SELMA — Public safety. City council meetings without disturbances. Business.

Some city residents addressed these and other topics during an hourlong town hall meeting Thursday at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center.

Councilman Corey Bowie of Ward 8 said the meeting was designed for the council and Mayor George Evans to hear what the residents of Selma have to say, then react or respond to the issues later.

Said Evans, “This is an opportunity for you to give us feedback so we can do a better job of serving you.”

Some citizens took the opportunity to speak out against recent disruptions of city business by some groups during Selma City council meetings.

Renata White asked if the council had a measure in place to deal with disruptions. She referred to Tuesday night’s meeting when the council had to go into recess and allow Selma police officers to clear the chambers before the council could return and reconvene.

“The business of the city needs to be handled,” she told the audience of about 100 people attending the meeting.

Business owner Jim Truax also referenced recent disruptions during city council meetings and praised the council for “taking the high road” by not overreacting to outbursts and personal attacks from some individuals. Truax said the vast majority of people in the city agree with what the mayor and council are doing.

“We’ve got your back,” he said.

Kimesha “Sunshine” Alvarado, a local radio personality, urged council members to remain focused. “Don’t get caught up in all that hype,” she said.

Yet, some others remain critical of the council members who failed to support a vote of no-confidence Tuesday night. Councilman Sam Randolph of Ward 5 proposed the resolution, which criticized council president Cecil Williamson for his role in an organization called Friends of Forrest and for his membership in the League of the South.

Williamson has acknowledged his attendance at a birthday party last spring in honor of Forrest, a Confederate general. But the council president said he is no longer a member of the League of the South.

Rose Toure, wife of state Sen. Hank Sanders, said she wanted Williamson to publicly answer questions about his association with the League of the South and about his stand on other issues considered as neo-confederate philosophy.

A resident of Ward 8 said his son’s car window was broken and the stereo taken from the vehicle recently. Such acts of violence, said the resident, works it way from the top down, referring to “racists” on the city council and in the police department. The man praised Randolph and Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw of Ward 7 for voting for the resolution to ask for Williamson’s voluntary resignation as president of the council. He also warned the council about how they treat people in the meetings.

This is not the last of the town meetings, Bowie said after the event. The council plans to hold them at least once a quarter.

Listen to the meeting here: