NATCHEZ &8212; If you want to work in the Vidalia Fire Department or Police Department, you must commit to work there for at least two years.

That was the message Vidalia Fire Chief Jack Langston and Police Chief Billy Hammers want to give to prospective employees.

Langston and Hammers requested that Mayor Hyram Copeland and the city board of aldermen consider requiring prospective police officers and fire fighters sign a contract with the city. The contract would require officers that terminate their employment with the department to reimburse the city for costs attributed to basic training, uniforms and any other related training for certification.

&8220;The problem that we are having is that officers are leaving for more money,&8221; Langston said. &8220;It&8217;s not just to other departments. We have lost five who went to work offshore.&8221;

According to Langston, the city spends up to $6,000 in training and uniform costs for each officer.

When an officer leaves in his first two years this money is wasted, Langston said.

The contract would be similar to one that is already in place at the Opelousas Fire Department.

Such a contract would only apply if the officer terminates employment. It wouldn&8217;t apply if an employee was fired.

Aldermen also approved the refunding of sales tax bonds in order to take advantage of the recent decrease in interest rates.

By using $300,000 in reserve funds from the original 2000 bond issue for street repair, the city will issue new bonds at a lower rate, saving the city $15,292 per year in debt service, said City Manager Kenneth Davis.

In other business::

4 Police Chief Billy Hammers announced a $17,400 Homeland Security Grant that the department received to allow officers in squad cars to use computers to access state record information.

4 The board proclaimed Nov. 15 as STD awareness day in Vidalia.

4 The board proclaimed October adoption awareness month.