Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 10, 1990 TAG: 9005100235
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B7 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: CANA LENGTH: Medium
Eldridge Boyd told the supervisors Wednesday he had telephoned the offices of U.S. Sens. John Warner, R-Va., and Charles Robb, D-Va., and Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, but had gotten no responses yet.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control, we're being foreclosed on," he said. The Farmers Home Administration provided a $250,000 low-interest loan to build and equip the 20,000-square-foot processing plant in 1967 but, because of two poor seasons in a row, it has not produced enough revenue to make the annual $16,000 payments for 1989 and 1990.
Boyd said 29 growers used it last season, as well as trucks that carried the graded apples to their destinations. And that was a bad season because of frost, ice storms and hurricane Hugo.
"When we have a full crop, that's when the reality's going to set in and it's not going to be here," Boyd said.
"I don't see how we can let it go without the Board of Supervisors . . . at least knowing what is happening," he told the board, "because I don't know who else to go to."
Assistant County Administrator Bill Mitchell said the administrator's office could get together with FmHA officials and see if any planned auction could be delayed. Another possibility would be to see if the enterprise would qualify for funds through a revolving loan fund, he said.
"If it goes, it's going to be unreal," agreed Supervisor J. Eddie Vaughan. The cooperative still owes $126,000 on the facilities, including two large refrigeration units.
The supervisors will consider the problem again at their June 13 meeting.
by CNB