ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 11, 1996 TAG: 9612110082
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: COMPILED BY ROBERT FREIS AND LESLIE HAGER-SMITH.
* The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors on Monday heard a report from county Finance Director Carol Edmonds predicting budgetary surpluses for the next three years.
Edmonds said trends indicate a general fund surplus of $714,709 in the present fiscal year. Economic projections show surpluses of $1.2 million in 1997-98 and $1.8 million in 1998-99. She said a number of factors will influence whether the projections become reality, such as general economic and state financial policies. However, her report expressed "cautious optimism" that local revenues will reflect a slowly if steadily expanding economy both statewide and nationally. If next year's surplus materializes, Edmonds also recommended that the board set aside about $410,000 to increase the county's cash flow reserve to about 5 percent of the overall general fund.
A delegation of county constitutional officers also said they need help with the explosive growth of personal computers in their offices. They asked the board to hire two new data processing employees to provide technical support.
The Board of Supervisors also said it may be interested in obtaining Christiansburg's downtown post office building when that building is vacated next year. After the post office is moved next year to a new building near the Marketplace shopping center, board members said they might like to use the old location for county offices. They asked County Administrator Betty Thomas to tell the post office they're interested. Christiansburg Town Council has also made a preliminary inquiry about the building's availability.
* Expanding the Radford Municipal Building, rather than building an all-new courthouse, may be back up for consideration next month. Mayor Tom Starnes proposed Monday that City Council re-examine its fundamental requirements for a proposed new courthouse. In particular, Starnes wants to know what the city could construct for the $3 million of available reserve funds, without having to issue general obligation bonds?
City Manager Bob Asbury was authorized to explore the options with consulting engineers Thompson & Litton, including the possibility of building an on-site addition to the present structure. He will report back to council, probably during January.
Just one week ago, the council voted to construct a free-standing building on one of two possible sites for an approximate cost of $6.5 million. That figure was based on specifications from the architectural firm of Hansen Lind Meyer Inc., which is working in tandem with Thompson & Litton on the project. More information on building a free-standing facility arrived just prior to Monday's City Council meeting. But it did not influence his effort to reopen the process, Starnes said.
* The New River Community Action board of directors will meet at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at the organization's office, 106-B S. Franklin St. in Christiansburg, for its regular monthly meeting.
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