ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 24, 1997 TAG: 9704240089
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRISTINA NUCKOLS THE ROANOKE TIMES
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on April 25, 1997.
Clarification
Roanoke County has received $2 million in unanticipated personal
property tax payments for the current budget year. The origin of the
revenue was unclear in a budget story in Thursday's paper.
The shuffling of money will accelerate the purchase of Glenn-Mary farm, proposed for use as a business park.
Roanoke County supervisors are kicking in an extra $1 million they said will assure a prompt start on a ten-year plan to build new schools and improve existing ones.
The additional money earmarked for school projects this week puts the supervisors' contribution for the coming year at $2 million. That money can be used for land acquisition and engineering services, said County Administrator Elmer Hodge.
Supervisor Chairman Bob Johnson said school officials have agreed to look for $600,000 from their own budget to add to the $2 million pot.
The announcement brings the county's contribution to the school system to $50.2 million, up $5.4 million from the current year.
The new school money was originally designated in the county's 1997-98 budget for partial payment on the Glenn-Mary farm in Glenvar, which has been proposed for use as a business park. But the shuffling of money won't shelve the business park. Instead, purchase of the park will be accelerated.
Supervisors had planned to make $1 million payments over three years to buy the farm, but will now take the full $3 million from excess revenue expected at the end of this budget year.
The county is expected to have an $8.9 million fund balance by the end of June. A fund balance is money not budgeted for any specific purpose that acts as a cushion for emergencies.
Based on Roanoke County's revenue, it needs a minimum fund balance of only $5.6 million. Most of the excess this year is from $2 million in unexpected property tax payments.
Also this week, supervisors asked Hodge to determine whether emergency medical dispatchers are needed and, if so, how to pay for them. Early estimates indicate six dispatchers would cost the county about $170,000 a year.
Emergency medical dispatchers are trained to assist callers in giving immediate care to a sick or injured person until rescue workers arrive. Police dispatchers handle fire and rescue calls now, but they cannot give medical advice.
Hodge has said he opposes any increase in the county's E911 tax to cover the costs. Supervisors asked him to look at ambulance fees as an alternative.
If the study determines the county does need emergency medical dispatchers, Hodge said, the service would not begin until January 1998.
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