DeRidder is cracking down on automobiles that are stored in yards in city limits.

The DeRidder City Council approved the amending of an ordinance regarding cars stored on residential properties. Director of Public Works Tommy Landry said while there was an ordinance in place to address junk cars, there was no mechanism to address vehicles that are usable but not “road-ready.”

“You can’t call them junk. … We’re just looking for those vehicles that someone is buying and trying to flip and they end up with three, four, five, six cars in their yards,” he explained.

The approved amendment added a definition at the end to require current registration, inspection and license plates on the vehicles.

“They have to be road-ready or you can’t store them at your house.”

The city has other ordinances in place to allow project and antique cars, he said.

West Park Pool Management

The West Park Pool, 415 Park Road, will be open May 24–Sept. 1.

This season the pool will be managed by Pool Management Inc., a commercial pool services provider that provides aquatic facility maintenance, staffs lifeguards and manages the pool.

The decision to contract PMI was approved by the council on Monday.

Last year, the city spent $80,000 on the pool, not including the salaries of two city employees maintaining the pool, Landry said. The contract with PMI is just under $80,000, he added.

Councilman John Marcello, District 3, called it a “more efficient use of employees,” as the city employees will not be burdened with pool maintenance in addition to their other responsibilities.

A representative from PMI said they will begin to train staff and prepare the pool for Memorial Day weekend in April.