The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-19
VOTEOF PEOPLE
 TO DECIDE SITE
 OF COURT HOUSE
President Ball Fails In Effort To Stem Revenue
 Boards Vote

By vote of four to one, the board of revenue agreed Tuesday to refer the selection of site for Jefferson coun- tvs Lew administration building to the people of the county when they vote in the May primary. President D. c. Ball alone voted against the plan.
 V. B. Copeland re-submitted his resolution, which was first submitted at Fridays meeting, to institute a friend ly suit to test the right of the board to dispose of the present site, and, pending the outcome of this suit, sub init the question of the location of the new court house 10 popular vote. His motion also stated that the board would be able to construct the building on the new site without a bond issue but that bond issue would be necessary If the vote should favor the present site. Jerry Gwinn introduced sub stitute resolution, which was defeated when submitted last December, to sub init the whole matter of the selection of a site to tae people without refer ence to bond issue in either case. His resolution was adopted.
 LoveIady 'Favors Issue
 Dr. R. F. Lovelady, member of the Jury dUu lOFIueE meulDcr of the board, spoke in favor of the resolution, saying he felt the issue i'm volved was of such importance that the people as a whole should an opportu- nifty to express themselves. He added that he thought bond issue would be approved in case it should be neces- sary, as he believed the people were convinced of the need for new build ing. 7
 This is a matter in which the peo- pie are yitaIly interested.'' he said. 1t is their money that will be used to finance the project, and the board can not afford to ignore their wishes in the natter"
 Mir. Ball based his objection to the resolution on the action of the board as whole when the matter of build- ing new court house first was brought up He said it was decided at that time that the board would act as unit and make plans for the new building with out submitting the matter to the people The purchase of the site facing Wood TOW Wilson park was the result of this decision, he said. .-.-..
 T am sorry the matter has become political issue" the board president said, but since it has, I am going to take the stand think is best for the county, even though it. may not be best for the political aspirations of a can- didate for office. have talked to peoA pie in various parts of the county, and most of them think the board acted wisely and quite properly in buying the new site. As a matterfof economy, it is much better to dispose of the present site and use the proceeds of the sale to pay at least part of the cost of the new building
 Points To Obstacle
 Mir. Ball pointed out that, in case it should be decided to build on the present site, it would be necessary for ehe board to spend large sum on rent eng and adapting some other building fer use as temporary court house during the period of construction.
 w.. B. Copeland and T. E. Huey agreed with MT. Ball that the new court house should be constructed on the site purchased for that purpose but said they wereafilline to submit the matter to the people. 2
 = It would be good business pro- position to use the new site," Mir. Huey sad. A business firm, usually sells its hlghest-priced property and builds on a site that is less expensive. That is what the board of revenue wants to do. The present court house site is worth $3.OOO front foot, while we paid only $43O front foot for the new site"
 Jerry Gwinn urged that part of the present site be retained and suggested that three-fourths of it be sold and skyscraper type. of building be erected on the remaining one-fourths. Lacey Edmundson said he was willing to sub init the whole matter to the people for decision