The Brookhaven Board of Aldermen approved the hire of a trio of firefighters at its most recent meeting, as well as three police officers.

Peyton Reid, Gage Dickerson, and Nash Durr were presented by Brookhaven Fire Chief Jeff Ainsworth, having completed their interviews and physical tryouts.

“All three are from law enforcement families,” Ainsworth said.

Reid is the son of Emergency Management Director Chris Reid, Dickerson is the son of Chief Deputy Keith Richardson, and Durr is the son of Deputy William Durr, who was killed in the line of duty in 2017.

Of the 10 applicants for the department, Ainsworth said seven showed up for the physical tryouts. One quit during the tryout, and two more did not pass. The four remaining candidates were approved by the chief and the department’s training officer, Marlon Dixon.

Ainsworth presented three for hire Tuesday, saying the fourth had been injured during a volunteer firefighting response in the county, and would be presented once he was completely recovered.

Board members welcomed the three men and approved their hires as uncertified firefighters at $32,000 annually, pending drug tests, physicals and background checks.

Police Chief Kenneth Collins also presented a trio of candidates for employ in the police department.

The men were Copiah County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan McWilliams, Natchez Police Department Officer Ricco Carter, and former BPD Sgt. Eric Malone. McWilliams was approved for hire as a certified patrolman at $41,750, and Carter was approved as a certified patrolman at $47,750, based on their years of experience. Both men will leave their current law enforcement positions.

A former BPD officer, Malone has 32 years of experience and was presented for hire as Evidence Clerk at $45,750, in a position recommended by the District Attorney’s Office. As a certified officer, Malone would be an armed presence in the department headquarters, get the evidence room in order for potential audits, keep the chain of custody on evidence — and be able to testify to it, and transport evidence to and from the State Crime Lab.

“I can see the advantage of having a certified officer in the station,” Mayor Joe Cox said.

After short discussion in executive session, the Board approved the hire of all three men —pending drug tests, physicals, and background checks — and amended Malone’s title to Evidence and Inventory Clerk.

 

In other business, the Board:

• Approved firefighters Kelly Porter, Dustin Porter, and Seth Morris to attend the Tracking Awareness Class at the Public Safety Training Facility in Meridian Nov. 12-14. There is no cost for registration, and the City will reimburse for meals and mileage.
• Approved to pay the retainage for work completed on the North Jackson Street Bridge to Beacon Construction LLC in the amount of $33,143.57, with funds from the Emergency Road and Bridge account.
• Approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the State Department of Finance to receive SB2468 funds of $750,000 for rehabilitation of Brookway Boulevard.
• Approved to declare Friday, Nov. 29, and Tuesday, Dec. 24, as additional holidays in observance of Thanksgiving and Christmas, as proclaimed by Gov. Tate Reeves.
• Approved emergency repair to the valve for the Industrial Park Water Tank.
• Approved pay request 6 from G Rayborn Contracting LLC in the amount of $80,024.68 for work completed on the Class 1 Rubbish Site Closure.
• Spread on the minutes a City proclamation honoring the life of Andrew Spiller, father of Ward 6 Alderman Andre’ Spiller, who died Oct. 15. Alderman Spiller read a note of thanks from the family to the City for the proclamation, saying, in part, “Thank you for acknowledging the difference my father made in his home town.”