ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Several Pulaski County agencies are asking that their budget requests be reconsidered, but the county Board of Supervisors does not seem to be in a mood to provide more funding.
"Right now, my position is that I can't support any tax increase this year," said board Vice Chairman Jerry White.
The supervisors also pondered proposed teacher raises for the coming year.
The School Board has called for 4 percent raises, for which the General Assembly is providing incentive money. The supervisors want to look into the possibility of 2 percent raises, which they said would still use all the incentive money to cover benefits going with such raises.
Supervisor Charles Cook said he understood county schools would get more state money this year because the student population is higher than had been projected, and asked for an update from the School Board.
"We're all in this thing together. We need to know what's going on," he said.
Registrar Kathy Webb asked the board at a budget meeting Monday night to consider reinstating a full-time assistant registrar position. The assistant now works 20 hours a week.
Other agencies asking that their budget requests be reconsidered included Regional Emergency Medical Services Inc., the county Extension office, and the Skyline Soil and Water Conservation District.
Duncan Parsons, Pulaski County Public Library director, asked that at least $750 be reinstated in the library budget to help continue bookmobile service.
County Administrator Joe Morgan told the board that the Christiansburg-based regional Juvenile Detention Center had built up enough reserve money to operate the home probably for two years. He suggested that those funds be used before participating localities were asked to budget funding in the 1997-98 fiscal year.
Officials from the center had asked for a separate meeting with the board to discuss the matter. White's response was that they should have sent a representative to Monday's board meeting, which was scheduled specifically to hear budget request appeals. Other board members agreed that no special meeting should be held, and said the officials would have to send their arguments in writing instead.
The board directed Morgan to check with other localities served by the center, and see what they plan for funding in the coming year. "The owners are going to have to get together and say this is how we want this thing run," said board Chairman Joe Sheffey.
Last month, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors raised concerns with detention center officials about whether nonmember localities are paying their fair share of the cost of housing teens. The Montgomery board held funding for the home at the present year's level but set aside money for a requested increase pending more justification.
One exception to Pulaski County's trend toward reducing budgets involves the proposed Randolph Park, for which land is to be donated to the county. "I view that as an important issue," Supervisor Bruce Fariss said.
He said development of the recreational park as planned would be an economic development boost for the county, providing activities for county residents. Cook agreed that the county should commit to something more than the design money already in the budget, although nobody was prepared to commit to the total costs of park development.
The board will hold its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.
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