Although the project has yet to be given a green light, Selma's City Council has officially said no to a proposed power plant near Parlier. The City Council Feb. 17 voted unanimously against the location of the plant, which is slated to sit on the east side of Bethel Avenue between Dinuba and Manning avenues. The plant, proposed by the Kings River Conservation District, is a 565-megawatt natural gas base-load power plant that would sit on a 32-acre piece of land northeast of Selma. The conservation district's plan to open up the power plant near Parlier has been in the works for the last couple of years, beginning with its application to the state in September 2007.

Since then, the application for the project has and will continue to go through review from the California Energy Commission, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the public.

But since its inception, the project has come under heavy criticism from Selma City Council members, as well as local and regional citizens, for what many say are potential dangers associated with the plant.

Some of these concerns include air pollution, noise and the fact that Selma's Indianola School sits within proximity to the proposed plant.

During their action at the Feb. 17 meeting, Selma City Council members officially went on record as opposing the location of the plant. Previously, members had only given consensus on the issue but hadn't voted on the matter.

Before the vote, Mayor Dennis Lujan offered his thoughts.

"That's pretty much a no-brainer," he said in regards to the resolution.

Still, that wasn't the only item of discussion that night.

Council members also talked at length about the city's membership with the San Joaquin Valley Power Authority, a coalition of regional cities which plan to buy aggregate power from the Kings River Conservation District.

At some point under this agreement, said Selma City Manager D-B Heusser, citizens will have the option to buy this power as well.

Heusser told Council members that the city of Selma has no financial interest in the power authority, nor does it have any financial commitment to the proposed power plant.

However, he noted, Selma's membership in the power authority means it's obligated to buy power under this program.

City documents indicate the authority's program promises to save its members 5 percent on their electrical bill, which would amount to savings of around $800 a year for the city.

Neal Costanzo, Selma's city attorney, discussed the city's membership in the organization and said Selma's only obligation is to procure power from the proposed plant. If Selma was to remain a member of the power authority, he said, it would be required to buy power regardless of where the plant was located.

Council member Ken Grey said that while he thinks the city's membership with the power authority could help save energy costs, he was opposed to committing to the power plant regardless of where it is located.

Mayor Lujan said he was opposed to the idea because he believes the plant would be a "gross polluter."

Council member Jim Avalos chimed in and said the power authority should be tapping into renewable energy sources, considering that the technology to do so is available.

"We're advanced now," said Avalos.

In the end, the Council unanimously decided to table the issue for two weeks, in order for the city attorney to gather the city's terms of agreement with the power authority for Council members to examine.

Still others spoke during the meeting, like local resident Scott Linhoff.

Linhoff has two boys, one who currently goes to Indianola Elementary and another who will be attending next year.

For his part, Linhoff said he's against the proposed power plant's location because of potential health costs to his children, noise and what he sees as possible land devaluation for property near the plant.

"It just needs to be stopped," he said.

Scott Bailey, district manager for California Water Service in Selma, also spoke and brought up another point about the proposed plant.

"Every power plant that has been built in the state of California has had water litigation because of the contaminants from the power plants," he said.

In other action:

l The council unanimously approved to purchase two signs for the city which read "In God We Trust" for a total of $600. The first sign will be placed in the city hall lobby and the second will be placed in the chamber.

l The Council was introduced to Selma's newest firefighter and paramedic, resident Scott Nishinaka.