ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 1, 1996 TAG: 9605010042
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Pulaski County School Board Chairman Lewis Pratt challenged comments by some Board of Supervisors members that their investment in education was not showing results.
Pratt acknowledged Monday that the supervisors have funded county schools beyond the levels required by the state in recent years, and said the effort has paid off.
Student test scores are not yet where the School Board wants them, he said, but "our children are performing at or above state and federal levels." The dropout level is down, grades are up, and the number of graduates is increasing even as graduation requirements have been made tougher, he said.
"Are we satisfied? No, and we never will be. But we are proud of their accomplishments," he said.
Pratt said the School Board is willing to look into the possibility of consolidating some functions with the county to economize, as suggested by Supervisor Bruce Fariss. But he asked the board to fund the school system at the requested levels for 1996-97, adding that the School Board made significant cuts in what is needed before submitting its proposed budget to the supervisors.
Pratt's comments came during a meeting of the supervisors to hear presentations from county agencies and departments on their budgets submitted for the coming fiscal year. Most, like the School Board, were asking for full funding of what they requested from the county.
Tina King said the New River Agency on Aging, besides agency funding, is asking for $8,695 for the Pulaski County Retired Senior Volunteer Program which, last year, saw 259 volunteers give 43,484 hours at 38 work stations from hospitals to schools.
Terri Smusz said New River Community Action served the needs of more than 4,000 Pulaski County citizens last year. The agency is asking a one-time funding of $2,596, in addition to its own budget, for weatherization and health programs to keep them going while other funding sources is sought.
Beth Wellington of New River Community Sentencing and Assistant Pulaski County Commonwealth's Attorney Stephen Plott said the number of juveniles being required to perform community work has been increased under new Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge John Buck to the point where the court services unit can no longer handle them. Wellington said the job will have to be done by Community Sentencing or the county's Office on Youth, which in either case will cost more.
Pulaski County Library Director Duncan Parsons had concerns with the recommended library budget which, though higher overall, has $3,762 less for books and subscriptions over the current year. With rising book and subscription costs, he said, even level funding of $50,000 would not buy as much next year. He asked for a 4.1 percent budget increase.
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