Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 13, 1993 TAG: 9301130118
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
COUNTY FOSTER CARE GETS ADDITIONAL $60,000
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors gave the county welfare department another $60,000 for foster care Monday night.Faced with the request for more money, Supervisor Henry Jablonski questioned why the department couldn't make cuts in other programs to come up with the money needed for foster care.
Social Service Director Dan Farris told the board that state and federal regulations wouldn't allow such transfers.
"We may have to put some kids on your doorstep," Farris said when asked what would happen if the board didn't give him the money.
The problem, said Farris, is the state gave the county less money at the start of the year for foster care than county officials knew they would need, based on experience.
For the fiscal year that started July 1, the department already has spent $200,000 on foster care, Farris said. Abused or emotionally disturbed children, who have to be sent to specialized foster-care homes, can cost the county as much as $6,000 a month, he said.
One problem in the New River Valley is there is no residential treatment facility for children, Farris said.
The supervisors agreed to the appropriation from the county's contingency fund, which will be matched by another $60,000 in state funds, but not before several supervisors questioned what they see as abuse of the welfare system by some recipients.
"Is there any way your office can cause people to be more accountable?" Supervisor Larry Linkous asked Farris.
Earlier in Monday's meeting, a hearing to get the public's views on the 1993-94 budget drew support for human services programs and more money for schools.
"There's no place we receive more bang for our local bucks than in human services," Bill King, treasurer of the county Human Services Board told the supervisors. Others spoke for continued funding of such human-service programs as the Retired Seniors Volunteers and mental health services.
Wat Hopkins of Blacksburg told the board it was "ridiculous" to think the county school system could get by next year on the same budget as this year.
"The children of this county are suffering and I'm here to ask you to do something about it," he said.
In December, the supervisors told the School Board to prepare next year's budget based on this year's $41.5 million budget, of which $18.9 million is local money.
Hopkins said the schools would need $44 million just to take care of inflation, new spending required by state and federal regulations and new teachers needed to meet enrollment growth. More would be need to ensure county children get a quality education, he said.
Also Monday, a delegation of residents from the Ironto-Bradshaw Valley section of the county asked the supervisors once again to abandon the idea of locating a new county landfill in their area. The county has done core drilling on land near Flatwoods Road.
Several residents suggested that a more aggressive recycling program could extend the life of the current landfill, and that recycling and a contract with a landfill in a neighboring county could take care of the county's future landfill needs.
The residents, who have resurrected an activist group called Save Our Soil, gave the supervisors a list of questions they want answered. One is whether the board has compared what it would cost to contract with Radford or Roanoke County to bury the county's trash with the cost of building a new landfill.
In other action, the supervisors:
Heard objections to the rezoning of 155 acres of farmland next to the new Falling Branch School in Christiansburg for a county industrial park. J.C. Callahan, principal at the school, said he would be concerned for the safety of children and of neighbors if the park is built.
Listened as neighbors objected to a requested rezoning and special-use permit that would clear the way for an expansion of Turman Lumber Co.'s sawmill on Fire Tower Road. Residents said the sawmill, which operates from 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., has caused dust, noise and traffic problems.
Doug Cook, executive director of the New River Valley Workshop, spoke in favor of the rezoning. Cook's organization employs handicapped people to make shipping pallets at a shop next to the sawmill.
Re-elected Ira Long of Prices Fork as chairman and Joe Stewart of Elliston as vice-chairman of the board.