Vidalia — Employees in the Concordia Parish District Attorney’s office will have a different name signing their paychecks.

The Concordia Parish Police Jury voted to restructure the way the employees’ compensation and benefits are paid. Instead of being paid directly to the employee, the police jury will now give a lump sum to the office that will then be allocated to the employees.

The change was made at the request of District Attorney Brad Burget. Currently, the police jury pays employees either in full or partially.

“It allows me to pay them directly and provide them with benefits that some are not eligible for under the current arrangement,” Burget said. “It allows me to centralize my office. It is more central, more efficient for both the police jury and my office.”

Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said the police jury will not pay any more or any less than they currently do to the district attorney’s office.

“It’s not one penny more,” he said. “It is the same thing.”

The board voted unanimously to approve the motion to implement the change.

The board also voted to give board secretary and treasurer Hazel Dickson permission to apply for the National Association of Counties prescription discount card.

The parish is eligible for the free card by virtue of its membership in NACO. The motion was introduced by Police Juror Joe Parker who said the card would benefit parish residents.

“This is something our constituents can use,” he said. “It gives those who qualify additional discounts on prescriptions for free.”

In other news:

4 The board approved an occupational license for TRN Holdings, LLC, 4774 U.S. 84 in Vidalia to provide DVD rentals in Dodge Store.

4 The board approved an occupational license for John Hardie for Dezign Workz, 849 Louisiana 568 in Ferriday for sign printing business.

4 The board approved the following fund transfers:

$1,750 from highway maintenance to the general fund

$4,020 from drainage maintenance to the general fund.

$1,900 from solid waste disposal to the general fund

$1,000 from public health to the general fund

$3,030 from sales tax to the general fund

$45,000 from sales tax to the solid waste disposal fund.

4 The board voted unanimously to advertise the qualification for a Concordia Parish engineer.