FERRIDAY, La. — Cleanup efforts and safety and public works matters led the list of items addressed during the Ferriday Town Council’s Tuesday meeting.

Mayor Glen McGlothin said he met with Diamond Disposal Owner John Bunning earlier this week and added that piles of trash and debris throughout town were picked up by the company’s trucks.

Residents have said such items had not been picked up in a timely manner by Diamond, the town’s garbage and trash collector. &uot;A pile of trash on First Street had been sitting there for a year,&uot;&160;said Councilman Jerome Harris.

One reason is that one of Diamond’s trucks was broken down for several months, McGlothin said.

McGlothin said steps have been taken to condemn vacant, rundown houses. He added the town also plans to enforce its ordinance on abandoned cars. But McGlothin said he hopes owners will sell the cars for parts, since the town does not have a place to store vehicles.

The council voted to request that Town Attorney Anna Brakenridge amend an ordinance on overgrown lots. In the case of owners who will not cut grass on their properties, the town will now pay a contractor to cut the grass, then charge that cost to the property owner’s taxes.

McGlothin also asked council members to list two people from each of the town’s five districts to serve on a cleanup committee with members from the Ferriday Garden Club and Chamber of Commerce.

Council members voted to advertise its intent to lower the speed limit on Concordia Drive and adjacent streets from 25 to 15 miles per hour and order signs to that effect. The town will also order more stop signs and posts to replace signs damaged by vehicles.

The council also voted to rescind an occupational license it issued June 13 to the Bone Shakers club. McGlothin said Owner Maurice Bachus was charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor earlier this year in connection with the juveniles at the club. Bachus denied such charges.

Police Chief Bobby Sheppard noted several complaints have been filed against the club in recent months. Fire Chief Joe Sontoyo said the state fire marshal is requiring Bachus to make changes to the club, including its electrical system, before it reopens. If conditions ordered by the court and the fire marshal are met, the license can be reinstated, McGlothin said.

Earlier, Harris said crews replacing sewer lines in Ferriday are damaging other lines in the course of their work. McGlothin said one reason is that the town’s plans showing the lines are out of date – but that the town will still bill contractor Pickett Industries for any damages.

The council also voted to replace the broken master water meter at the town’s water plant. While such a meter is not essential to producing clean water, it can tell how much water the plant is producing. The meter will cost about $4,500.

McGlothin also said that the town is working to apply for a $150,000 grant to replace all 1,491 water meters in the town, but that effort is still in its early stages.