Ferriday focuses on cleaning

By Emily Ham (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Wednesday, November 11, 2009

NATCHEZ — The Ferriday Board of Aldermen will be starting spring cleaning a little early in preparation for 2010.

Board members approved resolutions to work with three eyesore areas in the town to clean up in time for the town to compete for first place in the 2010 Louisiana Cleanest City contest.

Board members agreed that something had to be done about the flea market located on E.E. Wallace Boulevard.

“That is a junky mess down there,” Mayor Glen McGlothin said. “(The owner) needs to go ahead and fix the building like we asked her to.”

Alderman Elijiah “Steppers” Banks said the lack of organization would not be as noticeable if the clutter were contained within the building.

“All the stuff that is supposed to be in the house is outside of it,” Banks said. “She has an organization problem.”

The board agreed to tell the owner she has a short period of time to clean up her business and contribute to the cleanliness of the town.

“We’re in the middle of a cleanup, and that was one of the eyesores (the Louisiana Cleanest City contest judges) got us on this year,” McGlothin said. “We came in third place this year. We want to win it.”

Another area the board discussed working on cleaning up is the land along the left-hand side of E.E. Wallace Boulevard.

“With the right side of (E.E. Wallace Boulevard,) we had a club that came in, and fixed all of (the mess there).” McGlothin said. “The other side belongs to a land owner, and they didn’t want to do anything to it.”

The board was notified that the landowner recently gave the town permission to work with the land and make it presentable for next year’s competition.

However, the problem McGlothin said he gets daily phone calls to take care of is the distribution of Miss-Lou Buyer’s Guide — the weekly shopper’s guide printed by The Natchez Democrat and distributed to the newspaper’s non-subscribers.

“There are a lot of people who just strictly don’t want that sales paper thrown out at their house,” McGlothin said.

McGlothin said many sales papers end up scattered in the yards of abandoned homes within the town.

“People don’t want it, and they leave it in their yard or in the street,” McGlothin said.

The board voted to address the issue with the newspaper and ask for new distribution methods.

But in the end, the town-cleaning decisions made by the board aren’t just to compete in a contest, but to present the town in a more positive light.

“I believe if a town is clean people will want to stop. We’re just trying to get people to slow down,” McGlothin said.

In other business:

4The board discussed the possibility of a town dress code.

“I’m tired of looking at people’s (underwear,)” Town Attorney Anna Ferguson said. “I’ve never seen a clothing fad last so long.”

The board agreed the amount of skin or underwear that would have to visible to be considered indecent exposure was more than what was exhibited.

McGlothin said the fad was something people would eventually outgrow.

“Kids are going to do what kids are going to do, and one day that fad will be out and they won’t do it anymore.”

At the board’s last meeting, Ferguson said she was 95 percent certain action couldn’t be taken unless the person was obscene.

4The board approved alcoholic beverage permit renewals to Circle K, Ferriday Market, Aden Grocery, China Wok, Shanfara Deli, Kaye’s Grocery and The U-PAK.