VIDALIA, La. – A Winnsboro-based ambulance service has applied to do business in Concordia Parish, but it must clear several hurdles first.

Before the Concordia Parish Police Jury can approve an occupational license for Northeast Louisiana Ambulance Service, it must review financial statements, proof of insurance and information on ambulances and facilities.

Co-Owner Gary Peters said during the jury’s Monday meeting that he will submit that information to the Police Jury office as soon as possible. The license is scheduled to be considered at the jury’s June 25 meeting.

&uot;We’re not here to compete with anybody – we’re just trying to provide a service,&uot; Peters said after the meeting.

He said he believes the parish has enough ambulance calls for three companies: Northeast; the Vidalia Fire Department, which serves Vidalia; and American Medical Response, which serves the rest of the parish.

Northeast serves Franklin and Caldwell parishes and part of Richland Parish and hopes to be operating in three weeks in Catahoula Parish -which currently has no ambulance service.

Earlier, Randy Ducote of the Department of Health and Hospitals encouraged the jury to pass an ordinance requiring that houses discharging sewage offsite be equipped with chlorination devices, or that offsite dumping be banned for new or renovated houses.

Dumping of sewage effluent into such bodies of water as lakes St. John and Concordia is not a public health hazard now but could become a problem as more housing developments are built, Ducote said.

&uot;We’re really concerned more with offsite dumping than with chlorination,&uot; he said.

That is partly because a bill now before the Legislature would require new or renovated houses to be equipped with chlorination devices, and the bill has a good chance of passing, Ducote said.

The jury took no action on Ducote’s request Monday, but Blaney said the jury would look into the matter.

The jury approved occupational licenses for Miss-Lou Computer Services in Vidalia, Maxie’s Repair Service in Vidalia and La Sale Yard Inc. in Ferriday.

It also approved beer and/or liquor licenses for P.J.’s Corner Shop, Lakeside Mart, J.L.’s Place, Stockyard Saloon, McClure’s Grocery, Sonny’s Food Mart, Paul’s Grocery, D.W.’s One Stop, Dodge’s Store, The Duck’s Nest and Stephens 84 Kwik Stop.

The jury also voted to:

4Advertise for bids for a sport utility vehicle for the public health officer.

4Pay $1,299 to Bryant Hammett and Associates.

4Reappoint Dianne Johnson to the Recreation District No. 1 Board.

4Appoint Chuck Sibley and Rusty Smith to the Lake Concordia Advisory Board.