Longtime parish police juror Gene Allen will challenge Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin this year, while Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland plans a run for a fourth term.

Parish qualifying will be Jan. 28-30 for municipal elections in Vidalia, Ferriday, Ridgecrest and Clayton. The primary will be March 9 and the general election on April 17.

&uot;I feel like I have some new ideas and I can bring leadership to Ferriday,&uot; Allen said of why he is running for the position.

Allen said Ferriday has a lot of potential and he wants to work to bring industry and single family housing to the town, if elected.

&uot;I have visions for Ferriday,&uot; he said.

Water, definitely a main issue in Ferriday, is one Allen would work with Congressmen and Senators to resolve, he said.

&uot;The people in Ferriday are having to pay for what the Ferriday (administration) is responsible for,&uot; Allen said, adding he wants to make the administration more responsible to the people if elected.

&uot;I’ve been in business in Ferriday for the last 27 years and I haven’t had the last city councilperson or mayor come to ask me what I need,&uot; Allen said, noting that was something he would change if elected.

In Vidalia, three-term mayor Hyram Copeland said he will run for a fourth term. Touting experience as the reason he will make the best candidate for the job in 2004, in his 12th year as mayor and having served in the political arena since 1976, before on the city council.

&uot;Experience &045; that’s an important ingredient in today’s political arena,&uot; Copeland said.

&uot;Hopefully the people of Vidalia will give me the opportunity to serve them one more term.&uot;

Copeland said he wants to finish the many projects the town has started under his tenure including a recreational complex, industrial prospects and the riverfront development.

Bill Murray, a former Vidalia alderman, said when he resigned he was thinking of running for mayor.

&uot;I haven’t made any decision at this time,&uot; Murray said Friday. &uot;It’s not out of the question. It’s something people ask me about doing and I think about doing.&uot;

Murray said he will decide within the next three weeks.

All candidates in Concordia Parish must decide by Jan. 30, the last day to qualify.

Besides the positions of mayor in Ferriday, Vidalia and Clayton, residents can qualify Jan. 28 through 30 at the clerk of court’s office for Clayton, Ferriday and Vidalia aldermen and Clayton and Vidalia chief of police.

Also on the slate for the March 9, 2004 primary election, besides presidential candidates, are the Democratic and Republican state central committee member, who send delegates to the national party conventions, and the Democratic and Republican parish executive committee members.