Michael Johnson named Selma City Council president pro tem

Councilman Michael Johnson was elected the Selma City Council’s new president pro tem Nov. 3.

After being sworn in at noon, the new Selma City Council held an organizational meeting at 4 p.m. Johnson, the most senior member of the council, was elected president pro tem, which means he will preside over city council meetings if Council President Kinnard Randolph is absent.

Councilman Clay Carmichael, who served as president pro tem for the last five years, and Christie Young were nominated for position, but Johnson cinched the job with five votes. Approving Johnson were Randolph, Nadine Sturdivant, Ashley Ervin, Lesia James and Johnson himself.  

Johnson has served on the Selma City Council under mayors George Evans, Darrio Melton, James Perkins Jr. and now Johnny Moss III.

The council set their meetings for the second and fourth Tuesdays, with work sessions starting at 5 p.m. and the meetings starting at 6:30 p.m. Items discussed at the work sessions will be taken up at the meeting two weeks later, Randolph said.

The previous council held work sessions on the Thursdays before the Tuesday meetings.

The city council voted that the city will continue to use its current bank accounts, but they tabled an ordinance relating to keeping city employees in their positions due to confusion about the wording of the ordinance.  

Because Nov. 11 is Veteran’s Day, the first Selma City Council meeting will be held on Wednesday Nov. 12.