FERRIDAY, La. — Town officials will meet Wednesday with YMCA of Central Louisiana directors to discuss opening a Y branch in Ferriday — and to decide what programs the board wants offered there.

If the Board of Directors of the Alexandria-based organization decided a Ferriday branch was feasible, &uot;they would more than likely agree to further steps toward that at Wednesday’s meeting,&uot; said Chief Executive Officer Rodney Martin.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Ferriday representatives will make a presentation to the board about their interest in locating a branch of the organization in the town, Martin said.

&uot;But let me stress that it is early in the process,&uot;&160;he added. &uot;Even if the board gives it approval, … we still have a lot of groundwork to do.&uot;

If approved, the Y branch would be located in the former Florida Street Gym building the town recently acquired from the Concordia Parish School Board. The center will house recreational and educational programs for youth and events for the whole community.

In addition, the board of Concordia Parish Recreation District No. 1, which includes Ferriday, voted Thursday to partner with the town to conduct programs at the center, said Alex Promise, Ferriday administrative assistant.

But first, board members will meet as soon as today with Assistant District Attorney Ronnie McMillan to find out whether it is legal to use the tax money that funds the Recreation Board to buy equipment for programs at the gym building.

&uot;There are a number of programs we’re looking forward to conducting with the city, … but we want to make sure first that we can do it,&uot; said Recreation Board member James Skipper.

Meanwhile, Concordia Parish Correctional Facility inmates are cleaning up the gym building inside and out. And the town is soliciting donations to help it purchase a used school bus for $1,000 to help transport youth to the center once it is open.

But Mayor Glen McGlothin has said it could be one to two years before the center will be open for programs.