Cold, wet weather has kept golfers off the course this winter and caused Natchez recreation revenues to come in lower than anticipated. To help make up for the budget shortfall, the Natchez Board of Aldermen approved the transfer of $20,000 from the gaming fund to the recreation department to cover January payroll and maintenance expenses.

Recreation director Ralph Tedder said his department depends on greens fees at Duncan Park Golf Course to offset maintenance costs at the city’s many parks, which don’t produce much revenue.

Tedder said golf revenues totaled $44,000 in January 2000 but are only $25,205 this year.

Ad valorem revenues, which historically show a surge in January and February, are also low this year, Tedder said. January receipts this year came to $15,000, compared to $21,000 in 2000.

This month’s transfer is the third consecutive month the recreation department has borrowed funds, and Tedder said it will take him more than a year to pay back the money.

In a finance committee meeting Tuesday, Ward 3 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West asked Tedder about the possibility of cutting back on recreation employees’ work hours during the slow season.

In other business, the board:

4Approved a change order for $5,000 for renovation of the city auditorium. City Engineer David Gardner said the excess money was part of a contingency fund and will be returned to the general budget to be used on the convention center.

4Expressed approval for the city planning department to apply for African-American Heritage Preservation grants from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

City Planner David Preziosi said the city will apply for two separate grants, one for purchase of the Forks of the Road property and the other to complete renovation of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of African-American Culture. Preziosi said approval of the Forks of the Road application hinges on whether the property owner is willing to sell. If so, the city would be responsible for maintenance of the property until such time when officials hope it can be transferred to the National Park Service.

4Heard the report of Gardner who said the city has been approved for Emergency Watershed funds from the Natural Resource Conservation Service for two recent projects: $100,000 for erosion correction on Duster Road and $60,000 for sewage pipe repair near Elms Court.

Gardner said the grants require a 5 percent match from the city, which comes to $8,000.

4Heard the report of Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot;&160;Smith who attended a conference of the U.S. Conference of Mayors last week in Washington, D.C.

Smith said he requested to be placed on a committee for arts, culture and recreation.

He also announced that he and several aldermen along with county supervisors and leaders throughout southwest Mississippi plan to attend a conference with Gov. Ronnie Musgrove in Jackson Feb. 1 to discuss supplier opportunities with the Nissan plant.