City Council works to override mayor’s veto of new traffic signals for Ward 3

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. has vetoed the City Council’s vote to put up some new traffic signals in Ward 3, but the council is working on a way to get around the mayor’s stop sign.

The Selma City Council voted at its last meeting to allow Ward 3 Councilman Clay Carmichael to use oil and gas funds he has at his discretion to erect some vintage traffic signals in his district.

Perkins sent the council a veto of the vote at their June 28 meeting, saying that voting to install the signals “supersedes the authority” of the council and interferes with operations because the signals had not been evaluated or approved by the public works department.

Carmichael said the vote was not the type of action that the mayor can veto, but City Attorney Major Madison Jr. said it could be interpreted otherwise. The council then took a vote to override the veto, which passed by a 5-2 vote. However, the law states that the override requires a two-thirds vote of the entire council, which would require at least six votes. Two councilpersons were absent on June 28.

The council will research whether the vote is subject to a veto by the mayor and will address the issue at a later meeting.

In an article in the June 16 Selma Sun, Carmichael said the signals were donated by the city of Gadsden, but there will be a fee to restore the signals and have them erected at several intersections. The traffic signals match the current lights, which were built in the 1950s and 1960s. They will be refurbished with modern LED lights.

In other business, the council voted to retain its own attorney. At past meetings some council members have said they feel the legal advice they get from Madison is overly influenced by Perkins. Perkins is often at odds with some members of the council.

Questions to be submitted to the attorney by the council will go through Council President Warren “Billy” Young.

Councilmen Michael Johnson and Atkin Jemison voted against hiring an additional attorney to advise the council. "We have an attorney. You just don't appreciate him," Johnson said.