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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 27, 1990                   TAG: 9003272470
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MERGER MEDIATORS ASK TALKS

Roanoke's consolidation negotiators will seek a meeting with Roanoke County officials to discuss changes in the merger plan that have been proposed by three county supervisors.

"We are flexible and willing to discuss them, but that is not to say we will agree," said Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. "It is premature to say whether we are willing to agree to changes."

Fitzpatrick said Monday that the city's negotiators will seek clarification on some of the changes that have been proposed by Dick Robers, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and two other board members, Lee Eddy and Steve McGraw.

In a letter to Mayor Noel Taylor earlier this month, Robers asked the city for a response to the proposed changes by Saturday. Timing is important because some of the changes suggested by the county might need to be approved by the General Assembly, which will have a one-day session in mid-April.

The city's negotiators held a closed meeting Monday to consider Robers' letter.

Councilman Howard Musser, another city negotiator, said earlier he doubted the city would agree to changes, saying he thought the county had waited too long to seek revisions because the plan has already been given to the Circuit Court judges.

The changes the three supervisors are suggesting are:

That the school board of the consolidated Roanoke Metropolitan Government have an equal number of representatives from the former city and former county, with a court-appointed tie breaker.

Under the current plan, the school board would have nine members - five from the city and four from the county. Because of that, some county residents fear that the school board would be dominated by the city.

That residents of Mason Cove, Bennett Springs and the Catawba Valley be given the chance to become part of Salem if the consolidation plan is approved. Now, only residents who live west of Virginia 311 between Fort Lewis Mountain and Poor Mountain would get that chance and only if a financial settlement with Salem is approved.

by CNB