Tuesday, September 25, 2001

The Natchez Democrat

FERRIDAY – An insurance company has paid $100,000 to Ferriday

on bonds on two ex-clerks who stole $140,701 from the town, officials

confirmed at Monday’s Town Council meeting.

The Town of Ferriday filed suit in May Seventh Judicial District

Court against ex-Town Clerk Ida Tolliver and former water clerk

Kathy Green and CNA Surety, the company that bonded them, to recoup

the money. &uot;The money’s in the bank,&uot; said Town Attorney

Anna Brakenridge. All the Ferriday Town Council must do, at its

next meeting on Oct. 9, is vote to accept the money.

The council could not vote on the item Monday because items

cannot be added to the agenda of a special meeting.

In the past, Mayor Glen McGlothin has pointed out that the

town defaulted on a loan for its water plant, in large part due

to the theft.

McGlothin has also noted that other costs, such as utilities,

fuel and water plant chemicals, are skyrocketing, further stretching

the town’s budget.

Tolliver and Green pleaded guilty in September 2000 to charges

of malfeasance and felony theft. Tolliver was sentenced in February

to two years with the Department of Corrections, and Green was

placed on five years’ probation.

The lawsuit detailed funds stolen from the town, including

$23,980 in 1998 taxes, $22,879 in 1999 taxes and $90,947 from

the Utilities Department.

Tolliver and Green also misappropriated $2,895 by posting that

amount to the Utilities Department but not collecting the funds,

the lawsuit stated.

Also in Monday’s special meeting, Eric McCallon, sales and

operations manager for Houston-based Vertex Energy, expressed

interest in his company opening a location in Ferriday.

The business, which would specialize in recycling oil and similar

products, would employ two people at first but could grow to 15

or 20 employees depending on market demand, he said.

The business would locate in the &uot;old railcar building&uot;&160;on

Concordia Drive in the town’s industrial park. A lease agreement

will be drawn up between Vertex and the town before the Oct. 9

meeting, officials said.