The issue is controversial, and several Selma City Council members still feel they don’t quite understand it &045;&045; yet.

When rumors started going around that the city of Selma was considering annexing the Valley Grande area, more than 700 residents turned out for a community meeting Tuesday night.

The study was funded by the state at a cost of $15,000.

Over the past few weeks, accusations have flown between Perkins and Selma City Councilmembers Glenn Sexton and Rita Franklin about the purpose of the study.

Both Sexton and Franklin have warned Valley Grande residents that the study could be the first step to a proposed annexation of the area.

Perkins, who said he gave a copy of the study to all council members, said the city currently has no plans to annex anything, and that Sexton and Franklin had been spreading rumors and providing &uot;wrong information&uot; to the public.

Other council members, who received the study, including James Durry, Sam Randolph and Jean Martin, said that they did not have clear opinion on annexation right now, since the council had not discussed the issue.

Since council members had not discussed the issue, Martin said that annexation of Valley Grande was not even a possibility at the present time.

Durry, who said he attended the Valley Grande meeting Tuesday, said that after &uot;council members [Franklin and Sexton] put out the information&uot; that the issue &uot;had been blown way out of proportion.&uot;

Randolph, who openly criticized Sexton and Franklin, for spreading &uot;wrong information and rumors,&uot; said the issue would only divide the entire community even further.

He added that Perkins has never even discussed the issue of annexation.