Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Selma City Council is continuing negotiations with Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. over the adopted  2023 budget.

Council PRO TEM Clay Carmichael, who presided in the absence of City Council President Billy Young, made the announcement at the city council meeting on Tuesday.

Perkins filed a suit against the city council on March 16. A hearing was canceled last week in the Dallas County Courthouse.

“The Council has requested certain information from the Mayor that the Council has not yet received.  However, the Mayor has agreed to provide the information requested on or before March 30 (Thursday),” Carmichael read at the meeting.

Carmichael continued: “In light of the Mayor’s agreement to furnish this information, I believe that it would be appropriate if we have a motion, which the Mayor has agreed to the terms of through the City Attorney, to change the effective date of the last budget amendment to Wednesday, April 12, 2023, which would be the day following the Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting.”

Carmichael also said a hiring freeze is “enacted for the same period of time through April 12, 2023, except that the Mayor shall be authorized to fill any previously budgeted positions for CDL drivers.”

The city council motioned and unanimously approved 8-0.

Council members Michael Johnson, Atkin Jemison, Sam Randolph Lesia James, Clay Carmichael, Jannie Thomas, Troy Harvill, Christie Thomas all voted yes.