During a Selma City Council work session Monday, council members spent nearly an hour discussing plans to cut grass in the city, stating that some areas of the city are so overgrown that drivers are unable to see stop signs and snakes and rodents are beginning to take up residence.

Much of the discussion centered around a proposal from Selma City Councilman John Leashore, which he plans to bring before the council for a vote during its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday evening.

Leashore’s proposal would utilize previously unappropriated funds, in the amount of $5,000 from each council member and the mayor, to hire back 13 laid-off workers on a temporary basis to tackle landscaping and clean-up jobs around the city.

Some council members opposed the motion, including Selma City Councilwoman Jannie Thomas, who stated that she had already spent funds to tackle overgrowth in her ward amid a flurry of complaints from residents.

Selma City Councilman Sam Randolph asserted that all 68 of the workers laid-off last year should be brought back and provided their vacation pay.

Leashore blasted council members, saying that they often speak “passionately” about helping “displaced workers” but fail to take substantive action on the issue.

For her part, Jackson supported the idea of pooling funds to tackle overgrown lots in the city, noting that much more could be accomplished collectively than individually hiring contractors.

However, multiple council members expressed concern over the possibility that Selma Mayor Darrio Melton may not use the funds for their intended purpose once the council allocates them.

 “The mayor may just do with it as he pleases,” said Selma City Councilman Angela Benjamin.

Additionally, Randolph opined that Melton would simply refuse to bring the workers back or claim that the council doesn’t have the authority to hire employees.

“Don’t play with these employees’ integrity,” Randolph said. “Don’t play with the council’s integrity.”

Elsewhere in the meeting, the council heard from city contractor Ray Hogg regarding ongoing repairs to the city’s sewage system and the possibility of tackling some of the numerous cave-ins across town.

Around $125,000 has been allocated to addressing the cave-ins – council members will compile a list of high-need areas in their wards in the coming days and Hogg will investigate and provide an estimate for the work.

City attorney Woodruff Jones informed the council that Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn wanted permission from the city to trim trees near the Dallas County Board of Education’s meeting space at the county’s expense – the council is set to approve the request during Tuesday’s meeting.

Additionally, Jones noted that he has drafted a contract for the cemetery preservation group looking to clean and repair cemeteries in the city – the contract requires that the group secure liability insurance and authorizes them to work in the cemeteries.

The council is slated to approve that measure as well Tuesday.