Apathy is a terrible thing. It’s true for all of us, but especially for our community leaders. Sadly we witnessed just how apathetic some members of the Ferriday Town Council are Tuesday night.

The council’s scheduled meeting had to be cancelled when three of the five members didn’t show up. Apparently the missing members didn’t bother to call to let folks know why they couldn’t make it.

Normally cancelling a meeting might not be earth-shattering news. But when one of the topics on the agenda included addressing plans to solve the town’s ongoing water crisis, it is earth-shattering – at least to the residents of Ferriday. The residents expect and deserve more from their elected officials than to be stood up at board meetings by council members.

The council had planned to discuss issuing $415,000 in water revenue bonds and forming a committee to study an alternate water source for the town.

Both agenda items are extremely important since the town has been under a boil water notice for one week shy of three months.

We are certain that absent council members will say they had valid excuses, but it’s disappointing.

In giving credit where credit is due, council members William Rucker and Dorothy Johnson were present.

So instead of getting answers about the future of the town’s water system, all concerned residents got was more anger, frustration and disgust.

Now, since the leaders, and we use that term loosely, chose to go somewhere else rather than be at the meeting, the town will be even further behind on the water issue.

As one resident waiting for the meeting said, &uot;It’s ridiculous.&uot;

We agree.