Jannie Ventor hopes the third time will be the charm.

Ventor declared her intentions to run for the Ward 8 seat on the Selma City Council for the third time.

In 1988, she missed the seat by less than 100 votes, then in 1992 the districts were realigned and she was unable to run after announcing.

Now, her home is in Ward 8 again and the retired mother of two and grandmother of four hopes this time she will be elected.

“I have been living in it since 1975, thank God I’m back in my ward,” she said. “After 16 years, the same problems exist in Ward 8.”

Ventor pointed to above sewage lines, drainage problems, increased crime, violence and old abandoned buildings that need to be torn down as some of the issues facing Ward 8.

“For these reasons, I’m running for City Council, Ward 8,” she said. “There is no reason for Ward 8 to still be looking like it is looking.”

Ventor promised to be a servant for Ward 8.

“I will not promise something I know I cannot do but with God’s help I will do my best to make sure these problems will be solved,” she said, “better sewage, better streetlights, better sidewalks more recreation programs for youths and senior citizens. I pledge to Ward 8 that you will know I am your councilwoman.”

Ventor promises regular Ward meetings and community visitation.

“A council is your servant, to serve, work with you, get your input and find out the thing you need and work towards them,” she said.

Ventor’s vision is a better, cleaner and safer Ward 8.

“I know it can be done,” she said. “I want to be the voice for (voters).”

Ventor, who has served on the Crime Task Force, the City Personnel Board, Habitat for Humanity and the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, has been a radio personality for 31 years.

She now broadcasts on WHBB as the Queen of Gospel.

She is the president of the missionary department at Second Missionary Church in East Selma.

As a member of the Crime Task Force, she strongly believes in the Youth Curfew and added with a laugh it might be a good idea to get a curfew for some of the adults as well.

“It is not to hurt our children,” she said of the curfew, “but to try and keep them safe. We need all of our youth.”

She vows to help aid the city powers to work well together.

“I want to see better community cooperation and respect between the council and high officials,” she said. “We can no longer sit by and watch our city go down with friendship and buddy-buddy (politics).

The line must be drawn when it come to city business.

Another issue Ventor vows to work on is noise.

She plans to work with police to put a stop to loud music.

She also believes a neighborhood watch program could make a difference.

“I know there is a lot of crime in our city, but I know if we as a neighborhood watch, we can put a stop to it,” she said. “We must work together.

In unity there is strength, in strength fellowship and in fellowship, friendship.”

Ventor was born in Clarke County, was raised in Dallas County and graduated from Wallace State.

The 63-year-old retiree describes herself as a God-fearing woman and the best person for the job.

“You have tried the rest, why not try the best?” she asks. “I want you to vote for my because you believe in me and trust me to do the right thing for your community.

I want to be the one to move Ward 8 to the next level.”