The Brookhaven board of aldermen completed a balanced budgetplan during a special meeting Saturday morning.

The Brookhaven board of aldermen completed a balanced budgetplan during a special meeting Saturday morning. The plan will bepresented at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

The new $8,062,344 budget includes a three percent pay raise forall city employees except elected officials, and increases fundingto the police and fire departments.

The police package includes a raise in officers’ beginningsalaries and an additional pay raise of $50 per month for officerswith more than 11 years experience.

Other inclusions Saturday were $48,000 for striping BrookwayBoulevard and $4,000 for a bush hog to use at the airport.

The board was unanimous in the decision to add these items. Theinclusions lifted the total expenditures above the budget by$152,639.

City Clerk Iris Rudman informed the board that the budget mustbe balanced and something would have to be cut to make up thediscrepancy.

Henry Newman, alderman-at-large, suggested removing four tenniscourts, at a cost of $250,000, from the budget.

The suggestion was seconded by John Roberts Jr. of Ward 4. Hesuggested the slightly more than $97,000 balance be applied to amatching grant to build as many tennis courts as possible.

“We know we can get federal matching funds for tennis courts,”he said. “We’ll just have to pursue them.”

Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates questioned whether cuts could bemade somewhere else.

“We’ve already cut out the recreation center we promised tobuild,” Bates said. “Isn’t there some way we could at least buildthe tennis courts?”

“There really is nothing left to cut,” Rudman replied.

Ward 3 Alderman the Rev. Jerry Wilson and Bates then alsorequested higher raises for some employees. They said the citycould not maintain workers in some areas at minimum wage.

“The time for that in the budget process is past,” Mayor BillGodbold said. “Are we working on a budget or are wenitpicking?”

When Wilson and Bates persisted, Newman asked Rudman if it waspossible to do a raise based on three percent or 30 cents,whichever was greater.

Rudman said it was not possible.

“You’re not just talking about 30 cents. This effects more thanjust salary. You are also talking about raising benefits,” shesaid.

The board agreed to look into the pay issue again when formingthe next budget.

A public hearing on the new year budget is planned for Sept. 5,the same day as the next regular board meeting. The new fiscal yearbegins Oct. 1.