City aldermen agreed Monday during a work session to conduct asurvey of downtown businesses to better understand their views of aproposed historic preservation ordinance.

Aldermen also clarified among themselves the ultimate goal ofthe proposed ordinance and specified that they envisioned ittargeting individual structures and not a wide area.

“No one wants to force something down anyone’s throat,” saidMayor Bob Massengill. “This is on a limited scale to help thoseproperties.”

The Certified Local Government Community ordinance is necessaryfor some organizations, businesses and the city to pursue certaingrant monies for the preservation of historic structures.

Aldermen have previously suggested four potential beneficiariesof the ordinance – The Haven, Chamber of Commerce building,Alexander Teen Center and the Multi-Modal Center.

Alderman-at-Large Les Bumgarner Monday suggested a fifthpotential beneficiary. He said the Brookhaven Train Depot would beanother likely candidate. It presently houses the BrookhavenMilitary Memorial Museum, a popular city attraction.

The board quickly agreed, but said it would be the historiccommission established should the ordinance pass that wouldultimately determine which and how many structures would beincluded initially.

The board also considered a historic ordinance in effect inOxford while debating options for their own proposed ordinance.

The Oxford ordinance addresses many of the concerns of the boardin a format that has already been approved by the MississippiDepartment of Archives and History, which must approve theordinance for the city to qualify for any grant monies.

“It’s better than I thought it would be,” Massengill said.

One of the board’s chief concerns has been the creation of anautonomous commission, which is included in a draft ordinanceprovided by the state. The state draft ordinance provides thecommission the power to set the budget, appoint and fire members orabolish the board, but gives no control over their operations.

The Oxford ordinance, however, shows that an alternative processhas already been approved by the state previously.

“Everything goes through the committee, but approval lies withthe board,” Massengill said.

Original documents also state the appeals process would behandled through the court system.

Massengill said the Oxford ordinance has set the appeals processthrough the city board.

“That may not be a good idea because it would politicize it,”said Ward Four Alderwoman Shirley Estes. “It’s something toconsider.”

Aldermen Monday were uncertain whether the appeals process wouldbest be served through the courts or the city board. They indicatedthe board would continue to investigate their options.

The board also agreed to meet with the Brookhaven Trust andother organizations presently working to save the historicstructures that could possibly be designated by the commission.

“The more information we get, the more we can adapt to thesituation,” said Ward Six Alderman Buddy Allen.

Although the ordinance was originally proposed to help The Havenqualify for a grant, the deadline for those funds has expired.Officers with the Brookhaven Little Theatre, which owns The Haven,have admitted they discovered the potential funding late and didnot give the board adequate time to review the proposal.

However, aldermen hope to have an ordinance in place in time forthe next round of grants if they decide to pass it.

The board, therefore, tentatively planned a schedule oftentative deadlines Monday. Aldermen hope to have the surveyconducted by Jan. 1, meet with officers of the Brookhaven Trustduring a January work session and determine the city’s direction onthe ordinance by the regular February meeting.