The cliché about football being a game of inches may be apropos in Adams County, where progress on recreation comes not in inches, but in tiny, hard-fought millimeters.

Our community has a unique opportunity to gauge support for constructing a new recreation complex by putting a non-binding referendum on the November ballot.

The initiative would gauge public support for having the City of Natchez, Adams County and the Natchez-Adams School District pool resources and partner on developing a recreation complex.

It was a simple plan, one that didn’t commit anyone to do anything. It was nothing more than a harmless, but important, opinion poll. Important because it provided our elected leaders direction on what the public wants.

Yet, we may have screwed that simple plan up.

Tuesday’s decision by a majority of the Adams County Board of Supervisors to throw a wrench into the matter is puzzling — and illustrates just how hypocritical some supervisors can be.

The county board didn’t bat an eye at throwing the future of the city-county economic development under the proverbial bus a few months ago. And they didn’t bother putting the $6 million road-resurfacing project to a vote.

But they’re now intent on making sure every angle of the non-binding referendum is considered even if doing so ends up nixing the ability to actually get it on the ballot.

Slight wording changes the county approved now means the city and school district must re-approve the plan — and there isn’t much time.

Hopefully, city and school officials will see the importance of this matter and call quick special meetings to re-approve these minor changes.