The incumbent hasn’t climbed into the race yet and hasn’t said if he will, but challengers are lining up to run for the Ward Six alderman post.

Mackie Gipson filed his papers last week to seek the office of alderman in the sixth ward, joining David McCoy in the race.

Both are running as Democrats.

Incumbent David Phillips, elected as an independent, hasn’t yet indicated his intentions for this year’s city elections.

Neither Gipson nor McCoy has sought elected office before. In discussion their goals if elected, both expressed a desire to see infrastructure improvements in the district.

“We could have better roads,” said McCoy, who qualified for office earlier this month.

McCoy also highlighted the need for additional sidewalks. He lives near City Park on Hartman Street, and said he often sees children walking in the road because there’s a lack of sidewalks.

When asked how he proposed to pay for additional paving and sidewalks, McCoy emphasized the need for thrift when budget time comes around.

“It’s all about saving money, stretching a dollar,” he said.

Gipson also wants to see the roads and ditches of Ward Six kept up and maintained better.

However, he said he’s still new to the idea of an alderman’s job and needs to study more to formulate more specific objectives and means of attaining those objectives.

Gipson, a Vietnam veteran, feels he is up to that task.

“I plan to put my head to it,” he said.

But having watching the television broadcasts of city meetings, Gipson does feel city aldermen need to cooperate with each other and exhibit less rancor.

“We need togetherness, unity,” he said.

Both men are Brookhaven natives. McCoy has worked for 24 years at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center. Gipson retired two years ago from Deviney Construction.

Even as candidates are proliferating, two races don’t yet have any candidates.

Mayor Les Bumgarner won’t seek re-election, he’s said, but no challengers have appeared to make a run at the mayor’s office.

In Ward Two, incumbent alderman Terry Bates has said he won’t decide whether he’ll run again until an unspecified later date, and no challengers have qualified yet looking to take his place.

Candidates have until March 8 to qualify for municipal elections by depositing the required paperwork at the city clerk’s office.