In a close vote, the Selma City Council voted 5-4 Tuesday to approve a resolution that will revert 25 percent of sales and lodging taxes back to the new owners of the St. James Hotel.

The resolution was discussed during a public hearing prior to the meeting, which gave citizens the opportunity to voice their support or opposition for motion.

Attorney Harry Gamble, who has been at the helm of negotiations between the city and hotel investors, stated that the tax rebate was “required” by the lender to move forward.

Sylvia Smith, a member of the Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society, opposed the measure.

“I’m not against the buyers of the St. James Hotel, I’m for the City of Selma,” Smith said. “I don’t see how they need another incentive to go forward and make this work.”

Smith noted that the city and citizens have invested large amounts of money, around $6.5 million all in, and time into saving the hotel.

“If you keep giving away a little bit here and a little bit there…it might not seem like much, but the city needs it more,” Smith said.

“I know this has a long history of not working out,” Gamble said in response. “This is something that has got to happen. It is disappointing what happened in the past, but this is essential to move forward.”

In voicing concerns over the move, Selma Councilwoman Angela Benjamin indicated her belief that investors looking to set up shop in Selma will “come back for more” if too many incentives are handed out.

Councilwoman Susan Youngblood, in supporting the measure referred to the hotel as the “bedrock” of Selma and added that it could not be taken on in the same manner as other business issues.

“This is a situation that’s like no other,” Youngblood said. “The St. James is like nothing else.”

In the end, Selma Council President Corey Bowie and council members Sam Randolph, Jannie Thomas and Benjamin voted against the resolution.

At the start of the regular council meeting, the council unanimously approved the following measures:

• an abatement of 10 years worth of property taxes for Hicks Property, LLC, which is opening a palette-building company that will employ up to 20 workers within three years;

• the use of the amphitheater and convention center for programs hosted by Byrd First Class Learning Center and the School of Discovery, respectively;

• two reserved parking spaces in front of KD Bridal and Prom during peak formal wear season and one throughout the remainder of the year;

• a film permit for Death of Bad, Inc. for a project on the Edmund Pettus Bridge scheduled for April 25 ;

• a resolution from Selma Councilwoman Miah Jackson to require requested information be submitted to council members by the close of business on the day of the request unless there is an emergency, in which case the requested documents must be submitted by noon the following day.

Dorthy Polnitz spoke during the meeting on behalf of residents in the Brook Lane community hoping to be annexed into the city.

Polnitz said that water bills have skyrocketed in the area and residents are hoping to again pay the city’s water rate.

Selma Councilman Michael Johnson noted that the reason for the inflation in water prices was due to the fact that many households outside of the city limits were getting the city price for water – once the error was uncovered, areas outside of the incorporated area began paying the higher rate.

Bowie said that he was in talks with City Attorney Woodruff Jones to find a way to resolve the issue and bring the Brook Lane Commuity into the city limits.

During committee reports, a motion was made during a report from the Public Safety Committee to approve a resolution that would have installed School Resource Officers (SROs) in two local schools, an effort that has been underway for months, but the motion was evenutally tabled.

Jackson brought up the issue of roughly $2.25 million being contributed to the school system through a variety of taxes, including alcohol and tobacco, and wondered how the money was being spent.

Further, Jackson asked if the new SRO program would be less expensive than the private security previously employed by the schools and, if so, if the additional money would be committed toward the new program.

Council members agreed to table the motion until answers could be found in regard to some of those questions.

Also during the report, Bowie discussed ongoing allegations that a city employee has been impersonating a police officer in Selma.

“We’re putting the city at a grave liability,” Bowie said, noting that such an offense is a felony.

During Monday night’s work session, it was reported that the employee accused had been made an officer by Selma Police Department (SPD) Chief Spencer Collier, but Bowie added that only the county sheriff has the authority to deputize officers.

Bowie urged the offending employee to cease acting as a police officer with no legal authority immediately.

During a report from the Public Works Committee, Selma Councilman John Leashore discussed the recent meeting that focused entirely on the trash problem in Selma.

Leashore floated the idea of imposing an additional tax on fast food purchases, the refuse from which much of the city’s litter comes from, and Youngblood urged the council to consider raising property taxes to raise revenue to tackle the trash crisis, noting that Alabama’s property taxes are the lowest in the nation.

As the meeting came to a close, council members lamented the fact that a deadline had passed for the purchase of police vehicles, causing the price of the vehicles to move beyond reach.

Additionally, the council voted to notify the mayor that no funds would be available for the Summer Youth Program, which assists young people out of school for the summer in finding work locally.

Alternatively, multiple council members announced their plans to independently work with students in their wards in an effort to find holiday work.