VIDALIA — The trip parish leaders took to Washington, D.C., this week was productive, Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

“This was our best trip yet,” Copeland said. “I seem to say that after each trip, but it seems like they are getting better and better.”

Though those who went had other projects in mind, the Ferriday water issue was the forefront in everyone’s mind, Concordia Economic Director Heather Malone said.

“Sen. (Mary) Landrieu had been informed and been in contact about the Ferriday situation, but in the last week they have been losing power to their plant, and when we informed her of that she was appalled and said there were some dollars to be received and she would help us with them.”

Even though Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin was not able to make the trip, he has been working with the senator’s office, Copeland said.

“He has been constantly in contact with (Landrieu) and her staff, and I am certain through her intervening in this situation something is going to be done,” Copeland said.

“She is dedicated to getting money and funding to Ferriday. She has made that a top priority.”

In meetings with other members of the Louisiana congressional delegation, Reps. Rodney Alexander and Charlie Melancon both said they would help Ferriday get generators for the water plant, Malone said.

But while Ferriday water is the most pressing issue, the group spoke with the legislators about other things as well, such as the Vidalia port project.

The project was given a $1.2 million grant for construction from the Economic Development Authority, but the project isn’t at the construction stage yet and those involved have asked for an extension on the grant, Malone said.

Likewise, they asked the members of the delegation to write letters requesting the extension.

“They were all very responsive and said, ‘We are not going to leave any money on the table for this project,’” Malone said.

Copeland said he also spoke with Landrieu about starting a housing rehabilitation project in Vidalia, and said the senator seemed receptive to the idea.

When meeting about the parish’s drainage problems, Malone said she told the congressmen that it has been a problem for years but people forget about it when it hasn’t happened in a while.

“We told them we need to get a meeting with the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the police jury and talk to them about the situation as a whole,” Malone said. “We need to make sure everybody is communicating so we can figure out what the problems are and what can be the solutions. Does the Corps really need a study to do what needs to be done, and if not, what do we need to do to get the permit to do it?”

The trip was from Monday to Thursday.