Selma in search of new treasurer and city attorney; city council honors retiring council member

The new Selma Mayor and City Council are looking for a new treasurer and a new city attorney.

The city hasn’t had a treasurer in nine months, and the council noted at their Nov. 12 meeting that they haven’t seen a financial report since August.

“We’ve got a mess on our hands, and we’ve got to get it cleaned up,” said City Councilman Troy Harvill, who was reappointed as chairman of the finance committee on Nov. 12.

New Mayor Johnny Moss III told the council he agreed that “we (the city) have to hire a treasurer.” He said he and department heads are working on a report that will provide “a true picture” of where the city’s budget stands.  

The city will also need to find a new city attorney because City Attorney Major Madison Jr. is stepping down. On Nov. 12 the city hired local attorney Thomas C. Atchison of the firm Hawthorne Atchison Riddle to advise the city on matters relating to litigation, but the city attorney advises the mayor and city council on many legal issues, including drafting ordinances and resolutions. The mayor and council will continue to find someone to handle those duties.

The city council hired its own outside attorney to advise them and to defend themselves from two lawsuits former Mayor James Perkins Jr. filed against the council during the last administration. The lawsuits concerned whether the mayor or council had control over the city’s budget.

Moss noted that the city spent $205,000 with the Birmingham law firm from 2022 to 2025. Councilman Clay Carmichael responded that half of that was related to defending the council in the city’s self-inflicted lawsuits.

“I don’t plan on suing you guys,” Moss joked as he said the city needs to “dial (the lawyer bill) back.” It was agreed that any call to the Birmingham attorney would go through new City Council President Kennard Randolph.

In other business, Randolph made committee assignments. City committees are:

Finance: Harvill, Ashley Ervin.

Education: Nadine Sturdivant, Harvill.

Recreation: Cemetery and Tourism: Sturdivant, Michael Johnson, Carmichael.

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Public Safety: Johnson, Sturdivant, Christie Young.

Administration: Young, Jannie Thomas.

Equipment: Carmichael, Young, Thomas.

Public Works: Ervin, Randolph.

Community Development: Lesia James, Sturdivant, Carmichael.

Thomas was not happy with her assignments. Thomas told Randolph after the committee assignment were announced that she considered the assignments “unfair.”

“Clay and me have been strong on committees that we worked on for years and are still working on,” Thomas said. “I only heard my name on two committees.”

Randolph gaveled her down. “We’re not going back and forth about my appointments,” he said.

The city council re-established the Tree Commission. Carmichael, who has pushed for replanting the commission for years, said the commission can help “reforest” the city after losing more than 2,000 trees in the January 2023 tornado.

The city council voted to hire Krebs Engineering to provide engineering services for the resurfacing of streets in Old Town and Old Orrville Road. Both projects are being paid for through grants from the Delta Regional Authority. The city hired Visionary Business Solutions to administrate a grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development to rehabilitate homes.

City hall, including the council chambers, will be deep cleaned after the council approved an invoice for $1,500.

Former City Councilman Samuel Randolph, who is also the father of Council President Kennard Randolph, received a plaque and a standing ovation for his 25 years of service on the council.