Ball Mayor Wilking, challenger Coody cite drainage as issue facing town

Incumbent Ball Mayor Gail Wilking, Republican, will face off against Republican challenger Terry G. Coody on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Both cited drainage as an issue the town needs to address.

"Still the most pressing issue we have are our sewer and our drainage," Wilking said. "Drainage is a big problem, and we have that $3.41 million grant that we're going start putting to use very shortly. And same with our sewer. Our lift stations are all in critical condition."

She said a loan has been made for $1.2 million, and the town has gotten some grants from the American Rescue Plan Act that will be used for the sewer.

Coody said promises were made about three years ago that drainage ditches would be dug along the roads.

"But they never dug any of them. All the same roads are still flooding," he said.

One issue Wilking said she tackled during her time as mayor was a 20-year-old FEMA dispute that she wanted to alleviate.

"That albatross is off of our neck," Wilking said.

In September, the Town of Ball agreed to repay FEMA $163,102.60 out of $268,668.70 that was paid out in fraudulent claims related to Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Gustav in 2008 when the Town of Ball applied for FEMA funds. The issue created by a previous Ball administration. The issue prevented Ball from getting FEMA funding when a tornado hit the town in 2019 and again in 2020 during hurricanes Laura and Delta.

Coody said in a phone interview that, as he's been knocking on doors and listening to people, he's been writing down their concerns, such as drug users walking up and down the streets in the early morning hours or problems with people burning trash in their yards.

Another issue that he's heard about is the sewer and garbage rates.

Wilking said new garbage cans have just been delivered to more than 1,400 sanitation customers. Effective on Monday, Wilking said the town will start using a new Tipper Arm to lift the garbage cans and empty them in the truck.

"A lot of people are concerned about the rates because they went up, like, 70-something percent on the rates," Coody said. "When they did the 70 percent, they tried to go up to 90 from what I heard. One of my main concerns is keeping the utility rates from going any higher with so many senior citizens on fixed income and struggling."

More: Nearly 20-year dispute settledBall agrees to repay FEMA $163,102.60 for fraudulent claims in 2005, 2008

On his Facebook campaign page, he stated that he knows "sometimes cost increases are not avoidable, but I can tell you I don’t plan on raising the town rates without examining every avenue I can to keep the rates down before I will burden the seniors on fixed incomes and citizens of Ball."

“If elected, I will go over everything, and if it is going OK, I will not change it,” he stated on his Facebook page.

Wilking mentioned that Ball received a grant from Lowes Home Initiative to build a special needs playground at the Ball Walking Trail that will be for all children but geared towards special needs and autistic children.

"I have a special place in my heart for those kids," she said in a Town Talk article announcing the project. "And when I became mayor, that was one of the first things I started working on. Where can I get money to do this?"

An inclusive playground:Kids with special needs have a new playground in Pollock. Another is coming to Ball.

Wilking is active in numerous organizations like Rotary, North Rapides Business & Industry Alliance, the Republican Executive Committee (PAC), Republicans Womens Club, a member of the executive board of the United Way of Central Louisiana, vice president of the executive board of the Louisiana Municipal Association, the Tioga High Schoolwide Plan Development Team and the Ready Start Rapides Early Childhood Board.

Wilking served as an alderwoman for two terms before being elected mayor in 2019. She was two years into her second term as alderwoman when she ran for mayor.

On his campaign Facebook page, Coody said he was encouraged to run for mayor by several people. This is his first time running for political office.

“I have always felt it was good to give people a choice, so I have accepted the challenge. I will always have an open-door policy. My goal will be to help all that I am able. I love the town of Ball and would love to keep it growing and safe,” he states in his introduction.

He served in the military for 37 years and is a member of the Church of Pentecost in Ball.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Incumbent Ball Mayor Wilking faces challenger Coody on Nov. 8 ballot