Editor’s note: Today, The DAILY LEADER continues to publishcandidates’ responses to questions on several issues facing thecity. Today’s focus is on the Ward Four alderman race. In theRepublican primary on May 5, incumbent Shirley Estes faces AsemZeini. The primary winner will face Independent David Smith in theJune 2 general election. The job of alderman pays an annual salaryof $15,917.

Candidates’ responses have been checked for spelling but areotherwise printed as submitted. On Wednesday, the question andanswer series will look at candidates for alderman of WardFive.

1. Brookhaven’s annexation took effect in July 2007, andcities typically have five years to provide municipal levelservices to newly incorporated areas. From your standpoint, what isyour opinion of city progress in your ward toward that goal so farand what specific things will you do as alderman to furtherprogress?

Estes:Fire and police protection wasimmediately provided to annexed areas as well as garbage and trashpick up.

Meetings are being held with city engineers for development of aplan to provide water and sewer services as soon as possible.

A comprehensive plan is being developed to provide for theorderly growth in all areas of the community – dealing with landuse and zoning.

I will continue to actively participate in this planning andimplementation process.

Smith:It doesn’t appear much progress has beenmade, other than in providing police/fire coverage and garbagedisposal. Infrastructure still needs to be provided as far as waterand sewer service, and that will be a substantial expense to thecity. I think right now a comprehensive plan needs to be developedthat will lay out goals, objectives and deadlines for supplying allmunicipal services to the annexed areas; along with associatedcosts. The city budget then needs to be developed to ensure thatappropriate resources are applied in such a way as to meet thedesignated deadlines for supplying all services to the concernedareas.

Zeini: Unfortunately, no one predicted theextent of the economic downfall that we are experiencing now. Butwe must look forward and work together patiently in a positive andefficient manner. We’ve already made some improvements andprovisions in extending more police and fire protection. Theannexed areas are also enjoying the extra garbage pickup per weekas well as the cleanup of debris and leaves. As your councilman, Iwill work with all board members to explore the best possible andefficient methods to provide additional services to thosecommunities whether it is from available money in the budget or abond issue.

I will also negotiate competitive proposals from engineers andcontractors as a good steward of your tax dollars.

2. The Dr. A.L. Lott Baseball League Program has haddifficulty attracting participants, with the program being canceledfor the 2007 year due to a lack of participation. What is youranswer for increasing participation, and what would you do insituations where parents have trouble paying leaguefees?

Estes: The year 2008 was a successful year inthe Dr. A.L. Lott baseball league program. Parents of children whocannot afford the required $35.00 fee should be pro-active inapplying for scholarships in a timely fashion.

I also believe that broad community participation is essentialto the success of that program.

Smith:I love kids, and I love Brookhaven. Ourchildren are Brookhaven’s greatest assets. The way we treat thechildren of our town today will determine how Brookhaven is treatedtomorrow. Organized sports are a fantastic way to invest in thefuture of our kids. We invest in our kids we invest in ourcommunity.

I believe the area churches should be involved in attractingparticipants and community involvement in maintaining the Dr. A.L.Lott Baseball Program. If area churches would take responsibilityto sponsor teams, to include covering the costs associated withregistering children who could not afford the registration fees,then participation in the league would likely increase. The churchwould benefit by raising their profile within our young peoplewhere positive influence is most needed. Local business should alsobe encouraged to supply support for the league as well.

Zeini: Children’s parents and family membersneed to take the first step to increase participation in the Dr. A.L. Lott Baseball League. Information and applications can beobtained from the Brookhaven Recreation Department, the Internet orfrom newspapers (which are both available at the Lincoln CountyLibrary). Money to fund the program can be raised throughfundraisers. Churches, Civic Clubs, Boys and Girls Club, TheHighway Patrol, The Police Department and schools all take thisapproach to raise funds. Fundraisers bring neighborhoods togetherand will also hopefully help provide enough revenue to buy uniformsand gear that would be more enticing to the children and increaseparticipation. It is all about priorities and being involved,working hard for what you want and taking responsibility. Otherbusinesses and I have sponsored teams in the past and will be gladto sponsor a team from Dr. A. L. Lott League if asked.

3. The subject of liquor sales came up during a recentcity planning discussion. Proponents of legalized liquor sales citethe benefits of increased sales tax collections while opponentsworry about negative social consequences. What is your position onthe issue? If opposed, what suggestions do you have to find newsales tax revenue for the city?

Estes: The sale of liquor has not been proposedbut was merely mentioned as a possible reason for higher sales taxrevenue in comparable cities.

I strongly believe that buying locally everything that we candrives our economic engine since sales tax collections account for55 to 60 percent of our tax revenue.

