CRAIG COUNTY OFFICES TO TRADE PLACES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 21, 1993                   TAG: 9301210478
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE                                LENGTH: Medium
CRAIG COUNTY OFFICES TO TRADE PLACES
Beginning next week, Craig County residents will find the voter registrar's office more accessible. But the county administrator's office will be harder to reach.
The two offices will switch quarters in the county office building.
The voter registrar will move into ground-floor space now occupied by the county administrator, and the county administrator will move into the second-floor office that the registrar will vacate.
Several months ago, County Administrator Richard Flora told the supervisors that the registrar's office needed provisions for the handicapped to enter the office, and the only way to get that was to move to the ground floor. The second floor in the county office building can be reached only by walking up stairs.
Flora told the supervisors at their meeting Monday that all arrangements have been completed, and the two offices will switch next week.
In another matter, the supervisors decided to leave the formula for distributing 1992 damage-stamp funds unchanged. Board members said they will study the question when they begin preparing a budget for the 1993-94 fiscal year. That fiscal year begins July 1, and budget preparations will begin in February or March.
The problem, board members said, is that 1992 damage claims amounted to $24,226, but damage-stamp revenue amounted to only $9,351. Damage stamps are sold to hunters, and revenue compensates farmers who lose livestock and crops to wild animals.
The present formula for distributing the funds provides for payments for the loss of livestock, corn, alfalfa and pumpkins with some of the funds going to fire departments and rescue squads in the county.
Some farmers have objected to this formula on the grounds that more of the available funds should go toward reimbursement for crop damage.
On another matter, the supervisors approved a request from the New Castle Town Council to share the county's building official.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB