Earlier this month, Selma Mayor Darrio Melton issued a proposed budget to the Selma City Council for $17.9 million.

Now, the council is tasked with going through the budget line by line during a series of four budget hearings, the first of which is scheduled for this evening at 5 p.m. at Selma City Hall in the Council Chamber.

Selma City Council President Corey Bowie said the first meeting will be for the council’s finance committee to discuss what logistical questions council members may have for Melton.

“The rest of the budget hearings, hopefully we’ll be talking with the mayor and also the department heads going down each budget to see what’s needed, what’s not needed and how we can maximize the services for our citizens,” Bowie said.

He said the council will take each department one at a time.

“Our whole objective is to maximize the dollars that we have and also try to make sure that we’re providing services that are needed for our citizens and move forward from there,” Bowie said. “The most important thing is that we pass a balanced budget.”

Personally, Bowie said he will be focused on three areas: public safety, public works and code enforcement.

“I’m looking at the overall budget, but the three areas I want to look at that we have a lot of complaints from citizens are public safety, public works and code enforcement budgets,” Bowie said.

Melton’s proposed budget includes a 30 percent cut across the board, as well as the elimination of 27 unfilled city positions. However, the decision will be left up to the council to maintain those cuts or do something else with those departments.

Some of the cuts Melton’s budget includes are the council’s discretionary funds, which is $10,000 each. Many other departments also saw cuts.

The mayor’s office budget has a $53,000 decrease. The council’s budget reflects a nearly $100,000 decrease. Planning and Development has a $109,000 cut. The budget for the Summer Youth Program was cut by $22,000. It decreased from $81,000 to $59,000. Public Building’s budget shows a $165,000 decrease, which includes the ceramics program and art camp.

The contract services budget, which includes programs like the Perry Varner Boot Camp, the YMCA, the Dallas County Drug Task Force, Cahaba Mental Health and emergency Management Agency, was cut by $106,106. Public works saw a cut of nearly $357,000. The Fire Department’s budget increased by $244,000. The city’s recreation department has a $128,000 cut.

Three other budget hearings will be held on the following dates:

-Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 5 p.m. Carl C. Morgan Convention Center

-Thursday, March 15, 2018, 5 p.m., Council Chamber

-Monday, March 26, 2018, 5 p.m., Council Chamber

“It’s important that the citizens come out … to show how we are looking over their tax dollars,” Bowie said. “I encourage them to come on out because number one, we want to be transparent, and number two, we want to make sure that we’re being good fiscal stewards of the tax payers’ dollars.”

Bowie said additional hearings could be scheduled if needed by the council.