Plan to board up vacant Byrd school with art-filled panels stalls

A Selma artist has a plan to protect vacant Byrd school with art-filled window panels, but he’s going to have to wait to put the panels in place.

Tres Taylor and his organization Making Art Connections Across Selma along with Blackbelt Benefit Group asked Selma City Council on Tuesday to approve their application for a $10,000 State Council on the Arts grant to cover part of the costs of painting murals on wood panels that will cover the windows at the closed Byrd school. The panels will protect it from vandals that have done major damage inside the school that closed in 2019 and is city-owned property.

Councilwoman Jannie Thomas asked to stall the vote until the public buildings committee that she chairs can meet and discuss Byrd school’s future and to see if developers are interested in buying the property. She also asked to see plans for the art project and possible renovation. 

Councilman Clay Carmichael, who is a founder of Blackbelt Benefit Group, said Taylor can come to the committee meeting and outline his dreams for the property. He added Taylor had a crew clean out Byrd school recently, but vandals caused a mess after the cleanup.

The painted window panels were meant to be “a creative way to board it up and get it secured,” Carmichael added.