The Brookhaven Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to go forward with a $15,850 plan to test the land around Manufacturers Boulevard for dioxins. The decision came after MMC Materials decided it was not able to close on a deal for a 6.5-7 acre parcel in the area because of potential contamination.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Garrick Combs was at Tuesday’s meeting to speak on the issue.

“Where MMC was when they called us back, and I have a lot of empathy for them, was that [they] spent up to ‘x’ amount of dollars in due diligence up to this point,” Combs said. “[They said] ‘We want this site, we’re ready to close on it, but when our phase one indicated that we needed to do one more set of testing, and that set of testing represented an unknown in terms of whether we could close on this property,’ they were not really willing to go any further.”

Combs suggested that the city take the opportunity to take multiple soil samples around the area, so that they would have data to supply MMC and also other potential buyers for the area.

“For our own record keeping, for our own knowledge, and for the sake of closing on this property with MMC, we [should] contact Environmental Management Services, who’s done a number of projects for us and the city,” Combs said. “Contact them, and have us give them a proposal to test the MMC site, and while they’re here, if it would be cost effective, to go ahead and grab the areas that appear to be from a topographic and land control and wetlands standpoint, to be developable, from our point of view.”

Combs outlined three possible outcomes from the testing.

“What we’re hoping to be the best outcome is that MMC will talk with their environmental consultant and make the decision to go ahead and close on the property, and that it doesn’t present a threat to them health-wise,” Combs said. “And then we sell the property and move on. Then we take the other information on Manufacturers Boulevard to deal with the next client that comes into that side of Manufacturers Boulevard so that we can have some information that’s been tested recently and that has been vetted by the Mississippi DEQ, and also WGK and others that would have a copy of these on file when we needed them.

“We could have something in the middle that makes MMC uncomfortable — but still doesn’t trip any sort of regulatory environment with DEQ Ñ and they decide to pass on the project,” he said. “That’s certainly in play. They have not made a commitment that these levels have to be X or Y before we close on this project or not. Or the other result could come back where we’ve got a situation where we need to let trees grow on it, or we need to pursue some sort of agreement in order to make it developable.”

The Board of Aldermen agreed to pay the cost from the Economic Development Fund. Dioxin is a contaminant formed in the production of some chlorinated organic compounds, including a few herbicides, according to the EPA.

“If a worst-case scenario comes to fruition, I’ll come back to you, and have some options for you,” Combs said. “But right now, the way forward is to go ahead and do the sample. Otherwise we’re in the dark, and we have no idea what we have.”

Airport project

Clearing around the airport has been halted for the duration of the burn ban, according to Ryan Holmes of Dungan Engineering.

“After consulting with the contractor, they decided to pull off the job until we get some significant rain,” Holmes said. “They got it piled, and they raked it one time, for the roots and stumps — all the stumps are removed, for the most part, but until we can burn, there’s just nothing they can do. So we stopped their contract time relative to the clearing.”

Wheels for Tanner 5K/1 mile Fun Run

A representative from Wheels for Tanner requested to hold a 5k on Halloween in the two parking lots by S. Railroad Avenue between E. Monticello Street and E. Chickasaw Street. Police Chief Bobby Bell said this may cause problems for the restaurants using the northern parking lot. Bell suggested that Wheels for Tanner be allowed to use the southern parking lot, and the Board of Aldermen agreed.

Workforce training

Alderman Fletcher Grice urged board members to attend a tour of Co-Lin’s workforce training programs.

“Simpson County is caught on to what’s happening, and they’ve tapped into about $112,000 that’s out there,” Grice said. “Adams County has tapped into about $121,000. It’s money that’s available. We have tapped into $36,000. I think there’s an opportunity here for us to get involved in some things that would really help us. In Lincoln County, King’s Daughters has just caught on to it. They’re our biggest recipient of this right now.”

Ward meeting

Alderman Randy Belcher announced that he will have a ward meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Beulah Chapel at 1315 Brignall Road.

“I’ll be leading the meeting,” Belcher said. “We’re going to talk on the Brignall water system, and any problems that any people in the ward have. We’re just trying to bring the — this is my second one — I call it bringing the board meeting to the community.”

In other business:

• The resignation of Jarrett Stewart from the Water Department was accepted.

• Mitchell Robertson, Javian Mackabee, Justin Parkman, and Chris Clowers have been hired in the Water Department.

• Greenbriar has been granted a bid for $44,200 to lay a 6-inch waterline at Brown Loop.