An important meeting is taking place at the Natchez State Park today. Nearly two dozen incoming and outgoing members of the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce are meeting for their annual board retreat.

It’s a brainstorming and planning session – five hours set aside for these business and civic leaders to set an agenda for the upcoming year.

And it’s an agenda that has far-reaching impact.

The members of the Chamber of Commerce board have the potential to effect real and positive change in Natchez and Adams County. The men and women on this board represent every facet of our community – from banking to education; small business owners to industry leaders; longtime Natchez residents to relative newcomers.

But they all share a common goal – improving the business climate in Natchez and, hand-in-hand with that goal, improving the quality of life for all citizens in our city and county.

We need these leaders to step forward, to offer an aggressive and positive plan of action, to take a visible and proactive role in making positive changes in Natchez.

It’s not enough that our elected officials are making things happen. We need community leaders – business owners and employees, men and women with a vested interest in our community’s success – to make things happen.

We need chamber leaders who are both able and willing to offer input and direction; to take a stand when needed; and to provide leadership for our community.

Any growth that happens – any positive change – whether in the formation of a new and improved Economic Development Authority to improvements in the public education system must come from community leadership.

We challenge the chamber board members to be that leadership.