Violator fines increased

BY coy O’neal and victor inge

THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

The 17 recent noise violations in Selma may have been enough evidence for city officials to say the ordinance needed to be toughened.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, city officials increased the penalty of violators by $250, and took another step to help fight juvenile crime in the city.

With unanimous approval on both measures, council members voted to heighten the fee for first-time offenders of the city’s noise ordinance by $250.

According to the current City of Selma ordinance, if an officer can hear the noise five feet away, an infraction may occur. If a citation is issued, the cost is $375. If a second citation is issued, the cost of the ticket is $625.

According to the City of Selma Magistrate’s office, a third offense would lead the individual to Municipal Court before a judge.

City officials had been bombarded by calls from residents complaining of vehicles with loud music, often vibrating windows and home interiors. There have also been complaints of juveniles &8220;hanging out&8221; in city streets during late night hours, which the proposed grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) would combat.

The council also passed a resolution to provide matching funds for a proposal that, if funded, would provide a total project cost of $27,500 to assist victims of crime and improve the criminal justice system.

The resolution pledged a $2,500

cash match, which would be in addition to a $25,000 grant by the ADECA/Traffic Safety Division under the Safe Streets Act to cover the total cost of the project.

Municipalities scoring the highest on a ratings criteria will receive the most funding, city officials said.