March was a tough month for Dr. Margaret Hardy and her State of Alabama Employment Office team.

With legislation looming that would eliminate the department and their jobs, the employees at the agency then had to deal with a fire at the Dollar General store next door that forced to temporarily relocate their office.

Then, things turned around.

The welcome extended from the Department of Human Resources that allowed the Employment Office to stay operational as their old building is fixed was heart-warming. The best news, however, was that business and labor representatives, along with the Alabama State Employee Association worked out an agreement that will allow the Employment Office to remain working until 2006.

‘Pretty much, it’s been up and down,” Hardy said of the last month. “We recognize that this is part of life.

We’re encouraged by what we’ve experienced.”

The decision, announced in the middle of the month, allowed the state avoid plans to shut down 27 offices, costing about 170 jobs statewide.

Though the Selma office employs a staff of four, the effects would have been far reaching according to local businessman and mayoral candidate Gene Hisel.

“I think it would be a great loss,” Hisel said before the announcement. “They service between four and five thousand people a year in three counties. It has served a good purpose and now that we’re getting some industry, we need that.”

Hardy said the settlement came as a great relief.

“Certainly there’s nothing like being told that your job is secure for awhile longer,” she said. “We were more concerned about the community, the individuals, the public that was going to be affected.”

Hardy said the reception

they received from the Department of Human Resources also was uplifting.

“We can’t say enough about the director and the staff here, they have been so gracious and accommodating,” she said.

Hardy added that she expects their old offices to be open again in the not-so-distant future.

That will help the office as they prepare to aid the new industry’s like Renosol that are coming to Selma.

“We’re just happy that we’ll be able to continue to work and provide the service to the community,” Hardy said.