ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA NUCKOLS STAFF WRITER
The Roanoke County supervisors said Tuesday they would support their sheriff's office in a suit against the state to prevent cuts in the number of county jail staff and court bailiffs.
The state Compensation Board, which determines the staff levels for sheriff's offices across Virginia, ruled earlier this year that Roanoke County must cut five positions. The county appealed that decision three months ago, but Sheriff Gerald Holt told board members he was notified last week that the appeal had been rejected.
Two staffers were laid off July 1. The remaining three will be eliminated by attrition, Holt said. He said two retired deputies have agreed to work part-time as bailiffs to pick up the slack.
Holt and County Administrator Elmer Hodge said they believe the Compensation Board's staffing decisions have been unfair this year.
"We really saw no logic to the additions and deletions," Hodge said.
"I'm beginning to believe that we got caught up in a political tide," Holt added.
The state board has cut seven positions in Roanoke city's sheriff's office and five in Salem, and Floyd County's jail was shut down. Botetourt and Bedford counties each were given two new positions.
Holt warned supervisors, however, that under a new state law he would be required to sue the county along with the Compensation Board because the state money is given to the Board of Supervisors for distribution to the sheriff's office. Holt said such a suit could backfire on the county, because a court could then order the supervisors to pay for the five positions.
The supervisors asked Holt and County Attorney Paul Mahoney to bring them a recommendation at their Oct. 22 meeting on whether to proceed with a lawsuit.
In other action, the supervisors approved a waterline extension to help residents on Trevilian Road in the Hollins District whose spring became muddied by heavy rains from Hurricane Fran. Six landowners have agreed to hook up to the line at a cost of $3,465 each. The total project will cost $45,000, and county officials are extending the deadline for landowners to join the project.
Also Tuesday, supervisors asked parks and recreation officials to come up with a short-term plan for using the 36 acres on Merriman Road that was the intended site for Cave Spring High School. Hodge said the plans would need to be approved by the School Board and would not prevent the land from being used in the future for a school or other use.
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