Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 6, 1991 TAG: 9104060214
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Medium
The supervisors made no changes Friday in the proposed $11.49 million budget for 1991-92. The budget discussion will continue at the board meeting April 15.
Raising money to pay for construction of a new landfill to meet state regulations came up as the supervisors looked at the local revenue sources. And the topic kept coming up since the county must spend between $1.4 million and $2.5 million for landfill construction by 1994.
The only consensus reached was that the county should use money generated by its proposed industrial tipping fee for that purpose. The $25-a-ton fee, the only new revenue source included in the proposed budget, will bring the county an estimated $65,000 next year.
A fee of $5 per household and business has been suggested by County Administrator Randy Arno as another funding source. However opinion on its fairness varied.
"The household fee, as it stands, can be grossly unfair," said Supervisor Lowell Boothe. He cited his aunt, who owns a house but who resides in a nursing home, as an example of someone who could be charged for household waste disposal without generating garbage there.
Supervisor Howard Dickerson thought the fee was the fairest alternative. Dickerson thought, however, that increasing the real estate levy might be a more prudent way to immediately begin building reserves.
Vice Chairman David Ingram agreed. "It's going to be a great big job to initiate it," he said.
It also was unclear whether and how much the county would have to borrow for landfill construction. Boothe said that he was resigned to borrowing because of the urgency of the need.
Arno meanwhile showed how the county could have $1.6 million by July 1993 for landfill construction. The county could raise about $500,000 during each of the next two years through a combination of a three-cent increase in the real estate tax rate ($105,000); the household garbage fee ($330,000) and the industrial dumping fee ($65,000). This would be added to $600,000 of the county's reserves.
The supervisors also discussed ways in which the school system could balance its budget without having to participate in the state's early retirement plan. That option commits the schools to paying over $61,000 a year for 20 years to the Virginia Retirement System.
Three options included increasing local funds by an additional $100,000 over the School Board request, lease-purchasing buses, and layoffs.
All plans assume that the supervisors will fund the school system's request of $90,000 in additional local money in full; $30,000 in additional state aid; and no increase in the school system's share of employee medical insurance.
The alternatives were developed by Arno and School Superintendent Omar Ross. However, their drawbacks made the early retirement plan still look best.
"Even with the buyout [early retirement benefits], with the known figures we have to go with, [early retirement] is still the best way to go," said Supervisor Reece McPeak.
by CNB