The City of Selma will make an exciting announcement today at a 10:30 a.m. press conference at City Hall.

The old All-Lock building, has passed the needed EPA, tests and an as-yet-unnamed local company has signed and agreed to lease the building from the city and turning the former Brownfield site into a viable location once again.

Mayor James Perkins Jr. announced that the negotiations were nearly finished during Monday’s City Council meeting.

In fact, he and city attorney Jimmy Nunn stepped out several times to work on finalizing the details. Apparently those details were finalized and the deal was signed Monday night.

Perkins encouraged all of the council members to be present at the conference to hear the full details of what he termed as an “exciting opportunity” for Selma.

Councilman B.L. Tucker mentioned that he and councilman James Durry went to man James Durry went to Montgomery and

found out sometime back that the site was safe for development.

Durry added that for his own knowledge, he had spoken with people from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, who had indicated to him that the site was safe.

Perkins said he would be eager to see that certification.

“It wasn’t anything in terms of bringing back a report,” Durry said.

Perkins labeled Tucker’s comments an “attack.”

“We just spent countless hours with environmental attorneys, the Environmental Protection Agency. the agencies that are responsible for this type of activity,” Perkins said. “We spent countless hours talking to the company to develop the atmosphere necessary

to achieve what has been achieved. This kind of discussion and these kind of attacks are the very thing that causes us to have the challenges we have in recruiting business. For these kinds of irresponsible attacks to take place now at the end of the negotiations,

it’s really amazing, it’s totally irresponsible and it’s tragic.”

The council then approved a motion to accept the lease agreement.

In other business the city council:

Heard from Evans on last week’s council forum.

“I thought it was good to have that dialogue,” he said

Evans added that future councils should entertain the idea of holding the forum regularly.

“It was a start,” he said.

Evans also clarified some remarks he felt were taken out of context and used against him. Evans said it was never his intent to ask to be forgiven for something.

He said instead that all he was saying was it is never too late to try and clear up any problems.

Approved a trio of resolutions from the office of planning and development. The first accepting a $4,000 grant from the Alabama Historic Commission with a $1,000 match from the city.

The money will be moved from a tourism lodging tax account. Secondly, to submit an application to the Alabama Economic Community Affairs Land and Water funds for the riverwalk.

If accepted

the $100,000 grant would have to be matched by the city, but Elizabeth Driggers said there are other applications they have applied for which means they may not need the $100,000.

Third, provide $81,000 in matching funds for the AmeriCorps program.

The funds will be in the commission’s budget next year.

Approved funds to pay accountants Boreland and Benefield’s consulting fee for their help with the 2002-2003 audit.

Suspended the rules to approve on first reading, an ordinance to rezone property on in the Wilkinson edition to B-1.

The property is between the Primitive Grove Baptist Church and the Jehovah Witnesses Church.

The front will be on Medical Center Parkway.

Heard the mayor’s request that the council members come to a Wednesday press conference for the Entrepreneur Summit at Wallace State Selma. The summit will take place on August 10 at the school.

Heard the mayor ask the council to support Frank Hardy’s request for support for the Defiant Run scheduled for this fall.

Support and thanks for the sponsors and youth that participated in last week’s work camp that helped improved housing for elderly and disabled Selmians.

Viewed the first draft of the anti-smoking ordinance.

Heard City Attorney Jimmy Nunn about using Oil-Lease money for a new bug sprayer for the city.

Nunn said the League of Municipalities said that the sprayer is not purchasable with Oil-Lease money, which can only be used for capital

assets that will last 20 years of longer.

Asked the mayor to ask City Treasurer Cynthia Mitchell to try and find the needed $7,800 to buy the new bug sprayer outright. “Especially since malaria is again making an appearance,” councilwoman Jean Martin said.

Accepted two applications from Cingular Wireless to co-locate onto a pair of towers in Selma to extend cellular phone service in the area.

Heard from Nunn and City Engineer David Painter about a trio of sewage complaints that have been turned over to the city’s insurance.

It is Painter’s opinion that the city should not carry full responsibility for the problems, because the previous owners have affected some of the problems.

Heard an update on the City Marina Dock.

Councilman Glenn Sexton said he spoke with County Commissioner Kim Ballard who agreed to pick up half the tab for improvements to the docks.

Sexton said he and councilwoman Rita Sims Franklin had agreed to pay the rest of the $4,000 bill out of Oil-Lease money.

There was also discussion of improving the restrooms in the area.

Heard from Fire Chief Henry Allen about a vicious pit bull that attacked him last week.

After a 10-day rabies quarantine, the dog will return to its owner. Allen said he felt the dog is being used for fighting and it is inappropriate for it to be returned to its owner.

Nancy Sewell, made a motion for some “teeth” to be added to the current law. However, it was agreed that until the new animal shelter is complete, the city would have no way to house impounded animals.

Heard Sexton ask for a special meeting next week to review the audit.

He asked that city auditor Bill Long of Caston and Long, as well as members of Boreland and Benefield be present to answer questions.

That request was followed by councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw’s request to review the audits going back eight years.

Evans told the members he would call Long and see if a special meeting next week would be feasible.

Heard Franklin request $2,500 for a water tank and sprayer that can cover more ground than the old water truck the city currently owns.

Apparently landscaping provided to the city needs watering or it will die.

Heard plans to move ahead and fill the school board vacancy left by Dr. Geraldine Allen.

Heard from City Clerk Lois Williams on pay of poll officials.

The council decided to pay officials the same as the county, $73 each.

Heard from Kiwanis official Don Youngblood on a BASSMaster/ESPN tournament coming to Selma in April of 2005.

The preliminary tournament won’t be televised, however it will be bring 200 fishermen to town for tourism.

If the tournament goes well, it could lead to a bigger televised tournament.

Heard from Franklin as she updated the council on several items from the public safety meeting.

She discussed the litter ordinance, curfew ordinance, noise ordinance and tractor trailer drivers who are driving and parking their trucks and cabs in the city.

Franklin also provided the council with a letter from Probate Judge Johnny Jones saying the city had not paid the E-911 bill since December of 2003.

Nunn agreed to look into the letter.