VIDALIA &8212; Rates for bad checks and seized animals are going up, the Concordia Parish Police Jury decided in its final February meeting.

After holding public hearings, the board amended an ordinance to increase fees associated with seizure and keeping of animals. Previously, ordinance 449 ordered the owner of a seized animal to pay a $2 seizure fee plus $1 per day for feeding and housing the animal.

The amended ordinance calls for a $75 seizure fee plus $25 per day for each animal.

In addition, all returned checks will now be subject to a processing fee in order to help the jury pay expenses associated with them.

The fee will begin at $20, but the ordinance will be worded in such a way that the fee can fluctuate to stay in line with bank fees.

Neither the amendment nor the new ordinance drew any public speakers and passed 7-0.

Jurors Cathy Darden and Randy Temple were absent from the meeting.

In other business:

4The jury decided to enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Concordia Parish Airport Authority so the aviation board can secure a loan to pay its debt.

The move essentially makes the jury a co-signer on the authority&8217;s loan. The authority will make the monthly payments out of the stipend it receives from the jury.

The airport&8217;s old car, which the jury had sought bids on, drew none. Jurors decided to ask for offers from scrap and junk vendors.

4Morris White was reappointed as homeland security and emergency preparedness director by a unanimous vote.

4The jury agreed to let First Assembly of God use the old courthouse grounds for an auction on May 20. The church, which has its own insurance for the event, borrowed the space last year for the same purpose.

&8220;They clean up after themselves, and they have their own insurance;

all we do is let they use the grounds,&8221; jury president Melvin Ferrington said.

4The jury accepted the low bid on a copy machine for the jury office. The $4,675 price tag for the new Xerox machine included a $500 trade in on the old machine. It comes with a one-year warranty and was deemed cheaper to buy than lease because of the relatively low quantity of copies made.