Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 22, 1991 TAG: 9103220991
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A7 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LAWRENCEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Thomas Law, president of St. Paul's, last week sent letters inviting local government officials across Southside and the northern tier counties of North Carolina to an informational meeting on campus on Wednesday.
Jim Nolting, St. Paul's director of public relations, said the college is looking for "a long-range, sustaining source of revenue from this project."
St. Paul's operating budget is about $7.5 million annually, Nolting said. The school has just launched an emergency fund-raising effort to replace the campus water supply system. About $350,000 is needed.
Nolting said declining enrollment in recent years has strapped the college for cash. Enrollment bottomed out at about 500 students and rose to more than 550 for the current academic year. He said the school is hoping for more than 600 students for the 1991-92 academic year.
A year ago the college reported a debt of about $1.3 million.
"He [Law] does not wish to be dependent on the usual sources of money to keep this place operating," Nolting said. "We're basically hurting."
Law was in Washington on business and could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The plant would be built under contract with a national waste-to-energy company. The college's board of directors has approved the idea.
Nolting said the plant would sell electricity to Virginia Power and also supply electricity for the college.
It would "incorporate within the facility the latest technology in environmental controls," according to a statement that went out with the letters to local officials.
by CNB