The move towards incorporation appears to be growing stronger in Valley Grande.

During a community meeting Thursday, Valley Grande residents filed into the Martin Middle School gymnasium to hear the latest news on how the community’s move towards incorporation is progressing.

Milton Ezelle, who was appointed as co-chairman of the incorporation effort along with Charles Golson, asked for more volunteers, even calling for additional people to help chair the effort.

Residents gathered around maps on display showing the areas that would be incorporated.

Ezelle said that money had been raised, mainly through donations, to help pay for legal costs associated with incorporation.

Mike Henderson, a legal representative for J. Doyle Fuller, an attorney in Montgomery that is handling the community’s incorporation effort, said Valley Grande residents had raised approximately $37,000 to help pay for legal costs.

He said that additional money may need to be raised, depending on whether or not there are legal challenges made to any move to incorporate.

Ezelle said that the reason for the community wanting to incorporate had nothing to do with &uot;animosity towards the city of Selma&uot; nor did it have anything to do with &uot;anything racial.&uot;

Ezelle asked for residents to continue filling out forms, saying whether or not they were in favor of incorporation.

Added Ezelle, &uot;If people say they are not in favor of it, we respect their opinion.&uot;