Brookhaven officials Thursday moved closer to a balanced budgetfor the new year that begins Oct. 1, but some items remain underconsideration.

Faced with a projected $1.5 million deficit following a Mondaynight work session, city budget writers trimmed more than $300,000in spending after consulting with city department heads earlierthis week. Aldermen last night slashed another $507,803 from thebudget, most of which came from delaying a possible industrial parkland purchase and removal of paving funds.

“That’s a pretty good lick, but it ain’t quite enough,” saidMayor Bill Godbold about the latest reduction efforts.

City Clerk Iris Rudman expected about $640,000 to be broughtover from the current year budget to help balance the new year’sbudget. Aldermen then agreed to lease-purchase several proposed newvehicles to help further offset the deficit.

Following budget cut action, aldermen added back another $75,000to cover proposed annexation expenses for next year. The total wasless than half the “high water mark” of a possible $159,000 in feesfor annexation consultants and an attorney who specializes in thefield.

City Attorney Joe Fernald said annexation costs would depend onannexation opposition and the court schedule for city expansion. Hesaid fighting annexation would be just as costly for residents tooppose as for the city to pursue.

Questioning the annexation trial schedule, Fernald said theconsultants’ schedule has city expansion “moving faster than mostdivorces.” If there is opposition, the schedule calls for a trialin the summer of 2002.

With the uncertainty, aldermen chose to budget less than thefull amount. Fernald said the budget could be adjusted later ifnecessary.

“We’ll have the first three months (of the new year) to seewhere we’re heading,” Fernald said.

In earlier budget cutting action, slashed $230,000 by decidingto delay until fiscal year 2003 a possible purchase of 40 acres foradditional industrial park space. Another land purchase option washaving the money come from the Industrial Development Foundation’sland account, but Executive Vice-President Chandler Russ said thatplan would “severely hinder” the chamber’s ability to market theproperty.

“It’s kind of a two-edged sword,” Russ said, pointing out therewould be more land but less money to promote it.

Another large cut was $200,000 for downtown street pavingfollowing installation of fire protection water lines for theMississippi School of the Arts on the Whitworth campus. New linesare expected to be installed along West Cherokee Street to BrookwayBoulevard and Monticello Street.

Godbold suggested the board could pursue a city-wide bond issuefor the paving when needed. Private bond issues were also proposedafter the board slashed around $20,000 for ditch repairs.

“Everybody needs ditch work,” Godbold said. “We just haven’t gotthe men or the money to do it.”

Godbold said special bond issues for residents of particularstreets were used in the past to fund paving repairs. He indicatedpetitions could be circulated and those avenues pursued again ifneeded.

“If people want it bad enough, the people can pay for them,” themayor said.

Ward 1 Alderman Dorsey Cameron lobbied to keep $9,000 for NorthFourth Street and Old Wesson Road work. His efforts wereunsuccessful.

In discussing requested individual ward projects, Ward 3Alderman the Rev. Jerry L. Wilson said if one could not be done,then all should be rejected. Elsewhere, Wilson’s concerns were over”charity money” the city gives to various agencies.

“Our department heads are constantly needing things, and we’regiving money out. That don’t make no sense,” Wilson said.

Cameron questioned the city’s $36,000 funding for the chamber ofcommerce. Godbold defended the funding measure.

“If they don’t have our support, they don’t have any support,”the mayor said.

With the exception of $2,000 cut earlier from food stamp programassistance, support appropriations remained unchanged.

With changes made Thursday, 5 percent pay raises for employeesremain uncertain.

At the end of the almost four-hour session, Godbold recommendedproposed raises for all employees be removed. However, a fewminutes later, aldermen asked that they not be cut yet.

“We’ll see where we’re at,” said Alderman-at-large LesBumgarner, indicating the raises would be considered when aldermenget new budget totals after last night’s session.

Aldermen also mentioned the possibility of 3 percent raises.

Currently, the budget includes pay raises for all employees,including elected officials. During the meeting, Ward 4 AldermanBob Massengill said pay raises for city fathers would send a”terrible message” given the city’s budget situation.

“I don’t think we should be thinking of raising our pay whencity finances are this tight,” said Massengill, adding he wouldvote against raises for aldermen and the mayor.

Godbold indicated no desire for a raise. Cameron said in thepast that all elected officials, including the city clerk, chief ofpolice and tax collector, had been excluded from raises when thataction was taken.

City officials have not finalized any action regarding payraises or any other aspect of the budget.

New totals following last night’s action are expected to bepresented during a public hearing on the budget Tuesday at 6 p.m.Aldermen must approve a new budget by Sept. 14.