As for areas where improvement remains needed, Evans pointed to the city’s trash collection work, where he reported the money collected for trash collection doesn’t even cover the cost for the city to pick up the trash.

“We have got to do something,” Evans said. “The current model is unsustainable.”

During his presentation, he said the service doesn’t cover the cost of operating and that trash collection is subsidized by the city’s general budget, something he said cannot continue.

“We do not make enough in the pick-ups to even pay for the operation of the trucks, the workers, etc. That is why something has to be done and why we are really going to be looking at that closely in the coming weeks and months,” Evans said. “We are studying the situation now. That is something I have talked about with council committees. That is one item there that is killing us. Garbage pick-up is really hurting us in what we are charging. It is not enough — not nearly enough — to sustain itself.”

Evans also pointed to the recent crime report for 2011 that showed improvements in a number of areas such as the city’s murder rate and burglary rates declined from 2010, but areas such as felony assault and robbery increased.

Overall, Evans said he was pleased with the state of the city as he worked to compile the presentation.

“Just thankful to the residents of Selma, to the city leadership for working together; we could not have done it alone,” Evans said. “We needed the citizens involved, and the city employees, and they have been there.”