NATCHEZ — Gov. Haley Barbour and representatives from Natchez Inc. are expected to make an announcement at 1 p.m. today regarding a “major economic development.” The ceremony will be at the colonnades near the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

No details about the announcement have been revealed, but at Monday’s Adams County Board of Supervisors meeting the board was ready to celebrate.

District 2 Supervisor Henry Watts said the good news might not have been possible without some controversial actions taken by the board two years ago.

Watts said an unpopular move to cut funding to the former local Economic Development Authority helped spark the creation of Natchez Inc., the public and private economic development group that helped lure the mystery industry to town.

“I (want to) remind the general population, it was unpopular in January 2009 to pull, (

or) stop funding for (the for

mer) EDA,” Watts said.

Watts said he always thought the local EDA needed to be less of a government entity and operate using private money. Natchez Inc. and Natchez Now, the private funding mechanism for Natchez Inc., came out of the supervisors-led dismantling of the former EDA, Watts said.

“Ironically, not one word positive (was said) about the board of supervisors’ role in (the new economic development groups).” Watts said.

“There’s going to be an announcement (today) by the governor of Mississippi and (the public) has to give all those (involved) credit for it. It’s not right to exclude the board of supervisors’ role in it.”

Natchez Grand Hotel and Natchez Convention Center Manager Walter Tipton, who attended the meeting to talk about his support for a new recreation facility, responded to Watts’ comments.

“I do recognize the role (of the supervisors) and I agree with your comments,” Tipton said.

District 1 Supervisor Mike Lazarus suggested Natchez Inc. and Natchez Now are signs of progress for Adams County.

“(The Adams County supervisors) are leading the way instead of watching other people (lead),” Lazarus said.