To the Editor:

On May 16, 1989, the Alabama legislature passed Act 89-824 known as the Holley Act, which requires the Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), Cities and Counties to prepare comprehensive solid waste management plans.

Today, the City of Selma is not in compliance and it is very important that we submit the final plan to ADEM.

Without this plan, we are in danger of not being able to move garbage in the City of Selma.

In 2004, the City of Selma submitted a 10 year Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan to ADEM.

A public hearing was held in the Council Chamber on Sept. 15, 2004, and the City Council of Selma adopted the plan on the 27th day of September 2004.

The plan was contingent upon acceptance by ADEM.

In 2006, the City of Selma was contacted by ADEM and requested to make modifications to the plan.

The modifications were made and submitted to ADEM for review prior to the public participation process.

On Nov.

3, 2006, the City of Selma received a letter from ADEM stating that the plan satisfactorily addressed all items that they determined necessary for a local plan and that we could start our public participation process.

A legal notice was placed in The Selma Times Journal on Nov. 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2006, stating that the City of Selma will conduct a public hearing on Dec. 11, 2006, at 4 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall to solicit public comments. Notices were also placed in the City Clerk’s office.

The notice stated that copies of the Solid Waste Management Plan were made available in the Office of the City Clerk.

Anyone wishing to submit comments prior to the hearing could do so by writing to the Office of the City Clerk or by email at .

The public hearing took place on Dec. 11, 2006, at 4 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall.

A resolution was prepared and placed in City Council packages for the Dec. 18 city council meeting.

Be reminded that:

1) The city council president refuses to have work sessions.

2) The city council did not meet in December because of conflicts created about the city council agenda.

3) Members of the city council did not attend the public hearing.

It is very important that we act on this as soon as possible.

The consequences of not meeting ADEM’s

requirements are grave.

I am available to meet and answer any questions that the citizens or members of the City Council might have.

Mayor James Perkins