During Tuesday night’s meeting of the Selma City Council, Selma City Treasurer Ronita Wade proclaimed during her financial report that the city is seeing an upswing in revenue over last year’s numbers.

For the month of July, Wade reported that sales tax revenue topped $885,000, an increase of more than $85,000 over last year’s numbers, and half-cent sales tax revenue was more than $110,000, an increase of more than $10,000 over the same period last year.

Additionally, Wade reported that lodging tax revenue was just over $28,000, tobacco tax revenue came in at more than $26,000 and sales and use tax revenue came in at more than $31,000, all improved over the same period last year.

“Financially, we look sound and healthy,” Wade said.

Wade also noted that, currently, the city has only expended about 67 percent of the funds it had anticipated spending and has collected roughly 83 percent of what it had planned for.

“We’re in a very good place considering that we have two months left [in the fiscal year],” Wade said. “That’s a good sign.”

Elsewhere in the meeting, the council presented a plaque to Michael Pettaway, a 39-year employee with the city and head of the Selma Cemetery Department.

Pettaway is slated to retire soon and the Cemetery Department’s John Coon is poised to take over the leadership role in the department.

Wayne Green also appeared before the council to update them on the Teen Coding Class he led this summer.

Green stated that he plans to expand the program to include mentorship from this year’s to students to next year’s and the creation of a student-run website to promote the program and technological advances being made throughout the city.

Selma City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin also praised the TNA Heat girls basketball team, which recently won a championship in Florida.

In its consent agenda, the council approved the following items:

• Authorizing Selma Mayor Darrio Melton to enter into a lease agreement with National Cooperative Leasing for the purchase of a bulldozer for use at the landfill for $132,446;

• Authorizing Melton to enter into a contract with Dallas Air Conditioning and Heating in the amount of $45,451 for units at the Dallas Academy building;

• Payment of a legal statement from Copeland, Franco, Screws and Gill for $930;

• A budget adjustment of $28,000 to be used for vehicle and building repairs for the Selma Police Department (SPD), as well as wrecker costs;

• A transfer of $30,000 for grass cutting and beautification efforts.

A request for $42,000 to repair the driveway at the Broad Street fire station was tabled.