Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 29, 1993 TAG: 9312300046
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The action came after more than 45 minutes behind closed doors, continuing a practice of discussing the industrial park project in executive session, as allowed by state law.
The Falling Branch site, which Montgomery wants to market in hopes of attracting high-tech firms, sits on 141 acres just outside Christiansburg and beside Interstate 81.
The money to pay for the studies will come from $43,000 left out of the $900,000 the board appropriated in June to buy the land.
The county expects to be reimbursed for the purchase when it borrows money from either the federal Farmers Home Administration or through an Industrial Development Authority bond sale.
Moreover, the county expects increased tax revenues from the development of the park to pay for the purchase of the land and infrastructure improvements, such as roads and utilities. Such improvements could cost upward of $3.2 million.
On Nov. 29, board members spent 90 minutes behind closed doors discussing financing options for the park, and in the meetings since have not talked publicly about the matter.
In other business Monday, the board set a public hearing for Jan. 10 on New River Community Sentencing Inc.'s request for the board's support for its petition to the General Assembly for tax-exempt status.
The private, nonprofit corporation is seeking tax exemption as it plans to build a new, $200,000 office on Radford Road in the Silver Lake Heights subdivision, on the western edge of Christiansburg. The group bought the land last year and hopes to build sometime in 1994.
Before the legislature can consider granting the tax exemption, the corporation must have resolutions of support from the local governments that would be affected. The Christiansburg Town Council passed such a resolution on Dec. 21.
The corporation gets most of its funding through the state Department of Criminal Justice Services, but the local governments, United Way and United Funds in the New River Valley also contribute, according to Beth Wellington, its executive director.
Founded in 1980, New River Community Sentencing provides four main services for the circuit and general district courts in the valley: first, it sets up unpaid community service work for offenders sentenced to do so by a court; second, it helps offenders on probation and parole find work after being released from custody; third, it operates a portion of the region's victim-assistance program; and fourth it runs a restitution program that helps victims document their losses to request reimbursement and works with offenders to aid them in finding work and setting up a budget for repayment.
by CNB