ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606260031
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County's budget for the coming year was approved Monday after the School Board committed money to pay the entire debt service for a new elementary school in Riner.
The Board of Supervisors delayed approving the entire $72 million county budget two weeks ago, asking the School Board to provide a revised spending plan that would be sufficient to meet school debt service.
The School Board decided to take money out of an administration category to fully meet the debt service, and to defuse a potentially damaging dispute with the Board of Supervisors.
The School Board had planned to pay only about half the $143,000 debt service owed on the first loan to build the new elementary school in Riner.
That action came after the county allocated just $70,000 in new local money for the school system earlier this year. School Board members reasoned they could only afford to pay that much in debt service without taking away from instruction or other areas. The money was eventually taken from the administration, attendance and health category.
Monday's appropriation passed 4-2, with Supervisors Mary Biggs and Jim Moore voting "no" because of reservations about telling the School Board how to spend money.
The School Board controls the school system's budget, but the Board of Supervisors controls the local tax rates that pay for school spending. The budget takes effect July 1.
Moore said he thinks the supervisors should decide how much money the School Board gets, but not how it is spent.
"My board is authorized to establish the lump sum and keep their hands off the operation of the school system," Moore said Tuesday.
In other business Monday, the supervisors:
nApproved a rezoning and special-use permit for the expansion of a trailer park in the Merrimac community.
Bobby J. Hawley Jr. and Connie Hawley want to increase their 11-unit Forest Park at 601 Merrimac Road to 30 units by expanding the current 1.5-acre park by six acres. The land was rezoned from agricultural to a designation for planned mobile home parks.
Since an earlier public hearing, the project has been reduced from a total of 40 units to 30 and a children's play area has been added. The Upper Slate Branch sewer line being constructed by the county Public Service Authority will reach the expansion area. The Hawleys have agreed to extend the sewer to existing residents.
nApproved new fees for zoning appeals and subdivision variance requests.
The county now charges $60 for zoning variances and appeals and nothing for subdivision variances. The Planning Commission last month recommended both fees be set at $100.
The increases will help defray costs for the Board of Zoning Appeals to meet and advertise legal notices of meetings.
Subdivision variances have been allowed since 1993, when a revised subdivision ordinance went into effect. County staff said without a fee, some people have applied for variances without good cause and a charge would help cut down on those requests.
nHeld a public hearing with the Planning Commission on Glenn and Linda Nester's request to operate a gun business at a barn on their Riner property.
The Planning Commission, meeting after the public hearing, recommended the supervisors allow the business, but at community business zoning rather than general business designation the Nesters requested.
The Nesters want to rezone 2.8 acres in the 6300 block of Riner Road (Virginia 8) near Floyd County and relocate their Roanoke Street gun shop. There are no businesses along that section of Riner Road, causing a concern that granting the original request would set a precedent to encourage other commercial development in the area.
Community business zoning is a more limited use than general business. It allows for retail space of 3,000 square feet or less.
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