Ferriday — How the town of Ferriday will spend Wal-Mart’s $300,000 check is still up in the air, but was discussed Tuesday night at the town meeting.

Mayor Gene Allen said the money will not complete the renovation of the Florida Street gym and that the town should focus on other forms of recreation.

He suggested that the money be used to get matching funds to build a swimming pool.

“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got something for our children to do this summer to keep them off the street,” he said. “Organized recreation is the best thing we can do for our children.”

Alderman Johnnie Brown was the first to bring up an idea that all the aldermen and the mayor agreed on.

He offered that a committee should be formed of board members and citizens to make recommendations on what should be done in the city.

The key to his suggestion was citizen input and Allen said the board should ask citizens to send in comments on what they think should be done.

“We need to let the citizens make some decisions in this city,” he said.

What he wanted to stress the most, was not to be hasty in their decision and end up spending the money quickly and frugally.

“We got it, we’ve managed it, we’re not going to waste it and throw it away,” Allen said.

In other city business, a letter has been sent to the town of Ferriday by the Concordia Parish School Board denying the town their request to have the old seventh grade school property donated to them.

This letter stated that for the time being the land would not be donated to the city.

The land would be used to create a multi-complex center for the police and fire departments, Allen said.

No reason was given for why the school board has chosen to deny the city’s request, Allen said.