Natchez aldermen &uot;reluctantly&uot; endorsed a plan Tuesday to revamp the board of the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority.

The plan, which will be submitted to the state Legislature as local and private legislation, calls for a five-member board, with four members appointed by county supervisors and the fifth representing the city — the sitting mayor.

&uot;I reluctantly move that we accept the agreement,&uot; Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux said.

Arceneaux went on to say she wishes the city would have more representation on the board.

&uot;We have all been very strong in supporting economic development,&uot;&160;she said. &uot;Economic development is going to save the life of Natchez.&uot;

Alderwoman Sue Stedman, who participated in the discussions with the county along with City Attorney Walter Brown, said a &uot;repealer&uot; will be included in the bill — which will allow the boards to revisit the issue after two years.

&uot;If this presents itself as something we cannot live with, we can change it,&uot; she said.

The board now has 15 members, with five appointed by the county, five by the city and five jointly.

Until last year, the county was funding the EDA about $150,000 annually, with the city contributing $75,000 each year. There had also been a stipulation that the city could contribute an additional $25,000 if the EDA&160;had a prospect for industry.

But after Executive Director Andi Quartey

left in early 1999, the county reduced its payment by its share of his salary, and the city voted to suspend its funding in June.

But when the city voted on its fiscal year 2000 budget, it included $50,000 for the EDA whenever it is restructured.

The new plan calls for the county to fund 80 percent of the EDA cost and the city to fund 20 percent of the cost. Stedman said there is no cap on funding, but she said it is likely the city’s share will be about $50,000.

Stedman said the county did not seem to want the city to take part in the EDA.

&uot;Their objective was that the city would have no part whatsoever,&uot; she said. &uot;The county board was assured that the city would not go by the wayside as far as economic development.&uot;

Virginia Salmon, president of the board of supervisors, said supervisors has gone on record that they wanted to take on supervision of the EDA.

But she said everyone in the city and county should take part in economic development.

Mayor Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot;&160;Brown said the city will continue to take part in both the EDA&160;and in other areas of economic development, such as recruiting Spanish aircraft company CASA.

&uot;The city has been very proactive in economic development,&uot; he said.