Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 25, 1994                   TAG: 9405250144
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD SCHOOL BOARD TO BE ALL WHITE, ALL MALE BY RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER

After interviewing four School Board candidates Monday, City Council named Chris Strange, the Radford Community Hospital director of support services, to the West I seat, replacing Betty Plott, the board's only female member. She did not seek a second term.

Council also reappointed Guy Wohlford to the West II seat he has filled since last year, after former board chairman John McPhail resigned.

The other candidates were Bruce Chase, a nominee for the West I seat, and Patricia Palmer, who sought the West II seat. A fifth candidate, Paul Barnett, took his name out of consideration before council convened.

Strange, 40, is president of the Boosters' Club - a position he will have to quit when he joins the School Board - and is youth director at his church.

During his interview, he told council the city's schools should stay on the cutting edge of educational technology. He also cited the importance of good communication between schools and parents.

Strange told council that a School Board member "should have a listening ear and a heart" and should pay attention to teachers' concerns.

"Sometimes there's a lot of barking going on," he said, referring to the occasionally stormy relationship between some board members and teachers.

Wohlford, an insurance man who once served a term on City Council, also stressed the importance of technology in the schools. "Technology is the wave of the future," he said. Teachers salaries and capital improvements were also high on his list of priorities.

"We're really in a pinch for room in our schools," said Wohlford,who is 47.

During the regular meeting that followed, council approved a new schedule of water rates that will raise the average monthly residential bill by almost $3 - or about 42 percent - starting July 1.

Council put off action to raise sewer rates until Water and Sewer director Jettie Montgomery could provide additional information. Montgomery has proposed increasing average monthly household sewer bills by $1.80.

Under the new water rate schedule, the minimum monthly bill will rise from $3.50 to $4.40. The cost of each additional 1,000 gallons, up to 100,000 gallons, will increase from $1.16 to $1.85.

Montgomery has said the additional revenues are needed to cover current costs of operating and maintaining the city's water and sewer systems.

Councilman David Worrell cast the only vote against the water rate boost. "I think there's a need for an increase, but I have a problem with this high an increase," he said. Worrell also voted against a motion setting the stage to approve the new sewer rate schedule.

Two city residents also argued unsuccessfully against the rate increases.

In other business, City Council:

heard from City Engineer Jim Hurt that the city has spent more than $603,000 cleaning up more than 2,700 tons of ice storm debris. The job is nearly completed, he said.

appropriated $1,500 as the city's share to buy a computer and printer for the Magistrate Information System.

deferred acting on an ordinance to raise the income limit for tax relief for the elderly and disabled from $13,000 to $13,500.

approved a resolution to support bond issues totaling $740,000 by the Radford Industrial Development Authority for RADVA Corporation.

OK'd an Appalachian Power Co. easement across city property south of Interstate 81.

supported an application for Enterprise Community status being sought on behalf of Radford, Blacksburg and Montgomery County.

appropriated just over $22,000 to replace a mowing tractor.