Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 28, 1994 TAG: 9405300015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Five of the workers are from Montgomery County, and the Board of Supervisors wants answers from the New River Valley Community Services Board on why it is cutting a subsidy that will cost the workers their jobs as of June 30.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Montgomery County Courthouse.
"We're just trying to gather all the facts before we decide if we need to take any action," said supervisors Chairman Larry Linkous.
Lynn Chenault, the Community Services Board's executive director, will appear before the supervisors.
"The board's real, real concerned about this," Linkous said. "It's something that's really hit home with these folks."
The county will contribute $105,992 to the Community Services Board in the budget year beginning July 1. One supervisor has suggested withholding a portion of that money as a means of influencing the Community Services Board to continue full funding for the program.
While the county could probably do that legally, it would have major repercussions and cause a similar withholding of state matching funds, Linkous said.
Chenault said this week the contract with the New River Valley Workshop is being cut because of budget pressures and a shift in philosophy away from the sheltered work environment.
But parents of the mentally handicapped adults say their children will be unable to work in a nonsheltered job and will end up sitting at home with nothing to do.
by CNB