VIDALIA — With a variety of background and work experience in Concordia Parish, the four candidates running for police jury district 4, place B share one common goal — drainage.

Citizens voting in Saturday’s primary election will choose between long-term incumbent Melvin Ferrington, Michael Lyles, David Turner and Jimmy “Boo” Wilkinson.

Melvin Ferrington

Fifth-term incumbent and current board president Ferrington said his dedication to projects currently in progress, like the Airport Road project and putting a new roof on the Old Courthouse, is the reason he chose to seek re-election.

“There are several things in here I want to see through until they’re done,” Ferrington said. “I’m dedicated to this parish.”

Ferrington said drainage and roads are the backbone of the parish, which is why they must be high priority.

“When the farmers can’t make a good crop, everyone suffers, and that’s happening when we’ve had a hard rainfall and they get flooded,” Ferrington said. “Without solid infrastructure, like roads, its hard to get businesses to come into the parish.”

Ferrington said he wants to remind voters of his experienced leadership and the strong relationship he’s built with the community.

“They can call me anytime, and I always answer my phone or I always call my people back,” Ferrington said. “If I can’t handle something on the phone I will go and see to it that it gets fixed.”

Michael Lyles

Lyles said a strong sense of urgency from citizens in his district convinced him to run for the position.

“I’ve gotten together with the community several times, and every time I get more responses about some problems in the area,” Lyles said. “I’m running for the people in the community.”

Lyles said drainage and road issues can’t continue to be ignored.

“We’ve got some serious problems with the drainage and ditches to where the water is overflowing into their yards,” Lyles said. “Roads like Airport Road, Levee Heights area, Ridgecrest area and Doty Road in Ferriday need to be looked at.”

Lyles said his familiarity with the parish and its citizens make him the best candidate for the position.

“I’ve been working in the parish for 30 years,” Lyles said. “I know the people and I know what they want.”

David Turner

Overall improvement of the community and fulfilling promises are among several reasons Turner said he is competing for the district 4 place B seat.

“I want to make the communities safer and a better place to live for our citizens,” Turner said. “Instead of trying to get everything done only when elections come around, I’ll be in contact with the people, and because everyone already knows me, it will be easier for me to find out problems going on either in my district or the whole parish.”

Turner said the only way to solve drainage issues is for the community to get involved and make sure their issues are being addressed.

“I would like for the parish to come together more to discuss the issues and not just talk among themselves, because that’s not getting anything done,” Turner said. “If we work together, we can solve the draining issues in the entire parish.”