NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors met with the Natchez-Adams County Port commissioners Wednesday with the stated goal of keeping the channels of communication open.

During the meeting, the supervisors asked the commissioners to provide them with regular financial reports and clarify hiring practices.

“We are not accusing y’all of anything,” Supervisor David Carter said. “Sometimes we have a tough time getting information.

“The port is doing better now than it ever has done, and we just want to make sure what is going and we are all on the same page.”

The supervisors alluded several times to the county board’s past frustrations with getting information about Natchez Regional Medical Center’s finances in the years leading up to its bankruptcy and sale to a private company.

The supervisors also stressed they have the utmost respect for the commissioners and believe they are doing what they think best for the county and the port.

“Even though we don’t want to micromanage, we need to make sure because we have faced this dilemma,” Board President Darryl Grennell said. “I hate to bring it back up, but with the hospital, it was one of the worst experiences I have gone through.”

The supervisors also asked the port commission to notify them of when the commission has a meeting so they can attend.

The supervisors appointed themselves port commissioners earlier this year, doubling the size of the board from 5 to 10 but not requiring more than 3 commissioners to be present for a quorum.

Port Commission President Wilbur Johnson said the commissioners meet on the third Wednesday of every month.

“In the 15 years I have been on this port commission board, we have never had the feeling that we are feeling now,” he said. “You never wanted to come.

“We thought we had it understood that y’all are commissioners, and you are welcome to the meetings. There is nothing that we have that we are not willing to share. There is nothing that we hold back or keep secret.”

Port Director Anthony Hauer said the lack of communication shouldn’t be understood as avoidance.

“We don’t intentionally not talk to you,” he said. “But if you don’t talk to us, we assume you don’t have any questions.”

The supervisors also asked about the port’s hiring of Robert McNeely as assistant to Port Director Anthony Hauer, and the planned hiring of a bookkeeper. McNeely was the director of property management at Isle of Capri Casino.

The hiring process was done without advertising the position. Johnson said the commission followed all of the guidelines it had been given for hiring.

“Anthony said, ‘I checked with these young folks, they didn’t seem to care for the position,’ then Anthony came and said, ‘I have found a person,” Johnson said.

Grennell said the position should have been advertised so everyone was afforded the opportunity to apply. Hauer said the port has an open door policy that if someone wants an application they can have one.

Johnson said the port will advertise for the bookkeeping position, something Supervisor Mike Lazarus said only made sense to collect the biggest pool of qualified candidates.

“A job with the county is so valuable, you might get a licensed CPA,” he said. “Every position we advertise, we are swamped by applicants.”

In other news:

4The board adopted a resolution allowing retiring Adams County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Randy Freeman to purchase his service weapon, a provision allowed to retiring deputies in state law.

4The board adopted a resolution of appreciation for Patty Barlow’s years of service at the Department of Human Services.

4The board adopted a resolution of commendation for the Rev. Melvin White’s 15-year anniversary in the pastorate.

4The board adopted a resolution of appreciation thanking all those who donated money to the Pack the Pickup fundraiser.