Two weeks after the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen declared an emergency status due to a damaged landfill tank, a bid was accepted for work to begin.

The leaching tank at the Brookhaven Transfer Station, the city’s landfill, is metal and after many years of usage has begun to collapse, according to engineer Mike McKenzie of WGK Engineering.

Leaching tanks at landfills collect “leachate” — the sludge that forms when rainwater filters through waste in the landfills. Leachate is toxic and must be contained and disposed of properly.

“If it collapses, the transfer station will shut down,” McKenzie said at the Board’s March 7 meeting.

The City allows repairs or replacement up to $75,000, but the estimated costs of replacing the tank were above that cap.

“I’m asking for an emergency status so we can go ahead and get bids and open them, and go with it even if it’s over the $75,000 limit,” McKenzie said. The board unanimously approved the request.

Monday, March 20, bids were opened from three prospective contractors, with costs ranging from $89,000 to $97,000 for replacement with a cast concrete leaching tank.

The low bid was accepted — $89,000 from Greenbriar Digging Services in Brookhaven.

 

In other business

• The Board approved the resignation of Curtis Oliver from the Board of Adjustments, and his addition to the Planning Commission Board.
• The Board approved a bid from Southern Environmental in the amount of $80,450 to remove 15 dilapidated structures and clean the lots. Public Works Director Keith Lewis and City Inspector David Fearn said the company could complete the job in a matter of days, whereas the city would take months to do it, on weekends only, and spend an estimated $78,728 on the project. Fearn said approximately $31,000 of that cost would be for overtime hours.
• Alderman Andre’ Spiller commended the leadership and staff of the Brookhaven Housing Authority for their continued work in the aftermath of the Brookwood Apartment Complex fire in February.
• Received the February Fire Department report showing 36 runs in the city and four outside city limits.
• Approved Walmart grants of $5,000 each into the Police and Fire Departments.
• Approved a lower reverse auction bid of $185,000 from Pac-Mac Corporation for the purchase of a truck-mounted knuckle boom loader with trash body for the Solid Waste Department. The other bid was $210,000 from Truckworx Kenworth.
• Approved a lower quote from Greenbriar of $9,800 for replacement of a culvert on North Street. The other quote was $11,750, from Mitchell Contracting.
• Approved Firefighter David Spray to attend the Driver-Operator Class at the State Fire Academy April 3-13. The City will pay registration, plus reimbursement for meals and mileage.
• Approved Police Chief Kenneth Collins to attend the 2023 MACP Annual Conference in Biloxi June 19-23, including hotel and meals.
• Approved Detective Penelope Banks to attend National Police Week May 11-17 in Washington D.C. The City will reimburse for travel, lodging and meals.
• Approved length-of-service hourly increase of $1 from $13 to $14 hourly for Joe Honea.
• Approved the hire of Austin Anderson as a BPD patrolman at $16.23 hourly, $33,750 anually.
• Approved the resignation of Stoney Walker as BPD patrolman effective March 22.