NATCHEZ — Local stakeholders are diving deeper into the possibility of bringing YMCA services to Natchez and Adams County.

Two representatives from the Jackson YMCA — Director of the Metropolitan YMCAs David Reeves and Operations Officer Pat Lovitt — will meet with city and county officials at 10 a.m. Monday in the city council chambers, 115 S. Pearl Street.

“Our plan is to talk about the benefits of the YMCA,” said Tate Hobdy, Natchez-Adams County Recreation Commission chairman. “This is about what the YMCA can bring to Natchez.”

The Adams County Board of Supervisors recently reaffirmed its commitment to a consolidated recreation program with the city, which includes a signed letter of intent for the construction of a pool and soccer fields at Liberty Park near Natchez High School.

In that agreement, the Natchez Board of Aldermen, Adams County Board of Supervisors and the Natchez-Adams County School Board agreed to a one-time contribution of $500,000 from the city and a one-time contribution of $700,00 from the county for the construction of a junior Olympic-size pool and two soccer fields.

Who would manage the pool and soccer fields was not specified in the agreement.

“The letter of intent doesn’t specifically call out the YMCA, but in that agreement, it has allocation for management services,” Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard said. “That’s why I’ve been referring to the Y as a management entity.”

Dillard, along with Ward 2 Alderman Ricky Gray, were recently appointed by the board of aldermen to oversee recreation issues.

“It was kind of a decision to appoint two aldermen to stay on top of this,” Dillard said.

Since 2006, the city and county have been exploring the possibility of bringing the YMCA to Natchez for recreation management services.

Adams County Supervisor Mike Lazarus said the YMCA would bring much needed knowledge and professionalism to city and county recreation.

“I trust the recreation commission, but we’re looking at turning over quite a large budget,” Lazarus said. “It’s not like the city and county can cut checks to the (recreation) commission.”

The Natchez-Adams County Recreation Commission was formed in 2010, Hobdy said, and is comprised of nine members — three representing the city, three representing the county and three representing the Natchez-Adams County School Board.

Hobdy said if the YMCA came to Natchez, the Natchez Board of Aldermen would determine the future of the recreation commission and its role in Natchez and Adams County.

Hobdy also said there has been no discussion of constructing a building that would be used for YMCA services.

“It wouldn’t be a conventional YMCA like you see in a big city,” Hobdy said. “It would be more of an integration. They would be providing management services.”

In the past, Lazarus said public swimming pools have failed because they didn’t have the proper management.

The YMCA, Lazarus said, would change that.

“I don’t think it had the supervision it needed,” Lazarus said of the Duncan Park pool, which closed in 1994.

If the city and county had a public pool managed by the YMCA, Lazarus said there would be set swim hours for specific age groups, and more opportunities for swimming lessons.

“I support the YMCA coming to Natchez 100-percent,” Lazarus said.

Hobdy, Dillard and Lazarus said a big question they hope to see answered Monday is how much it would cost for the YMCA to provide services in Natchez.

“I don’t think it would be a financial burden on the city, but it’s something we have to look at,” Dillard said. “Having an administration that can do the operations and deal with the programs, I think that’s what the YMCA brings as opposed to a recreation commission.”

The meeting is open to the public.