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The Selma City Council held its first council meeting of 2022 last week.

The entire city council was present at the January 5 meeting:  Council President Billy Young, Councilwomen Lesia James, Christie Thomas, Jannie Thomas, councilmen Clay Carmichael, Troy Harvill, Atkin Jemison, Michael Johnson and Sam Randolph.

The city council approved to lease a new dump truck over the  next four years, costing $50,000 a year and comes out of the next Fiscal Budget.

The Lessor is Bancorp South, a Finance Division of Bancorp South Bank.

The Mechanic Shop was also approved to get opened on 1500 Broad Street at $6,500.

A fund transfer slightly over $90,000 was approved of old equipment sold and transferred back to Selma City Public Works.

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. brought the items up in his Mayor’s Report.

Perkins also discussed the current COVID-19 pandemic and did not plan to enforce a new ordinance. “Any decision I make about COVID will be a wrong one,” Perkins said. “I will err on the side of caution to protect the people of Selma.”

Perkins, the first African-American Mayor in Selma, urged Queen City residents to wear masks and get vaccinated.

The city council and Perkins will discuss cameras and public safety at a future date, possibly Thursday’s 6 p.m. Work Session at City Chambers.