ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 5, 1996 TAG: 9612050012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: COMPILED BY PAUL DELLINGER AND LISA APPLEGATE
*Motorists in Pulaski who park illegally in handicapped spaces will pay larger fines following action by Pulaski Town Council on Tuesday. The fine, which has been $35, is now $250. "That's a mighty stiff fine," said Polly Mitchell, who cast the only vote against it. "But that may be the only way to get their attention," said Bettye Steger. The increased fine was effective immediately.
Council also planned to start charging after Jan. 1 for excessive false alarms. No charge is to be imposed for two false alarms within 12 months, but a third one will bring a $50; a fourth, $100; a fifth, $200, and all others after that, $400.
Pulaski citizens may also be paying higher cab fares in the months ahead. Gene Largen, representing Blue and White Cabs Inc., asked council to consider a rate increase next year. Fares in Pulaski have been unchanged for two years. Edward Aust of Jim Dandy Taxi Service asked if taxi businesses would be required to charge any such new rates, or whether they could charge lower ones. Each cab service is to have up to 12 vehicles in service next year.
In other business, council voted support of Alliant Technologies' proposal to locate one of two state juvenile rehabilitation facilities on Radford Army Ammunition Plant property.
*Tuesday night at the Montgomery County School Board meeting, several employee groups said they need improved salaries and benefits to attract qualified people. As part of its budget preparations for the 1997-98 school year, the board will consider these requests: an almost 6 percent salary increase for teachers and administrative assistants; retirement benefits for bus drivers; job training and salary increases for maintenance crews and custodians.
David Hodge, the head custodian at Christiansburg High School, said he has interviewed 49 people this fall, and hired only two.
"When we tell them that a limited first shift, a late second shift and most weekends is all we have to offer, most of them declined," he said.
The board also postponed, yet again, a decision that would toughen graduation requirements. The proposal - which would require more math, science and social studies classes and take away some elective credits - was introduced in June. After several changes and a major revision that removed the toughest diploma, the board had little comment Tuesday night. It will likely vote on the change in January.
School administrators will develop a plan to make it easier to hire minorities in response to questions raised by the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The group had said the schools don't do enough to attract blacks and other minorities to teach.
One "quick fix" would be to allow school recruiters to hire potential employees when they meet at job fairs or while they are still in college. School Board member David Moore, who met with NAACP members in October, said job guarantee might be the enticement minorities need to come to Montgomery County.
Other ideas discussed at Tuesday's meeting include providing scholarships to high school students willing to come back to teach and encouraging social connections between black teachers in the county. Moore said he also encouraged NAACP members to get involved with curriculum development to ensure historical accuracy.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB