The Alabama Elk River Development Association will hire a new director after the retirement of 30-year executive director Ed Sandlin.

Board Chairman Jerry Bradford said the executive board would meet late this month to decide on a salary for the new director as the board contemplates expanding the Elkmont Rural Village.

“We have been advertising for an executive director and have received more than 20 applications,” said Bradford. “The executive committee will review the applications and get them down to about three and then bring them in for an interview.”

AERDA began as the Elk River Development Association with eight Tennessee counties and two Alabama – Limestone and Lauderdale – counties more than 30 years ago, Bradford said.

After a while, the Tennessee counties broke off from the Alabama group, forming the Tennessee Elk River Development Association.

AERDA board members are: Hulin Newton, former Anderson mayor; James Hagood, former Rogersville mayor; Joey Thompson; Lexington Mayor Herman Jagger, and Athens Mayor Dan Williams, with Bradford serving as chairman.

“We are set up to do economic development and we help small communities in both counties,” said Bradford. “We’ve done a project of historic district signs and the Archive Room at the school. There’s a lot of projects we’ve participated in, but the Elkmont Rural Village is the major project.

“The first phase of the village is just about sold out of lots and we’re now discussing the next phase,” said Bradford. “We have the property and the site plan.”

The total acreage of the Rural Village, including that already developed—about 150 homes—is from 1,600 to 1,700 acres, he said.

“Most of that land remains undeveloped and we have told the Limestone County Board of Education to donate land—about 80 acres—for a new school when they decide to build one,” he said.