Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 25, 1993 TAG: 9308250163
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Still, the board's decision - or nondecision - Monday not to go ahead immediately with the projects has created some anxiety.
"It's time to move on," said Nancy Hurst, head of the county's Library Board. "This is not new business. We've been working on this for some time."
Supervisors deadlocked 3-3 on asking voters' approval to borrow $1.88 million to expand the library in Blacksburg. They also tabled a proposal to build a $2.88 million facility in Christiansburg to house the county's health and social services via bonds.
Both items are scheduled to be discussed at a continued meeting Monday, only three days before the deadline to get the bond proposals before county voters in November.
"It'll be laid to rest [at that meeting], one way or the other," said Supervisor Joe Gorman.
Fellow supervisors agreed with Gorman on Monday that the board lacked enough information on the health and social services building to pass judgement on the project.
They asked for more data when the board meets again next week. "That is not going to be a problem," said Dr. Margaret Robinson, New River Valley Health District director.
Yet the board's deadlock on the library question may only be resolved by the anticipated return next week of Supervisor Jim Moore, who missed Monday's meeting and vote because he is out of the country.
Hurst said she and library supporters are "reasonably sure" that Moore will vote to approve library bonds, and give the project the majority it needs to get on the ballot.
"That is what we hope," she said.
Supervisors who voted against the library bond proposal questioned a number of project specifications, including the expanded building's size and cost, architectural design fees and costs to automate the county-wide system.
Supporters of a new library say the present Draper Street building is obsolete and structurally unsound. Hurst also defended the costs for design and automation as appropriate, not excessive.
County voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar bond proposal in 1990 that would have renovated the library and built the new health and social services building.
Hurst fears that the supervisors' lack of enthusiasm for the projects will make them less attractive to voters - if the bonds actually go on the ballot.
"It's definitely a concern," she said. "I would prefer that everybody be unanimously behind them."
Gorman said he favors both projects, but doubts that all other board members will, even if the proposals are modified to cost less.
Of the supervisors, he said, "They affect everybody in the county."
by CNB