MANILA — City Council members here agreed Monday to approve a plan to upgrade storm sirens and approved an ordinance to allow city voters to consider electing council members to 4-year terms, Mayor Clifford Veach said.

Veach said the city recently bought three storm sirens from the City of Jonesboro for use in the Mississippi County town.

Veach said the sirens will be upgraded to a high-frequency level sound and should meet the town’s needs.

“We are upgrading to high frequency, and it should cost around $6,450 to upgrade the three,” Veach said. “Most towns already have the high-frequency sirens.”

Veach said the sirens are expected to be installed by year’s end.

The council approved an ordinance that would allow city residents to vote next year on whether to set council member terms for four years.

“It will ask voters to consider the 4-year terms. It will be on the ballot in 2010,” Veach said.

The request has been referred to the Mississippi County Election Commission for review, Veach said.

If the panel approves the plan, the issue will be on the November 2010 general election ballot, Veach said.

However, voters must approve a similar plan in the 2012 general election for the 4-year term plan to take in effect, Veach said.

In other action the council:

• voted 5-0 to select Little and Associates of Jonesboro to serve as an architect for the town’s new public works building project;

• voted 5-0 to approve $1,000 year-end bonuses for city department heads and $800 bonuses for each city employee;

• voted 5-0 to appoint Geraldine Cherry to fill the unexpired term of her husband, Dean Cherry, who died Nov. 4 at age 80 after 24 years as an alderman;

• was presented the town’s 2010 budget and copies of the town’s 2008 water-sewer department budget by Veach; and

• learned the town’s annual Christmas parade will be on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.

—Michael Wilkey