With Lincoln County supervisors beginning the bond issue processto help fund a new industrial park, Brookhaven aldermen areconsidering sources of funding for the city’s portion of theproject.

“We’ve got to decide where the money’s going to come from,” saidWard One Alderman Dorsey Cameron during Tuesday night’s boardmeeting.

Aldermen last year voted to support the industrial park project,but they left undecided the source of financial support. Parkcosts, including land purchase and infrastructure, are estimated at$4.8 million.

Cameron said options include pursuing a bond issue or findingthe money elsewhere. The alderman suggested a subcommittee beformed to discuss the situation with county and chamber of commerceofficials and to make a recommendation to the full board.

“We need more information on this,” Cameron said. “This is a bigdecision we’re talking about.”

Cameron said taxes have been raised to fund past bond issueprojects. He questioned whether the city would see the benefit ofnew jobs from development in the new park or would the land sitvacant.

“It’s got to be well worth it if we’re going to do this, or howwe’re going to do this,” Cameron said.

The county and city have each been asked to pursue bond issuesof $2.2 million. Bond issue revenue would be matched by chamberfunds generated from a Vision Partnership campaign several yearsago.

Ward Four Alderman Bob Massengill pointed out that the city hasapproximately $1 million from a Wal-Mart bond repayment that is tobe used for economic development. With that money, he suggested thecity may not need to pursue a total $2.2 million bond issue.

“My hope is we can be creative” with funding the project,Massengill said.

Cameron, Massengill and Ward Three Alderwoman Mrs. Jerry L.Wilson were appointed to a committee to meet with supervisors andchamber officials. Chamber officials have been gatheringinformation on the industrial park funding process.

With virtually no space left in the current industrial park,officials have said that Brookhaven and Lincoln County are out ofthe economic development game unless a new park is developed.Cameron acknowledged that.

“I don’t want industry to pass by (us) without land,” Cameronsaid. “But at the same time, I don’t want to spend this amount ofmoney and the land sit there.”

In other business Tuesday, aldermen declared their intent towithdraw from a regional solid waste authority that has beenineffective in its 10 years of existence.

Municipalities are required to be part of a solid wasteauthority, either on its own, with a county or as part of aregional plan with other cities and counties. Brookhaven officialsmay look to form a new regional authority with Pike and possiblyLawrence counties.

“We’ve got to be in something, so we’ll work with the county anda surrounding county or two,” Massengill said. “But that’s yet tocome.”

City Attorney Joe Fernald said the city and county first have toformally withdraw from the existing authority. He said he would beworking with the county on that process.

SUPPORT THE TROOPS

Aldermen last night declared Saturday as “Support Your Troops”day.

Ward Six Alderman John E. “Buddy” Allen requested thedesignation. He asked citizens to either wear yellow ribbons ontheir lapels or tie yellow ribbons around trees in support of thecountry’s servicemen.

SICK LEAVE

Also Tuesday, Brookhaven Fire Chief Paul Cartwright asked theboard to consider allowing employees to apply unused sick leavetime to their retirement. He said the measure would not cost thecity any money and would only require keeping up with the unusedtime.

“If we can look into this, it would be something that can helpour people,” Cartwright said.

Cartwright said other cities have such a policy. He said itwould apply only to retirement by increasing years of service andcould help the city’s younger employees.

“It’s something they can look forward to,” the chief said.

However, Mike Jinks, bookkeeper in the city clerk’s office, saidthe current policy is that city employees are not given sick leave,but they may take up to five days a year if they are sick. Sickleave is not carried over from year to year.

Aldermen Les Bumgarner, Tom Smith and Allen were named to asubcommittee to look into a possible policy change regarding thesick leave issue.

“You’ve got to have sick days before you can carry them over,”Bumgarner said.

Also Tuesday, aldermen voted to purchase a new mosquito sprayingmachine at a cost of $7,500. It was the lower of two bidsreceived.

Traffic Supervisor Jimmy Furlow and Alderwoman Wilson wereappointed to attend an Incident Management workshop next week atthe State Room. The four-day workshop, put by theBrookhaven-Lincoln County Civil Defense and Mississippi EmergencyManagement Agency, is a requirement of cities and counties to beeligible to receive Homeland Security Funding.