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The Selma City Council held a Finance Committee meeting on Monday.

City Councilman Troy Harvill is the Committee Chairperson.

City Council President Billy Young, Council members Clay Carmichael, Atkin Jemison, Jannie Thomas and Christie Thomas also attended.

Revenue and expenses were the meeting’s highlights.

Harvill said that the city of Selma had $6.5 million in the general fund, but is currently down to $3.4 million.

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. and Harvill said legal services and legal fees accounted for $1.4 million.

Harvill said the committee is trying to find out what happened to the $1.7 million. He asked City Treasurer Terri Barnes-Smith to help figure things out.

“I’m sure there’s a logical explanation,” Perkins said.

Selma Police Chief Kenta Fulford addressed the overtime in the Selma Police Department.

Fulford said that overtime is $25,000 monthly and $300,000 a year. He added that three new officers will be hired and a supervisor to monitor overtime.

Young said the current budget is only $100,000 for overtime.

Bond payments were also discussed. Bonds until June 23 will be over $54,000 a month.  From July until end of year, it balloons up to over $183,000 a month.

Harvill said the committee needs to look at other options.

Young said he’s concerned about the number of businesses impacted by the January 12 tornado.

“We have no revenue from Firestorm since the tornado hit,” Young said.

Young said that sales tax and property tax were up between October and January.

Barnes-Smith said February projections won’t be known until March 20.

Carmichael said he’s heard over 100 businesses in Selma and Dallas County were impacted by the tornado.