FERRIDAY &045; Charter Communications is raising rates for expanded cable by $2 starting next month, Charter Director of Governmental Relations Greg Savant said at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting.

Savant said the hike is needed to keep up with operational costs and to standardize rates throughout the cable provider’s service area, which includes Ferriday.

&uot;This makes things more uniform,&uot; Savant said.

Rates for basic and digital cable will not change, and no channels will be added or removed.

Charter’s expanded cable package includes 71 channels.

However, council members said constituents already have concerns about Charter’s service, such as static on higher channels and cable outages.

Councilwoman Dorothy Johnson said some have attempted to call Charter’s service line but have had problems getting through.

The council voted to authorize Mayor Gene Allen to notify the U.S. Department of Agriculture the town will transfer $45,000 from a reserve fund to a sinking fund for the town’s water system.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting:

4The council voted to waive penalties for those paying town taxes prior to March 31.

State law requires towns to collect taxes by the same date the state and parishes do, Dec. 31. However, Johnson pointed out the town has always given residents until March 31 to pay taxes and wasn’t previously aware of that law.

It would not be fair to penalize residents for paying taxes after Dec. 31 when the new deadline hasn’t been publicized, Johnson said. However, Town Attorney Derrick Carson said the town could run into legal problems as a result of Tuesday’s action.

Johnson and Councilman Jerome Harris voted for the motion, while Councilman Alan &uot;Bud&uot; Cupit voted against and councilmen Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Jones were absent.

4Allen told the council the town is writing owners of condemned properties to direct to them fix those properties. If town officials don’t receive a reply, they will take steps to have the properties torn down.

The Fire Department will demolish the properties and a lien can be placed on the owners’ taxes to cover the cost of demolition, Allen said.