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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 3, 1990                   TAG: 9005040721
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VINTON OKS $6.1 MILLION BUDGET, GETS RECYCLING PROJECT UPDATE

It was Student Government Day, an annual event in which William Byrd High School students get a chance to see what it's like to run a municipal government.

Each student spent the day with a government official, acting as his or her counterpart.

During the meeting, Amy Averill represented Mayor Charles Hill, and Tiffany Hancock, Jacque Atkins, Joy Meador, and Chad Runyon stood in for council members. Other students participating were: Betsy Starnes as town attorney; Valerie Conner as town manager; and Cristy Gray as town clerk.

Hill said he hoped that the experience would encourage the students to exercise their right to vote.

In her role as town planner, Teresa Austin reported on Vinton's new mandatory recycling program, which will be the state's first comprehensive recycling program.

Austin, reading from a report prepared by Planner Chris Chittum, said the start-up date has been delayed because the containers have not arrived. The containers should arrive by Monday.

Containers and users' guides will be distributed May 14, and the first collection will be May 21. The town will hold a workshop to show residents how to separate recyclable items May 30.

In other action:

Council approved a $6.1 million budget, which has a 1-cent reduction in the real-estate tax, for the 1990-91 fiscal year. Revenues are expected to be the same as this fiscal year, but the budget - $4.6 million for the general fund and $1.5 million for the utility - includes funds for replacing a fire truck and a crash truck, and for building an office at the Farmer's Market. Funds for a lot and a 12,000-square foot building in the Vinton Industrial Park, two new wells in Gladetown and improvements at the Hardy Road sewage pumping station also are included.

Assistant Town Manager Bob Benninger reported that the Gladetown Community Improvement project, which will cost $1.3 million, is scheduled to be completed Oct. 2.

Council recognized the 29 people, representing five civic groups, who participated in the April 21 Clean Valley Day event. They collected 239 bags or 4,440 pounds of trash, Nester said.

Boy Scout Troop 3, from Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church, collected 89 bags of trash and won the first prize of $150. The Vinton Police Department's cadets collected 74 bags of trash and won the $100 second prize. A team of town employees collected 40 bags of trash and won the $50 third prize.

Council discussed turning the tennis courts at the Vinton War Memorial into 80 parking spaces. Nester said the courts, maintained by Roanoke County's Department of Parks and Recreation, need repairs and the town has enough courts to meet the public's need. Council decided to evaluate the use of the tennis courts before voting on the matter.