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

DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990                   TAG: 9006150711
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By TAMMY POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FINCASTLE                                  LENGTH: Medium

FINCASTLE COUNCIL GIVES $5,000 FOR SCHOOL PARK

Town Council voted Tuesday to give the Breckinridge Elementary School PTA $5,000 to help build a new playground.

The park will cost about $20,000 and is scheduled to be completed by October. The park will be the only one in the town and will be open to the public.

Jeff Bowles, a PTA member and former councilman, said the PTA also is seeking funds from the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors and from businesses.

Virginia Cronise was the only council member to oppose the allocation. "I think we should give a donation of $1,000, but I feel that $5,000 is too much. We need to consider our fire department and rescue squad. We've never given them a donation like this," she said.

In other business:

Council approved a $31,350 general fund budget for the 1990-91 fiscal year.

Council approved the proposed floor plan for the new town office in an former lawyer's office across the street from the present office. A public hearing must be held before the town can lease the building from Botetourt County, Mayor Meredith Waid told council. She also said the town will receive a $14,000 grant from the Historical Resources Threatened Property grant fund to help restore the historical building.

"This is a no-strings-attached grant," she said.

County Circuit Court Clerk George Holt swore in Cromer Hedrick as the town's new mayor. Waid didn't seek re-election. Two new council members, Terry Tucker and Peggy Connell, were absent and will be sworn in later. Malanie Jones was re-elected vice mayor. Council also reappointed R.D. Henderson as treasurer and Virginia Cronise as town clerk.

Council voted to close streets during the Historic Fincastle festival in September, and for an hour on Oct. 20 for the Bank of Fincastle's 5K and 10K runs. However, council decided not to close streets for the town's first Independence Day celebration July 4.

Council met in executive session to discuss increasing the salary of the town's water and sewer operator. After the session, council voted to increase Kenneth Coffman's salary by $1,000 to almost $14,000 a year.

by CNB