The city of Selma’s Redevelopment Authority elected officers and discussed its role with the city during its Thursday meeting.

Harold Speir was elected chairman of the committee with John Calame as co-chair. Clint Wilkinson was elected treasurer and Nancy Smith as secretary.

During the meeting, the group discussed its role as a pass through for new businesses and those who wish to renovate and assume ownership of existing businesses like the St. James Hotel.

Calame said the authority should be more reactive than proactive when someone expresses an interest in Selma.

“We’re not supposed to go out there and look for projects,” he said. “We’re supposed to be a facilitator for projects that are brought to us. I want this board to serve the function it was meant for as far as being a facilitator.”

Calame said the authority should not take on projects that are not financed by a developer who will stand behind its projects.

Authority member Juanda Maxwell said it is also important to make sure prospective developers are financially sound.

“We want somebody who is capable of taking projects forward,” she said. “Not just someone who comes in and says ‘I have an idea and I want you all to help me develop it.’ We’re not the developers. They should already be a structured entity.”

The key, Calame said, is sticking to the authority’s format.

“We’ve got to be very careful,” he said. “We’re here and we’re here to help develop, or redevelop the downtown area. But, we’re not to be out there making it develop.”

As an example, Calame said if a developer came to town and wanted to spend $2 million on a project like the St. James they could gain assistance from the authority. Through a lease, he said the developer could avoid sales tax on construction materials and secure breaks on ad valorem tax during construction. The format, he said, is similar to that used during school construction.

“We’re involved, but we’re not the driving force,” he said.