The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20
FINANCIAL MEET OF BOTH BODIES SCHEDULED SOON Immediate Attention Is Promised To Needs Of
 Hospital And School LEASE COURTHOUSE
 FOR 99-YEAR TERM Reorganization Of Coun- tvs Highway Forces
 Among Projections

X bond issue of at least million dollars for health and educational ex- pansion will be sought by the new board of revenue as soon as 1t takes over the reins of county government next January, according to tentative plans of the members -elect revealed Saturday by Capt. Lacey Edmondson, who is slated for the board chairman ship.
 Disclosing that the members of the outgoing and incoming boards are pre- pairing to meet this week for a frank discussion of county finances, Edmond son said the new board intends to care promptly for the pressing needs of the Hillman hospital and the schools.
 He further revealed that plans are afoot to lease the present courthouse for 99 years and erect new adminis- tration building on the Capitol park site with 10-year warrants of the county.
 Several offers to lease the present courthouse property are under consid- eration, Edmondson said He added that it would be better business" to lease the property than to sell it.
 ReOrganize Road Work
 Another important announcement by EdmOndson told of plans to completely reOrganize the county's highway forces so as to sharply cut maintenance costs This plan contemplates that the state highway department will take over sev- eral more county roads and maintain them.
 Maintenance has been one of our heaviest items in the past" Edmondson said, "but we feel sure we can make drastic cuts by changing our policy"
 Economy will of necessity, be watchword of the incoming board, ac- cording to the view that Edmondson and his colleagues take of the situation.
 They frankly assert that there will be little money to expend, ''as the old board spent it all, including 6 big bond issue" Yet, the members-elect are optimistic and are openly predicting that things vii lturn out all right"
 No details of the forthcoming con ference of the new and old boards were given out, but the idea prevailed that the proposed 1925 bond issue would be the major topic of discussion.
 "As' see it, we will have to call for more bonds," Captain Edmondson, who is the only member of the old board who will succeed himself, declar- ed.
 ApptDve Long Lease
 However" he continued, "the pro- posed courthouse lease will give us a big lift, and the interest on the war rants for the new courthouse can be paid out of the rental from the old building. A 99-year lease appeals to me, but the other members may want to make it 50 years. In any event, when the lease expires the property will be far mora vaIuahIe fhan if iS todhv for the lesees will spend large sums in improvements. Moreover, property values in the county are increasing by leaps and bounds. I venture the pre- diction that values will more than dou- ble in the next ten years. Before the end of another decade the county treas ury in all probability will be in a splen- did condition"
 Capt Edmondson sees four years of harmony, economy and efficieny ahead flor the new board. He admits there will not be a world of money to spend, but he believes every dollar will do it's full duty.
 The county, according to Edmond son, still can issue approximately $2,- 600,000 in bonds without exceeding its limit.
 All five members of the new board. who besides Edmondson are S. R. Bat son, John A. Lewis, E. J. Reed and w. J. Waldrup, stressed permanent roads in their campaigns. They now see little money in sight for new high ways, but they are studying and in vestigating and schening daily with a view to finding n way to give Jeffer- son county n vastly improved system of roads.