Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 17, 1990 TAG: 9005170661
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNCIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Musser said today that city and county officials need to get the Justice Department's approval as soon as possible so they can be assured the referendum will be held in November.
"Without their approval, we can't have the referendum," he said.
If the plan isn't submitted to the Justice Department soon, Musser said, the delay could jeopardize plans for a referendum this fall.
"We're shooting for June 1. We hope to have everything finished by then," he said.
City and county officials have met several times in recent weeks to consider changes that have been requested by three county supervisors dealing with expansion of the area that would have the chance to become part of Salem if consolidation is approved.
Under the original plan, only Glenvar and a few neighborhoods between Fort Lewis Mountain and Poor Mountain would have been given the chance to join Salem.
Under the revised proposal, all of the Catawba district that lies generally north and west of Smith Ridge and Green Ridge would have a chance to join Salem. City Council and the Board of Supervisors will be asked to approve that expansion.
The three supervisors - Chairman Dick Robers, Lee Eddy and Steve McGraw - have also asked that residents of subdivisions along Virginia 24 and Hardy Road in the eastern part of the county get a chance to vote on whether to become part of Vinton. Now the consolidation plan allows Vinton to expand its boundary to include those subdivisions without a vote.
The Justice Department will have 60 days to review the districts for the election of members of the governing body for the consolidated government. It will determine whether the plan protects black voting rights.
Because Virginia is under the jurisdiction of the federal Voting Rights Act, the merger plan must ensure that blacks have an opportunity for representation on the governing body that is at least equal to or greater than their percentage of the population.
If the Justice Department requests more information during its review, there is no deadline for it to act.
"We are going to provide them everything they could possibly need and more," Musser said. "Rather than having them come back and ask for more, we want to make sure they have everything they need."
The plan would create nine election districts. The governing body would have 11 members, but the mayor and vice mayor would be elected at large. Two districts in Northwest Roanoke would have a majority black population.
The negotiators used the 1980 census figures to draw the boundaries for the districts. The district boundaries will have to be redrawn after the 1990 census is completed.
In 1980, the combined population of the city and county was 173,165 with 23,699 blacks, or 13.7 percent.
The two districts containing more than a 50 percent black population would comprise 22 percent of the nine districts and 18 percent of the 11-member governing body.
Consolidation negotiators believe the plan will satisfy federal voting rights requirements to preserve black voting strength.
They consulted with leaders of the Roanoke chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People as the boundaries for the districts were being drawn.
Evangeline Jeffrey, president of the NAACP chapter, said earlier the district plan seems to be workable.
by CNB