Liquor license approvals may have to wait after the Selma City Council voted Tuesday to implement a six-month moratorium.

The moratorium suspends the approval of new liquor licenses and goes into effect immediately. It doesn’t affect currently licensed businesses.

The resolution included an amendment that makes an exception for applications in a proposed entertainment district area. Boundaries for the district haven’t been finalized, but previous discussion focused around Water Avenue in downtown Selma. The resolution also includes an exception for one-day special events.

“I think if we did do such a thing, the entertainment district should be excluded,” Councilwoman Susan Keith said before the vote. “An entertainment district is not just a place to get drunk, but if someone wants to open up a night club I think that’s typically one of the things an entertainment district includes.”

City attorney Jimmy Nunn said the city would continue accepting applications and consider them in the order received.

The moratorium passed by a 6-2 vote and was originally proposed by Ward 1 Councilman Cecil Williamson. He made the motion Tuesday for approval.

“I proposed it a while back and just floated the idea out there to see what the sentiment was,” he said before the vote.

Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw seconded the motion. Crenshaw has historically been a stark opponent to new liquor licenses, especially in residential neighborhoods.

“We should want to protect our neighborhood and keep our children safe,” she said. “We should take this sixth month period and work directly on developing the details for the entertainment district.”

Councilman Sam Randolph voted against the moratorium and offered stark comments in opposition.

“It seems like we are trying to turn Selma into a dry county,” Randolph said. “Liquor is not causing any problems. Selma is supposed to be a friendly place and want to attract new business.”

In other news from the meeting:

• The council approved a solution for a collapsed sewer line underneath Bienville Park.

The council voted unanimously to pay $32,000 from a half-cent sales tax fund to repair the sewer line under Bienville Park.                City engineering consultant Ray Hogg said the project would allow later repairs to connect to the pipe under Bienville. The                  fix was one of two options presented to the council in February. A second option would have cost approximately $150,000                  and repaired the sewer line to Alabama Avenue.

Councilman Michael Johnson, who chairs the public works committee, said he is unsure of an exact start date for                                 construction.

• The council also received a proposal Tuesday to purchase additional fire trucks.

The proposal was relegated to the public safety committee, which will meet to discuss the purchase before the council’s next                meeting on March 20.

Fire chief Mike Stokes said the purchase would help the fire department use one of its older vehicles as a reserve and retire a               vehicle built in the 1980s.