FERRIDAY, La. – Discussion of economic development matters led the agenda at the Ferriday Town Council’s Tuesday night meeting.

First, the council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor and town clerk to sign checks from an account that holds $250,000 in state capital outlay money.

The money will be used to make improvements on an industrial building the town owns on Louisiana 15.

As it now stands, the building will house a location of a Lafayette-based company called Metal Studs. &uot;They want to start this (operation) pretty quick,&uot; McGlothin said.

But the council tabled consideration of a lease of the old &uot;railcar&uot; industrial building to the Vertex Co.

The council’s Finance Committee has recommended leasing the building free for one year. &uot;Actually, ‘free’ might not be the right word, since (the company) will be doing in-kind work on the building,&uot; McGlothin said.

The town would then charge rent for the building on a graduated scale for four more years. The amount of the lease is still being negotiated, and the number of jobs the company would be required to create has also not been decided, McGlothin said.

Alderman Jerome Harris objected to giving a year’s free rent, saying that &uot;we give too much away already. We’re always saying we need more money for our water plant, more money for this, more money for that.&uot;

In Tuesday’s meeting, the council also:

4Passed an ordinance requiring developers of new multi-family housing, hospital or nursing home facilities to install sewer lift stations if the town’s engineers determine it is necessary to do so.

The ordinance was passed because of a recent situation involving Ferriday Leisure Apartments, McGlothin said.

That development tied into the town’s sewer system without prior Health Department approval, according to local officials.

4Passed a resolution giving town employees a one-time pay supplement of up to $240 for Christmas.

4Voted to allow the shooting of fireworks in the town limits until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on weekends from Saturday through Jan. 1.

4Voted to purchase four electric motors for the Sewer Department at $11,000 each to replace five aging motors the department now has. They also voted to trade in the old motors for $1,000 each to Dean Caldwell of DeRidder.

4Voted to ask consultant Oliver Schultz of Monroe to draw up a redistricting plan for Ferriday.

4Approved occupational licenses for April Sikes and Memory Cooper for Kid’s Station, David McMillin for Mini Mo Store and Walker Screens.