It’s a sad sight to see, but the city of Selma had few options other than to board up the St. James Hotel.

The city had already shut the hotel down, meaning it’s not bringing in any revenue to offset expenses.

The $10,000 the council has spent per month since July to provide security for the building 24/7 came straight from the city’s coffers.

That figure just doesn’t make sense to “babysit” an empty building, especially when the city has so many other pressing needs.

The city’s top priority now should be to secure the building as well as possible.

Anything that can keep the building secure from would-be vandals and the elements should be done. The police department should also beef up patrols around the hotel, especially at night, when there is not a lot of people downtown.

Hopefully, the right investor will come along, and the hotel won’t be boarded up for long.