Five new board members appointed to the Natchez-Adams County Economic and Community Development Authority will play an integral role in the selection of an executive director, a position vacant since January 1999.

New city-appointed board members James West and Woody Allen and those tapped by the county, Jack Dallas, Leon Crawford and Charles Yarborough have formed a search committee for a new director and have set a March 15 deadline for applications.

Johnny Junkin, current EDA board member and chairman of the search committee, said the group has developed a description of a viable director for advertisement in trade journals and other southeastern publications as well as the Mississippi Development Authority Web site. Junkin said the committee is looking for &uot;aggressive&uot; candidates who will &uot;hit the ground running&uot; and have at least five years experience and training in economic development.

The committee has also enlisted the help of Robert Ingram, a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, to help them target specific publications and sort through applications once they are received.

New and current EDA board members met with Adams County Supervisors, the mayor and Natchez aldermen Monday to discuss what role the new members would play in the actual selection of an executive director.

&uot;It was just a meeting to let them know they had complete control, that no politics would be involved,&uot; said Ward 2 Alderman James &uot;Ricky&uot; Gray.

Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith said the meeting was a chance for both city and county boards to show support for the EDA members, both current and new.

Until the Legislature approves the proposed five-member board – which officials expect in early March – the current 15-member board is still in operation.

&uot;It’s an awkward situation,&uot; Smith said.

Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennell said the meeting was to discuss &uot;the mechanics&uot; of the&160;EDA. Everyone agreed city and county officials should not micromanage the EDA’s operations. &uot;We basically gave them the charge to go out&uot; and seek economic development for Adams County, Grennell said.

They were also told &uot;to hire a competent, effective, intelligent director for this area,&uot;&160;Grennell said.

Smith said discussion centered around who would be responsible for choosing a new director, the current board or the new members.

&uot;But it didn’t seem to be a big problem for anybody,&uot; he said.

Officials hope the Legislature will approve the new EDA structure before time to hire a director.

&uot;The reality is we are going to have the new legislation in place before (the) EDA director is in place,&uot; Grennell said.

After Monday’s meeting Supervisor Lynwood Easterling said he could see great things happening for economic development.

&uot;The whole time of the meeting I had a good feeling and a good smile on my face,&uot; Easterling said.

Everybody seems to be on the same page and working together, he added.

Supervisor Sammy Cauthen, who also attended the meeting, said the officials just discussed the pending legislation and other EDA issues.

&uot;I’m just anxious for them to get a permanent director,&uot; he said.

Impressed by the search committee’s efforts, Ward 5 Alderman David Massey said he expects the executive director’s position to be filled by April. &uot;With that kind of enthusiasm, maybe we can get somewhere,&uot; he said.

&uot;It was a positive meeting,&uot; said Ward 4 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West. &uot;Everybody indicated a desire to have a strong economic development effort.&uot;

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux said she wanted to know what goals the EDA board had set for themselves and what they saw as their role in light of the impending legislation.

&uot;They seem to have meshed well, and they seem to be moving as a unit toward one goal,&uot; she said.

Smith said he called the meeting by placing letters in the aldermen’s boxes at City Hall and contacting the supervisors and EDA members by phone. The public was not represented at the meeting.

Several aldermen said the meeting was informal and was an opportunity for the various groups to discuss the direction of the EDA. No action was taken, and minutes were not taken.

Considering the number of people involved, &uot;it’s just good for everybody to sit in the same room,&uot; Ward 3 Alderwoman Sue Stedman said.