A big step was taken Thursday in the process of solving Selma’s ongoing trash and garbage woes as officials opened bids for construction of two new cells at the city’s landfill on Water Avenue.

Four bids were opened, with Mitchell’s Contracting providing the apparent low bid at a price of $157,625. Mitchell’s is the same company who constructed the current landfill cell in 2007.

The company’s bid beat out JRD Contracting by just $727.94, who had bid the project at a price of $157,003.64.

Now, the Selma City Council at their next meeting must approve the bid before the project can be awarded.

“The low bid we saw today was equivalent to what we expected the project to cost,” Selma Mayor George Evans said. “You would always like to see the price lower, but this is a project that has to happen and it’s about right.”

Evans said once the council approves the bid the project should take roughly 60 days to complete, giving the city significantly more room to handle trash and garbage. Recently the city was found to be operating what the Alabama Department of Environmental Management called an “unauthorized dump” on Landline Road near the Dallas County Sportsplex. At the 50-acre site, the city had been dumping debris from street-side pickup that was supposed to only include trees, limbs and leaves but had included household and construction trash as well.

The step to use the city-owned site was approved by city leadership as a temporary fix until the new cells at the landfill were constructed.

In working with ADEM, the city has avoided fines and provided the state agency a timeline for when the site will be cleaned up. City officials did say ADEM officials were fine with the site being used for things such as trees, limbs and leaves but not trash and household garbage.