City aldermen hope to eventually seerecycling available to Brookhaven residents.

    Ward Six Alderman David Phillips was optimistic Tuesday regardingthe possible success of a recycling program.

    “I think Brookhaven is ready for it. We just need something that’scost effective,” Phillips said during last night’s meeting.

    Recycling would not only benefit the environment but alsoBrookhaven’s budget.

    Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell explained the financial advantages.Recycling would enable Brookhaven to keep its waste disposal rateswhere they currently are rather than rising higher.

     “We need to look atrecycling in the future if our waste rates are going to remainlow,” Maxwell said.

    Members of the city council attended the Mississippi MunicipalLeague Conference last week where, among other things, they wereable to obtain information about recycling programs elsewhere inMississippi.

    Phillips and Maxwell both pointed to the comparably sized Oxford asa possible model.

    Oxford has featured a recycling service for 12 years. It operatesits own recycling program rather than using a contractor, employingeight people in the process.

    Phillips said Brookhaven should consider both options. He explainedthat Waste Management could place recycling bins around the city instrategic locations.

    The aldermen deemed Oxford’s program fairly successful. Only 2percent of material placed into Oxford’s recycling receptacles isnon-recyclable material.

    Even without a recycling program, Maxwell said Brookhaven hasdifficulty with residents not separating their trash.

    Branches should not be combined with other trash but noncompliancewith this is high. Such problems could also plague a recyclingservice.

    “It’s an education process,” Maxwell said. “A successful recyclingprogram requires education.”

    Mayor Les Bumgarner has discussed a regional recycling program withmunicipal leaders in the area.

    The mayor said Brookhaven faces barriers. Though comparably sized,Oxford has one thing Brookhaven does not: a university.

    Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board held an executive session forpersonnel and ultimately voted to request the resignation of theBrookhaven Fire Department Fire Inspector Andre Spiller.

    If his resignation is not forthcoming, he will be terminated. Theboard motion to seek his release cited absences and job performanceissues.