Through 35 years and five mayors, Francis Ransom has helped to oversee the city’s water and sewer systems. Twenty years ago, he became chairman of the Natchez Water Works board, and, against his wishes, he was elected for yet another term, he said.

&uot;About a year ago, I was asked to stay as chairman,&uot; Ransom said, sitting at his desk at his company, Ransom Construction. &uot;I had a recommendation, and they just flat wouldn’t accept it at all.&uot;

The five-member board meets at 5:15 p.m. every third Tuesday at the Water Works building. &uot;I can’t recall more than two times when we didn’t have a quorum,&uot; Ransom said. &uot;We have a dedicated board.&uot;

Other members are John Ray, Mamie Mazique, Richard Burke and Ken Whittington.

Ransom recalled some former board members who played important roles in decision making. &uot;It seems like on every board we have a conservative person, and that’s good. That person makes us think.&uot;

He remembered John Green, Rawdon Blankenstein, Jake Middleton, Stratton Bull, Hall Wilson and others. &uot;I think Richard Burke is that person now,&uot; Ransom said.

Water board members face challenges each time they meet, he said. One that comes up again and again is water and sewer rates. &uot;The elected officials are pressured by constituents. But we have to defend our contingency fund,&uot; he said. &uot;We have things happen on an ongoing basis. Pipes fall into the bayou; and we have a number of huge projects ahead of us, such as where the Natchez Trace is coming in on Liberty Road and we have to replace a lot of lines.&uot;

The contingency fund does get to a substantial level, he said. &uot;It’s probably about $6 million now. But our new budget is over $6 million and had to be supplemented $1.25 million from the contingency fund.&uot;

In addition to the Natchez Trace-related project, other big projects include these:

4Relocating water and sewer lines on Minor Street

4Water line replacement program for water lines more than 75 years old

4Industrial park and lift station upgrade

4Construction of an additional elevated water tank

4Drilling another water well

A visible project in recent weeks is the replacement of sewer lines downtown, Ransom said. &uot;These lines are leaking water and taking unnecessary water to the treatment plants,&uot; he said.

At 76, he has seen and done many things, both as a businessman and as a volunteer. Life lessons help him as water board chairman today.

&uot;It takes a steady head to run a board. You have to thoroughly think things out before you let them out,&uot; Ransom said. &uot;You have to be consistent in your thinking and not make rash decisions.&uot;

Running his own business has taught him management skills that help him as a board chairman, also. And he knows the importance of attention to details.

A Natchez native who graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1952 with a degree in building construction, Ransom served in the U.S. Army as an officer in the 82nd Airborne and later with the 21st Infantry Division in Korea, where he was a platoon leader.

Returning home after his military service, he worked for six years for the late Jim Postlethwaite before opening his own business.

His list of volunteer activities is a long one, including many civic, educational and church-related groups.

He and his wife, Alberta Brown Ransom, have four grown children and 10 grandchildren.