NATCHEZ — When Jim Sanders addressed the Natchez Board of Alderman on Tuesday he got their attention.

Sanders, a neighbor, of the Carpenter apartments told the board that the apartments have some substantial issues that need to be addressed.

Sanders said many of repairs need to be fixed quickly.

Broken exit signs, burned out lights and perhaps most importantly electrical problems have Sanders concerned.

On Oct. 5, an apartment in the Carpenter building caught on fire due to an electrical malfunction.

Sanders said he has been approached by several tenants, who wish to remain anonymous, that are concerned with the building’s safety.

Sanders said when the building was remolded the escape chute was removed from the outside of the building but never replaced.

According to Sanders several wheelchair bound residents are concerned.

Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis was also concerned enough to request an inspection from the city’s building inspector Paul Dawes.

Dawes said he will meet with the building’s owner next week for an inspection.

“It has had some neglect,” Dawes said of the building.

On his inspection Dawes said he will look for any obvious problems but will be limited by what can be seen in plain sight.

When Sanders voiced his concerns to the board he asked if the city could compel the building’s owner to hire a full-time building manager.

But now that won’t be necessary.

The building’s owner Kenneth Windham has recently hired a new building supervisor.

Reo Maynard, the building’s new manager, was hired just one week ago.

Maynard, like Sanders is a neighbor of the apartment building, and has had his concerns bout the building.

Maynard said he was hired by Windham to handle all maintenance issues at the building.

Maynard said his first job is to refurbish the apartment that was destroyed in the fire.

Once the damaged apartment is livable, Maynard said he will begin replacing missing floor tiles throughout the building.

“Whatever comes up I’ll handle it,” he said.

And according to Maynard, on an initial inspection of the building he found no electrical problems.

“I personally inspected all rooms,” he said.