FERRIDAY &045; The only comments at Monday night’s public hearing on Ferriday’s $2.4 million proposed budget came from the board members, not the public.

The council did not pass the budget Monday night.

The smattering of citizens at the meeting listened to Councilman Jerome Harris propose a 5 percent raise to all town employees and Councilman Johnnie Brown question the town’s cleanup funds and a $531,500 projected surplus for the coming fiscal year.

&uot;What I’m deeply concerned about is the fact (of the surplus),&uot; Brown said. &uot;We are not in the business to make money. We don’t need to end the year with an astronomical figure.&uot;

All three questions ended with the response from Mayor Gene Allen that the public hearing was not designed to make changes to the budget but was intended to hear comments from the public. He told the council that further discussions and amendments to the budget could come at a later date.

The 2005-2006 budget projects $2,972,520 in revenues, the largest source being $1,275,000 from sales tax and $185,000 in ad valorem taxes, $200,000 in garbage sales and $600,000 in fines and DWI income.

The revenues also include two federal grants, one from the USDA for $300,000.

Expenditures total $2,441,020 and include $964,000 for general government costs and $521,400 for the police department.

Also at the meeting, Harris raised concerns about the construction of new sidewalks on Third Street. Harris said he’s received numerous complaints from citizens watching the work and worried that the construction won’t allow for proper drainage. Harris said it appeared the sidewalks were going in on the wrong side.

Harris and Brown said they’d like to see a supervisor from the town present at all meetings with potential contractors to ensure all questions were answered.

Allen assured the council that he had spoken with the contractors laying the sidewalks and received assurance that the work was being done correctly.

&uot;Between the engineer and the contractor, they didn’t put those sidewalks on the wrong side of the street,&uot; Allen said.

Councilwoman Robin Charpentier suggested that the council review the plans and specifications originally laid out with the contractor before moving forward. The council agreed.

In other business:

4Phillip and Dorothy Eames addressed the council about repeated problems with noise coming from the Car Wash on E.E. Wallace Boulevard.

&uot;Someone is going to have to take responsibility,&uot; Eames said. &uot;With Mayor Allen it has gotten better, but it goes on.&uot;

Eames said she and her husband were continually awakened during the night and heard constant bad language and loud music.

&uot;With a seatbelt ticket, they are hurting themselves,&uot; Eames said. &uot;With loud music they are hurting other people, but there are no tickets being written.&uot;

Eames and her husband said they have repeatedly called the police and frequently see officers on the lot but never see a ticket written.

Charpentier and Allen agreed to talk with the police chief again and contact the business owner.

4The council agreed to advertise for bids to hire an auditor. The town will place an ad in the paper for an auditor but reserves the right to reject any and all bids. By law, the town’s finances must be audited by an outside source.