NATCHEZ — Both the Natchez mayor and the Adams County Board of Supervisors president said last week’s trip to Washington, D.C., was successful.

Mayor Darryl Grennell and Supervisor Mike Lazarus and county attorney Scott Slover, met with Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.).

“It was a constant march,” Lazarus said Friday as he was returning from the airport. “We put our faces in front of a lot of different faces and got a lot of talks with our leaders. I expect some announcements coming soon.”

Both leaders said a portion of their agenda was talking about the Department of Justice’s recent announcement of its intention to end government reliance on private prisons and the impact that might have on the Adams County Correctional Facility.

Corrections Corporation of America operates the facility. The May 2012 riot at the prison during which guard Catlin Carithers was killed was cited as an incident spurring the review.

“We talk all the time about adding new jobs, but we also don’t want to lose something we’ve already got,” Lazarus said. “They are paying attention to that situation closely and will help out in anyway they can.”

Grennell said he began talks with grants for which the city has recently applied, including a dual pedestrian dock along the river.

“We will be having multiple boats that will be docked in Natchez,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we could provide all of them their needs for docking purposes.”

Grennell also thanked the delegation for help with the city receiving an approximately $10.7 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER Discretionary Grant program. Natchez Railway is providing approximately $3.6 million in matching funds for the project, which will make improvements to the railroad line between Natchez and Brookhaven.

Industrial development was also discussed, Lazarus said.

“We didn’t just walk in the door and say we need industry in Adams County,” Lazarus said. “We took them a list of what we thought Adams County would be best suited for. They were really receptive to that idea.”

Lazarus said he felt like the trip went well, and was well worth the cost to send the leaders to Washington.

“If we bring in a project worth $4 to $5 million, would it be worth it then?” Lazarus said. “I hope we can make an announcement in the next few weeks.

“I can promise you I wouldn’t go if I didn’t think it was doing any good. I’m doing what is best for Adams County. I’m not making a dime off of this other than if it helps the economy of Natchez grow.”