NATCHEZ — Recreation District No. 1 officials had the electricity to Ferriday’s swimming pool turned off on Wednesday because the pool is unsafe, officials said.

“We refuse to play the mayor’s games,” Recreation District No.1 Chairman Robert Lee III said. “The board refuses to be part of something that we can’t believe to be safe.”

The pool was originally closed in 2005 due to health concerns recreation district officials said they had. But last week the pool was re-opened by the Town of Ferriday. The mayor spearheaded repairs on the pool this spring.

Due to some debate over the condition of the pool recreation district officials declined to manage the pool and the Town of Ferriday took it over. Children have been swimming in the pool for approximately a week.

The Louisiana Department of Health does not inspect swimming pools unless a request is made.

Randall Ducote, department of health sanitary and regional director for this region, said his office had received a request from the Concordia Parish Police Jury for an inspection. The Ferriday pool is on the state list, but has not yet been inspected, Ducote said. He said he had no knowledge about the condition of the pool.

Since the town took over the pool there has been a debate over who should be maintaining and managing it.

“Before, we do anything with that pool must be thoroughly inspected,” Lee said. “The mayor didn’t show us anything that said it was safe.”

Allen publicly addressed the recreation district at Ferriday’s Tuesday night council meeting and displayed notarized letters that requested a list of what items the recreation district viewed as not up to code with the pool.

Wednesday, Lee said the recreation district will be handling the problem with a lawyer.

Allen could not be reached for comment.