Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 13, 1993 TAG: 9301130244
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: LON WAGNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BOONES MILL LENGTH: Medium
BOONES MILL DEBATES GIVING OFFICER TITLES
One of Lt. Lynn Frith's duties, as chief of police of this town of 239, is to make sure the muskrat traps stay baited."I'm not very good at that, unfortunately," Frith admitted at the Town Council meeting Tuesday.
The myriad jobs Frith performs have made him the target of residents opposed to the way the town is being run.
Tuesday, Councilman Kevin Goode proposed making many of the jobs Frith already performs part of his job description.
For taking on, for example, the duties of town planning and investigating the source of grant money, Frith would add the title of director of planning analysis and development to his resume. "I feel this would clear up any confusions and questions as to why Mr. Frith is doing so many other things in addition to his title," Goode said.
Frith, who makes $24,500 annually but receives no health insurance coverage, said he already does most of the duties Goode described. Frith said he usually works about 50 hours a week.
The discussion of Goode's proposal quickly diverted to the merits of Frith's driving a souped-up Camaro to enforce the speed limit.
Homer Murray, a town resident and member of the county supervisors, said the new designation essentially would make Frith the town manager.
Goode did not suggest a pay raise for Frith to take on the new duties, but Murray warned the council that if it tried to become too much of a big-time town it may run into financial problems.
"One of these days the well's going to run dry," Murray said. "When you go to raise taxes to pay for a town manager, you're going to have people in here so thick you're not going to know what to do."
Vice Chairman Maurice Turner, who conducted the meeting in Mayor Juanita Murray's absence, was clearly tired of the criticism leveled monthly at the council.
"Now y'all are harping on him and coming down on him," Turner said of the criticism of Frith. "Please don't keep coming down on this town the way you all are doing.
"Every time we turn around you all are down here nitpicking."
Action on Goode's proposal was delayed until council could see if the town charter permitted it.
Murray slipped and fell before the meeting and was taken to the hospital, Turner said.
The town government has been at odds lately, with Councilwoman Virginia Carroll leading the charge to change the way the town is run.
Complaints by Carroll about the town's denying her access to meeting minutes and other records forced Franklin County prosecutor Cliff Hapgood to send a letter to the council reminding members of Virginia law.
Town Clerk Craig Drewry read Hapgood's letter at the meeting.
"Let me start by saying," Drewry said, "no one's ever been denied access to records anywhere."
"That's a lie," Carroll retorted.