FERRIDAY — The old saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that’s just the attitude the Ferriday Town Council took during a Monday night budget hearing for the proposed 2009-2010 fiscal year.

“There isn’t a lot of change in the budget from the previous one,” Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin said. “It is about what it was last year.”

The $2.5 million budget will take effect July 1, 2009.

The largest sources of revenue in the proposed budget are $1.1 million in sales tax and $250,0000 from fines and DWI income.

The budget also includes $240,000 sales tax reimbursement check from Walmart, a figure that is $30,000 less than the town received in 2009 and $60,000 less than Ferriday’s check in 2008.

The money comes per an agreement the town made with Walmart when the company moved the store from Ferriday. McGlothin said he believes the town should receive more from the company, but only budgeted for $240,00 because of some unclear details in the agreement between Walmart and Ferriday.

McGlothin also pointed out that the current proposed budget does not include any grant funding that the city is set to receive for repairs to the water treatment plant. But he said, the money is still on the way.

And even though some money has been secured to begin repairs to the Ferriday water plant, McGlothin said he is hoping an agreement can be reached to “get (the city) out of the water business.”

“I’m on my knees praying every night that we can go to Lake St. John and let them drill for water for us and get us out o the business because we aren’t ever going to get good water out of Old River,” McGlothin said.

McGlothin said the town loses money on a monthly basis because of flat-rate billing, chemical costs for the current facility and utilities and maintenance at the current facility.

“If we shut that down, we will actually gain revenue,” he said.

The largest expenditures in the proposed budget include $775,000 in salaries for town employees and $250,000 for the garbage contract.

In other business:

The town received a $160,000 bill from Risk Management for back payments for the town’s liability insurance.

McGlothin said the town’s accountant is looking at the records of payment to see if the town actually owes the money. He put a rush on the request since the matter must be cleared up by June 30 or the town will lose its liability coverage.

McGlothin also told the board that the town currently has no property insurance on it city properties such as Town Hall, the Florida Street gym, the town’s swimming pool and sewer treatment plant.

He said the previous administration at some point “dropped that insurance,” but he is currently working to get the policies back in place.

The council voted to raise residential garbage collection rates $2 per household. The rate hike is necessary to compensate for an increase in the garbage contract, McGlothin said.

The council voted to pass an ordinance to collect franchise fees from Charter Communications.

The council voted to approve occupational licenses for Katrina Greer for Sparkle City Detail & Wash and Donita Lowery for Dairy Bar LLC.

The council voted to grant an occupational license to Alvin Garrison for VIP Sports Bar pending a successful inspection by the state fire marshal.