The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-10
DEPARTURE MADE'
BY COUNTY BOARD.
IN HEAL I'll BUDGET.
Appropriation Figured Per
Capita Amounts to $685.
600; HiIIman Hospital
Gets 100000

New departures in making appro-
priations marked approval of bud
gets amounting to approximately
s215,0o0 by the county board of rev.
enue Tuesday. Chief among the ap-
preparations made were a 50-cert per
capita appropriation based on resi-
dents of the county outside of
Greater Birmingham for the board of
health and $4,000 for the Hillman
hospital.
Appropriation will give the board
of health not to exceed $685. 900 from
the county for the year 1923. This is
$1,000 less than the amount asked
by the board of health, and an in
crease of $4,000 over appropriations
in 1922. 1t is. however, a slight in
crease over the amount which the
board declared would be necessary
to carry on work undertaken in 1922
during the coming year.
At the board meeting Tuesday
some members opposed an increase
over last years appropriation, when
the board appropriated an initial al
lowance of $4,000 The budget
agreed on Is said to be in the nature
of a compromise between members
of the board opposing an increase
and the board of health.
Appropriation Innovation
Establishment of the budget for
the board of health on per capita
basis is an innovation undertaken
on it's own initiative by the board of
revenue. Motion to inaugurate this
plan was made by Thomas Huey.
Another new feature is the decision
of the board of revenue to pay the
appropriation in monthly install
ments not exceeding $500. 1t fur
Their voted that If the board of health
ran over any monthly allowance, the
excess should be deducted from the
next months instailment.
w. B. Copeland of the board of rev.
enue protested against the gradual
increasing of funds allowed the
board of health.
'If the board of health comes here
and tells us it can't get along on the
monthly per capita appropriation.
Dowling's salary should be withheld
for that month";" Mr.. Copeland said,
referring to DIR. J. D. Bowling, health
officer.
City Urged to Follow County
Mr.. Huey explained the adoption of
the per capita appropriation and sug-
gested that the city follow the lead
VI Tile SouitS III iiithiiss It's ipplO-
priation for the board of health. He
was seconded in this by Mr. Cope
land.
"If the city will follow the prece-
dent we have established by giving
the board 50-cent per capita appro-
priation its 17S,000 population will
give the board approximately 500. 900,
which will be an increase of nearly
$4,000 in the city health appropria-
ton" Mr.. Huey said. 1.-THE city is
justified in doing this" he stated,
because the county maintains ex-
clusively the Hillman hospital with
an appropriation of $4,000 a year
and allows the aims house and the
Juvenile court 100000 each"
County commissioners stated that
the report of the board of health
showed that almost $4,000 was ex-
pended by that department in sal
aries during the year 1922. The exact
amount was S4S,S79.27.
Members of the board of revenue
declared that Jefferson county was
far ahead of most of the country in
the matter of appropriations for
health work. The state of Alabama
appropriated 100000 for health work
during the year, which is about 20
cents per capita, they said.
Board members announced that ap-
preparations for other departments of
the county would be voted on at the
meeting Friday.