Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 4, 1991 TAG: 9104040384
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"I received copies of the letters recently and passed them on to council members as information," said Town Manager John Lemley. "They're not asking the town for help; they're satisfied with what we give them."
The letters were sent by Reggie Jones, Christiansburg Life Saving and First Aid Crew captain, who asked the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors to reconsider recent funding requests.
The Christiansburg Rescue Squad, which became a town department in January 1990 and responded to about 1,800 calls last year, requested $22,341 for the 1991-92 fiscal year. It will receive $10,854.
"As hard as we try, we cannot understand how Montgomery County can furnish only approximately 10 percent of our operating budget for 1990-91 and give us an increase of less than $400 for 1991-92," wrote Jones in the first letter, dated March 21. He added that town taxpayers supplied 90 percent of the squad budget last year and said "it appears they again will carry the burden for the coming year."
"This appears to us to be a very unequal share when we provide the same services to both county and town residents," wrote Jones.
The county will give a total of $40,205 in 1991-92 to the Elliston-Shawsville, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Longshop-McCoy rescue squads. Each squad gets the same dollar amount per emergency call.
The second letter council received at its Tuesday night meeting was also from Jones to the supervisors, asking them to replace their advanced life support unit through the capital improvements program.
Jones said in his letter that a request to replace the Unit 91 - which is the first-run unit on wrecks, cardiac arrests and other emergencies - was moved back a year by the supervisors and that "the delay will cause a great hardship, both financially and in the quality of service we provide."
The present Unit 91 is a 1987 Ford with about 50,000 miles on it that needed about $3,000 in repairs and gas last year. Jones reported that he still has roughly $1,100 in outstanding repair bills on the vehicle.
"There is no way we can continue to maintain this vehicle at an adequate level with the funds the county provides for our operating budget," wrote Jones of the $5,000 per year maintenance budget. He asked that supervisors approve the vehicle's replacement this year.
One council member wondered how the supervisors could spend money on a bike and walking path but couldn't find more to save lives.
County Administrator Betty Thomas said Wednesday that supervisors received the letters at a budget hearing, but have taken no action. However, supervisors have set aside a $100,000 fund for fire and rescue crews, but haven't determined how it will be distributed.
In other business Tuesday night, council unanimously approved subdivisions layouts for Reading Road Estates, Falling Branch, JBK Associates and South Hill Park.
Council also set spring cleanup weeks for April 8-20 and heard a request from Robert and Brenda Martin, owners of Blue Ridge Heating, to close and deed a 12-foot alley to them. The alley lies between Custom Gun Shop - which they are buying - and Christiansburg Auto Parts and "is serving no beneficial purpose," the couple wrote.
by CNB