Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9407140070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"The bottom line is, if it's not cost effective for Salem, we have no business joining, period," Mayor Jim Taliaferro said after the council voted to chip in $3,000 for a consultants' study of how Roanoke Valley governments can work together.
"I'm not supporting the outcome" of the study by voting to help pay for it, he said. "And neither is anybody else on council."
Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, had asked a group of administrators and elected officials from Botetourt County, Roanoke, Roanoke County, Vinton and Salem to kick in money for a study of infrastructure and services that the localities could better provide jointly. The group has been meeting semi-regularly since last fall.
After Salem voted not to put up any money, and other elected bodies also seemed reluctant, the business community offered to chip in half the estimated $30,000 cost of the study.
Taliaferro said he brought the matter to City Council again because Cranwell asked him at the group's meeting Monday to do so as a personal favor.
The mayor did but said, "I believe we've got a couple of horses and carts out of line."
Added Councilman Alex Brown, "I would refuse to vote for something that lowers the level of services [in Salem] just for the sake of cooperation."
Roanoke County's Board of Supervisors went on record at its last meeting in support of the concept of the study but not to support spending money on it until further details were known. Roanoke City Council on Monday also approved up to $7,000 for the study.
by CNB