With a unanimous vote, the Selma City Council bolstered its discretionary accounts Tuesday by $30,000 with money from a half-cent sales tax fund. 

Each council member and Selma Mayor George Evans will receive an additional $3,000 because of the increase. It brings the total amount of discretionary money received this year to $10,500 for each council member and Evans.

Though it’s been discussed for several months, the increase to discretionary funding was a late addition to Tuesday’s agenda by Ward 5 Councilman Sam Randolph.

Randolph said the increase is needed to help with ward-specific projects.

“There are always things that need to be done in my ward,” he said. “There is never enough money to do what you need to do in your ward, so I’m just grateful that the council decided to add a little money.”

With the vote, the council could dip below a $450,000 minimum mark — set earlier this year to ensure employee bonuses in December. Totals for the half-cent fund weren’t available following Tuesday’s meeting, but city council president Corey Bowie said the fund would be replenished with a monthly sales tax payment on July 1. The payments usually hover around $100,000, finance director Cynthia Mitchell said during Tuesday’s meeting.

Randolph said he would like to make the increase permanent, but a final decision would need to be made during budget hearings for the 2015 fiscal year.

City finance reports show council members most frequently use discretionary funds to donate small amounts of money to area non-profit organizations.

In other news from the meeting:

•  The council voted to proceed with drafting an ordinance that would give a small tract of land near Selma High School to the Best of Student Shooters Youth League.

The organization teaches life skills and hosts after school programs, including basketball, to area children, said Querline Stsurin-Moore, who runs the group.

Once the land donation is complete, Moore said the Best of Student Shooters Youth League plans to build a basketball court and classrooms.

• The Selma-Dallas County YMCA was also officially annexed into the Selma city limits.

Ward 2 councilwoman Susan Keith said her first plan of action is to put soccer fields at the YMCA.

 

’s grounds.