VIDALIA, La. &045; In all his years as clerk of court, Clyde Ray Webber had never seen a voter turnout as low.

Still, those who did vote overwhelmingly renewed a 1-percent sales tax to fund garbage service in all areas of the parish except incorporated Vidalia and Ferriday.

&uot;I thank those that did come out,&uot; said Rodney Smith, president of the Concordia Parish Police Jury, adding that Ferriday-based Diamond Disposal has provided the parish with good garbage service. &uot;At least we’re still in the garbage business.&uot;

And by a two-thirds margin, voters in Ferriday renewed property tax millage for street repair and voted in a 10-mill increase to fund better salaries and equipment for police in that town.

Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin was not available for comment Saturday night.

However, in a recent interview, McGlothin said the 10-year continuation of the road tax would be used to bring 17 roads up to snuff.

Town accountant Myles Hawkins has said that the taxes would raise $220,000 to $240,000 for the town and would raise the average homeowner’s tax bill by about $65 a year.

The parish garbage tax, originally passed in 1992, generates about $600,000 each year.

The Police Jury pays about $5.40 per household per month for garbage service for about 5,000 residents.

Meanwhile, hunting season, a lack of publicity regarding the election and the lack of a hot contest on the federal or state level all contributed to the low turnout, Webber said.

In all, 633 people voted for the garbage tax, with 61 voting against. The road tax was passed with a vote of 140 to 65, while the police tax passed 129 to 67.

Counting absentee ballots, the turnout was about 9.1 percent, &uot;probably the smallest turnout I’ve seen in 35, 36 years,&uot; Webber said.