Southeast

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jefferson County, Ala., commissioners met Tuesday behind closed doors with attorneys discussing whether to finalize a pending settlement with creditors or to file bankruptcy.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Memphis-based Morgan Keegan & Co. has hired Rob Larkins as a managing director to head up the firm's new public finance office in San Francisco.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Public Financial Management Inc. has hired David Eichenthal as a senior managing consultant to open the firm's new office in Chattanooga, Tenn.

DALLAS - A vacant, hurricane-damaged residential tower in New Orleans will be rehabilitated with proceeds from Wednesday's negotiated sale of $7.4 million of multifamily revenue bonds issued by Louisiana Housing Finance Agency.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Broward County, Fla., has reached a milestone in its effort to move forward with an $800 million financing to support the $1.5 billion cost of a major runway extension and other improvements at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The Louisiana State Bond Commission will consider a plan Nov. 17 to refinance some of New Orleans’ debt so the city can push into 2013 a total of $15.5 million of debt service now due in 2012.

Local governments in and around Atlanta Tuesday will ask voters to renew a one-cent sales tax for school construction. The tax can be used to secure bonds.

Florida is appealing a judge’s September ruling that struck down its attempt to privatize 29 of the state’s prisons.

Tampa-area chambers of commerce reportedly are exploring the idea of creating a regional authority to broaden the taxable base that would finance a new stadium for Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays.

The Birmingham City Council Tuesday urged Jefferson County to file for bankruptcy immediately, and asked Gov. Robert Bentley not to call a special session of the Legislature to assist the county with its debt and budget problems.