Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 19, 1990 TAG: 9005190493
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"It is our preference that it be settled to help assure the residents [in the Catawba Magisterial District] that there would be a valid second vote," he said.
Roanoke's consolidation negotiators long have felt it would be best to have a financial agreement before the merger vote so the residents would know whether they would have the chance to opt out of the merged government, Fitzpatrick said.
But there appears to be differing opinions on the county Board of Supervisors that could make it difficult to resolve the financial issues quickly.
Under current plans, city and county voters would decide on the merger Nov. 6. If consolidation is approved, a second vote would be held in some areas on whether to join Salem.
Salem wants the financial terms settled in writing before the referendum or otherwise it will oppose consolidation, Mayor James Taliaferro has said.
County officials say they, too, want the financial issues to be settled before the referendum, but Supervisor Bob Johnson said Friday that he could not predict what will happen.
"I think the situation is down to a finger-pointing scenario," he said, as some county officials look for someone to blame.
Johnson, who has said he will remain neutral on the consolidation issue, said neither Salem nor Roanoke can be blamed for the lack of an agreement. He suggested that some county officials might have to accept the responsibility.
Salem has retained a consistent position throughout the talks, he said: It has refused to agree to pay a price for any territory it might acquire that was computed as if it were a traditional annexation case.
Roanoke agreed to let the county handle the negotiations with Salem, he said.
Johnson, who helped negotiate the merger plan as part of the county's original team, said the county was "very close" to an agreement with Salem several months ago, but a majority of the Board of Supervisors rejected the proposal.
Johnson said the county's new negotiating team has gotten itself into a "lose-lose situation" and he's not sure how they are going to get out of it. Johnson and Supervisor Harry Nickens served on the county's original team.
After the city and county finished negotiating the merger plan, three supervisors - Chairman Dick Robers, Lee Eddy and Steve McGraw - pressed for changes and have been negotiating with the city.
Salem, Roanoke and county officials will meet next week.
Johnson said he agrees that Salem should not be required to pay an enormous price for territory it might acquire. "You've got to give the people who live in these areas some credit for the taxes they have paid." McGraw, who represents the Catawba district, said Friday he agrees the financial arrangement needs to be resolved before the consolidation vote.
But McGraw still holds out hope that some type of arrangement can be worked out with Salem so parts of the county could receive some services from Salem, but remain a part of the consolidated government.
His proposal would require special state legislation and Salem officials have given no indication they would be interested in such an arrangement.
Under the original plan, only Glenvar and a few neighborhoods between Fort Lewis Mountain and Poor Mountain would have been given the chance to join Salem.
This week, city and county negotiators revised the consolidation proposal to allow Mason Cove, Bennett Springs, Catawba Valley and most other parts of the Catawba district to vote on whether to join Salem. That change is likely to be approved by the Board of Supervisors and Roanoke City Council.
by CNB