Police jury officials said the renewal of millage rate that pays for drainage and public buildings is a must.

Last Monday, the jury voted to put the millage rate on the next election ballot.

The next election is May 5.

Tuesday, President Melvin Ferrington said the 10-year tax needs to be renewed before it expires Dec. 31 of this year.

Ferrington said the rate would stay at 10 mills.

Secretary Russell Wagoner said 25 percent of the funds received from the millage is used for general maintenance of public buildings such as the Concordia Parish courthouse.

The other 75 percent of the money is used to maintain parish drainage ditches and canals.

Wagoner said there are no current problems with any public buildings or drains in the parish but the money is still needed.

“If it passes we will continue to with our present drainage maintenance and if it doesn’t a lot of drainage ditches and canals will not be kept clean and we’ll have to lay off a bunch of people,” he said.

Wagoner said about 75 percent of the police jury’s 26 employees are paid through the drainage and maintenance fund.

Tuesday, Concordia Parish Tax Assessor Monelle Moseley said the jury received $1,018,281.51 from millage last year.

“It’s a necessary thing,” Moseley said. “We’ve got to keep all the drains going and the courthouse going.”