Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 3, 1995 TAG: 9502030057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, said he would fight the amendment this morning when the consolidation bill comes before the full Counties, Cities and Towns Committee.
A bill sponsored by Del. Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum, D-Roanoke, that calls for the same restrictions on Bedford's electric department will be heard today in the Corporations, Insurance and Banking Committee.
The General Assembly is expected to approve the consolidation plan, under which Bedford County would become a city - the largest geographically in Virginia - and the current Bedford city would become a shire - a semi-independent body with the ability to annex land.
A consolidation referendum could be brought before voters as early as November.
Hamstringing the city's power company - an important source of revenue - would hurt the shire's ability to annex, according to Jay Scudder, the city's planning director.
"It limits the other services that the city can provide," Scudder said.
Appalachian Power Co. and the Southside Electric Cooperative serve Bedford County and are seeking to protect their customer base there.
Putney did succeed in fending off an annexation amendment proposed by Del. Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount, whose district includes the Moneta precinct in Bedford County.
The amendment would have barred a consolidated Bedford from grabbing territory from neighboring Franklin, Pittsylvania, Campbell, Botetourt or Amherst counties.
Dudley supports consolidation, but without a guarantee against Bedford expanding its borders, he said, opponents might try to raise unfounded fears about annexation.
Staff writer Richard Foster contributed to this story.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995
by CNB