Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 16, 1995 TAG: 9506160038
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
The Finance Committee worked out the details early Thursday in preparation for Town Council to adopt a final budget Tuesday night.
Pulaski County Commissioner of Revenue Maynard Sayers has told the town it could expect the additional revenue in machinery and tools taxes from expansions at Pulaski Furniture Corp., Pulaski Magnox and Xaloy Inc.
That lowered the anticipated $88,253 budget deficit to $26,831. The administration proposed to handle the remaining deficit by deleting a $20,000 council contingency fund and reducing office renovations and nuisance abatement.
"Let me beat the sewer fund one more time," said Finance Committee Chairman W.H. "Rocky" Schrader, who had been unsuccessful in trying to convince council to enact a 3 percent sewer rate increase to balance the sewer budget and continue the sewer-line rehabilitation program.
Schrader was unhappy with dropping any rate increase until the administration comes back with a restructuring plan for sewer rates. "I think we're kind of throwing mud at the wall and seeing what sticks," he said.
Several council members expressed concern that shifting the funding meant hiding the problems. Council is "postponing the inevitable," said Councilman John Stone, and even a 3 percent increase "is probably not going to be the solution to our problems."
The committee finally decided to recommend transferring $50,000 of the new money to keep the sewer rehabilitation program intact and trying to finish the rate restructuring study by Sept. 30. The study would include estimates of how many of the sewer problems come from other sources such as street drains, which would allow some sewer work to be charged to those funds.
The committee favored keeping the entire $181,400 budgeted for the town's new economic development initiative, but Councilman John Johnston suggested having the Board of Economic Development fund new town entrance signs. The cost of the signs is still not known, but will probably exceed $15,000.
The final budget to be considered Tuesday keeps all town departments at or below their funding levels for the current year.
Mayor Andy Graham restated his plea to open budget communications between administration and council earlier next year, so the administration would not spend time drawing up a proposed budget to which council members would want changes. "I just hate surprises," he said.
by CNB