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The Selma City Council and Mayor James Perkins Jr. discussed negotiations Tuesday for the 2023 adopted Fiscal Budget.

City Council President Billy Young, council members Christie Thomas, Michael Johnson, Lesia James, Atkin Jemison, Clay Carmichael, Sam Randolph and Jannie Thomas were present at the city council  meeting.

Perkins filed Petition for Emergency Injunctive Relief and Petition for Declaratory  Judgment in the Dallas County Circuit Court on March 16.

At last week’s Special Called Meeting, city councilman Troy Harvill suggested that if Perkins dropped the lawsuit, the city council will work on getting the budget approved.

Harvill, who did not attend the city council meeting, also suggested the two sides discussed their differences behind a closed door meeting last week.

“I’m suggesting we all get together in a room like councilman Harvill suggested,” Perkins said. “We need to make sure this stays in front of us.”

Perkins said himself, Harvill, City Attorney Major Madison, city council attorney Ben Goldman were in a room discussing details.

“We agreed on three of the four items,” Perkins said. “The fourth item is holding us back. I don’t want to keep fighting it. The city council and Mayor need to hammer out the details.”

Perkins said the council was divided over the dilemma.

Randolph said he never heard anything from Goldman and that the entire city council shoykd be kept informed.

Young said that Goldman emailed the entire city council, but nobody responded.

“We need to watch what we say because we are litigation,” Young said.

The city council voted to pay for Perkins’ legal expense, which will be $25,000.

Circuit Court Judge Marvin Wiggins is the Judge in the case. Wiggins also advised both sides to work out their differences.