Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210082
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Planning for a 1995 Septemberfest needs to start immediately, Main Street President Fred Heilich told City Council on Monday, and he urged the city to assume a leadership role. "It's just too much for a small group to handle," he said.
Council has appointed a festival committee that's looking into holding a major city celebration each year, but members won't report until March, and they have not yet focused on a festival theme or date.
The city's annual Riverfest also may be history. The Chamber of Commerce has not included Riverfest on its 1995 program, said Bill Yerrick, a councilman and festival committee member.
Bud Jeffries, Main Street Radford's executive director, said Tuesday that two-thirds of the festival's approximately $30,000 budget went for entertainment, and "we essentially broke even." But more than dollars, he said, planning and executing Septemberfest sapped the organization's energy and diverted its focus from its main job of downtown redevelopment. "We still haven't totally recovered from that," he said.
Jeffries also worried that financial resources that were available this year might dry up next year in the wake of budget cuts. This year, City Council contributed $10,000, he said, while another $6,000 or so came from local businesses and industries and from Radford University student life. The rest of the festival funding was from vendor fees, T-shirt sales and other sources, he said.
Yerrick said Monday he thinks a downtown street festival still is possible for 1995, though perhaps not on the scale of this year's Septemberfest. "I'd hate to close the door on Septemberfest because we can't find $30,000," he said.
In other business Monday, council unanimously approved a resolution opposing Gov. George Allen's proposed elimination of the business, professional and occupational license tax - also called a gross receipts tax. The city would have to increase real estate taxes by approximately 7 percent to compensate for phasing out the local tax. The resolution noted that state-owned buildings and property, which are not taxable, account for 21 percent of the city's total real estate valuation.
Council declined to vote on a similar motion by Councilman David Worrell opposing cutbacks in funds for New River Valley Community Services Board programs. The board had asked for the resolution, which died for lack of a second after council members, anticipating a flood of similar requests, decided to draw the line at this one.
An emotional Worrell later blasted his colleagues. "You put me in a very embarrassing situation by your refusal to approve the resolution," he said, adding he wasn't sure if he should resign as council's Community Services Board representative as a result. Worrell said it was the first time he could recall that council failed to act on such a resolution.
Council also heard from Voter Registrar Tracy Howard, who predicted recent state approval of a "motor voter" law will dramatically swell Radford's voter rolls and increase the city's costs. He said the law, which allows voters to sign up at various state agencies including the Division of Motor Vehicles, doesn't have enough safeguards against illegal registrations.
Also on Monday, City Council:
Agreed to consider purchasing three voting machines.
Accepted the annual financial audit for the 1993-94 fiscal year.
Appropriated $357,530 in unspent money from last year's school budget to cover 1994-95 expenses.
OK'd a resolution designating Dec. 19-Jan. 2 as an extended Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Week.
Agreed to meet with the School Board Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. to discuss spending and project priorities for 1995-96.
by CNB