Working from a two-item agenda Tuesday afternoon, the Brundidge City Council approved an amendment to change the bottom line of the city’s FY2011 budget to show a positive balance.

The original 2011 Budget had included $103,000 that was the city’s match of a CDBG grant, which the city had anticipated but did not receive. Those funds were restored to the utility fund.

Britt Thomas, city manager, reported that the American Liberty Elm had arrived and the Liberty Tree Society, which made the tree available to the city, has requested that the tree be planted in a prominent location and that it be done ceremoniously.

Thomas suggested several locations for the American Liberty Elm and the council agreed to plant the tree at the intersection of Galloway Road and North Main Street.

The tree planting ceremony is planned for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22. The public will be invited.

Thomas said that an anonymous individual chose Brundidge as one of 300 sites in the United States for the planting of an American Liberty Elm and paid for the tree.

“This elm is named after the ‘The Liberty Tree,’ which is our country’s first symbol of freedom,” Thomas said.

Thomas said that on Aug. 14, 1765, the people of Boston awakened to discover two effigies suspended from the elm tree in protest of the hated Stamp Act. From that day forward, that elm became known as “The Liberty Tree.”

It stood in silent witness to countless meetings, speeches and celebrations and became a rallying place for The Sons of Liberty.

In August 1775, as a last act of violence prior to their evacuation of Boston, British soldiers cut “The Liberty Tree” down because it bore the name “Liberty.”

Thomas said that it is an honor for Brundidge to have been chosen as a site for an American Liberty Elm.

Councilmember Lawrence Bowden told the council that he is concerned that the city’s water system has no warning alarm system.

“The only way we know when the system is not working is when someone calls and says they don’t have water,” he said.

“We have a great water system but we need to install a warning system so we’ll know when we’ve got a problem.”

The Brundidge City Council’s next meeting will be at 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at Brundidge Station.