Safety was on the minds of aldermen as school sidewalks andemergency alert systems were among topics up for discussion duringTuesday’s board meeting.

Mayor Les Bumgarner announced to the board that he had talkedwith Mike McKenzie, of WGK Inc., to discuss the possibility ofinstalling sidewalks around neighborhood schools.

The mayor mentioned that the city could qualify for a 100percent grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportationthrough its Mississippi Safe Routes to School Program. He addedthat the grant would only apply to elementary and junior highschools and the sidewalks would be constructed from the schools tothe more heavily foot-trafficked areas into the neighborhoods.

“We have a lot of kids walking to school,” said Bumgarner.”People don’t want them in their yards and motorists don’t wantthem walking in the street.”

City officials are continuing to look into sidewalkpossibilities.

In other activity, Ward Six Aldermen David Phillips updated theboard about the ongoing research into emergency alert systems forthe city.

Phillips said he and a few other aldermen recently met withCopiah-Lincoln Community College officials and Lincoln County CivilDefense Director Clifford Galey to discuss the pros and cons oftext alerts and weather sirens.

During the Co-Lin trip, Phillips said they were able to askcollege President Dr. Ronald Nettles and Director of Co-Lin PublicInformation Natalie Davis about the success the school has had withits text alert system, Wolf Alert, as well as the campussirens.

“It’s going to be a combo of things to alert the generalpublic,” said Phillips. “Hopefully in the near future we’ll be ableto make a recommendation to the board.”

The board also saw a guest appearance by J.C. Kitaif of S.C.Services, who appeared before city officials once before inOctober. Kitaif revisited the council members to remind them ofS.C. Services’ debt collection processes.

“A good stern effort will get these funds back in the hands ofthe people,” said Kitaif.

As mentioned earlier, some of the ways the company seeks tocollect debts owed to municipalities is through suspending driver’slicenses and canceling trash pick up.

Kitaif reminded board members that the services would come at nocost to the city and mentioned that S.C. Services has beencollecting court fines for the county since November.

“I’m hoping the board will see the value in it,” said Bumgarner.”What we’re doing isn’t working, it might be time to try somethingnew.”

The board took no action on the fine collections matter.

The Multi-Modal Transportation Facility also stepped a littlebit closer to being completed as the board decided on lettering forthe facility.

“Godbold Transportation Center,” in honor of the Godboldfamily’s service to Brookhaven, will be seen in metal lettersacross the facility’s surface.

Ward Four Alderman Shirley Estes said the lettering andinstallation would cost $2,100. However, she said there is a chancethat Amtrak might cover the expense.

“I think that’s going to be a bright spot for the city ofBrookhaven,” said Bumgarner of the transportation facility.

City officials also met in executive session for a little morethan one hour to discuss personnel. After exiting the session, cityofficials voted to dismiss three street department employees andone solid waste worker.