During its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night, the Selma City Council heard from Selma University’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Stanford Angion, who pleaded for support for the historic university.

Angion stated during the meeting that Selma University is at a “critical crossroads” and needs to raise some $2 million to pay off federal debt and establish an endowment.

In pleading his case for support during the university’s recently-launched fundraising effort, Angion noted that 95 percent of Selma University students come from underserved and undereducated areas.

Further, Angion noted that the university adds some 180 jobs to the local economy, 80 of which are on campus, and currently has nearly 300 students.

Angion called on the council to donate to the university and encourage others to do the same, as well as take part in an upcoming radio fundraiser to be held next month.

Elsewhere in the meeting, Selma City Treasurer Ronita Wade gave the council an update on the city’s financial status.

Wade noted that her department was still working to update information after the cyber attack that crippled the city’s computer system last month, so her report covered the month of August.

According to Wade, the city collected more than $796,000 in sales tax revenue, over $57,000 in lodging tax revenue, more than $19,500 in tobacco tax revenue, more than $99,000 in half-cent sales tax revenue and more than $40,000 in simplified sellers use tax revenue.

“In all areas of tax collection, revenue is up,” Wade said.

Over the year, the city has collected more than $16 million, which puts it in line with last year’s numbers, and expenditures amounted to almost $13 million, a significant decrease over last year’s expenditures, largely because of the mass lay-off handed down last year.

Wade also noted that the payment for Selma Mayor Darrio Melton’s radio show, which the council voted to end in June, was due for September and August – she requested guidance from the council on how to handle the issue.

According to Wade, the city paid the bill for June and July, as it did not provide the radio station with a 30-day notice that it intended to end the program, but Melton is now asking that the payment for the following months be paid – Wade informed him that she could not sign off on the payment.

Wade and Selma City Councilman John Leashore argued semantics related to the definition of a contract – Leashore asserted that Melton’s position was on strong footing since no official contract existed for the radio show; Wade contended that an agreement for services to be paid for, whether written or otherwise, denotes a contract of sorts.

“I think we should stick to what we voted on,” said Selma City Councilwoman Jannie Thomas.

Selma City Councilwoman Susan Youngblood agreed, noting that she found it especially unsettling that the program was being paid out of the national advertising budget.

“It will be a miracle if we don’t all get taken away in handcuffs up here,” Youngblood said. “We have no business using national advertising money to go on a local show and talk to local people about local things.”

“Don’t pay for it, period,” said Selma City Councilman Sam Randolph. “We already voted. If anybody pays that bill, they should be fired.”

In the end, a motion was brought forth to clarify the council’s position, that no radio shows will be paid for with taxpayer money – council meetings aired on the radio are paid for through sponsorships from citizens – and that the mayor should pay for his radio show with his discretionary money.

The motion passed, with Leashore and Selma City Councilman Michael Johnson abstaining.