A ditch project and illegal dumping were the top subjects at Tuesday’s Ward 4 Quarterly meeting at Cedar Park Elementary School.

Ward 4 Councilwoman Angela Benjamin updated her residents on the first ditch project. Benjamin contracted Woods Construction and said she handled the ditches with the most problems first.

Benjamin said she was pleased with the improvement and plans to do a second ditch project in the near future. Benjamin said she’s also unsure if and when Public Works will ever get into Ward 4. She used oil lease money to complete the ditch project.

“As a community, we can do one ditch project at a time,” Benjamin said. “Ditches are clear in some areas.”

Benjamin also addressed illegal dumping in Ward 4. Local residents who don’t live in the district drop off mattresses and clothes on properties at night. Benjamin said she’s given tag numbers to the Selma Police Department (SPD) for illegal dumping, but law enforcement informed her they must catch suspects in the act to make an arrest.

Benjamin informed Ward 4 residents their trash pickup will start on Wednesday and will be completed by Thursday. While Benjamin picked up the trash schedule in Mayor Darrio Melton’s office, she learned all of the Wards are broken into Quadrants. Ward 4 is designated as D4.

Benjamin praised the Selma Fire Department (SFD) for always coming into Ward 4 to help clean up the district.

Benjamin talked about having a front porch event for her residents in the near future. The event would take place on a resident’s porch and have an old-fashioned celebration.

“It’s a southern thing for people to sit on their porch,” Ward 4 historian Louretta Wimberly said.

Benjamin announced her 11^th annual State of the Ward address will take place on Dec. 17 at the Performing Arts Center, but didn’t give a time.