During a decidedly short meeting Tuesday, the Selma City Council heard from Mark Myles, an organizers for the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation (CNTR), who was on hand to call for the council and Selma Mayor Darrio Melton to set aside their differences in the best interest of the city.

Myles implored the council to utilize the “tools of history” to chart a new path for the city and unify its citizens, an effort he believes begins with the city’s leadership.

According to Myles, a petition has been launched online that calls for the council and the mayor to take part in conflict resolution training and possibly sit down with a mediator to hash out their differences.

“We need this conflict resolved,” Myles said. “Our city needs to move forward. We can’t wait until election time to move forward. The relationship between the mayor and the city council needs to be reconciled.”

Myles noted that it’s “hypocritical” for city leaders to call for an end to conflict in the streets when there seems to be endless conflict in city hall.

Selma City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin bristled at Myles assertion that there is “beef” between the mayor and the council and asked Myles to clarify what conflict he believes needs to be addressed.

For his part, Myles noted the laundry list of lawsuits stacking up between the two entities, the failure to bring the laid-off workers back to work and the need for citizens to pick up the slack for services their tax dollars are meant to pay for.

“There is always going to be a conflict that needs to be resolved,” Benjamin said, noting that conflict is inherent in politics. “You wouldn’t need representation if there wasn’t a conflict that needs to be resolved. The city’s best interest, the whole of the people, is always going to be on my heart.”

Myles persisted.

“As a city, we helped shape the world,” Myles said. We can get past this.”

Similar to Benjamin, Selma City Councilwoman Jannie Thomas pushed back on the assertion that the council should extend an olive branch to the mayor.

“I have always fought for the people,” Thomas said. “We know our duties, just like the mayor knows his.”

Myles pushed back, saying that it is the duty of leaders to “do everything possible” to ensure that citizens are receiving the services they need.

Selma City Councilman John Leashore agreed with Myles’ assessment.

“These problems are going to continue,” Leashore said. “[But] what you’re advocating is what needs to be done.”

Leashore referenced the current upheaval in Puerto Rico, where scores of protesters have taken to the streets to demand the governor’s resignation, and said that nothing would change in Selma until the people took to the streets.

For his part, Selma City Councilman Carl Bowline hoped for “a quieter way to disagree,” as he feels that the ongoing turmoil is bad for the people and the businesses in Selma, but stated that he is willing to sit down for a conversation with the mayor.

“I am more than happy to sit down and compromise about the problems in our city,” Bowline said.

Elsewhere in the meeting, the council heard from Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams, who updated the council on a variety of activities coming up for the school system and restated her commitment to maintaining a strong relationship with the council.

Williams stated that she plans to attend at least one council meeting each month, so that the council can stay abreast of the school system’s needs and goings-on, and encouraged council members to attend one of the upcoming budget meetings that begin September 5.

Leashore asked about the status of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program that was approved earlier this year and Williams stated that representatives from the Selma Police Department (SPD) have informed her that the force lacks the manpower to provide the officers.

“We cannot afford to have anything happen to our children while they’re in school,” Leashore said, vowing to push for funding of the program during the city’s upcoming budget talks.

“We’re definitely not going to put our schools in a position where we’re worried about safety and security,” Williams said.

The council also approved the following measures via its consent agenda, which passed despite Leashore’s opposition to the third item:

• reappoint Edward McCurdy and Elizabeth Rutledge to a six-year term on the Industrial Development Board;

• a payment of $14,908.50 to the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation;

• a payment of $11,839 for legal services provided by Copeland, Franco, Screws and Gill;

• the transfer of Joann Bland’s documentary photos to 19 Washington St. or the Selma Welcome Center;

• an expenditure of $4,945.75 for vehicle repairs and maintenance;

• a reduction of public works auto fuel by $15,000 to lease a compact bulldozer for the landfill;

• an expenditure of $24,000 for street maintenance;

• a reimbursement of $900 to SPD Interim Chief Robert Green for the cost of attending the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police Training Conference;

• to block off a portion of the street near Ladayne Street for a community event schedule for Saturday afternoon.