Ferriday eyes $10 hike in monthly garbage rates
by Joey Martin - posted Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 @ 3:17 pm

The Ferriday Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting in March to discuss raising residential and commercial garbage pickup rates by $10 per customer per month.

The proposal includes raising residential rates from $15 to $25 and commercial rates from $22 to $32.

The board will advertise a proposed ordinance on the matter twice before the meeting.

With the town hall meeting room filled to capacity, Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen said any questions about the rate proposals would not fielded until the March meeting.

The board accepted a bid from Delta Disposal Monday to begin weekly trash pick-up on Tuesday. Delta Disposal will charge $9.45 per month, per customer.

The bid includes weekly collection, disposal and transportation for approximately 1,240 residents and 110 small businesses in the city limits.

Waste Management suspended its services at the first of the month after requesting $60,000 a month for past and current bills.

Allen said the Town of Ferriday owed Waste Management $200,616.51 when he took office on July 1, 2012.

In other business, alderman Elijah "Stepper" Banks introduced an ordinance that stated before the mayor can transfer any municipal funds from one fund to another, he must get the approval of the board of aldermen.

The board also voted to allow attorney Myisha Davis to write a letter to owners of Ferriday Oil and Seed asking them to vacate their building on Hwy. 15.

Aldermen had met with owners of Ferriday Oil and Seed and gave them 30 days to respond to a request to leave the building.

Davis said there has been no response.

Allen said the gate to the facility was locked by town officials.