As a result of the Healthy Hometown grant that was received last summer, construction of a walking trail at Bicentennial Park was approved at Tuesday night’s board of aldermen meeting.

The $25,000 grant will be used to construct a trail that will stretch 1,113 feet and be eight feet wide. The trail will extend for a quarter of a mile and circle the playground at the park.

“We are hopeful to get started on the project in the next week. It depends on the weather. We need dry conditions to get started,” said Ward Two Alderman Randy Belcher. Bicentennial Park, where the trail will be constructed, is in Belcher’s ward.

The board approved two quotes for construction of the trail from T and S Services for dirt work and Dickerson and Bowen for paving.

The city plans to haul away dirt and haul in about 50 loads of gravel for the four-inch gravel base.

The board then approved the lowest bid from three vendors and approved the purchase of an excavator from Bobcat of Jackson for the water department for $32,975.28. Bids from Stribling Equipment and Farmbelt Equipment rounded out the vendor list.

On a request from the owners of Brookhaven Discount Cigarettes, the board voted to allow on premise consumption of beer at the business, which recently added a sandwich shop and eating area to their existing store.

To be in accordance with city ordinance, an establishment must derive at least 50 percent of its gross receipts from the sale of food, maintain continuous seating facilities and operate a properly licensed eating-place.

At the board meeting, owner Tony Gagliano stated, “We have 1,000 feet of space, 10 tables with four chairs each and enough space to hold 40 people.”

In addition to tobacco products and beer, the business now sells New Orleans-style poboys.

Aldermen Belcher requested consideration of ways to honor past Brookhaven police officials, chief among them former Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson.

Belcher suggested the board honor Henderson and other chiefs’ service to the community, but further details remain to be sketched out, Belcher said.

“I think it’s a great idea. We just need to come up with something a little more specific. This is something I’ll do by the next meeting,” Belcher noted.

In personnel news, the board approved the hire of Joshua Hall as non-certified police officer. The board also approved the termination of a water department official.

In other business, the board approved 10 agenda items with one vote including:

• january’s revenue and Expenditure Report.

• January’s Fire Department report showing 28 runs inside the city and one run outside and city.

• January’s privilege license report.

• January’s Municipal Court report.

• Claims dockets and electronic purchase orders.

• A rural water training seminar for two water department officials.

• A Mississippi Department of Transportation project development manual training seminar in Jackson in March for the mayor and public works director.

• A trip for the mayor with the Linbrook Alliance to Washington, D.C., in March.

The board of aldermen will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4.