Smith: Historically, we have always decidedthat we do not want to be a community that sells liquor. I couldeasily go on being that way. To me, this should not be about taxesor even perceived negative social consequences but about what isbest for our community. The first role of government is to keep itscitizens safe. So, my question is what position keeps our communitysafest? The answer to that question should not be based on opinion,but on facts. I’m sure the Mississippi Highway Patrol and other lawenforcement agencies have facts that can lead us to the rightanswer. Until we can answer that question, we are probably betteroff to keep the law as it is.

Zeini: Legalizing the sales of liquor isstrictly up to the public regardless of my position. A petitionwill have to be filed to call for a referendum on that issue byenough voters whether they are proponents or opponents. In any casewe must still find ways to increase sales tax in Brookhaven. Therestoration and improvement of the city will increase the value ofreal estate and will create an attractive setting for newbusinesses and families to relocate in Brookhaven, enhancing andgenerating more property and sales taxes. Streets, ditches andsidewalks must be maintained and kept clean. Abandoned structuresneed to be removed or restored. I am also very supportive of the”Shop Locally” campaign.

4. Brookhaven has an acute shortage of assisted livingfacilities. What is your vision for creating and furtheringdevelopment of assisted living facilities in Brookhaven? How do youplan to accomplish this goal?

Estes: I will continue to look for andencourage those who would build assisted living and personal carefacilities in our city as I have done in previous years, affiliatedwith Willing Hearts Circle and KDMC. It is said that previousadministrations discouraged or turned away those who wereinterested in the development of those facilities. This would notbe the case now, I believe, for the right developer with the rightplan.

Our older citizens should be able to remain in Brookhaven,Homeseeker’s Paradise, a Certified Retirement Community, to liveout our lives.

Smith:Anyone knows me, knows I love childrenand I love seniors. By the way I love dogs too! While I believethat our children are our greatest assets, our seniors are ourcurrent treasure. Let’s fact it our community is not our buildings,our parks, or even our public services, but how we treat eachother. The city government should do everything possible toencourage private development of such facilities that gives taxbreaks and tax credits for such developments. As a matter of fact,there are many retirement centers that provide independent living,assisted living and convalescent care all in the same facility.When you move in, you never have to move out.

With all that we have to offer we should be able to attractthese serves to our community. We should not be looking only forassisted living facilities but every opportunity to enhance thelife of every senior in our community.

Remember, seniors have already plowed the land we areworking.

We can learn a lot from our seniors and should take advantage ofevery opportunity to show them the respect they deserve.

Zeini: Our senior citizens have alreadycontributed to their community and deserve to spend the rest oftheir lives comfortable and worry free. Between 1990 and 2020 itwas predicted that the elderly population would increaseapproximately 40 percent. The city council and chamber of commercewith the Mississippi Economic Development need to pull together andrecruit entrepreneurs that already run successful assisted livingcenters to come and visit our county. After all, we are classifiedas a retirement community.

Those with very low income and cannot afford those facilitiesmay apply for section 504 loans and grants that will assist them inimproving their homes to be safer, handicap accessible and moresanitary.

5. Should aldermen be allowed to vote on their own payraises and have them take effect immediately, or should pay raisesbe made effective at the beginning of the next term?

Estes: In my current 4 year term I have votedfor and against a pay raise for aldermen. I have no objection toaldermen voting themselves a pay raise if it is conservative, inline with cost of living increases and does not exceed thepercentage of increases that other city employees arereceiving.

It should go without saying that we should be fiscallyresponsible about pay raises.

Smith: I’ve worked my whole life and never gota say so in my raise or when it would take effect. It still seemsto me the boss should determine the pay raise. Of course, thebosses in this case are the citizens of Brookhaven.

Any pay increase should not take effect until the seating of thenext board.

Zeini:The current and near future economicstatus prohibits me from even thinking of a pay raise anddefinitely not for this term. All the issues from the mandates forthe annexed areas and matters concerning sewer, drainage and morein the areas before the annexation should be addressed andcompleted before any pay raise is ever discussed. A pay raiseshould be delivered upon good performance and service to thecommunity, provided the revenues are increasing and notdecreasing.

6. Open meetings and public records laws are designed toensure that the public’s business is conducted in public, but thereare some topics in which a board may go into executive session todiscuss. How frequently – if at all – should the city board closetheir meetings?

Estes:City board meetings should be closed whenpossible litigation is an issue and when personnel matters are of asensitive nature.

Smith:The only time any session of governmentshould be closed to the public is when a personnel issue is beingdiscussed that would be considered highly sensitive with thepotential to cause damage to an individual’s reputation andcharacter. All issues directly affecting the tax paying citizens ofBrookhaven should be considered, debated and negotiated in publicforum to all interested parties.

Zeini: Board meetings are open to the public.However, executive sessions are designed to protect the bestinterest of our citizens and community. Matters concerninglitigation, personnel and competitive economic development areexamples of issues that need to be addressed in closed executivesessions.