Residents showed up in force Monday night for the regular meeting of the Selma City Council.

Some crowded the council chambers, while others remained outside City Hall, singing hymns and saying prayers.

The turnout shows that citizens are tired of business as usual. They are demanding a change in the way our city government operates.

They are tired of watching the mayor and the council’s antics and political posturing while nothing of importance is accomplished.

A man used to ask a question: “Name one thing your government (city, state or federal) has done in the past year that benefits you.” His informal survey always resulted in the same answer. “I can’t think of anything.” Until Monday night, this may have been true of Selma’s city government.

But in the crowded chambers, the council got down to business, dealing with several items on its agenda in a timely manner. Anyone who came out Monday night looking for a fight or disruption went away disappointed.

Council members conducted the people’s business without theatrics, save Johnny Leashore’s reprehensible conduct in refusing to recognize the chair, but otherwise operated the way government should operate, in an efficient manner.

The citizens of Selma are to be commended for holding their elected officials accountable, and doing so in a peaceful, productive manner.

Going forward, citizens need to continue to hold council member’s feet to the fire, ensuring that every council meeting is as productive.