The Selma Times-Journal

A called meeting on Halloween at 5:30 p.m. has been scheduled for the Selma City Council to further discuss the failed land deal purchase. Will it be tricks or treat?

As far as George Evans is concerned, it’s tricks.

Evans, City Council president, said he was open to listen. But as far as he’s concerned, the matter of a $1 million land purchase was settled when the council voted 5-4 to not make the purchase of 111 acres near Highland Avenue.

Mayor James Perkins Jr., who called the meeting, said he planed to “give them the facts,” having each of the parties involved, including Larry Striplin, the seller of the land, on hand to clear up any questions. Also requested to come was Ed McCurdy of Peoples Bank & Trust Co., the financier, and representatives from the companies that performed the land appraisal, environmental study and the survey.

“Each time one of the pieces to the acquisition was completed, I made it available,” Perkins said. “I thought everybody was on board. This stall has cost us a lot of money.”

Perkins said he had planned to make a significant portion of the acquisition with cash from the city’s surplus, if it could have been completed by the end of the fiscal year, which was Sept. 30.

The current site of Selma High School, located on Broad Street, was constructed in 1939, and is in need of repair. Evans said Selma City Schools is currently doing an assessment to see what the needs for the high school would be, and he wants to wait to see what the school board’s recommendations will be before acquiring property.