ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN, PAUL DELLINGER AND LESLIE HAGER-SMITH
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on January 31, 1997.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors did not take a formal vote
Monday on whether to approve holding a bond referendum to finance three
new schools, as reported in Wednesday's Public Pulse. A discussion among
the supervisors on how to finance the school projects showed strong
support for a referendum that would allow voters to give their approval
to the county pursuing the bonds. Also, the Board of Supervisors voted
to keep the school textbook fund open until money is depleted. School
administrators had asked the fund remain open for at least five years,
but the supervisors did not use that language in the motion they
approved. The item was incorrectly reported in the Wednesday Public
Pulse.
* Montgomery County Board of Supervisors members indicated by a 6 to 1 vote that they prefer the county let the voters decide whether to finance three new school projects. The supervisors indicated support for a November bond referendum on plans to build a new Christiansburg Middle School, Shawsville High School and renovate and enlarge Blacksburg Middle School. But they stressed that seeing the bond referendum pass would mean lots of work by both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board.
The supervisors also approved, by a 4-to-3 vote, keeping the school textbook fund open for at least five more years. The county's auditor had recommended the fund be closed and put into the general fund. That eventually will happen but school administrators wanted to keep the textbook fund separate from the yearly budget battle and offered the compromise of gradually closing the account.
Also, Supervisor Nick Rush took umbrage at Margaret Smith's comments during public address about there being no private citizen on the Public Service Authority.
Smith, a Riner resident and constant presence at county meetings, would like to be appointed to the PSA. The PSA board is made up of the seven county supervisors, who act as a separate political subdivision in charge of small water and sewer systems outside Christiansburg and Blacksburg.
"The PSA is in effect answerable to no one," Smith told the Board of Supervisors.
Rush, who has responded to Smith's complaints in previous meetings, said he would not support appointing Smith to the PSA board.
Other board members also responded to Smith's comments. Henry Jablonski explained that the supervisors became PSA members when the other PSA members resigned. He said the public is aware that the supervisors also serve as members of the Public Service Authority and can take that into account when voting for supervisors.
* The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors honored three artists for county flag designs Monday. Each will receive a $100 Savings Bond.
Jennifer Hamblin won in the category for young people in grades 7-12, with an outline of the county in a circle and the words "Vision, Excellence, Pride, Pulaski County" around the outside perimeter. Cortney Anderson was the winner for grades K-6 with a picture of the courthouse inside a starry banner and with ornate artwork around the outside of the picture. The adult winner was Ernie Ross, with the courthouse steeple outlined in a circle above the words "Pulaski County," and the founding date of the county, 1839, along the right border.
Nancy McDaniel, representing the Courthouse Exhibits Committee, said there had been 64 entries. The others will be turned over to the county Chamber of Commerce for possible use as logos on T-shirts or for other purposes.
The supervisors also held a public hearing on its application for $120,000 in federal funds to cover 80 percent of the cost of reopening the Draper Mountain Wayside overlook and providing trail access to it from the town of Pulaski. The local cost will be divided between the county and town. There was some question about the ownership of the overlook along U.S. 11, but it now appears that it belongs to the Virginia Department of Transportation. "It would certainly be our intention to deed the property to Pulaski County," said Resident Engineer Dan Brugh.
* The Radford City Council on Monday appointed Sarah Y.M. Kirby as assistant city attorney. A lawyer with Sands, Anderson, Marks and Miller, she has been assisting the city's attorney, John B. Spiers, of the same firm, unofficially since November.
Council also approved the release of approximately $11,000 from the public library's fine revenue account to pay for improved lighting in the older section of the building, where the adult collections, reference and lounge areas are located. The Lamplighters will fund the balance of the $14,000 project.
And council approved the Radford Department of Social Services' request for inclusion in the city's grievance procedure.
Finally, council appropriated $391,426 in unspent funds from last year's school budget for capital improvements and maintenance. The figure was $13,982 less than the amount requested and given preliminary approval at the Jan. 13 meeting when some proposed roofing projects generated discussion. This time, it was the repaving of the school bus parking lot at the School Administration Building which was called into question. Councilwoman Polly Corn deleted the cost of the repaving and suggested they "put some gravel in it." Her motion carried.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 linesby CNB