Attorneys are in Carthage this week taking depositions in a lawsuit between Carthage residents and Renewable Environmental Solutions.

Carthage City Attorney Nate Dally told the Carthage City Council on Tuesday that more than 10 attorneys representing both sides were in Carthage this week to take depositions in what he called a "class-action lawsuit" by residents against RES.

Toward the end of the meeting, Council members Diane Sharits, Larry Ross and Claude Newport along with Mayor Jim Woestman all said they either smelled an odor from the Carthage Bottoms area over the weekend or received calls from constituents who smelled the odor.

"I continue to be disappointed in RES. Last Friday it was horrendous throughout the city and I was out 9:30 or 10 o'clock that evening with my dog and it still was horrible," Sharits said. "I continue to be very disappointed in them being good stewards of the city."

"I agree with that," Woestman replied. "I was trying to read my newspaper on Macon Street at 5 p.m. and I had to go back inside."

The council gave final approval to all the council bills related to the city's 2008-2009 budget except for the contract with the Carthage Humane Society, which calls for the city to pay that group $25,000 for animal services.

Council members tables that contract after City Administrator Tom Short announced that some changes were being made to the agreement. He said the Humane Society board would meet at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Humane Society building south of Carthage and consider the changes made to the agreement.

Short said the Council could act after the Humane Society board had voted on the changes.