The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-05
INCOMING BOARD.
TO LAUNCH DRIVE
TO CUT EXPENSES.
Edmondson Predicts $780,
900 Saving On Roads
Of County
SEEK ADJUSTMENT
CONTRACT SYSTEM
New Courthouse Can't be
Built Unless Bond
Issue Carries

ton of county expenditures Is to be
wnged by the new board of reyenue,
which goes into office November l.
Capt. Lacey Edmondson, the only
member of the present board to hold
office during the incoming administra-
ton, said Saturday.
This campaign is expected to save
the county at least $2OOOOO in road
building and will effect matreiai,
though smaller, savings in other depart
ments. The plan, which will be
adopted by the new board, will do away
with the contract system of building
roads and will substitute roads built
by the county.
Zone member of the board will act as
head of the county engineering de-
partment," Captain Edmondson said
and we will build our own roads. BY
the use of more machinery on our
maintenance gangs, we can transfer
a large number of prisoners to the con-
struction work and reads can be built
much more cheaply than under the
present system"
Another innovation, which will help
the county "cut all the corners possi-
BILE" will consist Of appointing one
member Of the board to act as a
supervisor of purchases. This mem
Der will instruct himself on current
prices and the best possible way to
buy materials needed by the county
and should mean a considerable saw
ings. Captain {sdmondson made it
understood, however, that the APP
prevail of the board of revenue would
result in economy simply because the
board would be better informed and
better equipped I'd buy.
May Face Deficit
This savings will be necessary, he
continued. because of the fact that the
new board will go into office facing
n deficit of more than $5OOOOO. The
impression is current that while the
present board went into. office facing n
deficit Of nearly 81 100000, it has
wiped out this Indebtedness. Captain
Edmondsbn stated that the present
board paid it's predecessors deficit by
a bond issue and has spent half mil
lion dollars more. This is due to the
road building program. which must be
carried on The new system to be
inaugurated. however, will reduce this
drain on the county treasury, reduc-
ing the annual bill from 100000 to
$500. 900.
During the next year, the county
will receive approximately $2,5O0,OOO
in taxes, and after repaying loans
made to the present board, will have
left less than $2,O0O,000. 1t will be
impossible Nto have the county func-
ton properly next year without run
ming a deficit, but the new board hopes
to leave office at the end of its term
with the county living within its in
come.
County expenses constantly are in
creasing. but the revenue Is expected to
increase at a slightly greater rate and
this will prove of assistance to the
new board. and make 1t possible TO Is
sue bonds next year, should they be
necessary, Captain EdmOndson said
when the interview veefed to the new
court house project
Appeal For Bonds
at would be absolutely impossible
for the county to build "a new court
house without issuing Nbonds," he.
stated, but then, bond issue is the
only way in which an expression of
toterS may pe secureu anu tney are
the ones VINO should decide whether
or not they want a new building.
IF the voters pass the bond issue,
that will mean they are dissatisfied
with the present building, which is
unsanitary, and grimy and, dirty. If
the issue fails in November, county of
ficials will be open for business at
the old stand
1T is true that the $4,000, 900 bond
ISSUES to be voted upon will send the
bonded indebtedness of the county
close to the limit, but increased reve-
nue. will remedy this within a short
TIME, and the bond issues, if the people
want them, will not hamper the
county"
At this point, the interview switched
to the Ramsey plan for a civic center
around Woodrow Wilson park. WHICH
Captain EdmondsOn stated was very
~ believe this plan. first came to
IIS,, Ta.,,',sn,, and ~ tbo, time ! S.os
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