The City of Brookhaven’s water system has survived the severe cold weather intact.

“The weather hit us pretty hard, but kind of what we expected. We’ve had guys working salting bridges roads (and) curves,” Public Works Director Kris Xifos told the mayor and aldermen Tuesday. Several cars wound up in ditches, Xifos said, “but for the most part, it was not catastrophic. The water plants and water wells have all maintained. They haven’t failed, and haven’t lost power.”

Mayor Joe Cox thanked Xifos and his department on behalf of the board and the city residents for their continued work.

The Board of Aldermen conducted an abbreviated meeting via teleconference Tuesday in lieu of an in-person meeting, due to hazardous winter traveling conditions.

The meeting was call-in only with Mayor Cox, members of the board, and board attorney Bobby Moak, in order to review a limited agenda and authorize payment of bills.

Minutes of the meeting will be available to the public through the City Clerk’s Office.

The board voted to accept and approve December’s revenue and expenditure reports; the privilege license report, with revenue of $12,913.85; the Municipal Court report, with revenue of $10,102.85 ($4,210.50 will be sent to the State); and claims docket items totaling $2,210,668.41.

In other business, the board:

• Accepted the Fire Department’s December report of 29 runs in the city limits and two outside city limits.
• Approved an emergency resolution for sole source purchase of equipment and labor to repair AWOS system at airport due to lightning strike. An insurance claim has been filed.
• Approved the lower quote of $375/tree from AJ’s Tree Service to cut and haul away dead pine trees from City Park on Lipsey Street. Approximately 40 trees will need to be removed. The Recreation Department will pay half of the cost.
• Approved the Annual Hardware and Software Maintenance Agreement with BBI Inc. for 2024. BBI provides the city’s Budgetary, Payroll, Court & Water Billing Software.
• Approved an amendment to the WGK General Professional Services Agreement for 2024, which sets standard hourly billing rates.
• Approved and awarded the City Depository bid for 2024-2026 to Pike National Bank, paying 3.4% interest rate with no bank fees. Other bids received: Trustmark National Bank, at 3.25% fixed; First Bank, at 2.27% fixed; BankPlus, at 3.5% variable; and Bank of Brookhaven, 2.57% fixed.
• Approved pay request 1 to Greenbriar Digging Services at $251,661.25 for pipe replacement along Old Hwy. 51.
• Approved Brookhaven Police officers Jonathan Hart and Timothy Sander to attend The Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing and Advanced Interrogation Techniques Program April 9-12 in Madison. The City will pay the cost of $630 each, and reimburse for meals only.
• Approve the lower quote for 3.3 wetland credits from Berg Pearl River Mitigation Bank for $9,735, needed as part of the Rubbish Pit closure. Other bids were: Yockanookany Mitigation Bank for $9,900; and Pearl River Valley Mitigation Bank for $11,550.