Brookhaven aldermen offered some initialbudget requests at a Thursday work session, and the board is poisedto add vision insurance to city employees’ benefits package.

    City board members discussed possible budget items to consider asthey move forward to draft a budget for the 2011-12 fiscal yearthat starts Oct. 1 and prepare for a public hearing to be heldTuesday at 5 p.m. The hearing will enable city residents to providetheir comments on the budget.

    However, no substantial discussion about the merits of particularitems occurred Thursday.

    City beautification was on the minds of some aldermen, particularlyparks.

    Ward Three Alderman Mary Wilson said she wants to earmark money toadd a spray park to Bethel Playground.

    She indicated a number near $20,000 is what she wants, though thatamount would not cover the cost of a new spray park. The earmarkedfunds would need to be added to money from the 2012-13 budget tocover the spray park cost.

    Ward Four Alderman Shirley Estes said she would like to startlooking for a park in her ward.

    “Even if not a lot of acreage, we need some place people could taketheir kids,” Estes said.

    Alderman at Large Karen Sullivan said she would like to put $10,000in the budget for the purchase of four historical markers through astate program.

    The markers must be applied for, and the application can be denied,so even if the funds are allocated they may not be spent. Sullivansaid if an application for a historical marker is accepted, themarker costs $1,500.

    Sullivan said she would handle all the paperwork, which shedescribed as “lengthy.”

    Though expensive, Sullivan thinks the money would be worthyspending to highlight Brookhaven’s heritage.

     “It’s just a good thingfor a historical city,” she said. “Take Madison. They can’t have aone. They don’t have anything historical up there.”

    Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron said he wants to allocate money inthe upcoming budget for a second weather siren. At its most recentmeeting, the city board voted to amend the 2010-11 budget byallocating $30,000 for the purchase of a weather siren.

    Cameron said he would like to purchase a weather siren once a year,perhaps continuing until the city has four.

    To augment the sirens, Ward Six Alderman David Phillips requested$7,500 to $10,000 in the new budget to cover an emergency alertcall service.

    The subject of recycling resurfaced, with Phillips asking that$5,000 be set aside for a recycling program.

    “We may not do it, but we need the funds there as an option,” hesaid.

    The board also discussed plans to add increased vision coverage toits employee insurance plan.

    A representative from Assurant, Sylvia King, has presented the citywith three options. A “core plan” would cover one annual visionexam per employee with a $10 copay. Glasses and contacts could bepurchased at a 20 percent discount.

    A full service plan would cover the annual exam and give employeesan allowance of $130 for glass frames every 24 months (lenses canbe replaced every 12 months) for a copay of $25.

    The third plan is fully voluntary. The city pays nothing, but anyemployee has the option of the same coverage as the full serviceplan for $15. This plan requires a minimum of 20 percentparticipation from city employees.

    The core plans seems most favored by the city board, and City ClerkMike Jinks said he expects that plan to be implemented.

    Currently, the city’s plan from Assurant covers dental insurance,short-term disability and life insurance. It does not provide foreye exams as the new plan would.

    This plan would cost the city 81 cents per employee per month, anincrease of 61 cents over the per employee costs of 15 cents thecity currently pays for its Asurant plan.

    Bumgarner said that the cheapest plan seems preferable so as not toadversely affect employee wages.

    “You have to balance wages and benefits. If you do more inbenefits, that’s less you can do in wages,” Bumgarner said.

    Phillips concurred.

     “It’s cheaper to getbenefits, but I think employees would rather have wages,” hesaid.