FERRIDAY, La. — A company looking to hire locals to build circuit boards for high-tech clients wants to call an industrial building on Louisiana 15 home — but clothing maker Kelly’s Kids still leases the building.

So officials of Ferriday and Gemini Industries USA plan to see today whether Kelly’s Kids will sub-let the building to Gemini, or give up the lease if the town agrees to waive the $50,000 Kelly’s Kids would otherwise be penalized for breaking its lease with the town.

Gemini would train 10 people at first and eventually hire 100 people to build circuit boards for such high-tech clients as the U.S. Department of Defense — if they can get a building to house their business, said Gemini CEO Robert Lee III of Ferriday.

&uot;If we can do this in Concordia Parish, other companies will look us up,&uot; Lee said. &uot;We have the minds, power, people and smarts to do this. All we need is the will.&uot;

Kelly’s Kids has leased the building from the town since 1987, but no one has been employed at the facility for about three years now. Kelly’s Kids CEO Lynn James did not return calls Tuesday night.

In addition, the council dealt with two housing matters Tuesday.

The council passed a resolution to extend sewer and water service to the proposed Ferriday Leisure Estates apartment complex if and when the town gets the money to do so. The apartments for the elderly would be developed by the Macon Ridge Community Development Organization.

And it was announced that Ferriday has gotten a $50,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank, through Concordia Bank, to help 10 homeowners rehabilitate their houses. To get funds from the grant, homeowners would have to put 40 hours of work into rehabilitating their own homes. Woodville is also getting a similar grant.

Later, Myra Price, a representative of the District B Neighborhood Watch group, asked Mayor Odeal Montgomery if town officials had decided for what the proceeds of a 3/4-cent sales tax voters passed Oct. 23 would be used.

&uot;We pushed to get the tax passed because we thought it would be earmarked for police and fire,&uot;&160;Price said.

The tax, which took effect Jan. 1 and will bring in about $315,000 a year, can actually be used for any lawful purpose, according to the State Bond Commission.

Montgomery said the next step is for the town’s police and fire chiefs to prioritize their departments’ needs. No date was set for the meeting.