Staff report

City officials are looking to alleviate concerns regarding some polling places.

There were several complaints regarding polling places by poll workers and voters during and after the bond issue election in February.

Those complaints led to rumors that Ford&8217;s Grocery and Northern Heights Presbyterian Church in Ward 6, and the old Kentucky Fried Chicken building in Ward 2 would no longer be used as polling places.

The Selma City Council will hear a report from City attorney Jimmy Nunn, who has been investigating the matter, at tonight&8217;s council meeting.

All three sites may be available for the Aug. 26 municipal election, Nunn reported at Thursday&8217;s City Council work session.

After the election, the owner of the old KFC building plans to tear the building down. The roof leaks and the heating system doesn&8217;t work.

Nunn is waiting for written confirmation from

the members of Northern Heights Presbyterian Church. The church&8217;s congregants

have cited they would prefer the city find another site due to the age of the church&8217;s elders.

The owners at Ford&8217;s Grocery have not said the site cannot be used, but poll workers have complained

the store is not spacious enough and the ventilation is poor in the summer.

City Council President George Evans said he heard initially about the possible changes when Mayor James Perkins Jr. said it during a Ward 6 meeting earlier this month. Residents asked why they couldn&8217;t vote at their regular polling places during the bond issue election.

Council members Johnnie Leashore, Jannie Venter and Bennie Ruth Crenshaw were present also .

Evans and councilmen Reid Cain and Cecil Williamson said they had not been notified that Nunn was investigating the issue.

Perkins, who assigned the investigation to Nunn, said he did so without consulting the council is because the information was speculative and he wanted Nunn to come to the council with facts.