Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, September 14, 1993 TAG: 9309140110
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The closed-circuit TV connection between the town's jail annex and the county magistrate's office in Christiansburg saves police officers from driving prisoners to the courthouse for processing. Town Manager Ron Secrist suggested the tax increase in an effort to end a dispute with Montgomery County about who would staff the jail annex.
The proposed tax increase is one of six public hearings scheduled for the 7:30 p.m. meeting in the Blacksburg Municipal Building.
If council approves the proposal, the 911 tax would be increased from 23 cents to 86 cents a month starting in mid-November.
Police Chief Don Cary said the electronic magistrate, begun in June 1991, has saved the town more than 2,000 work hours and $12,000 in vehicle maintenance per year. The average time it takes a Blacksburg officer to make an arrest has been cut from 90 minutes to 32 minutes.
The town spent about $100,000 for the jail annex and electronic magistrate and provided $15,000 a year toward the operation of the program. Montgomery County spent roughly $65,000 for the facilities and agreed to staff the jail annex 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
But last September, county officials gave the required 12-month notice to terminate its contract to staff the facility. Since then, Blacksburg officials have expressed irritation at the county's "erratic or nonexistent" staffing of the jail. Town Council passed a resolution in May criticizing the county's management of the facility. The tax increase proposed by Secrist would generate $98,809 a year, enough for the Police Department to hire and certify two full-time and one part-time officers to staff the jail. The officers would staff the facility Wednesday to Saturday, peak times for arrests in Blacksburg.
Other public hearings on council's agenda:
An ordinance establishing historic zoning in the town.
An ordinance increasing the small-purchase limit and approving new purchasing regulations and perfecting bidding procedures.
An ordinance approving the contract for the town's participation in development of a new elementary school on Prices Fork Road.
An ordinance governing procedures and standards for regulation of cable TV rates in accordance with the federal Cable Television Act approved last year.
by CNB