Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 25, 1994 TAG: 9401250185
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The 4-1 vote came after discussion on whether the money should come from the county's $161,000 contingency fund or from a capital improvement account created with money left over from construction of shell buildings.
Board member Henry Jablonski of Christiansburg favored using the contingency fund, even though doing so would leave a balance of just less than $40,000.
Noting the layoffs announced last week at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, Jablonski said he believed the money from the shell buildings should be reserved for economic development projects - possibly for the Falling Branch industrial park outside Christiansburg.
But member Ira Long of Prices Fork noted that the money, which was used to develop the shell buildings, then was returned to the county, originally came from a capital improvement fund. Therefore, it would be suitable to use for repairing the courthouse.
"This looks like a capital improvement to me," Long said.
Nick Rush, who represents Ellett Valley and part of Christiansburg, said he supported Long and challenged anyone to say that Montgomery does not support economic development.
Supervisor Joe Stewart of Elliston wondered where the board would go for money if the project ended up costing more than the winning low bid submitted by a Narrows company.
In other business, the supervisors gave their blessing to an effort by Treasurer Ellis Meredith to improve personal property tax collection by sending the names of people who owe more than $100 in delinquent taxes on vehicles to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV then would prohibit delinquent individuals from renewing vehicle registrations until they paid up. Meredith was confident the program would encourage delinquent taxpayers to make good.
The county would have to pay DMV a $20 fee for each vehicle registration halted. But the delinquent taxpayer ultimately would reimburse the county that amount.
by CNB