There’s a hiring freeze for the city of Selma, unless you want to work in the police department or fire department, the Selma City Council voted on Sept. 29.
The Selma City Council approved a hiring freeze, but the police chief and fire chief can bring candidates for their departments to the city council. The vote was taken a day before the new fiscal year begins.
As the end of the current budget year approaches, the council voted to allow councilpersons to spend any remaining discretionary or travel funds in their individual budgets.
At a special called meeting on Sept. 30 the council approved a new contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to provide health insurance for city employees and their families. The new contract will be more expensive, but it will be up to the next city council to decide how much of the increase will be covered by the city and how much by the insured employees.
In other business, the city council approved participating in the Americorps program.
The city council allocated up to $4,000 for landscaping supplies for a joint project with Reflections Coffee Shop to clean up Songs of Selma Park, and the council agreed to pay labor charges to repair damaged wood decking at Song of Selma Park. The wood will be replaced by a synthetic product provided by Eovations. Â
The council also approved purchasing a portable surveillance tower that Selma Police Department can erect at special events. The $156,000 tower will be purchased with a grant from the Department of Justice.
Planning Director Danielle Wooten was given permission to file for a $1 million U.S. department of transportation grant, and she will purchase software needed to complete a HUD healthy homes grant.
The door at the George P. Evans Reception Hall will be replaced at a cost of $8,000.
Brad Fisher is Associate Publisher of the Black Belt News Network and Selma Sun. He can be reached at bfisher@kingfisher-media.com.
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