Brookhaven city attorney Joe Fernald on Tuesday said the city should create a committee to help oversee the improvements planned for the old city pound.

At Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Fernald addressed the need to get the ball rolling on the effort.

In the last board meeting, Fernald said he was getting mixed signals about whether the group was asking to renovate the facility for the city or to run it themselves. He suggested that a committee of about three board members be established.

“There are still a lot of questions on how this is going to work,” Fernald said Tuesday night. “We need to define what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do this.”

He suggested in the last meeting that the board should draw up a formal agreement defining who would be responsible for what to prevent what he called “an overly broad delegation of administrative authority by the city.” Fernald stressed that it would be important to discuss liability, and also safety.

A group approached the city with the desire to improve the pound and also operate an adoption office there. Currently, the facility is open to the elements. The group plans on putting up a wall to shelter the animals from winter winds, planting trees for shade, and replacing all of the kennels.

Road work

The board on Tuesday also discussed the end of the Brookway Boulevard paving project, which cost $800,000. MDOT contributed $550,000.

Public Works Director Steve Moreton addressed the board on the ribbon cutting for the celebration of the completion of the Brookway Boulevard overlay project. The project, four years in the making, has transformed the look of Brookway Boulevard as well as ensured its infrastructure.

“It’s been a long project, but well worth it,” Moreton said. “I think the final product is something to be proud of, and without MDOT’s help I don’t think we would’ve been able to have done it.”

The ribbon cutting will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday at the parking lot of the Westbrook Cinema movie theater. Transportation Commissioner Tom King will be in attendance.

“Commissioner King coming in, that’s a big deal,” said Mayor Joe Cox. “We really appreciate their work and we wouldn’t have been able to do this without them — the work of MDOT as well as Steve’s work.”

In other business, the board approved:

• To remove the copier from the city court inventory, (cost to repair is almost the cost to replace) and to revise the compliance equipment budget by $500 to purchase a new copier at the cost of $1,500.

• The final resolution for a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption for Rex Lumber Brookhaven, LLC, for improvements to the facility in 2014, having been approved by the state.

• The final resolution for a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption for Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC for improvements to the facility in 2014, having been approved by the state.

Alderman-at-Large Karen Sullivan was absent due to medical reasons and Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates was absent due to a death in the family. The mayor and other members of the board expressed they were in their thoughts and prayers.

The board entered into executive session at the request of Moreton for the purpose of discussing possible litigation.