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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 27, 1994                   TAG: 9404270117
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CHRONIC `COMPLAINER' GETS SEAT AT COUNTY'S BUDGET TABLE

A self-described "complainer," postal worker David Courey shows up at Board of Supervisors meetings whenever he has something to say about a county issue.

This spring, he was the only one to speak at a public hearing on the county's real estate tax rate. Supervisors weren't considering an increase; they wanted to keep the $1.13 rate the same as last year. But Courey thought it should be lowered.

Hodge had been wanting to make a citizen part of the budget process, so he decided to invite Courey to join budget meetings. Courey was the county's first citizen observer of the budget process, an idea Hodge plans to expand next year.

"We've got a lot to do with that money I didn't realize," Courey now admits. "There's a lot of mandates from the state I disagree with that have to be [paid]."

"Where I thought money flowed like water, it does - in [departments' requests]. But by the time it gets to Elmer, he questions everything they ask for."

Courey sat through marathon budget meetings - each of which usually lasts more than three hours - several times a week for the two weeks that budget requests went from county department heads to Hodge. He said he "grilled" department heads about their requests and had access to all budget information.

"I think they were apprehensive at first," he says, "because I was a big complainer. But every department head answered every question I wanted to know."

Says Hodge, "I think the staff realized, here is one of their citizens who has some good points."

Once a staunch opponent of tax increases, Courey now supports a proposed 40-cent tax increase on monthly phone bills to finance improvements to the county's enhanced 911 system and pay for three more dispatchers.

He also supports hiring a narcotics investigator and buying new radios for the animal control department - two requests from departments that did not make it into Hodge's proposed budget, which was presented to the board Tuesday.

While Courey is now a fan of Hodge - "we've got a good county administrator" - and believes the proposed 1994-95 budget is a frugal one, he doesn't plan to stay away from supervisors meetings.

"I will still complain," he says. "I can't help it - I'm a taxpayer. Someone should stand up and say it."