Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 4, 1994 TAG: 9410040080
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURGO LENGTH: Medium
But it remained unclear if the sale - originally scheduled for this month - will still have to be pushed back to November or later. Even if the bond sale is delayed slightly, construction is still to begin in the spring.
Montgomery officials learned a week ago that problems with computer software the county Public Service Authority uses for sewer and water billing were preventing outside auditors from Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates from finishing the review of the past budget year.
The county needed the preliminary audit numbers to update potential investors on Montgomery's fiscal condition. "We're going to aggressively work to get it done as quickly as possible," County Administrator Betty Thomas said.
Last week, it was unclear how long a delay the computer woes would cause. The problems included gibberish-laden files and two months of lost billing data.
But Monday, a representative from the Peachtree company fixed the software, according to Mary Weaver, the PSA's accountant.
Weaver said she needs to re-enter the billing data and take other steps to bring the system fully up to date. By next week, the auditing firm should be able retrieve the numbers it needs on the budget year that ended June 30.
Voters in Blacksburg, Christiansburg and the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County last year approved the sale of $4.8 million in general obligation bonds. Of that sum, $1.9 million will go toward a renovation and expansion of the Blacksburg branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library. The remaining $2.9 million will pay for the construction of a new health and human services building in Christiansburg.
Library officials recently won a $109,000 federal grant, administered by the state, to supplement the bond money. Library supporters also are in the process of organizing a fund-raising drive to pay for furniture and other costs not included in the bond price, which provides for a "bare-bones" building, according to Library Board Chairwoman Nancy Hurst.
Though Library Director Karen W. Dillon said last month the fund drive's goal would be $200,000 to $300,000, Hurst said that estimate is probably too high. The final figure will be settled on after the architect finishes design work and the project goes out to bid, probably not until late this year or early next.
by CNB