Sparks flew during a meeting of the Public Works Committee Tuesday, as citizens voiced their frustrations over the growingtrash crisis the city is facing.

The most heated exchange of the meeting took place between Selma City Councilman John Leashore, chair of the committee, and Nancy Bennett, who lambasted the city for not taking action to deal with the garbage issue.

Bennett stated that she had attended numerous meetings on the topic and has grown frustrated with the city’s inability to adequately enforce the ordinance requiring citizens to have garbage service.

Bennett claimed that during a meeting several months ago it was reported that nearly 700 people were delinquent on garbage payments – she advocated that the council publish their names, similar to the way it publishes the names of people delinquent on tax payments.

Leashore and Bennett got into a brief shouting match where she chastised Leashore for yelling and pointing his finger at her before she was asked to leave the meeting.

At the start of the meeting, Dallas County Commissioner Valerie Reubin encouraged people to take part in the “Don’t Drop It On Alabama” initiative, sponsored by People Against Litter (PALS), which kicks off Saturday.

Reubin noted that the commission recently hired a Litter Control Officer, who will be responsible for citing people for littering throughout the city and county.

“It doesn’t make sense the way our city and county looks,” Reubin said.

Leashore emphasized the city’s ordinance, which requires all occupancies to take part in trash services at the risk of criminal charges.

“Garbage is a problem,” Leashore said. “It has taken over our city. It is going to become a health problem if this council doesn’t do something about it.”

Stephen Brooks addressed the committee and urged for trash fees to be added back to each resident’s water bill, but Leashore noted there are “legal technicalities” that prevent the city from taking that step.

Both Selma City Councilwoman Susan Youngblood and Selma City Councilwoman Miah Jackson confirmed that assertion, noting the city has worked with the Alabama League of Municipalities and the Attorney General’s office and been unable to make the change.

Leashore recommended that the city put a cap on the number of exemptions that are allowed for trash service – currently, a household whose only income is from social security is exempt from trash service, which currently covers roughly 1,000 people.

Leashore also requested a list of the more than 60 people whose trash service was recently discontinued due to unpaid fees from Michael Myatt, Customer Services Representative for Liberty Disposal, the company currently handling trash in the city.

Other citizens spoke during the meeting, recommending that the city cross-reference water billings with trash service to get an idea of how many people are without service.