an iPad to record the mayoral portion of the candidate forum at the Natchez Convention Center Tuesday. Oliver said she attended to support mayoral candidate Darryl Grennell. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Jean Reed is held by her husband, Bryant Reed during the mayoral portion of the candidate forum at the Natchez Convention Center Tuesday. Jean Reed said she moved to Natchez in 1957 to teach school and married a Nattchez bachlor (Bryant Reed) the two have been together for 55 years. "It greives my heart now," Jean Reed said, "Natchez had a fantastic school system, and we need some positive statements about Natchez at this time." (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Mayoral candidate's Darryl Grennell, Tony Fields and Eric Junkin answer questions at the candidate forum Tuesday.(Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — In a packed convention center Tuesday, Natchez mayoral candidates discussed finances, education and other issues in the city.

The order in which candidates were allowed to introduce themselves was in random order.

During the introductions, Eric Junkin said the function of the mayor is to run the city like a business, and while doing that, allow the different department heads hired to do their jobs.

“I am a problem solver and I live to solve the city’s issues,” Junkin said. “I am also open to new approaches for all issues that the city faces… All are welcome to contact me.”

Darryl Grennell was given the second opportunity to introduce himself, and he leaned on his experience as an educator and former county supervisor as his qualifications.

“Many times, when (the board of supervisors) would travel to Washington, D.C., (former U.S. Sen.) Trent Lott would say to me, ‘Natchez is one of the best-kept secrets in the country,’” Grennell said. “Natchez is a national treasure … It should be like Charleston or Savannah with its streets lined with tourists…  My mission is to make that treasure shine.”

Tony Fields was last to introduce himself. He used a portion of his time to address the issue of his inexperience — that some believe other mayoral candidates are more qualified. He said no matter who is elected, that person will be serving as a first-term mayor.

“I know how you feel about me, and that’s the same way I felt when I gave my daughter the keys to my car,” Fields said. “Even though she is young and has not been driving long, I knew I had prepared her and she was ready.

“You all have done a great job preparing me, and now I am asking for the keys to the car.”

Mayoral candidates were first asked what they would do to help the city meet matching grant obligations.

“What we can do a better job of is matching funds up front before we even apply for grants,” Fields said. However, Fields said he still believed the city should be aggressive in applying for grants.

Grennell said he was prepared to draw on his experience with county government. He said when a government body is developing a budget, end-of-year cash balances should be programed into the budget.

“That will help when grant opportunities come about,” he said. “If you find that grant necessary, and if you have programmed the budget correctly, you will have money available for grants.”

Junkin said the city needs to stay on top of its finances better through its accounting system to keep these problems away.

Junkin said continuing to ignore the accounting system will be to the detriment of the board of aldermen and the city. Junkin said he would commit to correcting that on the first day he gets into office. If the accounting staff is able to provide the board with where the budget stands as these opportunities come up, it would be easy to make a logical decision, Junkin said.

All candidates gave a similar response when asked if they were for or against leasing the Broadway Street railroad depot. All wished that the opportunity had been given to Natchez business people to refurbish the train depot.

While Fields thought similar, he also defended his yes vote on this project.

“We did that with the mindset of trying to get that building, which has been an eyesore, ready for the tricentennial,” he said, adding that he had never heard concerns from residents until after the fact.

Candidates were also asked how they would ensure a more successful Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Junkin and Grennell said they think the current administration should allow the next administration the opportunity to hire a new director and appoint new CVB board members. Fields, on the other hand, said he believes the swift operation of the CVB is pertinent now and the current administration has the right to hire new leadership.

When the moderators asked Fields and the other candidates about how they would improve the school system, the question drew laughter from the audience. Fields has been employed as an educator and administrator in the district for a number of years.

Fields said he knows the inner workings of the district.

“I can be the best ambassador of the schools,” he said. “We need to be fully invested as a city in our school district.”

Grennell said he thought the system would be better suited to involve Alcorn State University and Copiah-Lincoln Community College more.

“Looking at other communities with colleges in their backyards, they use that resource,” Grennell said. “I plan to use them.”

Junkin said the mayor does not possess authority in the school system, so the options are somewhat limited. He returned to the city’s accounting woes and suggested that setting a good example might be the best approach.

Candidates were also asked to describe their leadership style. Junkin said it was simple — the mayor is supposed to be an administrator to the city.

“I intend to prove to be the most efficient administrator possible, giving reports to the city aldermen, providing department heads and sister organizations, cooperative organizations around the city with the best advice, the best data they can have from the administration of the city,” he said.

Grennell said he considers himself a public servant. He said he wants to run smooth meetings, keep order and be transparent to residents, as well as give the public every opportunity to speak.

“I intend to have town hall meetings to let people know what is going on in city government, and it will allow us to listen to the ideas and input from the public,” he said.

Fields said he intended to be an empowering leader.

“I am a motivating leader. I will tell you when you are doing a good job,” he said. “And if you don’t do a good job, I will let you know about that as well.”

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