FERRIDAY &045; After they were sworn in at a special meeting Friday night, new and returning Ferriday aldermen had a chance to spell out their goals for the community.

Chief among their concerns? Economic development and beautification.

&uot;I would like to see Ferriday cleaned up, and I would like to see new jobs,&uot; District E Alderwoman Gloria Lloyd said. &uot;Together is the key to success.&uot;

District D Alderman Johnnie Brown echoed those concerns and said he would also like to improve recreation opportunities and water quality.

&uot;Our water situation is not just terrible, it’s been terrible,&uot; he said. &uot;Hopefully we can solve it in the next two or three years.&uot;

District C Alderman Jerome Harris said he would like to see an elected police chief by 2008.

District B Alderman Glenn Henderson said he wants to improve the town’s image.

&uot;I want to change the perception of the town,&uot; he said. &uot;I would like to see positive movement.

District A Alderwoman Robin Charpentier also said she hopes to lend a hand in solving the town’s water quality problems. And she said her accounting background can help in the town’s finances.

Mayor Gene Allen said he hopes the board will work with him to improve the community &045; and that all will be working in the same direction.

&uot;Before we can do economic development, we have to do community development,&uot; he said. &uot;For something good to happen, it’s got to be designed. Š We are going to have to accept leadership. We’ve got to have an open mind and find the right direction.&uot;

Allen noted the town’s finances have improved over the past nine months he has been in office.

For example, he said, the town had $600,000 in past-due bills last summer, but almost all of that has been paid off. The number of employees at city hall has been cut in half to help keep costs down, he said.

&uot;We have streamlined the operation,&uot; he said.

Grants have helped buy new police cars, and additional funding is on the way to help purchase new fire equipment, Allen said.

In other business, the board:

4Discussed new committees. Allen said he wanted aldermen to have a say in who would be assigned to which committees, but some of the aldermen disagreed about what committees the town actually needs. Harris said he wants to see a police and fire committee, as well as a water committee.

Aldermen voted to bring their committee recommendations to the town’s next meeting May 10.

4Authorized Allen to sign off on a contract with R&K Construction to complete work on new sidewalks, which are being paid for with grand funding.