
DATE: Wednesday, September 3, 1997          TAG: 9709030481

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL  

SOURCE: BY JOHN MURPHY, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:  108 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: * The Virginia Beach City Council Tuesday voted 7-4 in favor of an alternative plan to fund new and improved city libraries without a referendum this November. A story Wednesday on the council vote did not make this clear. Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf and Councilmen John A. Baum, Louis R. Jones and Linwood O. Branch III voted against the alternative proposal. There was no formal vote against the library referendum. Correction published Thursday, September 4, 1997. * SCHOOL-REPAIRS REFERENDUM PUT OFF BEACH COUNCIL ALSO SIDETRACKS LIBRARY QUESTION

Voters won't be asked if they are willing to pay higher taxes for repairs and expansions to the city's schools and libraries - at least not this November.

In a split decision, the City Council on Tuesday struck down two proposed referendums - one to authorize $62.5 million to renovate eight elementary schools and a second to modernize and build new libraries at a cost of $21 million.

By a 7-4 vote, the council decided to delay the school referendum until November 1998, when the council said it will ask voters to fund new classrooms and facilities for 18 of the city's oldest elementary schools rather than the eight covered by the rejected referendum. The work would take five to seven years.

The council members took steps, however, to ensure that their decision would not delay renovations that were included in the proposed school referendum.

The members decided to fund a $10.5 million renovation and expansion for W.T. Cooke Elementary. Work is expected to begin next summer. Most of the funds will come from the city's capital improvement program.

The council also allocated more than $1.5 million in school budget surplus money to pay for architectural design work for Thalia, Creeds, Shelton Park and Bayside elementary schools. Designs for the Woodstock, Kempsville and Louise Luxford elementary schools will be funded by next year's referendum, should it be approved.

Another $600,000 in surplus school money will be used to complete a modernization study for 11 other elementary schools, similar to the study done for the eight elementary schools in the proposed school referendum. The Cooke elementary school would not be among the 18 covered in the 1998 question in that funds for its renovation would be covered outside the referendum.

During a brief break in Tuesday night's school board meeting, Chairman Robert. F. Hagans said: ``I am saddened by the fact that the City Council will not allow the voters to decide our referendum in November whether to renovate eight schools that are in great need of repair. I am encouraged by . . . their willingness, as indicated by their resolution, to place the matter up for referendum in November 1998.''

City officials said that despite delaying the referendum, more students could be going to classes in modernized schools sooner under this plan because it will deal with 18 schools.

Alternatives for improving libraries were much less detailed.

Instead of funding guarantees or a second chance at a referendum, the City Council, also by a 7-4 vote, gave the city staff a 90-day deadline to come up with a plan to fund a new library in Princess Anne and design studies for existing libraries.

As part of the measure, the city staff and school libraries will work together to expand service hours, one of the primary goals of the proposed referendum.

Under state law, the council had to decide by midnight Tuesday whether to place the referendums on this November's ballot.

Together, the referendums would have meant a hike of almost 8 cents on the real estate tax rate, which is currently $1.22 on each $100 of assessed value.

In voting not to put the referendums before voters this year, the majority of council members said that there was no question that the schools and libraries needed help, but such large projects required more time and study.

``This is something we cannot do hastily, but only after careful consideration,'' said Councilwoman Barbara Henley.

Henley pointed to factors that should be considered before pushing ahead with a school referendum: an environmental impact study on Oceana Naval Air Station due to be released this month and potential state and federal funding cuts. Both could affect budget constraints and construction projects, she said.

But Councilman Louis R. Jones urged his colleagues to let the voters decide the issues.

``I think we have an obligation to at least give the public an opportunity to decide if they want it to be done,'' he said.

Jones joined Councilmen John Baum, William W. Harrison Jr. and Linwood O. Branch III in voting to put the school and library referendums on this year's ballot.

Although the council members said they would bring the decision to the voters next year, there is no guarantee that the question will appear on the November 1998 ballot. Because nine of the council's 11 seats are up for grabs in spring, there could be new members who might vote against the referendums.

School officials said they had not reviewed the city's plans for renovations, but gave cautious approval.

``It's fine,'' said Joe Lowenthal, public information coordinator for the public school system. ``I can't see anything I can complain about. The council has made an accommodation that suits our needs.''

But Betty Bridges, chairwoman of the city's Library Board, was not pleased that the council shot down the library referendum, arguing that the public would have seen the question differently.

``I'm very disappointed,'' she said. ``. . . We were not allowed to take (the question) to the people. The people of Virginia Beach support their libraries and would have supported a tax increase to help them.'' MEMO: Staff writer Aleta Payne contributed to this report. KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS REFERENDUM

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu

by CNB