Brookhaven employees currently are in line for 4 percent payraises, but those with dependent insurance coverage will be askedto help cover an premium increase in that area, according to thelatest discussions on the city budget for fiscal year 2008-09.

During discussion at Thursday night’s work session, Mayor BobMassengill said the 4 percent increases had been plugged fordiscussion purposes and it could be altered if aldermen determineda different amount was needed.

Board members talked about increased cost of living and otherissues, but made no move to alter the percentage. Last year,aldermen approved varying pay raises in an effort catch up on whatseemed to be out-of-date salaries in many city departments.

“We made significant adjustments last year, so it will just beacross the board this year,” said Ward Four Alderwoman ShirleyEstes.

She later said the planned percentage increase wasreasonable.

“This is a reasonable place to be with the economic climate likeit is,” Estes said. “It helps but it’s not wildly extravagant.”

Massengill said he believed starting pay should go up 4 percentas well, in order to keep the pay scale regulated and up to thecost of living. Aldermen discussed what impact that would have onvarious pay scales, but did not take any action on the plan sincelast night’s work session was not an officials board meeting.

Across the board raises mean aldermen and the mayor would alsobe included in the pay upgrade plans. Board members have notspecifically discussed pay raises for themselves while consideringbudget plans for next year.

In other budget action, aldermen decided to keep the city’sshare of the dependent insurance on its employees families at 50percent, meaning employees with dependent coverage will be paying$33 a month more for their insurance. The move means employees willbe covering half of the overall $66 a month increase in dependentcoverage premiums.

Currently there are 46 city employees with dependent coverage,Estes pointed out. Insurance for city employees is fully covered bythe city while employees with dependents are asked to cover part ofthat expense.

The city will hold a public hearing on the budget Tuesday at5:30 p.m. in the city board room.

Following another work session after the hearing, aldermen areexpected to approve the new year budget at their Sept. 2 meeting.The city’s new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

In other planning activity Thursday, aldermen reviewed thenumbers on the solid waste budget and left expected revenue andexpenditures intact at around $1.34 million.

Water and sewer numbers, initially figured at a tentative $2.76million, may be altered some as aldermen discussed the cost fortapping water and sewer lines for new developments. Aldermendecided it is time for the city to start charging cost for tappingthe lines.

In the past, the city has gotten behind costs, as they haveabsorbed large amounts of the tapping fees in past years. Thecurrent fee for tapping a 1-inch line is $500, while the cityexpends $1,107, which does not include the cost of the dump truck,the gravel or the truck operator.

Last year the city spent $65,000 installing water taps and made$31,000 back in fees.

“If we adjust the tapping fees, that keeps us from losing moneyin our water and sewer department,” said Massengill, adding that hebelieves the individual should pay at least the city’s cost forproviding the service. “We’re getting back less than half of whatour cost is.”

Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell said he felt the city shouldcontinue to absorb some of the cost because it encouragesdevelopment inside the city. He said that even to double thecurrent fee would be too much of a change at one time.

Estes pointed out that any money not paid by developers in theone-time fee would be paid in the end by taxpayers.

“You’re talking about subsidizing a developer with taxpayermoney,” she said.

City Attorney Joe Fernald said many developers are not going tobalk at the cost of tapping a line because it all goes in theinitial financing for the building.

“If you’re building a house, you know it gets written into thecheck,” he said, adding he sees a need to raise the tapping cost. “If you don’t change the cost, you’re giving away city money. We’venever wanted to charge people for things because we’re afraid tooffend them, and this is an accepted cost which they pay onetime.”

Massengill added that most people will pay the one-time costover 30 years since it goes into the financing for thebuilding.

The board agreed to charge the city’s cost for tapping, withadditional no markup.