NATCHEZ &045; Vision Natchez got another look at its mentor Monday at the convention center, and hope abounds that his lessons won’t be forgotten.

Dr. Vaughn L. Grisham, director of the McLean Institute for Community Development at the University of Mississippi, spent three sessions talking about the future of small-town America.

Grisham spent the morning and afternoon sessions discussing his ideas of how cities like Natchez can combat job and population shrinkage. In the evening session, he set Vision Natchez to work on their own ideas.

This was the second trip to Natchez for Grisham.

His visit in March led to the group’s first community project, a city-wide cleanup effort in April.

He said setting and meeting short-term goals is an important part of the revitalization process because it keeps the community energized and eager to plan more.

And further planning was the objective Monday night as the 20 participants split into groups devoted to the arts and education. A third group discussed tourism and business.

Grisham encouraged the groups to discover each person’s strengths and how they would acquire skills they needed from outside the group.

Team building and networking were more important than individual project ideas.

The next step will be for individual groups to meet to fully develop their project ideas.

And different groups working on different areas is part of the plan, Grisham said.

&uot;A good, successful community doesn’t just drive out of one base,&uot; he said. &uot;There are a lot of driving forces.&uot;

One of those forces is Natchez Little Theatre Director Layne Taylor.

Taylor said in the time Vision Natchez has been operating, he has seen positive change.

&uot;I’m an optimist,&uot; he said. &uot;I think Natchez is moving forward.&uot;

Vision Natchez organizer Rena Jean Schmeig was said the future of the group is bright.

&uot;We have so many ideas, we have information about a direction we need to go,&uot; Schmieg said.

&uot;It’s a matter of our coming to a consensus of what’s workable.&uot;

The way may be clear, but it is far from smooth. Grisham said that, as with a child learning to ride a bicycle, there would be spills, but that is only natural.

&uot;It’s time for Natchez to stand up and take control,&uot; he said.

&uot;We’ve given them one last push, now we can only wave.&uot;

In his 35 years in the field of community development, Grisham, who holds a doctorate in sociology, has worked in 32 U.S. states, Canada and Russia.

He is assisting Natchez and several other cities with community revitalization with the aid of a grant he recently received.