
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995                   TAG: 9503300051
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STEWART MacINNIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE                                LENGTH: Medium

CRAIG TEACHERS GET 4 PERCENT RAISE

Teachers and other school employees will get a 4 percent pay raise next year in a proposed $3.6 million school budget presented to the Craig County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

The supervisors, though making no comment on the substance of the budget, complimented the school board on the effectiveness of the county schools and the board in recent years.

Supervisor John M. Lee praised the budget as "the most realistic budget in recent years."

The supervisors will take up the proposed school budget as they consider the overall county budget prior to the July 1 start of the budget year. The budget presented by James Cady, school board chairman, can be altered by the supervisors.

The proposed budget calls for $1,039,408 in county funds. Superintendent M. Dallas Helems Jr. said the county share is about $19,000 more than the minimum amount it must provide under state formulas based on enrollment.

The budget anticipates more than $2.3 million in state funds, $184,700 in federal funds, and about $6,000 from other revenue sources in addition to the county share.

On the spending side, the budget calls for four new teachers and one new bus driver, as well as the 4 percent salary increase. The teachers had asked for a 6 percent pay raise.

The amount budgeted for materials and supplies is $40,000 more than is in this year's budget. That item and teacher in-service training are being increased to support the transition to block scheduling of classes at the high school.

In another matter, Helems told the supervisors that the school board was nearing completion of a concept for new facilities to relieve crowding at the county school complex.

The school board may be ready to present some preliminary cost figures to the supervisors next month, though Helems said the proposed construction would not be included in next year's budget. There is currently at least a two-year wait for a low-interest loan from the state Literary Fund, which finances most public school construction statewide.

In other business, the supervisors:

Approved a request from Sheriff B.B. McPherson to purchase a radio for a patrol car for $2,400.

by CNB