Selma City Councilman Michael Johnson was appointed to the Selma Water Works and Sewer Board during Tuesday night’s council meeting.

The appointment followed a long discussion on the board and how many seats are open. City Attorney Jimmy Nunn told the council that four out of the five seats are due for appointments.

Water and sewer board members serve six-year terms that are staggered. Nunn said there has been some confusion over whether terms were for six or four years and that politics has also factored in the appointments over time.

“That’s my conclusion that we have a total vacancy of four individuals. We are trying to straighten it up from the previous 40 years,” Nunn said. “This is straightening it up. Giving everyone the correct terms of the six years. This is something I hope the water board and city of Selma will stand by.”

According to Nunn, Lee Goodwin and Robert Allen’s terms expired this year.

City Councilman B.L. Tucker’s and Rod West’s terms expired in 2014 although both have continued to serve.

The fifth and final board member Millie Vick has two more years left on her term, which expires in 2018.

Nunn reviewed records all the way back to the creation of the board, which started with three members in August 1966. The board was expanded by two members in November 1968.

“There have been many mistakes in the past. But if you want to continue to add on to mistakes, that’s a city council decision. This is the time to correct the mistakes and move forward,” Nunn said.

There was discussion Tuesday about whether to appointment one or two city council members to the board. The mayor of Selma has always served as water and sewer board superintendent.

Johnnie Leashore, who served on the board from 2005 to 2009, and Johnson were both nominated for the board.

Leashore’s nomination was supported by Sam Randolph and Michael Johnson but was voted against by Carl Bowline and Angela Benjamin. Council President Corey Bowie, Miah Jackson and Jannie Thomas all abstained, while Susan Keith was absent.

Johnson’s nomination passed with five votes from Bowie, Benjamin, Randolph, Leashore and Thomas. Bowline voted no, while Jackson and Johnson abstained.

Bowie and Benjamin both said they would only support nominating one council member for the board.

Bowie said that the city council would begin taking resumes Monday, Dec. 5 from people interesting in joining the board.

That process would be closed at noon Dec. 13, and the council plans to interview qualified candidates in the following weeks.

The pay for Selma Water Works and Sewer Board members was doubled by the city council in December 2015 to the state maximum of $400 a month.