Mayor Bob Massengill informed aldermen Tuesday night that theannexation will be final once the mandate comes down from the stateSupreme Court.

“A mandate is a final order issued by the court, and we hope toget that this week,” he said.

Massengill said 10 days from the receipt of the mandate, thecity will start providing the annexation areas with police and fireprotection.

The board decided, however, that garbage pickup and billing willcontinue as normal until September. The city’s new fiscal yearstarts Oct. 1.

The mayor said at the end of September, the city will begingarbage pickup twice a week in the annexation area. However, trashand rubbish cleanup will begin 10 days after the mandate.

Members of the board expressed concern that those in theannexation areas will continue disposing of their trash by burningit on their property, which is illegal in city limits. Massengillsaid those on a certain size property can still burn as long asthey get a permit and contact the fire department.

Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell brought up the need foradditional street lights in the annexation area. Massengill saidplans had been made to install at least 300 new lights over thenext two years.

“The previous mayor and his engineers came up with thesenumbers, and I’m assuming there was some logic behind it,” he said.”But if we need more, we’ll get more.”

Board members were also given a tentative ward redistricting mapprepared by annexation consultant Mike Slaughter for new parts ofthe city.

“I’d like for you all to review these and look at the numbers,then we’ll discuss it at the next meeting,” said Massengill. “Thesemaps are based your talks with Mike Slaughter.”

The board also voted to continue with the acquisition of theproperty for the multi-modal facility in spite of a hangup inplans.

There is a discrepancy between what Americans with DisabilityAct guidelines will allow as far as distance from the platform towhere the train loads and what Canadian National will allow.Canadian National deals with freight trains, and the ADA addresseshandicap assessibility for the passenger trains.

“There is a possibility the multi-modal facility will not happenbecause of this setback, unless Canadian National makes anexception,” said Massengill.

In other business, Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron asked theboard about possibly making North Sixth Street a one-way streetbecause it is too narrow for two cars to safely pass.

“That’s a great idea,” said Police Chief Pap Henderson. “It’shard for two cars to pass each other there because one of them isgoing to drop off the side of the road.”

The section that will become one-way once the signs are put upis the section between Choctaw Avenue and Seventh Street.

Massengill also praised the Brookhaven Police Department fortheir job of organizing and directing traffic at the Girl Scout FunRun held June 9. He noted that the event was well-attended andwell-run.