Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 30, 1991 TAG: 9103300360
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK LAYMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The county's libraries won't be able to buy as many books.
And there won't be new furniture in the lobby of the county courthouse.
Largely due to reductions in state funding, the county is anticipating its net revenue increase will be limited to $206,000 next year. If the Board of Supervisors gives final approval to a 10 percent admissions tax April 9, that will bring in another $100,000.
Still, County Administrator Elmer Hodge had to say "no" to $3.7 million in funding requests in his proposed 1991-1992 budget.
For example, the Solid Waste Department requested but did not get $120,000 for a "one-armed bandit" automated garbage truck or $495,000 for 6,600 rollout garbage containers.
The requests would have allowed extension of automated garbage collection to two more routes; 13,300 households now are on automated routes.
Supervisors Chairman Steve McGraw said he had hoped there would be automated pickup countywide by 1993. "I want to see that done, but not at the expense of laying off employees or hurting the schools. . . . Hodge has had to make many tough decisions."
Hodge's budget also doesn't include $318,500 to expand the county's commingled recycling program. The money was requested to purchase 4,900 rollout containers for household recyclables such as newspapers, junk mail, magazines, computer paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic soda bottles and milk jugs.
So far, 900 households in North Lakes and 800 in the Montgomery Village and Crofton subdivisions east of Vinton have been given the 60-gallon containers. The recyclables are picked up once a month by "one-armed bandits."
Three-fourths of those households participated in the first pickup this month, according to Nancy Bailey, the county's solid-waste coordinator. In North Lakes, that resulted in a 22 percent reduction in the volume of garbage taken to the landfill.
Supervisor Lee Eddy, a big supporter of recycling, said he was sorry that money to expand the program wasn't included in Hodge's budget. "But we have to face reality," he said.
Hodge's budget also gives the county's libraries $150,000 for new books next year - $45,000 less than this year.
"If money was no object, I'd like to have $225,000 to $250,000," said library director George Garretson. The reduction "will have an impact. Books are the reason we're in business. It presents a real problem for us. We'll have to be more selective in what we buy. But these are hard times, and I hope the public will understand."
Garretson said he will continue to buy best-sellers but might not be able to update reference books.
All valley libraries plan to begin charging fines for overdue books this summer - 10 cents a day for adult books, 5 cents for children's books and $1 for videos. Garretson said he would use that extra money to buy books. "That will help. But I have no idea what the income will be."
Hodge included money in his budget for 30 new vehicles - 14 of them police cars. He turned down requests for 22 vehicles.
Other requests Hodge turned down include $303,900 to upgrade the capacity of the Management Information Systems Department's computer and $60,000 to purchase furniture for the lobby of the county courthouse.
Supervisors will make the final decisions on these and other budget requests.
by CNB