Brookhaven leaders have worked toward revitalizing andbeautifying the city over the last several years, and Tuesday nightthey discussed efforts to better the health of the city’s residentsas well.

Ward Four Alderman Shirley Estes said a year ago, she wasappointed to a Mississippi Municipal League health committee thatdeals with community issues on health care for the elderly,obesity, safe school routes for children, smoking ordinances, andthe like.

Estes presented the possibility that a health committee inBrookhaven might be a positive step toward a healthier populace.She said perhaps staff from the coming senior citizens center, aswell as representatives of King’s Daughters Medical Center, andcommunity members could man the committee, and put on health fairsand things like CPR classes.

Meanwhile, the issue of children walking to school in areaswhere there are no sidewalks could also be addressed by the healthcommittee, Estes said. The Mississippi Department of Transportationcould possibly work with the city on grants for sidewalks, shesaid.

“MDOT will collaborate with the city and the community onsidewalks,” she said. “There’s a grant I’ve looked at before forsome of the conferences. I think if we qualify for that grant,that’s a good thing for our children.”

Mayor Les Bumgarner pointed out that currently children walkingto school are either having to walk through people’s yards or walkon the street.

“That presents a problem because people don’t want them walkingthrough their grass, but drivers don’t want them in the street, ofcourse,” he said. “So this could be a good solution.”

The board approved a committee of Estes, Ward One AldermanDorsey Cameron, and Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates. The panel isexpected to further explore the health- and sidewalk-relatedissues.

In other board action, Fire Chief Tony Weeks asked the board foran emergency amendment in the budget to fix an engine that recentlywent down due to the failure of a part that will cost almost $8,000before labor. He said the repairs could overall cost around$10,000.

“We need a fire truck, we don’t need it down for a length oftime,” said Cameron, stressing that the repairs needed to bemade.

Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell said more quotes should betaken, asking how bad a situation the city was in without thetruck.

“It’s a busy time of the year for fires,” said Bumgarner.

Weeks told the board that Brookhaven Fire Department hasborrowed a fire truck from Hog Chain Volunteer Fire Department, sothey have a truck on the road in place of the engine that isdown.

“We don’t need to do that,” Cameron said. “We need to repair ourtruck.”

Ward Six Alderman David Phillips agreed.

“That’s very nice of them, but we need to be able to run ourfire department,” he said. “We have to be able to maintain ourequipment. This is a no-brainer.”

The board approved the repair costs, and Weeks said he hoped thepart would be in by early next week.

The board discussed briefly their participation in theBrookhaven Christmas Parade, with several officials saying they hadtaken phone calls about the rule banning horses and all-terrainvehicles this year.

“We’ve heard a couple of concerns about that, and we passed themon to the chamber,” Bumgarner said. “We are not in charge of theChristmas parade. The chamber puts it on, and we are justguests.”

Cameron also brought up the issue of city employees scheduled tobe paid the Friday of Christmas, and the board voted to issuepaychecks on Dec. 23 instead of Dec. 25.

After a lengthy executive session, a fire department employeewas suspended for 90 days, retroactive to two weeks ago. CityAttorney Joe Fernald said the situation will be reviewed after 90days.