`LAME DUCKS' ACT IN FLOYD, BATH

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

DATE: SATURDAY, January 4, 1992                   TAG: 9201060184
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
`LAME DUCKS' ACT IN FLOYD, BATH
IN BOTH Floyd County and Bath County, "lame duck" sessions of the board of supervisors made some important decisions that were against the wishes of many voters.
In Floyd, a hastily devised amendment to an ordinance controlling solid waste was passed, leaving the county without any local protection against abuses from processors of chemical waste. Two of the members of the board are "lame duck" members. They did not heed the advice of Supervisor Howard Dickerson not to act before carefully considering all the consequences.
In Bath County, another "rump" board of supervisors made permanent appointments to the school board in spite of the protests of many citizens.
In a democratic society, we should not allow officials who are no longer responsive to the people to act in a vindictive or unscrupulous manner. I have requested Del. Willard Finney and Sen. Virgil Goode to introduce a bill in the next Virginia legislature to prohibit local governing bodies from passing, amending or abolishing local ordinances in the period after the local election and the formation of the new governing body unless all members of the governing body were re-elected. These "rump" governing bodies should not be allowed to make permanent appointments or vote to make new expenditures in excess of $500.
Great harm can be done by local officials who are no longer responsive to the voters. ED BRODERICK FLOYD

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB