VIDALIA &045;&045; The sewage problem on Crestview Drive was a lesson the Concordia Parish Sewer District board will not soon forget &045;&045; when it rains, the sewage backs up.

To prevent problems like this in the future, the board asked the Concordia Parish Police Jury Monday night for help. The board wants the jury to look into the contracts being worked on in the sewage system now to make sure the contractors can be held accountable for the work they do. Last time, the amount of time the contractors were responsible for their work lapsed before problems were found. Board chairman Eddie Turner estimated the board has spent about $2,500 fixing the problem on Crestview Drive.

In fact, Monday night the board approved asking Bryant Hammett to do a study to see what needs to be done to solve the problem on Crestview Drive years later.

Turner said he wants to hold the contractors responsible until the first big rain so the work can be assessed.

He wants the contractors to be more responsible. &uot;We need to protect ourselves as much as possible,&uot; Turner said.

&uot;We are fighting to keep this sewage district going,&uot; Turner told the board. &uot;If we can’t keep the district operation, they (the government are going to take over.&uot;

The board authorized Hammett to look into the contracts to see what liability the contractors have, hoping to be able to extend the liability if needed to hold the contractors responsible for the work completed. &uot;I think it is going to be a great benefit to our parish when it is completed,&uot; jury President Melvin Ferrington said of the sewer board.

Turner said the board is fighting to keep the rates as low as they are now and if the government does take over, the rates will increase. There are five projects now on the sewer system &045;&045; Green Acres, Cowan Subdivision, Hammett Addition, U.S. 84 West and Gooden Drive.

Sewer board members said they just want to make sure the projects are completed the right way the first time.

The jury approved placing a monument at the Old Courthouse for the 1086th Transportation Company. Jurors also voted 5-4 on a workweek for the parish maintenance workers. The workers will work four days a week for 10 hours during daylight savings time and five days a week, eight hours a day during standard time.