EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS CONTINUES THE SERIES ON THE SELMA CITY BUDGET BY DEPARTMENT

SELMA — The Selma Office of Planning and Development will spend $26,579.65 less in 2010 than in the 2009 amended budget.

The greatest variance comes in the wage line item, which is $20,665.09 less than the $169,639.43 allowed in the 2009 amended budget. The department has a vacancy.

Charlotte Griffeth, director of the department, is proposing a new position, project management and business and neighborhood development under her direction.

The proposal states the new position will “serve as the central point of contact for business and neighborhood assistance.”

The proposal calls for the employee to serve new start-up businesses citywide, to assist businesses in developing in Selma, to provide statistical information, financing sources and locate technical assistance services.

This person also would also serve as a liaison to city government for entrpreneurs’ inquiries on public/private partnerships.

No salary is attached to the proposal. The line item under that vacancy on the budget is empty.

The development department has three employees. Griffeth is the director and her salary with the 12.5 percent cut returned is $59,999.94; Nicole Reeves is the project compliance officers and makes $28,766.40 per year and Patty Sexton is historic preservation and downtown revitalization coordinator and earns $38,043.20 per year.

The department’s special projects line item increased $755.19 from $59,244.81 in the amended budget. Those costs will go to maintenance on the U.S. 80 Gateway Project, historic street signs for the Ice House District, support of local Mainstreet projects and the Riverfront.