Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 14, 1994 TAG: 9409140077
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Heralding an enhanced partnership between the university and the city, Owens turned over checks Monday totaling $38,000 as the school's voluntary contribution to help defray the costs of city-provided police and emergency services.
"We recognize our dependence on the city of Radford," Owens said, just before handing Mayor Tom Starnes $3,000 apiece for the police and rescue squad and $32,000 toward the cost of fire protection.
While those amounts equalled last year's contribution, the city got a bonus from the university this time around. Earlier this summer, the school gave the city $6,500 to buy a rescue boat, Fire Chief Martin "Jigger" Roberts reported. Roberts, also the city's treasurer, took custody of the latest contributions for safekeeping.
"Feel free to come back anytime," Starnes told Owens.
In other business, council put off acting on plans to up enforcement of the city's vehicle decal ordinance. Responding to a council request, Police Chief A.C. Earles has recommended setting up a fund to pay overtime to officers who volunteer for additional decal duty. But Starnes suggested city administrators also look into using lower-paid clerical workers to match up existing computerized databases of vehicle owners, tax records and voter records to find violators.
More than once, City Manager Bob Asbury suggested council was trying to duplicate current enforcement efforts. "Please understand that what you're proposing doing is already being done," he said. "It's part of the process."
That process includes two citywide canvasses of vehicles parked in open view of police patrols, Deputy Police Chief Jonny Butler explained. But he said the number of violators cited goes down each year as more vehicles are parked on private property where police may not legally go to check decals.
Starnes said that based on the number of housing units in the city, the city should be selling something on the order of 7,000 decals each year, instead of 6,400.
Councilwoman Polly Corn, who initially pushed for "a crusade" to enforce the decal law, was not at Monday's meeting. The discussion is expected to resume at council's next regular session Sept. 26.
Following a brief executive session, council announced plans to spend $30,000 to buy 1 1/2 acres at Staples and 17th streets from Paul Snell for additional parking for the adjacent city Electric Department building.
In other business, council:
Established a permanent Radford Environmental Improvement Commission and appointed five of its nine members. Named were Larry Amy, Lyle Tefft, Bob Thomas, Nancy McMurray and Rebecca Evans.
Agreed to spend $65,000 to repair the municipal pool in Bisset Park.
Approved a new Bingo and raffles ordinance that brings the city's law into compliance with revisions in state law. Under the new ordinance, game sponsors must earmark 75 percent of gross receipts to support the "lawful religious, charitable, community or educational purposes" of the sponsoring organization. Bingo may be played only between 8 a.m. and midnight.
Unanimously supported a resolution opposing plans to move required Breathalyzer training for police from Salem to Richmond. Butler predicted that the move would make Breathalyzer training less accessible to local police and could "effectively gut the driving under intoxication program we've built up."
Council has scheduled a work session Monday at 7 p.m. in council chambers to review delinquent real estate and personal property taxes.
by CNB