Aldermen must lead in setting city priorities

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, July 15, 2003

Talk of priorities and city projects is starting to be heardmore around Brookhaven’s city board room table lately.

City fathers are looking to prioritize projects as they getready to start planning the new fiscal year budget that starts inOctober. What projects will be at the top of the list remains to beseen.

With a trial set for November, annexation seems to haveunanimous support from the board and Mayor Bill Godbold. There weresome earlier concerns by some on the board about the size of theannexation area, but those appear to have been resolved in favor ofthe importance of city expansion. Concerns by some residents in theproposed area remain, and they are mounting a challenge to thecity’s plans.

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After annexation, though, the rest of the list is hazy. Onealderman has asked his fellow board members to identify what theyconsider to be top city priorities, but those lists — if they havebeen made — have not been discussed publicly.

The mayor has been the most vocal proponent of a new city hall,but aldermen have not said much about it. Most aldermen haveexpressed support for a new industrial park, but the mayor hasviewed the park in terms of not interfering with the city hallproject or the multi-modal transportation facility.

Garbage problems continue to plague the city, with solid wasteoperations still running at a deficit. Solid waste employees werelaid off last year, and city fathers this year are seriouslyconsidering privatization, but they have yet to make a finaldecision.

Recreational projects, such as more tennis courts, a communitycenter and a swimming pool, are also on the radar. Pay raises forcity employees — and most years for elected officials, too — arean annual consideration.

While the mayor oversees the day-to-day operation, it is thealdermen who are responsible for setting policies and prioritiesfor the city. With more wishes and wants than revenue in theforecast, the board will be facing more tough decisions in theweeks ahead.