The Lincoln County Board of Education is considering a 16thSection lease to a Louisiana-based children’s home that wouldlikely be the largest lease granted in the district’s history.

Superintendent Terry Brister said he would consult with theMississippi Secretary of State’s Office later this week todetermine the legality of granting a lease of several acres andyears for the relocation of Berean Children’s Home, Inc., ofAlbany, La., a Christian non-profit organization that provides ahome for orphans and abused children.

Berean Children’s Home, Inc., President Wendell Davis said theorganization wants to relocate to Lincoln County to be closer toits primary support base at Mt. Olive Church of Christ, where heministers. He said the church has supported the home since itsinception in 1979.

“Most of the people involved are right here in Lincoln Countyand the surrounding areas,” Davis said. “No one except theemployees who work for the home live down there [inLouisiana].”

Davis wants to lease at least 10 acres adjacent to the church,which is also on 16th Section land off Highway 583, to constructnew facilities for the home. If the relocation is feasible, he saidthe organization would likely sell its existing land and facilitiesin Louisiana to fund the move.

If other lands are available, Davis said the organization wouldlikely purchase them, but for now the plan is simply to move asclose to the church as possible.

Davis wants any 16th Section lease granted by the board to be aspermanent as possible. The scope of the potential lease raises manyquestions for Brister and the board.

About the only thing for certain at this point is that thehome’s children would attend Enterprise Attendance Center. Otherquestions, like the maximum length of a lease, the approval ofconstruction on the leased lands and the legality of locating areligious-based organization, remain unanswered.

If the home’s relocation is approved, Brister said Davis wouldalso have to wait on a few existing leases to expire in order tosecure the desired acreage.

“The deed is well – he has nothing but the best interest ofthose children in mind – but we’ve never faced something likethis,” Brister said. “What if they decide to move in five or 10years? What if we don’t renew the lease? What happens to thebuildings they build? Are they ours?”

Years ago, the decision would be easier, but not necessarilymore clear-cut.

“For years, they’ll tell you 16th Section land was abused,”Brister said.

School districts statewide have in the past issued 16th Sectionleases for periods of up to 99 years and charged as little 50 centsper acre per year, Brister said. Recent reforms in the leasingprocess have stopped such abuses and refined the process, making aconsultation with the secretary of state’s office necessary, hesaid.

“We have to look at what’s best for the district,” Brister said.”We have to look at this from a legality standpoint.”

Common 16th Section leases are for hunting and fishing andagricultural uses, Brister said, though the district has someresidential and commercial leases.

The Berean Children’s Home is set up to house up to 23 children,who range in age from childhood to late teens, from all over thecountry. The organization receives no federal or state funding.

More information about the home is available online atwww.bereanhome.org.