Following a July 29 public hearing on an annexation rezoningmap, the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen approved the city’s new mapwith minor revisions at Tuesday night’s board meeting.

“We made several revisions to the zoning map, and we went aheadand approved the zoning map and ordinance,” said Mayor BobMassengill, adding there were about half a dozen changes made.

He said the changes were mostly minor, like changing an areafrom C1 to C3, which is a shift from heavy commercial to lightcommercial. He said the corrections currently are being shown onthe map presented at the public hearing with Post-it notes until afinalized copy can be made.

The maps are available for public viewing in Public WorksDirector Steve Moreton’s office at the Lincoln County-BrookhavenGovernment Complex, Massengill said.

Massengill said there will be a waiting period before the mapgoes into effect, as it must be published in the newspaper.Massengill said he believes the timeline is around 45 days.

The approval followed an executive session stated to coverpersonnel matters, possible litigation and contract negotiation.The move to got into executive session was approved by unanimousvote.

In the session, officials also discussed criteria for theFreeport Warehouse tax exemption that Columbus Lumber had requestedfrom the city. At the last board meeting, city officials decided tocome up with guidelines for businesses applying for theexemption.

Massengill said the criteria includes businesses with 75 percentof their sales out of state, 50 or more employees in the localmarket of Brookhaven and sales of $5 million or more. The exemptionwould last two years, although it can be reconsidered at the end ofthe term.

“Columbus Lumber would qualify, and there may be other companiesthat qualify, but the key is going to be the out-of-state sales,”the mayor said, saying it will go into effect immediately.

In other board action, Henry Ledet and Emily Henderson of theLincoln County Public Library sought additional funds for thecoming year to make up for increases in minimum wage andelectricity. Henderson said the library also hopes to add morecomputers since the ones they have are always full.

Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates asked Ledet about the racialmakeup of the library board, asking him why there are no blackmembers. When Ledet told him the board is appointed by the LincolnCounty Board of Supervisors, Bates asked if Ledet would look intothe situation, especially since the library board was asking thecity for money.

“I guess I need to be asking the county that, then,” Bates said.”You’re asking for $110,250. I’ve never asked (about the board’sracial makeup) in 19 years. I’m concerned about that.”

Aldermen took no action on the library funding request. It, aswell as those of other agencies supported by the city, will beconsidered when aldermen discuss budget plans for the new fiscalyear that starts Oct. 1.