Exit 40 and other talks with the Mississippi Department ofTransportation highlighted a lengthy Brookhaven Board of Aldermenmeeting Tuesday night.

Mayor Bob Massengill assured the board that, from what he hadbeen told by MDOT officials, the consultant for the clusterlighting project at Interstate 55 Exit 40 has been chosen and hasbegun design preparations.

“My hope is our board and our county board will have someinput,” he said. “But it sounds like the project is definitelymoving ahead.”

The mayor said MDOT had agreed to turn the upkeep of Exit 40over to the city.

In the past, mowing and other basic upkeep duties had fallen toMDOT, whose crews were able to care for it sometimes only threetimes a year. Massengill said MDOT officials were glad to hand theproject over to Brookhaven, and that there was only a minorstipulation.

“MDOT agrees that we can do a better job with this than theycan, and they’re happy for us to take it over,” he said. “But thereare some restrictions. Whatever plans we come up with have to beapproved by MDOT.”

Aldermen briefly discussed the possibility of enlisting theMaster Gardeners or Brookhaven Beautiful to work on beautificationprojects at the interchange.

In other news from MDOT, the city had requested that a trafficcount be done at the intersection of Highway 51 and Biglane Drivenear King’s Daughters Medical Center. MDOT officials had agreed toresearch to find if a traffic light could be installed at theintersection.

Massengill informed the board that he’d been told that the counthad been completed and MDOT is currently tabulating results. Hesaid as soon as the results are complete, they will be forwarded tothe city.

The mayor’s report also touched on the Comprehensive PlanningAdvisory Committee, which will be instrumental in submitting inputand suggestions in the long-term planning of the city since theannexation.

The idea was brought up that each alderman should choose twocitizens to serve on the committee, and Massengill passed out amemo from Urban Planning Consultant Mike Slaughter. Some ofSlaughter’s suggestions for candidates for the committee were tohave a good cross-section of the community, with people fromdifferent industries and associations that affect communitylife.

City Attorney Joe Fernald and Ward Four Alderwoman Shirley Estessuggested each alderman choose one representative to the group fromthe old city and one from the annexation area. It was agreed thatsince there are more than 9,000 citizens inside the old city andjust a little more than 3,000 in the annexation area, Alderman atLarge Les Bumgarner and Massengill would both appoint only peoplefrom inside the previous city limits in an effort to even out therepresentation.

Massengill said his job, as well as the board’s, would be tofield ideas from the committee.

“My hope would be that I can meet with them a few times, but Icertainly don’t want to influence them,” he said. “They need todiscuss it and then give us their input.”

The mayor also updated the board on the progress of talks tobuild a senior citizens’ center, saying he and Woody Sample ofSample & Associates consulting firm had met with officials fromthe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development about theproject.

Massengill said Division of Community Services Bureau ManagerTracey Giles had told him and Sample that CDBG funds are used eachyear to build a senior citizens’ center somewhere in the state, andto be considered, the city has to give half the money for theproject.

“Whatever the cost, we would have to be agreeable to that,” hetold the board.

The operation of the senior citizens’ center would fall to theBrookhaven Recreation Department.