A group of Auburn University students will be spending part of Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in Ward 6.

Ward 6 is the district of Selma City Councilman John Leashore. He said the students and other residents will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, located on 1548 FD Reese St.

Leashore said someone from an Auburn employee contacted him about coming to Selma for community service.

“I got a call from an Auburn student and my name was given to her from Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryl Smedley,” Leashore said. “They wanted to be part of a community cleanup.”

Leashore said he’s grateful for the students volunteering their time. Auburn is a two-hour drive to Selma.

“I think it’s a wonderful gesture,” Leashore said. “Any help we can get in our ward is appreciated.”

Leashore said the addition of four garbage trucks has helped improve the city’s trash dilemma, but there’s work to be done.

The city has a trash ordinance that empowers the city government to collect noncompliance fees rising as high as $200 with a misdemeanor charge for refusing or failing to keep up with garbage disposal services. Sea Coast Disposal is currently contracted with the city for garbage disposal.

“We have a problem in Selma, garbage is still a problem because people haven’t paid for their trash cans,” Leashore said. “People are still dumping trash anywhere.”