Mayor George Evans’ willingness to listen and compromise has probably kept those of us in Selma safer.

Evans went to the public safety departments — police and fire — with a plan to cut 12.5 percent in salaries. Police officers asked to come up with their own plans to save $100,000.

Evans listened. The plan was presented to the mayor by 3 p.m., and it will save the city $153,000.

Chief William T. Riley III presented the plan to the Selma City Council. The fire department is next. It’ll present its plan to save about $100,000 on Monday.

Even Evans admitted tempers flared and words flew. But in the end, the goal was met.

Working together isn’t always a pretty thing, but the end result is what counts.