Lawrence Bowden, a member of the East Center Mental Health Board of Directors, presented a FY2019 budget request to the Brundidge City Council at its Tuesday meeting in the amount of $10,000.

The request is in keep with the city’s recent budget allocations to the agency that provides services to Brundidge citizens,

Bowden said the ECMH board was created by the state in 1974 as one of the governing boards that would regulate services to those with mental disabilities.

The executive director of the ECMH board is Don Schofield. The board serves Pike, Bullock and Macon countries. The board’s budget for 2017 was $8.4 million.

Bowden said the board oversees two apartment facilities in Brundidge and a day care center for those with mental disabilities.

“10 percent of Brundidge residents are assisted by ECMH,” Bowden said. “That’s a lot of people.”

Mayor Isabell Boyd thanked Bowden for informing the council about the important role ECMH plays in Brundidge and for his commitment to the board and to the community.

Richard Chapman, a member of the Robert E. Barr Senior Center, presented a petition to the council requesting that the governing body of the city authorize, fund and prioritize, as an immediate requirement, the construction and installation of automatic door openers at Brundidge Station, the home of the Brundidge Nutrition Center and the city’s senior center.

“There have been several incidents where seniors could not open the doors on the western entrance of the building, the eastern entrance that provides sheltered entrance to the facility and to the men’s and women’s restroom entrances,” Chapman said. “Those who are on walkers or crutches or have other mobility limitations have difficulty opening the doors.”

Chapman cited an incident where a senior was unable to open a restroom door and was actually locked in for a length of time.

Chapman said the modified doors should meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“If any of the three locations do not meet the manual operation standard of a five-pound pull to open, they should be modified or replaced,” he said.

The petition was signed by 32 members of the senior center.

Boyd said the council would look into the situation with the doors as requested.

The council declared 10 items surplus property including a backhoe, bucket truck, chipper, bush hog frame, SUV, truck, two police cars, city truck, another truck and converted peanut wagon. All items will be placed for sale on gov.deal

The Brundidge Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Brundiidge City Hall. The meetings are open to the public.