Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9412230069
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N17 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bonnie Barger Mayo, the Republican challenger to incumbent supervisor Ben H. Griffith, leads the opposition. Griffith supports the bond issue.
While proponents argue that the bonds are the cheapest way for the county to lay the groundwork for its record growth, opponents say only a portion of the county will benefit.
Some northern county residents say the southern part of the county will be the major beneficiary, and they won't support that until they see more economic development initiatives coming their way.
"There's just too much included in the package to be considered at one time," said Mayo.
In addition to $13.6 million to renovate and construct middle schools in Cloverdale and Fincastle, the referendum contains $6.1 million for development of a landfill, new water systems, industrial sites, a park and a branch library.
"It's just too much debt to be incurred," Mayo said.
Besides, she argues, the county has not announced where it plans to locate some of the facilities. "Everybody feels it will be something in the southern end of the county."
Mayo said she would rather see the county build a centralized high school and convert Lord Botetourt and James River high schools into middle schools than embark on two separate middle-school building projects.
Griffith, a retired teacher who was appointed to the board to fill the unexpired term of G.C. Thompson, said Mayo's alternative would be more expensive.
He said a new high school would cost more than $20 million, compared to $13.6 million proposed in the bond referendum.
The county could borrow the money now at low interest rates and be prepared for the future, he said.
In addition to the school, Griffith says, some needs are critical. The landfill space has only about 18 months of use left. The county needs to start clearing land and setting up additional disposal sites, he said.
Water lines are needed to serve the county's booming residential growth. Botetourt County in 1994 already has exceeded the record volume of building permits it had in all of 1993.
Griffith's position on the bond referendum is unequivocal.
"I think it is good for the county," he said. "We don't need to delay it."
While the Fincastle District is the only one affected this year by a supervisors race, other parts of the county have been weighing in on the bond issue.
And even some residents in south county aren't impressed with the package or the planning that went behind it.
Most residents of the Orchard Hill subdivision believe that the proposed Cloverdale Middle School will be built too closely to established subdivisions in their neighborhood.
"The school buildings will be right on top of the subdivisions," said Lynn Bledsoe, an Orchard Hill resident.
Most of the subdivision's 38 homeowners have signed a petition asking the School Board to reconsider the site. Bledsoe said current plans call for school bus traffic to use the subdivision roads to gain access to the proposed school.
Some residents even have discussed legal action if the county goes ahead with the plan.
One lot in Orchard Hill will be 36 feet from the school parking lot. Another will be 47 feet away, Bledsoe said.
Most of the residents weren't aware that a school was being planned for the area when they purchased their lots, Bledsoe said.
Supervisors Chairman Bob Layman is refusing to take a public stand on the bond issue, but he predicts it will pass.
by CNB