Brookhaven aldermen will be sharpening the budget ax in thecoming days as they try to pare down a projected budget deficit ofover $1 million.

Figures discussed Tuesday night projected new year revenue ofabout $7 million, but proposed expenditures of $8.3 million. Duringa work session, aldermen trimmed some small items from budget plansbut also added $300,000 for a downtown paving project.

“You’ve added back more than you cut,” City Clerk Iris Rudmantold board members at one point during the discussion. “You’ve gotto cut big items.”

The downtown paving was one item board members wanted to leavein the budget. They indicated it would be needed after two majorwater line and storm drain projects are completed.

“We’re talking about a necessity,” said Ward 1 Alderman DorseyCameron.

Aldermen turned their attention to the city’s recreationdepartment and looked to remove $225,000 planned for four newtennis courts. Also removed was $15,000 for 5 percent pay raisesfor recreation department pay raises.

Budget totals discussed last night included no money for anyemployee pay raises. Officials have indicated a desire to give somekind of raise this year.

“We need to keep that in the back of our minds,” Cameronsaid.

Officials said recreation department employee pay raises wouldbe in line other city employee raises if given. Personnel-relatedexpenses for the city currently total $4.9 million.

“Everything comes back to salaries and equipment,” said Aldermanat large Les Bumgarner.

Equipment requests from various departments received someextended discussion earlier in the meeting.

Department leaders were asked to prioritize vehicle andequipment requests to see if anything could be delayed a year orso. Ward 4 Alderman Bob Massengill said there was no way to grantall the requests without raising taxes.

“None of us wants to do that…” Massengill said. “We’ve got tocome up with a realistic budget.”

Some smaller savings were realized in several departments. Otherdepartment heads defended their requests as absolutelynecessary.

Regarding a $16,500 request for a computer upgrade, City TaxCollector Pat Duckworth said the current system is obsolete. Thesystem crashed last year and was repaired, but Duckworth said itwill not be able to be fixed again if it crashes.

“If it does, we don’t collect taxes and we don’t collect waterbills,” Duckworth said.

The police department’s budget request includes no money for aproposed department move to the old highway patrol station, butChief Arlustra “Pap” Henderson said the move does not have to benext year. Citing maintenance concerns for existing vehicles, hesaid a $125,500 request for five new patrol cars is needed.

“I wouldn’t ask you for something I didn’t need,” Hendersonsaid.

Current budget totals include no reference to $2 million thathas been approved for a proposed multi-modal transportationfacility. Rudman said the city must match each $1 million with$200,000 in local funds, but the source of that money was notknown.

Another $2 million for the facility is pending in Congress.

In other budget matters, Massengill mentioned approximately$232,000 needed to fulfill an option to purchase 40 acres for newindustrial park space. The city took out an $8,000 option at budgettime last year in hopes of being able to buy the land thisyear.

City officials agreed to meet with chamber of commercerepresentatives to seek Industrial Development Foundationassistance on the purchase.

Massengill said the board must make some tough decisions. Hesaid board members could study the budget and have suggestions atnext Tuesday’s work session.

“We’ve got to come up with ways to cut $1.3 million,” and moreif pay raises are given, Massengill said.

Despite the gloomy budget totals, Rudman said the city is insound financial shape. She said the budget is a forecast of revenueand expenditures for the next year and the city is not broke.

“We’re not broke, but we’re not going to spend over budget toget us broke,” Rudman said.

Officials will hold another budget work session next Tuesday.Aldermen plan to approve a budget on Sept. 3, almost a month beforethe new year begins Oct. 1.