Council holds last meeting before voting on ordinance

By Deborah Goodwin

The Selma Times-Journal

Selma City Council members found out Wednesday exactly how bond issue money would be spent if voters approved the $12 million measure.

Councilman Cecil Williamson said his concern was the at the words &8220;including,&8221; and &8220;among others,&8221; in the project listing would leave the door open to using the bond funds to do other projects other than what has been agreed upon by the council.

Williams has opposed putting the bond issue on a ballot because of the wording of the proposed ordinance that would eventually show up on the ballot.

Terri Sewell, a bond attorney from Birmingham, answered Williams’ question and those of other council members during an hourlong council work session Wednesday.

The bond funds must be used for the projects the council agrees upon for the bond issue project list, and any funds that remain after all projects have been completed can only be used to further enhance those projects on the list or to pay the bond debt, the attorney explained.

The proposed $1.4 million expansion of the Selma Dallas County Library raised questions from Ben Givan of the Selma City School Board. Currently, the city, county and the library rotate paying the facility’s utility bills. Givan wanted to know if some bond money might pay library utilities.

Perkins was confident that a solution to pay the utility bill could be found by the time the library project comes around.

Williamson said after the meeting he gained more information from the meeting.

The council will vote on the ordinance Monday evening.