Getting a clear signal across was the main focus of the most recent Brookhaven Aldermen meeting.

City Inspector David Fearn presented a recommendation to the board on behalf of the City Planning Commission that Verizon Wireless be permitted to build a cell tower at the intersection of Hwy. 84 and County Farm Road.

“This is the ideal spot,” said Brant Ratliff, a representative from CMI Acquisitions, a Madison-based company specializing in acquiring land for cell towers.

The average height for cell towers is 300 feet and any structure over 100 feet in height must be approved by the Board of Aldermen.

Ratliff said with the approval of the city and the Federal Aviation Administration, the tower could be constructed at the recommended height. Without FAA approval, however, the tower would be built to a height of 271 feet, because it is 3.5 miles from the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport and therefore needs FAA clearance to go beyond that height.

The board voted with no opposition to approve the recommendation of the Planning Commission and Ratliff said CMI would keep the city informed of any FAA ruling.

 

At the airport

Engineer Ryan Holmes appeared before the board on behalf of Dungan Engineering and requested a $87,662.20 payment from grant monies to Greenbriar Digging Services LLC, which the board approved, for work completed at the airport.

The work was completed “exceptionally fast,” two months ahead of schedule, Holmes said.

Mayor Joe Cox presented a request from Public Works Director Keith Lewis, who was unable to attend the meeting, to reroute a sewer line that runs under the airport runway. Two bids were received — $11,610 from Greenbriar and $14,000 from Delta Boring Service — to be paid from water and sewer funds. The board approved the request, awarding the bid to Greenbriar.

 

In other business

• City attorney Joe Fernald updated the board on progress exchanging properties with Haven Hall Health Care Center. Titling is being handled and a tree will be removed by the city before the street issues can be addressed. “It’s pretty much a done deal,” Fernald said.
• A public hearing was scheduled for Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. to address grass cutting on abandoned or neglected properties. Fearn said letters would be sent in the meantime to all affected property owners.
• James Jackson and Jimmy Buie were hired as laborers in the Street Department at $9.36 per hour, pending drug tests and physicals.
• The resignation of City Auditor Max Halley was accepted.
• Pat Lowery was appointed City Auditor and approval was given to complete audits for Fiscal Years 2018, 2019 and 2020.
• The off-road diesel bid was awarded to James Case Oil Inc. at $1.32.9.
• FY2020 year-end budget revisions were approved.
• The Municipal Compliance Questionnaire was added to the minutes as required by the Office of the State Auditor.
• The September Brookhaven Fire Department run report was received, showing 26 runs in the city and three outside the city.
• Approved Claims Docket numbers 2534381-255020 for a total of $2.21 million.
• Received the following: 2020 Revenue and Expenditure Report, 2020 Privilege License Report showing revenue of $469, and the 2020 Municipal Court Report showing revenue of $12,696.80, $4,632.25 of which goes to the state.