In an effort to stem the tide of inappropriate and questionable throws tossed off Mardi Gras floats, the Slidell City Council introduced a bill Tuesday night that would amend the current ordinance on carnival throws.

Currently, the ordinance states the neither float riders nor parade spectators can throw silly string, cracker ball, firecrackers or any pyrotechnic or explosive device. Councilwoman at large Marti Livaudais, who introduced the bill, wants to add to that list, “any object depicting or portraying a human body part.”

Livaudais said during the 2009 carnival season she and others saw some krewes tossing throws that depicted certain parts of the male and female anatomy that are not quite appropriate for children. Some of these throws even light up. “This is a family city, and this is a quality of life issue,” Livaudais said.

Under the regulation of parades ordinance, anyone caught throwing something illegal off a float or at a float can be fined from $100 to $500, the amount to be determined by the Slidell City Court judge.

Livaudais said that now is the time to do something to keep Mardi Gras a family-oriented holiday in Slidell.

“It will get worse if we don’t do something now,” Livaudais said.

There will be a public hearing on the proposed legislation at the April 4 council meeting.

In other business, the Council unanimously approved an ordinance giving Mayor Ben Morris the authority to buy at house at 1535 Seventh St. as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Mitigation Program.

The program, which gives money to cities to buy property in flood-prone areas, is designed to rid the city of structures and houses that are prone to flooding.

The owners of the property must apply to FEMA, which then decides whether the property is eligible for the program.

According to Council Administrator Thomas Reeves, the house on Seventh Street tended to flood periodically during storms. He said that even though the front of the house is elevated, the back part still flooded, so the owner decided to apply to the flood mitigation program.

The city will buy the house for $154,492.50, which will be reimbursed by the FEMA Flood Mitigation Program.

“There is no city money involved in this,” Morris told council members.

Under the program, the city cannot sell the property but gets to keep it in perpetuity. However, Slidell can lease out the land. Morris suggested that the property could be used as a parking lot. The ordinance was passed 6 to 0 with Council members Bill Borchert, Ray Canada and Kim Harbison absent.

The Council also agreed to reappoint the Rev. Don Bryan, Lynda Donaldson, Robert Perkins, Tara Ingram-Hunter and Maria Guillot to two-year terms on the Keep Slidell Beautiful Board.