Rain could be heard falling in sheets on the street just beyond the Selma City Council chamber in city hall Tuesday as the Public Buildings Committee met to discuss a wide array of issues.

First on the agenda for the committee, which is chaired by Selma City Councilwoman Jannie Thomas, was a proposal from the Blackbelt Benefit Group (BBG) to rent the amphitheater at a discounted cost as part of its application for the Levitt AMP Grant.

The grant would set up 10 free concerts in Selma between Aug. 4 and Oct. 24 of next year, with two weeks reserved for possible rainouts, for which BBG would pay $500 per event for a total of $6,000 with the rain days included.

According to BBG Executive Director Devon Gray, the grant application has already been submitted, but a slew of votes and other actions have to be taken before the organization decides what city will be awarded the concert series.

“There’s a lot of steps in the process,” Gray said.

According to BBG Secretary Clay Carmichael, the $500 figure was pulled from last year’s application, which was approved by Selma City Council President Corey Bowie, and represents a significant influx of revenue for the facility versus the amount taken in previous years.

Along with being a series of free events, which will feature live music and local vendors, Gray believes the series provides an opportunity for visitors to stay in town longer and, perhaps, spend more money with local businesses.

“We want to do things that bring Selma together,” Thomas said. “To me, it’s good for the city. We need something at the amphitheater.”

The committee agreed to bring the recommendation before the council at Monday’s work session.

The committee also heard from Judge Bob Armstrong, who is hoping to move his Hope Academy program into the main floor of the Dallas Academy building.

Armstrong states that Hope Academy, which offers juvenile diversion programs and classes on teen pregnancy, abstinence, drug abuse and more, was being housed at East End School until the boiler went out and made classes nearly unbearable for those taking part – the move to Dallas Academy would be a boon for the program, Armstrong states, provided that the air conditioning unit is in place at the building.

“It would have a lot of activity…and be a great use of that facility,” Armstrong said. “It’d be a really cool thing to have there.”

Thomas, as well as Selma City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin, a committee member, noted that the council has already approved work at the building but, so far, the purchase order has not been signed off on.

For his part, Armstrong is asking for the rental fee to be waived on the building, but agreed to pay the utilities and handle general maintenance and upkeep – the committee agreed to bring the request before the council.

Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryl Smedley briefly spoke to the committee about a proposed mural, to be installed in panels along the outdoor wall of the Selma Welcome Center, which will tell the story of Civil Rights-era icons that made a mark on Selma.

“I feel like it’s going to be a big draw for people to come to Selma because they’re going to want to have their pictures taken in front of the murals,” Smedley said.

The committee supported the proposal and agreed to bring it before the council.

Thomas also spoke about the need to reopen the Selma Welcome Center, noting that recent visitors were seen tugging on the doors to the building – Thomas wants the city to bring a laid-off employee back on a part-time basis to run the operation.

The committee was slated to discuss other topics, but the absence of the director of the City of Selma Public Buildings Department meant that those issues will have to be taken up at another time, including needed repairs at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center and the George P. Evans Reception Hall, as well as a proposed evaluation of all city buildings.