The Selma Times-Journal

A decade of dreams and plans came to fruition Wednesday morning as the City of Selma Board of Education held a ribbon cutting and open house for its new facility.

“It’s exciting. To see this become a reality is a dream come true,” said Dr. James Carter, superintendent of the city school system. “It’s a great facility for the public to transact school system business. One thing we’ve done is make it accessible to everybody.”

The facility, located on Broad Street in front of Selma High School, is an 8,500-square-foot building that cost just over $1 million to build.

“It’s a nice, functioning building, but not auspicious,” said Ray Mathiews, coordinator of auxiliary services for the school system. “We think it’s a good value for the taxpayers.”

The money used for the construction of the building was obtained through a bond issue, which was approved by the Selma City Council, although it’s not a debt incurred by the city, said Council President George Evans, who attended the open house. Going through the city allowed the school system to get a better rate, he confirmed.

The building houses about 22 offices, Mathiews said, and 20 to 25 employees will work in the new facility.

Plans are to begin moving this Friday and be in the building “Monday morning at 8 o’clock,” he said.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Carter thanked the school board, contractors, city council members, mayor and other officials who helped make the dream become a reality.

State Rep. Yusuf Salaam, Council President George Evans, Claire Twardy of the Chamber of Commerce, County Commissioner Kim Ballard and others spoke during the ceremony, before the doors were open and the public got its first look at the facility.