A Brookhaven citizen Tuesday chastised the board of aldermen forhaving recent discussions about privatizing garbage collectionservices behind closed doors.

Resident Johnny Perkins first said he “wholeheartedly” agreedwith Mayor Bill Godbold’s decision to veto the board vote toprivatize garbage services. The reason for his support, though, wasthat the decision was made during a secret meeting without anyinput or knowledge from the residents.

“These secret meetings are unnecessary, that is unless you havesomething to hide, and are an insult to the intelligence of thecitizens of Brookhaven,” Perkins said while reading a letter to theboard. “I hope we have seen the last of them.”

City officials have defended the executive sessions as necessarydue to pending litigation related to the city’s annexation trial.The trial ended Friday.

Perkins asked the board several questions related to the privategarbage collection contract. His questions involved:

* Whether a four-mill property tax levy would be reduced orremoved due to the new contract?

* Will the present cost of garbage collection by reduce from $12to $9.95, the private contract price for per-househould pickup?

* Will the contractor pay rent at the transfer station?

* Was the garbage contract properly bid and awarded?

* Will city solid waste employees be laid off?

Perkins encouraged the board to have a public hearing on thesolid waste matter and give citizens a chance to ask questions andget answers.

“‘Pending annexation litigation’ is no longer a transparentexcuse to have secret meetings,” Perkins said.

The only response from the board was alderman-at-large LesBumgarner pointing out that the city was privatizing garbageservices and keeping trash pick up. He questioned whether Perkinswas suggesting the city raise rates to cover both garbage and trashpick up costs.

Perkins said three-quarters of solid waste expenses were relatedto garbage. He said there should be plenty of money remaining tohandle trash if garbage is privatized.

City Attorney Joe Fernald said later that he was planning aletter to the editor to The DAILY LEADER in response to questionsabout the board’s solid waste actions.

Also Tuesday, aldermen voted to establish a $30 charge toresidents who continue to mix up trash and garbage. The cost ofdisposing the mixture will also have to be paid.

The action came following a recommendation from Willie Smith,who oversees trash pick up services. He said crews have tried toseparate garbage and trash, but doing so puts them behindschedule.

“We really don’t have the equipment or manpower to try andseparate it,” Smith said.

In non-garbage-related activity Tuesday, the board voted toexercise an option on 40 acres of land to expand the currentindustrial park. The chamber has sent the city $95,000 to help inthe $240,000 purchase of the Fender property.

“We’ve got a real strong prospect for about 20 acres of thatproperty,” said Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of CommerceExecutive Vice-president Chandler Russ, who gave no other detailson the prospect.

Five acres of the property has been targeted for a new Sola Fidewarehouse expansion. Russ said he hoped to have the rest of theproperty developed soon.