ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610030017
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
*The Christiansburg Town Council on Tuesday agreed to a plan to construct shell buildings in Blacksburg and Christiansburg. The council's agreement included an understanding that the buildings will be of equal size and that each town will be consulted about tenants in their building.
Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County, the Montgomery Regional Economic Development Commission and the county Industrial Development Authority have joined together to construct the buildings.
In other news, Town Manager Lance Terpenny has hired Wayne O. Nelson to be his administrative assistant. Nelson, 40, is a licensed civil engineer who most recently worked for Mills, Oliver & Webb in Blacksburg. He is a 1991 graduate of Virginia Tech who has experience in site plans, subdivision plan design, and waste water treatment design.
Terpenny also said the Virginia Department of Transportation has scheduled a public information meeting on widening Peppers Ferry Road. The informal meeting will be Oct. 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. in Town Council chambers.
*After a two-hour debate, the Montgomery County School Board voted Tuesday night to purchase several items from a lengthy list of requests.
The board agreed to one mobile classroom for Elliston-Lafayette Elementary School, three school buses, and 14 air-conditioning units for cafeterias in schools throughout the county. The board also hired a resource teacher for gifted students.
Money came from health insurance and salary savings, plus sales tax revenues withheld from 1995. Two weeks ago, the board also hired several new teachers with the surplus. The board's action leaves about $140,000 in reserve funds for the year.
*Pulaski Town Council voted 5-2 Tuesday to establish a $400,000 line of credit at a local bank in case it runs short of funds before tax payments start coming in. "This may never be used, but we don't want to find out about this the day before it's needed, " said Finance Director Wade Bartlett. "I would say we would be dangerously close to not being able to cover next week." The general fund might come up short because the council decided to separate it from other funds which, in the past, have provided a cushion during lean months. A change in the deadline for buying town vehicle decals is also a factor. Charles Stewart, who wanted the matter first considered by the Finance Committee, and Polly Mitchell voted against the motion to set up what is basically overdraft protection. Stewart said the town needs a continuing cash flow statement "so we could see these things coming a month ahead instead of a week." Town Manager Tom Combiths said the town should still end the fiscal year with a $1 million reserve.
The town also honored Carolyn Duncan, who is retiring after 10 years as director of the town's Retired Senior Volunteer Program, with a resolution. She was also in charge of the town's Senior Center for the past six months. "So far, retirement feels good," Duncan said.
*The Finance Committee for the town of Pulaski wants some refiguring done on its share of the cost for four defibrillators for Pulaski County's emergency transportation agency. Defibrillators use electric shocks to stabilize heart attack victims. At a Sept. 24 joint meeting with the county Board of Supervisors and Dublin Town Council, all three governing bodies voted to share in the $20,000 matching funds on a population basis. The suggestion at last month's meeting was for the town of Pulaski to pay $8,000 of the total. "I think they should go back and reassess the population," Councilman Eddie Hales said at a Finance Committee meeting Tuesday.
*Radford City Council agreed Tuesday on repaying a $2.5 million loan to renovate the city's wastewater treatment system with revenue from water rate increases. The city recently obtained a 20-year, variable interest rate bank note to finance upgrades in the antiquated system. The water rate increases were approved last month by the council. Work on the system has begun and should be completed by late 1997.
Compiled by Kenneth Singletary, Lisa Applegate, Robert Freis and Paul Dellinger.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB