Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 22, 1995 TAG: 9506230036
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The budget, adopted Tuesday by Town Council, is nearly $500,000 more than the budget for the current fiscal year. It does not contain any major tax increases but water and sewer connection fees will double, going from $800 to $1,600, said Town Manager Clay Goodman.
This increase is necessary, he said, because of Vinton's commitment to help pay for expansion of the Roanoke Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The difference in revenue between the new $5,757,250 budget and the current budget of $5,285,235 will come mostly from property taxes that are yielding more because of growth and higher property values, town officials said.
Capital improvement projects in the new budget include improvements to water and sewer lines; police and fire operations, including alarm systems; all town vehicles; and street lights.
Goodman said capital improvement funds could be applied to almost any of the town's operations.
Goodman said the the Planning Commission will review various capital improvement project requests and make recommendations to Town Council in the near future.
The budget is in two parts - a general fund at $4,098,450, and the enterprise fund, which includes water and sewer projects, at $1,658,800.
The largest expenditure in the general fund will go toward public safety - $893,254 for the police department. Other expenditures in the category include: $583,394 for maintenance of highways, streets and bridges; $131,358 for the fire department, $53,550 to support the town's volunteer firefighters; and $113,200 for the volunteer rescue squad.
The town will spend $270,042 for refuse collection and recycling and $96,927 for planning and economic development. Vinton will spend another $199,056 to operate its war memorial.
The senior citizen program will get $37,935, the town swimming pool and parks $46,215; street cleaning $26,290; traffic signs and street lighting $73,625 and $18,509 for removal of snow and ice from the streets.
In another action, council members authorized the town's administrative staff to prepare an application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Mitigation Grant of about $500,000. If the grant is approved, the town would be required to put up $38,693. Additionally, $122,528 would come from the Virginia Department of Emergency Services.
Greg Secrist, assistant town manager/engineer, said the grant money would be used to reduce flood hazards along Tinker and Glade creeks inside the town's corporate limits. Included would be construction of a box culvert on Walnut Avenue and a storm drain on Tinker Creek.
Secrist said a major part of the project would require buying property and relocating some housing in flood plains along Glade Creek.
by CNB