Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 17, 1995 TAG: 9506210018
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Much of that has changed today, and even bigger changes are on the way.
Council now meets at the roomy and quiet Free Memorial Library, where Thursday, Town Manager Gary Elander unveiled a robust $2.4 million 1995-96 budget that contains no new taxes and still projects more than $366,000 in additional revenues.
Town Council has lowered the real estate tax rate twice since 1990, he points out. Water and sewer rates haven't gone up in at least two years.
Banks now appear eager to lend money to support the town's development plans. "This a long way from just a few years ago," Elander told Town Council, a reference to the days when banks criticized the town's fiscal management and loaned money only at less-than-favorable rates.
A former Montgomery County administrator, Elander came to Dublin 51/2 years ago, at first on a part-time basis.
Job number one, he said, was "to put our financial house in order."
He credits subsequent prudent money management and Dublin's burgeoning industrial center for much of the success the small town has experienced in recent years.
For starters, "we stopped spending more than we were taking in," he said.
At the same time, the town patiently negotiated an agreement with Burlington Industries to purchase part of the former textile operation on Newbern Road for use as an industrial park. Last fall, Burlington donated the remaining 359,000 square feet of building space in the "main plant" and 170 acres at the site to the town.
"The Industrial Park is the biggest single item in increases in revenue," Elander said Friday. Next year's revenue boost largely reflects activities in the newly acquired main plant section, he said.
Thursday, council OK'd plans to borrow up to $450,000 to make improvements to the main plant facility. "These improvements are being paid for out of income generated at the Industrial Park," Elander told council.
The Industrial Park now generates $625,000 or so a year for Dublin.
On Jan. 1, Dublin incorporated the entire Industrial Park within town limits following a boundary change agreement with Pulaski County that nearly doubles the town's size. Construction on a new $1 million town center, which will include a new post office and space for county offices, is expected to begin this fall.
The town has just signed a long-term lease with a major industrial park tenant, Elander reported to council.
Thursday, council members expressed their confidence in Elander, who was reappointed as Town Manager.
During the budget hearing, Elander pointed out the declining importance of real estate taxes to revenues - just 22 percent for 1995-96 - while other local taxes have risen in prominence, accounting for more than a third of general fund revenues next fiscal year.
"This is a good trend," he told the small gathering.
The budget projects an increase of $171,375 in general fund revenue, and $175,000 in new income from the Industrial Park, which now supports 15 companies and 200 jobs. One tenant, D&S Distribution, plans to expand and hire up to 75 more employees, Elander said.
"I think we've come a long way," he observed Friday.
Council is expected to approve the new spending plan at a special 4 p.m. meeting on Thursday.
by CNB