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The City of Selma’s Cemetery Department strike lasted one day.

The City of Selma sent out memos to funeral homes and the City Council that the Cemetery Department will resume work on Thursday.

The memo stated: “To the funeral homes, we would like to thank you and your cooperation with the cemetery department.

As of September 22, 2022, all services extended to you from the cemetery department are now available.  We would like to extend our apologies to any inconveniences that this situation may have caused you.”

City officials sent out memos to funeral homes and the City Council that the Cemetery Department will not be digging graves in the cemetery because of budget cut, effective Wednesday.

The memo stated: “As of September 21, cemetery services provided for local funeral homes will be postponed until further notice. Any inquiries are to be forwarded to the Mayor’s office and/for the office of the President of the City Council. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.”

The Selma Times-Journal reached out to Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr., who said he wasn’t prepared at the moment to discuss the city employees on strike. Perkins said he will address the situation at a later date.

The city council turned down Perkins’ budget proposal last week and sent him their version of the Fiscal Year Budget, which is set at $19.4 million.

Included in the city council budget is pay raises — for underpaid workers.

In Perkins’ proposed budget, he requested to the city council that the City minimum wage be set at $12 per hour, and truck drivers and heavy-duty equipment operators at $16 per hour.

City leaders have until October 1st — to pass a budget for the new 2023 fiscal year. City Council President Billy Young called the period “budget negotiations.”