Mayor Bob Massengill told Lincoln County supervisors Monday thatcooperation is key in the city’s upcoming annexation.

“If we work together, we can continue to make this a great placeto raise our families,” he said. “This is our hope, and we know itis the same for you.”

Massengill pointed out the strong unified front the city andcounty have always put forth when dealing with issues on a stateand national level. He said it is imperative that it continues.

“Working together, we can send a message to the rest of thestate, and to Washington,” he said. “Cooperation is key, so let’scontinue that. And we’re going to get these lights.”

The mayor was speaking of the joint project the city and countyare working on to obtain cluster lighting at Exit 40 on Interstate55.

Massengill also said the Board of Aldermen hopes to have wardredistricting done soon. Therefore, residents of the annexationarea will know who to call if they have concerns.

“Everyone in the county that lives in the county has asupervisor – that won’t change,” said Chancery Clerk TillmonBishop. “It just depends on where you live as to what aldermanyou’ll have, and the mayor has assured us that will be doneshortly.”

Massengill said the city has been working as hard as possible ongetting ready for the coming annexation.

“Until Thursday, we didn’t know when this was going to happen,”he said. “We didn’t know if it was going to be a week or fivemonths.”

In response to a question about when the city is due to servethe annexation areas with fire and police protection, Massengillsaid it was not actually going to be 10 days from the date the newopinion was issued, but instead from the date of the mandate. Themandate is the official entering of the court order regardingannexation.

“We hope to have that sometime this week,” he said.

Bishop said the county is just as committed to working with thecity in the transition.

“We’ve had so many projects and times where we’ve cooperatedwith the city and Chamber of Commerce that have been successful,”said Bishop. “Communities that don’t do that are blind from aneconomic development standpoint. Fortunately in our community, wehave officials in key positions that are willing to work with oneanother, and it’s paid off.”

Brookhaven attorney Clint Gardner visited the board on behalf ofDr. Spencer Mooney. He said Mooney wants to sell the upstairs ofhis main building on South Railroad Avenue to engineering firm I.C.Thomason as condominiums. The deal must be approved by both thecity and the county.

The board approved the move subject to the city’s decisionTuesday night.

The board also moved to put Brookman Drive on the road county’sroad register. Bishop said when a road is not on the map, it is aprivate drive, and Brookman was overlooked several years ago. Theboard voted to put it on the road register as a public road.

Finally, the board approved a bid on logging for the pine timberaround the county’s multi-purpose building. The bid went to Cadeand Cade Logging, provided they split the revenue with thecounty.