Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 26, 1991 TAG: 9103260373
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The supervisors will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. to take a final vote on the budget and to set the tax rate.
But it took them an hour of wrangling Monday night before they arrived at that date and time.
The problem arose when Supervisor James Moore of Blacksburg said he couldn't make the previously agreed-to meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday because of a family commitment in Northern Virginia.
Chairman Henry Jablonski tried to accommodate Moore by asking for suggestions on when to reschedule the meeting, but Jablonski clearly was peeved that Moore had forgotten to schedule the supervisors' meeting on his calendar.
A deadlock over setting a new time was broken when Moore eventually agreed to meet at 6 p.m. Thursday. The supervisors rejected Supervisor Todd Solberg's suggestion to put off the decision until the board's April 8 meeting because that might cause a delay in the mailing of tax tickets to county taxpayers.
On another matter, Pat Lavery, a resident of North Fork Road, urged the supervisors to recognize the environmental concerns raised by the construction of Roanoke County's landfill at the head of Bradshaw Valley and the proposed rail line that will serve it. "I implore you on behalf of all those citizens [of the valley], please force the issue of an environmental impact study."
Lavery said she had collected 535 signatures on a petition of people who would like to see Norfolk Southern's proposed trash train to the landfill stopped.
Jack Waldeck, a Bradshaw resident who has come under fire from other Bradshaw residents, said he had no objections either to trying to stop the train or the landfill. Waldeck represents a group of residents that has worked with Roanoke County officials to ensure that if and when the rail line is built, protections will be provided.
Waldeck has worked with Roanoke County officials to amend the county's proposed landfill policies to include safeguards for Bradshaw residents. The proposed amendments still have to be approved by the authority that governs the landfill.
The proposed amendments include restrictions on access to the rail line, a train speed limit of 25 mph, steps to prevent trash train runs in the middle of the night and the right of landowners to repurchase their property if it is bought for the rail line and the line is not built. Also, compensation would be paid if land was devalued by the rail spur, and a community improvement fund of up to $150,000 would be established for the area within 5,000 feet of the landfill through $10,000 annual payments by the landfill agency.
Supervisor Joe Stewart, who opposes the landfill, asked other supervisors to tour the landfill site. Montgomery County has not ruled out participating in the landfill.
In other action, the supervisors:
Approved a $35,752 contract with Anderson & Associates of Blacksburg to look for and develop a plan for industrial sites. The local share of the contract would be $8,938, with the remaining three-quarters paid from grant funds.
Agreed to transfer $9,834 out of the contingency fund to help pay for a new pumper truck for the Blacksburg Fire Department. A new requirement that all fire trucks must have covered cabs had increased the cost of the truck beyond what the county originally had approved.
Scheduled an executive session for their next meeting to discuss possible legal action related to the road in the Old Mill Estates subdivision in Shawsville. Before that meeting, County Attorney Roy Thorpe will try to get residents and representatives of the Bank of Shawsville together to try to work out an agreement on who should be responsible for the road. Residents believe the bank has assumed that responsibility.
by CNB