ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 15, 1996 TAG: 9612160011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE
A Wythe County citizens group is complaining that Wytheville water and sewer rates are too high.
Wythe Citizens United, which grew out of a countywide movement that successfully opposed a private prison, has taken on other issues since then. This is the latest.
Charles Crockett, a member of the original group who was elected to Wytheville Town Council, has done a survey comparing water and sewer rates around the state.
Wytheville's rates are higher than 88 percent of other residential users in the state, he said.
"The analysis also compared rates from 3,000 gallons to 25,000 gallons per month for Pulaski, Abingdon, Christiansburg, Rural Retreat, Galax, Blacksburg, Marion, Radford, Dublin, Chilhowie, Salem and Hillsville to the rates in Wytheville. Only the rates for Pulaski for usages from 3,000 through 5,000 gallons, and in Abingdon for usages from 3,000 through 9,000 gallons, ranked higher than Wytheville," he said.
"According to a report issued by the Virginia Municipal League, the average water rate in Virginia increased by 30.2 percent between 1990 and 1996. For the same period the water rates in Wytheville increased by 56.9 percent. Also, according to the report, the average monthly water rate in Virginia for 5,000 gallons per month usage was $15.03. The current rate in Wytheville for this same usage is $20," he said.
Crockett is calling for rate reductions for 1997. His report was presented to council last month.
Social work programs accredited at RU
RADFORD - Radford University's master of social work program has received accreditation, and its undergraduate program has been reaccredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
The master's program is 2 years old, graduating its first class in May 1996. The accreditation will apply to degrees retroactively.
Trail bid detoured to owner's lawyer
BARREN SPRINGS - Clara Edwards, one of the residents whose property the state is trying to buy to open two miles along the 57-mile New River Trail, said she has not turned down the state's latest offer for being too low.
She said she did not even read the offer, but sent the entire contents of the envelope to her attorney to negotiate on her behalf with state parks officials.
Edwards was among the first of the property owners, more than 10 years ago, who realized that some deeds had reversion clauses when the properties were no longer used as a railroad bed. Norfolk Southern Corp. had donated the rail property to the state as a linear park. Until recent years, state officials had not recognized the reversion clauses in the deeds of several property owners along this section.
Ivanhoe Industrial Park projects discussed
HILLSVILLE - The Industrial Development Authorities of Wythe and Carroll counties held an informal meeting Thursday to discuss ongoing projects in the Ivanhoe Industrial Park.
The Ivanhoe community and its industrial park lie partly in both counties.
Both IDAs must agree on park activities such as the possible sale of its industrial shell building, and of the old National Carbide building. The park was part of a National Carbide plant which closed years ago. A small part of it has been used by the Ivanhoe Civic League for tourism and community activities.
LENGTH: Medium: 69 linesby CNB