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The City of Selma passed a mask mandate on Tuesday night.

The mask ordinance went into effect Wednesday and will last until November 1.

The city council unanimously approved the ordinance that Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. introduced at last week’s Work Session.

Perkins praised the Council– President Billy Young, Councilwomen Lesia James, Jannie Thomas and Christie Thomas, councilmen Clay Carmichael, Atkin Jemison, Troy Harvill, Sam Randolph and Michael Johnson– for wearing masks despite being behind shields.

“I’m glad to see the council wearing masks and setting the example for the city,” Perkins said. “We should take wearing masks seriously.”

Young said the mask mandate falls under public city, which is the council’s top priority.

James thanked Perkins for taking the initiative on the mask mandate.

Here are the highlights in the mask mandate:

– Selma residents must wear face coverings or masks in public during the COVID-19 public health emergency and recovery.

-Face coverings or masks must be worn at all times by people over the age of six and who can medically tolerate doing so in public.

-People working alone in separate office spaces or in non-public workplaces with more than adequate social distancing area, based on the size of and number of people in the space (indoors or outdoors) don’t need to wear a face covering or mask at all times.

-People must be prepared to wear a face covering or mask when interacting with others in groups of 10 or more or in groups of any size where social distancing of more than six feet cannot be consistently maintained.

-Face coverings or masks are not required to be worn over the face during individual outdoor exercise, but must be worn when encountering and interacting with groups of other people in a park or other public place.

People found guilty of non-compliance of the ordinance — could be fined $25 dollars for a first offense — $100 dollars for a second offense — and $250 dollars for a third offense.

Another big item at the council meeting was the approval to take the first steps to begin the process of allowing Dallas County to take over the City’s collection of ad valorem (property) tax in October, 2022.

Interviews for Treasurer, Tax Collector and Selma Fire Chief positions will soon begin.

Randolph said a big requirement is that the Fire Chief must reside in Selma, unlike some previous chiefs did in the past. Young said it will be discussed.

The council also discussed meetings for the 2022 Budget.