Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9407120096
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
City Council on Monday unanimously approved a $23 million capital improvement bond referendum that would fund those projects and other needs without affecting the city real estate tax rate.
City Manager Bob Herbert called it a "meat and potatoes" bond referendum, noting that about 90 percent of the money borrowed would go to schools, bridge repairs, sidewalk and street projects.
"These are projects that I consider the very backbone of government services," Herbert told council.
Council will hold a public hearing on the referendum Aug. 8 during its regular 7 p.m. meeting. The referendum would be held Nov. 8. If approved by voters, the city intends to sell the bonds beginning in January 1996.
The largest single chunk of money from the bond proposal - $7.1 million - would go to schools. It would fund school renovations beginning with Jackson Middle School in Southeast Roanoke, as well as replace obsolete fire alarms and cooling systems.
Money also would be spent for more computers in classrooms and on networking them, an item that brought praise from Councilwoman Linda Wyatt.
"To bring our school system and our teaching techniques into the 21st century, this is vital," she said.
Another $5.2 million would be spent repairing bridges. The city maintains 99 bridges within its borders. Several are in dire need of repair, notably the Walnut Avenue Bridge. It is closed to fire trucks and school buses because of load limitations.
The city plans to spend $4.3 million more on traffic light systems, sidewalks and its share of $52 million in local state road projects. They include an extension of Peters Creek Road, the Second Street/Gainsboro Road project and a pedestrian bridge connecting the Hotel Roanoke with downtown.
Another $870,000 would be spent on a new fire station on Peters Creek Road, $524,000 for the Roanoke City Jail Annex and $939,000 for repairs to the 25-year-old Roanoke Civic Center.
There is a little bit of glitz in the proposal. The bond referendum would include $1.5 million for the first phase of a boardwalk along the railroad tracks downtown between Jefferson Street and Second Street. Mayor David Bowers announced that project last week.
It is linked with a proposal to grant the transportation museum $813,000 for improvements, provided it can raise a matching amount.
Herbert predicted improvements to the museum and linear park linking it to the City Market will pay off in the future.
"In my judgment, the project will have a direct return on investment. I believe with this budget we will see additional people coming downtown," he said.
by CNB