BUDGET GIVES COUNCIL RAISES OK'D BY PREVIOUS GROUP

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 19, 1992                   TAG: 9202190098
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: JUDY SCHWAB CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Short
BUDGET GIVES COUNCIL RAISES OK'D BY PREVIOUS GROUP
The city's new budget allocates money for the first pay raise for City Council members in more than 20 years.
Coming at a time when city jobs may be cut, some council members have expressed embarrassment at accepting a 100 percent increase - $200 a month, instead of $100.
Members are prohibited from voting themselves a pay increase; this one was approved by a previous council before the last elections, City Manager Bob Asbury explained.
Raises cannot go into effect until all members who voted for them are no longer serving on the council or have been re-elected. This council can't turn down the increase.
Mayor Tom Starnes suggested members who did not want to accept the raise could give it back to the city through the gifts and donations account.
Asbury, directed by council to trim the budget by 3 percent, cut some jobs. Council wants to reconsider those cuts and will discuss personnel issues some time after completing the scheduled review of the budget.
Because last year's budget was frozen, the 3 percent cuts take the city back to 1989-90 level, Asbury said.
The next budget discussion will be Tuesday Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB