Brookhaven aldermen Tuesday accepted an approximately $949,000bid for a Whitworth fire loop water system upgrade afterdetermining final sources of funding for the needed project.

At its May 7 meeting, the board delayed action on the bid untilmoney issues could be resolved.

After reviewing funding sources – including a $462,000 grantspecifically for the fire loop project and a $1 million federalappropriation for Whitworth College improvements – and otherprojects being funded with that money, Engineer Jeff Green lastnight said about $750,000 would be available. He recommended theremaining $200,000 for the $949,732 project come from a 2001 bondissue revenue for sewer system improvements.

“We’ve got to have this project to meet the water concerns forthe college,” Green said.

Aldermen approved awarding the contract to Greenbriar DiggingService and earmarking $200,000 in sewer bond revenue for theproject. Alderman at large Les Bumgarner said the city will need torepay the bond issue revenue as soon as possible, although it wasnot discussed last night where that money would come from.

Officials’ concerns Tuesday involved possible traffic problemswith the fire loop and a storm drain project on South First Streetin front of the government complex. Green said there is a potentialfor a “pretty bad situation” downtown.

“It could get kind of fun to get around downtown,” Greensaid.

The fire loop project involves cutting of streets to install newwater lines along Cherokee Street, Brookway Boulevard, MonticelloStreet, Whitworth Avenue, West Congress Street, North JacksonStreet and a few others. The work is in anticipation of theMississippi School of the Arts opening on the Whitworth campus.

To avoid “mass confusion” and traffic headaches, Green said hewould be talking with a Greenbriar representative to determine thebest way to proceed with the project.

The contract period for the project is 150 calendar days andGreen indicated it could begin by the first of June. He said anydelays could push project completion into the holiday shoppingseason.

City officials discussed starting the project on Cherokee Streetin an effort to get downtown work done as soon as possible. Theyalso mentioned the possibility of working with the chamber ofcommerce to notify businesses about fire loop work scheduling.

“It’s a necessary project for the school and downtown,” saidCity Attorney Joe Fernald. “People need to know what’s fixing to bedone.”

In another Whitworth-related project, Green said work on a newbox culvert along Brookway Boulevard is essentially complete andwas about $7,000 below cost expectations. He expected the boardwould be able to give final acceptance of the project at the nextmeeting.

Aldermen also agreed to pay a $16,000 invoice for work done sofar on the First and Second Street paving project. Green said about36 percent of the work has been done, but 84 of 150 days allottedfor the project have been used.

“There is a concern with time,” Green said, mentioningdiscussions with the contractor. “They’re aware of the time andthat we’re charging days.”

In other First Street action, aldermen approved an ordinance toclose South First Street to W.L. Behan Drive to 18-wheeler and logtruck traffic. An exception will be made for city residents whohave unloaded trucks and need to park in the city, Fernaldsaid.

The ordinance will take effect in 30 days. Officials said theordinance is needed to maintain the road that is being worked onnow.

“If we don’t do something, the street is going to be the samecondition it was in when we started the project,” said Ward 4Alderman Bob Massengill.

In other business Tuesday, Entergy Customer Service Manager JimHedges brought some good news and bad news to the city board.

The good news came in the form of an almost $32,000 check as theenergy provider’s first quarter 2002 franchise payment. Hedges saidthe company pays about 2 percent of its revenue to cities in theform of franchise fees and Brookhaven’s 2001 total wasapproximately $160,000.

Hedges touted property taxes and other payments the utilitycompany makes to the city. With the franchise payments, those totalover $575,000.

The bad news last night was a street light inventory revealedthat Entergy has been under billing the city by about $411 a monthfor several years. Hedges indicated the city does not have to worryabout making up the difference.

“It was always our agreement….that there would be no backbilling,” Hedges said.

Hedges complimented City Traffic Supervisor Jimmy Furlow and hiswork while working with Entergy on the street light survey. Hedgessaid some of Furlow’s findings helped reduce the under billingamount from $1,300 to $411.

In anticipation of higher charges because of the street lightsurvey, Furlow said he had requested an additional $500 a month inhis budget. Aldermen accepted the street light survey.

Aldermen closed Tuesday’s meeting with an executive session forpersonnel and pending litigation reasons related to the policedepartment. The board took no action following the approximately30-minute closed session.