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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 15, 1993                   TAG: 9312150058
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Short

RADFORD CITY COUNCIL LIMITS DEPARTMENTS' BUDGET INCREASES

City Council has limited increases in all city department and agency budgets to one percent for the 1994-95 budget year.

Council took that action Monday night, despite projections that next year's revenues will rise by approximately 2.8 percent.

The one percent cap will not include salary increases.

Last year, council ordered a similar cap.

Council member David Worrell first suggested a three percent ceiling, but his motion was not seconded. Mayor Thomas Starnes proposed the one percent ceiling.

Because budgets will increase at a rate less than inflation, which is approximately three percent, city departments will actually have less spending power.

Worrell and council member Gary Weddle suggested city departments learn to do without - especially in light of expected state funding cuts - by limiting hours of operation, for instance.

"I think what we're saying is that government could learn a lot from the private sector," Weddle said.

In other news, council approved a $4,125 expenditure to restore three tennis courts for the recreation department.

Council authorized participation in the Commonwealth's Forfeited Asset Sharing Program - a program in which local law enforcement agencies may share a part of the proceeds of drug-related seizures to promote law enforcement.

Council also appointed Gary Young to fill the un-expired term of Jame Dickenson on the New River Regional Jail Advisory Board and reappointed Roy I. Lloyd to the Southwest Virginia Emergency Medical Services Council.

by CNB