The city board approved payments in twoprojects nearing completion and took a moment to reflect on aformer colleague Tuesday night.

    The board approved payments of $10,750 to Williford, Gearhart &Knight and $4,900 to Sample, Hicks & Associates for their workon the Brignall fire loop.

    Of the payments made on the fire loop project, 50 percent will bereimbursed by grant funds.

    The board also approved a $19,179.55 payment to Smith Painting& Contracting for work done on the renovations of the old cityhall, now the chamber of commerce building.

    City Clerk Mike Jinks said none of the payments approved Tuesdayare the final or total payments, but that both projects are nearingcompletion.

    “We’re looking forward to getting some of these projects done thisyear,” Jinks said.

    At the board’s next meeting, Ward Six Alderman David Phillips saidhe wants the board to hear from Mark Williams with the Departmentof Environmental Quality regarding recycling.

    “He’s going to be talking about a regional recycling center inSouthwest Mississippi,” Phillips said. “We would like to be thelocation of that center and have those jobs.”

    The board recessed Tuesday’s meeting until Thursday at 6:30 p.m.when it will hold a formal hearing regarding the appeal of formerfire inspector Andre Spiller. In July, the board requested Spillerresign or be terminated.

    The hearing will be closed to the public, said City Attorney JoeFernald.

    The board also took a moment to remember Louis Mullen, a formercity alderman who died Sunday. He served as alderman from 1961 to1977 and from 1986 to 1997.

    “I would like to say my sympathy goes out to the Mullen family,”said Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates. “I served a term or two withhim. He was easy to work with.”

    Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell said he and Mullen had frequentlyeaten lunch together and done business together.

    “He was a true friend, and he will be missed,” Maxwell said. “Hisheart was with the people of Brookhaven.”

    Mayor Les Bumgarner recalled an occasion on which he was watchinghis son play in a baseball game. Mullen was also in attendance andpurchased all of the peanuts being sold by a concessions vendor anddistributed the peanuts throughout the crowd.

    “That tells you something about him, I think,” Bumgarner said.