Resolution passed to place antennas on E-911 tower

BY Coy O’Neal

THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Following many weeks of discussion, the Selma City Council approved the 2007-2008 fiscal year budget in a 6-2 vote at City Hall Monday night.

Council members Geraldine Allen of Ward 4 and Reid Cain of Ward 2 were opposed, Cain attributing his disapproval to concerns with line items in the budget.

Ward 6 Councilman Johnnie Leashore was pleased with the budget. &8220;We’ve had several work sessions for this budget,&8221; he said. &8220;It has been a roundtable of inputs. We got the budget passed and on time.&8221;

There will be a decrease in spending on Christmas and Fourth of July decorations due to budget cuts.

For the Selma Police Department, $4.4 million is budgeted. Out of $4.4 million budgeted last year, the department spent $3.3 million.

The council also passed a resolution to place Emergency Management Agency antennas on the 120-foot E-911 communications tower located behind the Dallas County Courthouse at a cost of roughly $23,000.

In May 2006 the City of Selma filed a lawsuit against Dallas County regarding the tower, citing the tower’s construction within city limits was in violation of city ordinances.

Following the city’s loss to the county twice, County Commissioner Kim Ballard, Selma Mayor James Perkins, Jr., County Attorney John Kelly III and City Attorney Jimmy Nunn drafted an agreement which stated the city would be allowed to co-locate their antennas to the county’s antenna at the courthouse. The city agreed to assume all costs for moving the antennas to the new location.