The Selma City Council was in a self-described generous mood during Monday night’s meeting in City Council Chambers.

Several youth, senior and other civic organizations appeared before the council asking for funds and support. The council responded by spreading $9,410 throughout the different requests. The amount is nearly a tenth of the council’s discretionary fund balance for the 2004-2005 fiscal year.

Because the citizen’s request portion of the meeting has been moved to the end, the various representatives sat through the entire meeting before making their respective pitches.

“This is the first time we’ve had this many requests this early in the year,” Council President George Evans said. “There’s a tremendous need plus they realize we don’t have a lot of money this year.

I’ve given away 3/4 of mine already.”

As the presentations moved along, Selma mayor James Perkins Jr., talked about duplication and finding a way to bring the groups together.

“When agencies apply for grant funding, the funding agency requires collaboration,” Perkins said. “We need to really take a very close look as it relates to senior issues and youth issues.”

Evans agreed, “We have a lot of duplication, we need to find a way to consolidate.”

Representing the Selma City Schools’ Truancy Center, Lorraine Capers asked for the council’s help.

“I need your help,” she said. “In helping to place these kids correctly and helping keep kids in school.”

Capers mentioned the push to make parents criminally responsible for keeping their kids in school.

Councilman Johnnie Leashore said he fully supports the center and had already given $500 from his discretionary fund.

“I wish that I could give more,” he said.

Anthony Smith, a teacher at the alternative school, asked for the councils help in steering children away from crime.

“We’re trying to help at-risk students, keep them out of trouble,” he said.

Smith noted that councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw has been a longtime supporter of the program.

“I just ask for your support,” he said.

Denise Duke spoke to the council about the Performing Arts Community program, a place where local youths can learn about the arts, like dancing and acting. Duke said the Selma Mall has a 2,000 square foot facility for the program to use.

“I am asking for your assistance to help material and supplies,” she said. “We have some very talented young ladies and gentlemen here in Selma.”

Cedric Williams, president of the South Central Alabama Boys & Girls Club, took a different tact.

“I’m just coming to you for moral support,” Williams said. “I want to come to the people in the community.

I want to have a community meeting.”

Williams is interested in bringing a Boys & Girls Club to Selma and bringing programs to support the local schools.

“We’re there to assist the schools,” he said. “We can’t have enough programs for our young.”

Councilman Sam Randolph said he was very impressed with the after school programs.

Leashore added that the Boys & Girls Club is an excellent program.

Jimmie Coleman spoke to the council about a minority business proposal and requested funding for a study on minority business needs.

Coleman said he’d cut $20,000 from his original proposal and now only needs $15,000 for the project.

Gertrude Wall, of the Selma-Dallas County Veterans Transitional Home, asked for support for the areas homeless and homeless veterans.

“It’s really important,” Crenshaw said, noting she had been out and worked with people living in abandoned and rundown housing.

Leashore noted that nationally veterans have been mistreated.

“We have a moral obligation to our veterans,” he said.

Lettie Lewis, of the Martin Luther King Jr. Nutritional Center, also asked for support.

The facility serves food and meals on wheels to area seniors 60 and up.

“We’re living a long time now,” she said. “We need some help.”

Perkins spoke up and suggested a new bathroom facility for their new building in Water Avenue as a good way for the council to help.

Another senior group, Senior Care Ministry, also asked for support.

They provide food and household supplies to seniors 55 and older.

Dorothy Hawkins asked that all of Selma adopt a senior citizen.

“We want to gather all seniors together,” Hawkins said.

She also told of the senior choir that is forming and will perform in Montgomery on Dec. 1.

“Jump on this bandwagon,” Randolph said. “It’s a good program. I invite you all to come out and see for yourself.”

Finally, the Rev. Lawrence Wofford spoke about the Democracy Project National Conference coming to Concordia next August.

“We expect to bring 400-500 people to Selma,” he said. “We need the support of this council and this city. I do know money is tight, funds are short.”

The conference will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

“The Voting Rights Act is the single most important gift Alabama has given to the world,” Wofford said.