Brookhaven Fire Department personnel matters, includingseniority issues and a returning firefighter’s pay, dominateddiscussion during Tuesday’s meeting of the mayor and board ofaldermen.

In an unexpected move, Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates questionedfire department hiring practices and seniority regarding 10firefighters hired two at a time since 1987. Bates presented a listshowing five firefighters, who are white, with start dates one dayearlier than the five other firefighters, who are black.

“I do have a problem with what I see,” Bates said.

Bates avoided calling any names and shied away from a racialcharacterization of the matter until Assistant Fire Chief MosesBell asked if it was a black-white issue. Bates indicated apotential for problems.

“You’ve got a problem that could cause us a problem,” Batessaid.

City Clerk Iris Rudman said that was “not really” the case. Shesaid employees are listed by hiring dates and first day ofwork.

“I think, for legal reasons, your hiring date is the importantdate,” Rudman said.

During the discussion, Fire Chief Paul Cartwright denied anyracial motivations in employee matters.

“It’s never crossed my mind to do something like that,”Cartwright said.

Cartwright said there is hiring-related paperwork that must bedone in conjunction with when a firefighter can start and when theschedule allows.

“Whether one guy has 24 hours seniority over another, I don’tlook at it that way. They work up the ladder together,” Cartwrightsaid, adding that seniority is not the only factor considered inpromotions.

At one point, Alderman-at-large Henry Newman suggested the boardlook at all fire department hirings during the time period inquestion.

“Let’s look at the whole picture,” Newman said.

Cartwright objected to Bates’s bringing up the issue withoutnotice. The chief said his stations have telephones, and there areother ways for the alderman to communicate his concerns.

“Any time you have got a question, all you got to do is contactme,” Cartwright told Bates.

No actions were take before Mayor Bill Godbold brought thediscussion to a close.

“I think we’ve politicked long enough,” Godbold said.

Fire department discussions, at times contentious, continuedlater when Cartwright brought up some personnel recommendations forthe board.

“This’ll be exciting,” Cartwright quipped as he began.

After the board accepted the retirement of 35-year veteran Capt.Major Lea and the promotion of senior Lt. James Dykes to captain,Bates and Ward 3 Alderman the Rev. Jerry L. Wilson objected toCartwright’s salary recommendation for the re-hiring of firefighterCarl Diamond.

Diamond, a certified firefighter, had been with the departmentabout three years before leaving for financial and family reasons.Cartwright wanted to rehire him at a salary about $200 a month morethan when he left.

“He should be a first day employee,” Bates said.

Wilson agreed.

“He quit, and he came back,” Wilson said.

In defense of his recommendation, Cartwright said it would cost$2,500 off the bat to train a new firefighter. Also mentioningpolice department departures, Cartwright pointed out thatfirefighters could go to smaller communities in the area and makemore.

“Y’all really need to stop and help us out with this,”Cartwright said about the salary situation.

City Attorney Joe Fernald recommended the matter be moved intoexecutive session. He indicated public discussion was not the placefor employee hiring debate.

“This isn’t what should happen,” Fernald said about how thehiring matter was handled last night.

Aldermen, though, said there was no reason since much of thedebate had already been held.

During the discussion, Newman sought to be the voice ofcompromise and suggested Diamond be hired at his old salary for ashort period of time before it is raised.

However, Ward 5 Alderman Tom Smith had made a motion to acceptCartwright’s recommendation. After several requests for a show ofhands, the recommendation was accepted 5-2, with Bates and Wilsonopposed.

BEER PERMIT

In other business Tuesday, aldermen granted a beer permit to aSouth First establishment that had earlier been closed when itsprivilege license expired. Fire and city inspection officials saidThe Other Place owners had addressed some building improvements andits paperwork was in order.

To get a beer permit, city laws say an establishment must beopen one year and have at least 50 percent food sales. Fernald saidan issue to be decided last night was whether to have the one-yearperiod start over or give the business credit for being open oneyear under its old license.

A motion was made to grant a beer permit now.

Saying his constituents were against it, Wilson objected, andsaid he wanted a stipulation that the place close at midnight andthat it would be shut down immediately if there is any shootings orviolence at the business. Fernald said those concerns should becovered by city laws.

“That’s my ward, and I represent the people over there andthat’s what I stand for,” Wilson said.

The motion to grant the permit was approved 5-2, with Wilson andWard 6 Alderman John E. “Buddy” Allen voting against it.

BRIDGE CONCERNS

A Warren Avenue bridge that has been closed due to its poorcondition is the railroad’s responsibility to fix, said Ward 4Alderman John Roberts last night.

“They’re supposed to repair that bridge at their cost,” Robertssaid, citing a state Supreme Court decision from several yearsago.

City officials instructed Fernald to contact the railroadregarding its responsibilities.

OTHER BUSINESS

Also Tuesday, National Guard Staff Sgt. Michael Dixon of the155th Armored Infantry Unit questioned the stoppage of a $150monthly city appropriation to the unit.

At budget time, Rudman said no one from the unit requested thefunds, city officials were unsure of how it started and it wasremoved from the budget. Dixon said the money was used to help withthe armory’s utilities bills.

City officials said they would look into the situation.

* A long-awaited street paving project is “good to go,” TrafficSupervisor Jimmy Furlow informed city officials. The project, whichhas been bogged down in planning-related red tape for years, willpave a section of First Street from the courthouse to the citylimits.

* Following his review, Fernald presented a plan forimprovements to the city’s sewer system in the Field Lark Lanearea. However, no work is to begin until property easements areobtained, he said.

* Aldermen approved an interlocal agreement on operation of theMulti-Use Facility. Some language has to be addressed, but theagreement will allow joint city and county supervision of thefacility on Industrial Park Road

* City officials did not go into executive session when aquestion regarding a cemetery department employee’s terminationarose. The employee was not present at the meeting.

“I don’t see any reason for executive session if he’s not here,”said Ward 1 Alderman Dorsey Cameron.