By CASSANDRA MICKENS / Associate Editor

HOOVER — Hoover City Councilman Gene Smith said he is paying about $30,000 out of his own pocket to fund a study that will measure the impact of Hoover school bus cuts on property values and socioeconomic conditions.

During the council’s regular meeting Nov. 4, Smith said he hopes to present the results of the study by the next council meeting Nov. 18, if not before.

The Hoover Board of Education’s decision to discontinue bus service next fall has drawn concern from residents who believe the bus cuts will drag down housing values. Among those residents is Kara Harrison, who informed the council that her neighbors are considering moving out of the city for fear of not being able to sell their houses. Harrison also told the council that the bus cuts would not only affect the school system, but also the whole city.