Mayor Les Bumgarner has vetoed a street paving budget vote,opting instead for a plan that would allow him and the alderman atlarge a say in city street improvement plans.

Dividing the city’s $500,000 paving budget six ways, as theboard voted to do two weeks ago, left Bumgarner and Alderman atlarge Karen Sullivan empty handed. The mayor said the veto willresult in the money reverting to an eight-way split, as has beendone in previous years.

The mayor mentioned several reasons why he vetoed the six-waysplit.

Bumgarner said dividing the money eight ways would encouragespirit and cooperation among the board. He also said separating themoney six ways would leave gaps and it was not fair to cut Sullivanout of the paving picture.

“I feel like (splitting the money eight ways) gives us theflexibility we need,” said Bumgarner.

The mayor mentioned that the added wiggle room would allow heand Sullivan to assist various wards with more expensive pavingprojects.

Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates, who brought up the original voteto split the money six ways, asked City Attorney Joe Fernald to askthe attorney general if the mayor has the authority to divide themoney eight ways. Bates declined to comment until he hears backfrom the attorney.

The mayor’s veto can be overridden with five votes from thealdermen. Aldermen passed the original measure to split the moneysix ways on a 4-3 vote.

The mayor also urged the board to continue to turn in their workorders so the city could get a jump on paving and lot clearing.

“As soon as we get those in, we can start moving forward,” saidBumgarner.

In other news, Mike McKenzie, a principal with WillifordGearhart and Knight, Inc., appeared before the board to discussmillions of dollars worth of water and sewer projects.

The engineer handed the board several maps with current projectsand future projects noted on the charts. The plans have the citystaring at a $50 million price tag.

Aldermen began to question several of the projects and ways inwhich they could discover how much revenue would be generated inspecific parts of town after the water and sewer lines arerenovated. Some aldermen became alarmed, worried that areas intheir wards would go unattended if unable to return the city’sinvestment.

However, Bumgarner assured the board that they would go aboutfixing sewer and water problems in ways that everyone could agreeon.

“We’re not going to service one part of town and not the other,”said Bumgarner. “We need to do it for the future ofBrookhaven.”

While there were too many projects to discuss, the board agreedto have a work session Tuesday to discover how they would begin totackle the water and sewer problems throughout the city and in therecently annexed area of town.

“We just have to bite off a chunk of that $50 million,” saidBumgarner. “It’s yet to be determined how much of a chunk we biteoff.”