Natchez board undecided on city smoking ban and funding request for library

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The mayor and aldermen are being asked by the Mississippi Tobacco-free Coalition to ban smoking inside Natchez businesses. Mayor Dan Gibson noted many Mississippi towns have such ordinances. While most Natchez businesses already have smoking bans, the Board of Aldermen remains undecided on whether to enact a citywide prohibition. Aldermen took no action at Tuesday’s board meeting on the requested tobacco-free ordinance.

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Natchez aldermen and the mayor are reviewing Armstrong Library’s funding shortage caused by falling municipal tax collections. This could be compounded if the Mississippi Library Commission rescinds state funds because the city is not maintaining enough support for its public library, said library Director Pam Plummer. She told the mayor and aldermen Tuesday that the library stands to lose about $74,000.

While the city library has a dedicated tax mill set for it each year, a decline in local property tax collections has caused revenue shortfalls, Gibson said. He told Plummer options will be considered that could ease Armstrong Library’s funding woes. “We will do all we can,” the mayor said.

COVID has forced the library to reduce the hours it’s open and limit the number of patrons inside, Plummer said. She noted the Natchez library is one of only 29 in Mississippi that have kept doors open during the pandemic.

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The annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration next year will be a mostly virtual event via the Internet because the COVID pandemic makes it unsafe to gather in large crowds. NLCC Director Emily Williams got the Board of Aldermen Tuesday to release the $5,000 it already budgeted to help fund the Feb. 22-27 event.

Panels of speakers and their audiences won’t be in the Natchez Convention Center as in past years, she said, but there are tentative plans to have smaller venues for people together to watch the online speakers and discuss their subjects. The NLCC’s 2021 theme is “Southern Environments.” While a schedule has not yet been firmed up, Williams said speakers will include former U.S. poet laureate Natasha Trethewey and Richard Grant, author of the recent book about Natchez: “The Deepest South of All.”

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Traffic counts on Auburn Avenue make it unqualified for more speed-abatement measures requested by residents concerned about drivers going too fast on the city thoroughfare, according to a report presented Tuesday to the mayor and Board of Aldermen. Traffic gauges show most motorists drove close to the 30 mph speed limit at two Auburn Avenue intersections: 29 mph at Winchester Road and 32 mph at Ashburn Street. Auburn Avenue is classified as the main driving thoroughfare where speed bumps are not allowed to be placed.