Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1992 TAG: 9202050181
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
RADFORD COUNCIL TOLD TO SEEK SCHOOL FUNDS NOW
School Board member Chip Craig has warned City Council to apply soon for state funds to build a planned fine arts addition to Radford High School, or possibly do without."The [state] Literary Fund is being pillaged; it's being taken down to zero," he told a joint School Board-City Council meeting Monday.
"It is essential that we get in a request for this project at the earliest possible date," he said, citing conversations he had in Richmond with Virginia education officials and others.
Craig said plans call for $15 million to be "rolled back" into the Literary Fund from the General Fund after the General Assembly session ends.
"That's very, very, very little money in terms of the amount of the requests they receive," he said.
Superintendent Michael Wright focused on the need to go ahead with long-standing plans for the new art and band classrooms.
Wright said the addition would more than double the size of the band room. He said the present band room would be renovated for the practical-nursing program.
Next year's proposed school budget includes $37,000 for architectural and engineering work on the project. Construction costs have been estimated at $500,000.
Sylvia Lloyd, a teacher at Dalton Intermediate School, said seven Radford teachers traveled to Richmond for a rally in support of public education.
"We think this is something that will benefit the city in the long run," she told council members. "They knew we were there."
Several teachers lofted the signs they'd carried in Richmond. One, which depicted a large Band-Aid, declared, "This won't heal 1992 budget cuts."
"It would be nice if we could get funded based on the quality of the signs," Wright quipped.
Wright earlier had expressed optimism about additional state funds for next year. However, his budget still reflects a $134,000 drop in state money from this year's level, due largely to decreases in sales tax revenues.
Wright and Craig also are planning a trip to the state Capitol next week.