A Selma City Council committee discussed the city’s lodging fee and how to spend that money during a Tuesday meeting. For the past three years, $1.50 of the $2 fee has gone to the YMCA of Selma and Dallas County. The additional 50 cents has been sat aside to restore the Brown YMCA.

Over that time period, $295,221 has gone to the Selma YMCA. The fee was approved in 2013 to help the Y pay down debt and make capital improvements.

There’s an additional $94.649 in the Brown YMCA fund, which hasn’t been touched to date.

The discussion Tuesday focused on whether the lodging fee would permanently benefit the YMCA and the state of the Brown building.

“We can’t continue to carry this for the life of the Y. I feel like for three years we have done well. When will the Y be able to stand on their own?” Councilman Michael Johnson asked.

The contract stipulates, “There is not anything in this contract that is to be construed to extend the life of said contractual agreement beyond three years.” Johnson said he wants to be fair and believes the YMCA spent the money well, but the city needs funding to improve public safety and infrastructure.

“We can’t continue doing this. The city is getting out of control,” Johnson said.

YMCA director Ann Murray, chairman Ray Thomas and other board members attended the meeting. Thomas told the council that nationally most YMCAs get about 45 percent of their funding from membership dues. That number is 53 percent for the local Y. The rest comes from the grants, program fees and donations. The lodging tax is about 11 percent of the local YMCA’s revenue.

“We are a nonprofit. The more money we have the further into the community we can reach,” Thomas said.

Councilman Greg Bjelke recommended extending the current contract.

“My question is if it’s not broken, why fix it? Why would we consider not doing it considering all the good things they are doing,” Bjelke said. “Without a doubt, it’s a fine facility, one of the finest in Alabama.”

Councilman Cecil Williamson recommended renewing the contract for just one year since there was some opposition. He said that would give the YMCA time to prepare some reports requested and account for the fact the new city council might change the contract.

The Brown YMCA was also discussed at length. Johnson said he’s upset the historic building is being allowed to decay under a leaky roof.

“I’m really hurt. It’s like nobody has a concern about the [Brown] YMCA at all,” Johnson said.

Under the expiring contract, the city of Selma had the opportunity to buy the Brown Y at anytime for $1.

Thomas said the YMCA struggles to just operate one facility in Selma.

“We struggle month to month to keep our doors open and to expand the programs we have. We don’t have the money to put a roof on the Brown YMCA,” Thomas said. “We have loads and loads of good intentions. We don’t have the money.”

Mayor George Evans spoke up and said he would like to see the Brown building saved.

“I concur with the fact that the Brown Y needs to be salvaged and something done with it,” Evans said. “It has history. It has meaning. It has value to a lot of people.”

Bjelke said he would like to see the building saved but that it shouldn’t come at the cost of Selma losing its operating YMCA.

“The Johnson Y is doing well and serving the community. I hate to think we would kill two organizations [trying] to save one,” Bjelke said.

The YMCA of Selma and Dallas County continues to own the Brown building. Williamson said the city should partner with the YMCA for an engineer’s study see how much it would cost to repair. He said he would not be in favor of the city taking over ownership, however.

Committee chairwoman Angela Benjamin said she would report back the committee’s discussion during next week’s full council meeting.