The council passed a $17.4 million budget for the 2019 fiscal year on Wednesday at city hall.  The fiscal year ends Sunday, while the 2019 fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

It’s the first budget passed since 2016 and the first under Mayor Darrio Melton. The city had been operating on an amended 2016-2017 budget from the George P. Evans administration.

Seven councilmembers voted for the budget: President Corey Bowie, councilmen Sam Randolph, Carl Bowline, councilwomen Angela Benjamin, Susan Youngblood, Miah Jackson and Jannie Thomas. Councilmen John Leashore and Michael Johnson both abstained.

Bowie vowed the council would get a budget done before the month ended.

“We have a balanced budget,” Bowie said. “There were trying times but working on this budget made the council more unified.”

Public safety and public works needs were both addressed in the budget. New vests and body cameras are among the things that will be immediately provided with $150,000 for the Selma Police Department.

The SPD and Selma Fire Department will also get help with a $1.4 million loan from the USDA. Funds will be spent on new vest for the SPD and new fire trucks for the SFD. Bowie said the money will be coming in within the next two months.

Also included in the budget is $270,000 for unappropriated funds that can be earmarked to any department with capital equipment needs. Bowie said department heads must bring their request before the council to approve.

Among the positions defunded in the budget were Administrative assistant position in city clerk’s office, assistant building inspector, vacant Human Resources director, vacant administrative personnel, assistant supervisor in cemetery department, and vacant public works positions.

Contract for services was reduced in half. The Dallas County Health Department and Cahaba Regional Mental Health went from $20,250 to $10,250. YMCA (Grist/Brown) was reduced by $2,025.

Leashore and Johnson both stated their reasons for not voting because the budget won’t solve the city’s financial woes.

“We can’t continue to operate on revenue that has been on the decline expecting the same results, it doesn’t add up,” Leashore said.

 “I don’t see any difference, we are still in trouble we need new money,” Johnson said.