NATCHEZ — For the last year and a half, the Ferriday Board of Aldermen has tried to pass an ordinance concerning mobile homes in city limits.

That ordinance was tabled again Tuesday night at the alderman’s final meeting of the year.

Until those ordinances have been laid out, the rules are unclear for residents wishing to place new homes on their property.

Shanta Williams and Nickey Morgan, for example, have not yet legally been allowed to place their purchased mobile home on their property.

Minister Charles Smith, who was sitting in the audience, stood up to plead with the board members.

“What’s the problem about the mobile homes?” Smith said. “This man has spent money and has a brand-new trailer and he can’t put it in there? … I don’t think that’s fair. Everybody isn’t able to buy a house. This man bought a trailer. It’s not fair.”

The reason, District E Alderwoman Gloria Loyd said, is a contract stipulation with BDY Inc. and because Williams and Morgan have not yet filled out an application for their mobile home with the city.

Loyd said she did not personally have a problem with the family or the trailer, but that the law said a trailer could not be put there.

“If we have an ordinance that says you can’t do it,” Loyd said. “No matter what you do, preacher, you can’t do it.”

Loyd said, BDY wrote into the deed that mobile homes could not be placed on the property.

Williams bought the property from BDY and therefore cannot put a mobile home there.

Morgan, however, says Williams did not purchase the property from BDY.

Then Loyd said the family should not place a mobile home there out of courtesy to their would-be neighbors.

“We both know that’s the nicest property back there,” Loyd said. “If you start putting trailers back there, you know it’ll decrease the property value. I wouldn’t want trailers around my house. That wouldn’t be fair to those people to look behind their house and see trailers back there.”

Williams said she did not intend to decrease the property value by having a home on the plot she purchased.

“It would be a up-to-date trailer,” Williams said. “It would be nice. It wouldn’t be raggedy trailers.”

“I sympathize with you all,” Loyd said. “I know it’s a bad deal, but it’s not against you all. You will enter the fight of your life to get trailers out there.”

District C Alderwoman Gail Pryor stepped in to speak with Smith.

“I just want you to know we are going to go on with this and we’re going to do the best we can for them,” Pryor said.

As Pryor spoke, Loyd turned her back on Smith and motioned for Williams to come to the front and speak with her privately.

Loyd handed Williams an application for a mobile home placement while speaking with her in low tones.

As Williams turned to returned to her seat, Loyd said, “It aint nothing against ya’ll. You know that?”

Williams did not answer.

Following the meeting, Loyd took Williams by the arm and advised her not to speak with the press, saying it would “just stir up trouble.”

Loyd declined further comment.

Following the meeting, Mayor Sherrie Jacobs said the best course of action for the family would be to look at the deed to see if there were any stipulations concerning mobile homes.