Issues surrounding the Selma Water and Sewer Board seem like a running gag in a comedy.

Only this is real life, and there’s not much funny about the combativeness during the last eight months among Selma City Council members about who will sit on the city’s Water and Sewer Board.

Now, we must wait longer.

The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled the lower court erred when it rendered a judgment last year about seating Council member Geraldine Allen on the board to fill the expired term of Sam Randolph.

The Water and Sewer Board has contested the vote taken to place Allen on the board. First of all, the board said, Allen voted for herself in violation of the state Code of Ethics for Public Officials. Secondly, the board said the vote didn’t count because council members voted by raising their hands instead of roll call or voice vote.

The state Supreme Court said all that aside, the lower court couldn’t dismiss the case because there is contention over who will sit on the board — Allen or Randolph.

Yet, it took eight months for the high court to come up with that decision.

Eight months of aggravation. Eight months without a full board.

And for what?

To venture back to the starting point.

Now, we’re in an election year. Allen is seeking the council president’s position. She may or may not win the seat. Similarly, Randolph is seeking re-election. Who knows what the voters will do?

In fact, who knows how many council members will return and what the outcome of this debacle will be.

We would hope the court would move quickly to resolve this issue. We also would hope both sides would agree to abide by the court’s ruling after a trial, instead of dragging it out through another appeals process.