Selma council won’t redistrict before 2025 election

The Selma City Council is not interested in changing its district lines, Council President Billy Young said at the Nov. 7 work session.  

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. asked the council if they were “going to do anything” about a proposal he presented to the council in July to reduce the number of districts from eight to five and eliminate the elected position of council president. 

Perkins said in July that he was required to present a redistricting plan to the council after the 2020 census to ensure “one person, one vote” federal mandates.  

Council President Pro Tem Clay Carmichael introduced a different plan in August, this one changing Selma from a mayor/council form of government to a council/city manager form of government.  

No action has been taken on either proposal. The mayor said at the Nov. 7 work session that he was asking what if anything the council planned to do about redistricting because potential candidates are asking him what the districts will be for the 2025 city council election.  

Young said that their attorney has advised them that the current districts comply with state and federal laws. “To my knowledge, we’re not acting to change districts,” Young said. No councilperson “has brought (redistricting) to my attention.”  

If the council were interested in pursuing redistricting, state law gives the council until May 26, 2025, to act, according to Young. He advised Perkins to tell any potential candidate to “start soliciting funds” based on the existing districts.  

Perkins also asked the council to meet with him and city department heads to discuss cuts in the budget that went into effect on Oct. 1.  

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“A face-to-face meeting would really help resolve the issues with this budget,” Perkins said.  

Finance Committee Chairman Troy Harvill told Perkins that he has not scheduled such a meeting because the administration hasn’t sent him financial information he asked for a month ago.  

From there, Perkins repeated his claim that the city council underfunds departments and then criticizes them for not doing their jobs.  

“City employees are underpaid and unstaffed” and are “doing their work despite the way they are being treated” by the city council, Perkins said.  

Young responded that Perkins’ claim that the city council “is not supportive of Selma” is “an impediment.”   

“I don’t believe you have ill intentions,” Young told Perkins. “We have different ways to move Selma and to move Selma up.”  

Young said the city council has to make hard budget decisions because revenue is down. Perkins responded that he told the council that would be the case two years ago.