Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990 TAG: 9006150739
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Long
Town Manager Ken Vittum is expected to ask the Board of Supervisors at tonight's budget public Tax rates are unchanged in 1990-91 Pearisburg town budget. Page 10. hearing to pay more for services that the town provides to county residents. At Tuesday's Town Council meeting, Vittum urged council members to also attend the meeting.
The county's advertised budget provides for $5,000 each to the Pearisburg and Narrows libraries and $3,500 to the Pembroke library.
Vittum said the county's donation to the town library is less than 5 percent of the library budget, but 60 percent of library patrons are county residents. Town residents constitute 35 percent of library use and West Virginia or other non-county residents account for 5 percent, Vittum said.
Vittum had requested $36,323 from the county. The $5,000 appropriation would be a $500 increase over this year's funding. While the town librarian is pleased with the extra money, Vittum said he doesn't think it's enough.
The Pearisburg library, which is in the municipal building, is "faced with a need in the very near future to undergo a major expansion project," Vittum said.
The question then, he said, is: Does Pearisburg assume the debt for expanding a service that is a "de facto" county library? Vittum believes a study is needed "beginning immediately on how to provide what we consider an essential service in the county."
Pearisburg Mayor Clarence J. Taylor sent letters to the supervisors last week about the funding planned for the town library and Fire Department.
Next fiscal year, the Pearisburg, Narrows and Pembroke fire departments will receive $8,500 each, while five smaller county departments will each get $10,000.
Pearisburg's concern, Vittum said, is that 60 percent of the town fire department calls are outside the town, but the town is funding more than 50 percent of the Fire Department budget.
Vittum also is concerned that the county plan doesn't address how to go about replacing fire trucks as they wear out. The town is discussing setting aside money each year as a truck replacement fund.
Bobby Compton, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said Tuesday that he had reviewed the letters but that the supervisors had not yet discussed them as a board.
"I can understand their concerns," Compton said, adding that the Fire Department budgets generated a lot of discussion during budget workshops and was one of the hardest budgets the supervisors had to deal with.
The county's advertised $16,719,802 budget shows no increase in real estate, personal property or other taxes. Real estate taxes remain at 68 cents per $100 and the personal property tax rate stays at $7 per $100.
The largest portion of the proposed $11,630,172 budget is for the school system.
The supervisors will vote on the 1990-1991 county budget June 22 at 1 p.m.
While many social service agencies and two economic development groups did not receive full funding of their requests, they did receive increases.
The New River Valley Health Department had asked for $103,435 for its Giles operations, but the supervisors allocated $88,500, an increase of $14,500 over this year.
New River Valley Community Services Board wanted $40,309 but $26,500 is budgeted. Lynn Chenault, executive director, said the $4,429 increase over this year was a welcome surprise.
While the extra money the agency had asked for could have been used for operating expenses or another part-time position, Chenault said he doesn't think any services to Giles will have to be cut because full funding wasn't given.
The Women's Resource Center in Radford, a shelter for battered women, will get $3,000 of the $4,000 it asked for, a $375 increase over the current year's funding.
The New River Valley Economic Development Alliance received $10,000 of the $18,000 it wanted to promote the region.
The supervisors wanted to see what efforts would be made on behalf of Giles County before full funding was given to the organization, County Administrator Ken Weaver said.
Franklyn Moreno, the alliance's executive director, had asked local governments for $1 per capita, but Pulaski County was the only one to meet the request - giving $35,000. Montgomery County gave the alliance $49,500 and Radford kept its contribution level at $12,000.
The Giles County Chamber of Commerce received $4,000 of the $9,000 it wanted from the county to help promote tourism. Weaver said the amount the supervisors decided on is large when compared with what other governing bodies give local chambers.
Vittum, chamber president, said although the chamber will not be able to do as much without full funding of the request, the money was particularly welcome since it was the first time the chamber had asked to be included in the fiscal-year budget.
New River Community Action received $12,000 of the $15,000 it asked for. Jean Montgomery said her office was pleased with the $1,500 increase.
"We'll take it and we'll use it," she said. Although the organization could always use more money, Montgomery said she understands, as a Giles County resident, "the problems and all with money here."
by CNB