City Councilman Cecil Williamson threatened a lawsuit if his fellow Council members go ahead with a resolution requiring members to get permission from the council before they can request information from city department heads.

“I’m going to vote against this, I’m going to challenge this in court, this is so unconstitutional,” Williamson said.

The resolution, number R146-04/05, states that individual Council members cannot request information from city departments through Mayor James Perkins Jr. without putting the request in front of the rest of the Council first.

“Individual Council members shall produce, in writing, all request for documentation and/or services to be performed by department heads,” the document states.

The city voted 5-4 to put the resolution on first reading at last night’s meeting.

The resolution was drafted after Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. asked Williamson to follow proper procedure in requesting information at the last Council meeting. To get information from department heads, currently Council members have to request it from the mayor.

Williamson said he asked for information from the city on how to create a new position and how a new position is abolished.

Other council members questioned his motives in requesting the information and asked City Attorney Jimmy Nunn to write the resolution.

Williamson said the information was harmless and was just part of his desire to clean up the city’s finances.

“I want to know how we are creating jobs,” Williamson said. “I think we have a financial crisis.”

Williamson said that by opposing his move to get information, the Council and the city was giving the wrong impression.

“It tells me they’re trying to hide something,” he said.

Williamson was one of the four members to vote against putting the resolution on first reading. The final vote on the issue won’t be held until the next meeting.

Council members Jean Martin, Reid Cain and Council President George Evans voted against the resolution.

Evans said he felt like the resolution was unnecessary. He said the Mayor’s ability to handle requests for information or services was more than enough and that if nothing was out of the ordinary, then there should be no reason why Williamsons requests for information would bother anyone.

“If everything is above board and right,” he said, “then why not give it to (Council members requesting the information).”

Evans also said that the only reason the resolution was brought up was so that the Council members in the majority-Bennie Ruth Crenshaw, Johnnie Leashore, Dr. Geraldine Allen, Jannie Venter and Sam Randolph-could “show power.”

“That may be wrong,” he said.

Evans also warned the Council against the action.

“All of these types of things will come back to haunt us,” he said.

Perkins said overall, he was pleased with the action taken by the Council on the issue, and was pleased with the resolution, but emphasized that it was an issue for the council to resolve.

Perkins said in the past, whenever Council members requested information or services, it often put him in conflict with individual members.

He said that when his department heads expressed concerns about the information, it would put him in a situation where he had to ask them to stop.

In many instances, Perkins said, the issue could have been resolved by the council as a whole.

“We’ve had that discussion where individual members of the council would abuse their authority and twist (information) and paint this ill perception,” he said. “I’m glad this council does not want to transfer it to my desk.”

Even if it does pass, the mayor will still have final authority on whether or not to honor the request, according to the resolution.

Williamson said after the meeting that the only reason Council members Bennie Ruth Crenshaw and Johnnie Leashore opposed him was because of personal feelings against him.

“(It’s a) personal vendetta against me because I’m white,” Williamson said.

Crenshaw and Leashore refuted his claim.

“I do not judge a man by the color of his skin but by the content of his character,” Crenshaw said. “(Williamson’s) character has said he will not support anything brought to the city. I do not feel that Mr. Williamson has the best interests of the Council or the citizens of Selma at heart ”

Crenshaw said the only reason the resolution was suggested was to keep the council aware of what individual members are involved in.

“Now with the resolution we will all know,” Crenshaw said. “We may be able to add something to his questions. We may have those same concerns.”

Leashore agreed with Crenshaw.

“If you’re on a witch hunt we’re not going to be a part,” he said.

As far as Williamsons claims of racism, Leashore said the charges were ridiculous.

“Cecil knows that that’s not true,” Leashore said. “I don’t personally dislike the Reverend (Williamson) I just don’t like his habits. He has some pent up biases.”

As far as a possible lawsuit, Crenshaw and Leashore said they weren’t concerned.

“I’m not threatened by Mr. Williamson and his lawsuit,” Crenshaw said. “He has filed frivolous lawsuits before.”