
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 12, 1990                   TAG: 9004120035
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FLOYD                                LENGTH: Medium

SUPERVISORS FULLY FUND SCHOOL REQUEST

School funding dominated discussion by the Floyd County Board of Supervisors at its budget work session Tuesday night.

The School Board request for just under $8.2 million was fully funded in the county's proposed 1990-91 budget of almost $11.6 million. The county's share of the school budget increased $90,000 over all appropriations from 1989-90 to more than $2.2 million.

Supervisors questioned capital outlay expenditures and local funding requirements from the state.

Supervisors Lowell Boothe and David Ingram expressed concern the schools were over-extending maintenance staffs by using them for capital improvement projects.

"They're not putting the door knobs on the doors or light bulbs in the light fixtures," said Ingram.

Chairman William Whitlock asked if there was any way the county could not fund the capital improvement projects.

County Administrator Randy Arno said, "No. I would have supported a cut if I could have found a way to get at the capital improvements. But under the state guidelines, capital improvements are spread through the operating categories."

Arno told the board of his intention to have the system prepare a school-by-school capital improvement plan using Literary Loan funds. He added Superintendent Omar Ross has expressed willingness to prepare such a plan.

Supervisor Howard Dickerson asked how much local funding was needed to meet the state Standards of Quality requirements.

Arno said $1.8 million was needed to fulfill the 95 percent of the standards, the requirement for 1990-91. The proposed budget provides $1.9 million to the schools to fund Standards of Quality. This would enable the schools to reach 100 percent funding level which will be mandatory in 1991-92.

In other business, the supervisors rescheduled the public hearing for the subdivision ordinance for May 7 at 8 p.m. The hearing had to be changed because revisions in the ordinance were not received from the New River Valley Planning District Commission in time to advertise the hearing for Monday's upcoming regular board meeting.

by CNB