Selma Finance Committee to discuss city budget again as deadline closes in

The Selma City Council’s Finance Committee will meet again on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29, just days before a new budget must be approved.

The city must have a balanced budget approved by Oct. 1, which is “New Year’s Day” for U.S. governments.

The mayor and city council must find a way to overcome a $700,000 shortfall by then. At their last meeting on Sept. 16, Selma Mayor Johnny Moss III discussed balancing the budget by reducing the number of unfilled positions in the police and fire departments.

At their Sept. 22 work session and meeting, the city council were presented with a several unbudgeted emergencies that will have to be worked into the new budget.

First, the Marina Drive Bridge will need extensive repairs. Consulting Engineer Meredith Stone told the council that the state bridge inspector found that the bridge will need to be shorn up because the ground beneath it has eroded. ALDOT will present a report soon listing the required repairs and the cost, Stone said.

A collapsed sewer line behind four homes on Philpot Avenue will have to be rerouted, and an underground electrical line at the Elton Reece Softball Complex will have to be replaced, the council was told. The price of the sewer line is unknown. The electrical line repair will cost more than $36,000.

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The city council moved ahead with a resolution clarifying whether the landlord or the tenant is responsible for paying the garbage bill.

The council placed on first read a resolution stating that a landlord can require a tenant to set up garbage service and pay for it every month. The current law states that the landlord is responsible for the garbage bill for all their tenants.

Placing the resolution on first read clears the way for it to be voted on at the next meeting on Oct. 13.

A landlord told the council during public comments that the council did not have the power to tell landlords how to handle their affairs.

David Johnston, Selma’s animal control officer, updated the council on Beau’s Law, a new pet protection law. Under the new legislation, dog owners can’t chain their pet to a stationary object, and each dog must have a doghouse.