ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 4, 1996 TAG: 9601040033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PEARISBURG
SOURCE: CLAYTON BRADDOCK SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
The packed crowd made the setting familiar, but things were different at Tuesday's meeting of the new Board of Supervisors.
With 100 Giles residents attending, the supervisors met in the Circuit Court chambers instead of their usual meeting room to discuss a $5.4 million debt and an audit of the general fund.
One of the first items of business was to put additional steel trash bins, also known as "green boxes" back into operation.
It was a reversal of a decision by the old board to consolidate the county's trash collection sites. The move had angered local citizens, who said fewer collection sites were inconvenient and an invitation to litter.
The board will seek to purchase and repair trash bins for sale in other counties.
The new board plans to examine other approaches to garbage collection.
There may not be any drastic changes, but "we will look at incinerators and other things, the whole gamut," said William P. "Bill" Freeman, a farmer and former U.S. Marine who was elected as chairman of the new board. Barbara M. Hobbs, an employee of Rich Creek and former county administrator, was elected vice chairwoman.
The board quickly considered a number of items that rolled back changes made over the last couple of years.
The board approved:
A reduction in the monthly solid waste collection fee from $13.75 to $12 for county residential customers.
Elimination of all part-time county employees. Because the administration is in a state of upheaval, Interim County Administrator Roger "Butch" Mullis could not say how many jobs will be lost.
Hiring a manager for the Castle Rock Recreation Facility.
Delaying the implementation of the county's "cat tax," which requires cat owners to buy license tags and rabies inoculations for their pets. The tax technically went into effect Jan. 1, 1996. But at the meeting Tuesday, the county pushed back implementation until June 1, 1997.
Advertising for a replacement for Janet Tuckwiller, former county administrator, who resigned in December.
Making Mullis interim administrator. Mullis resigned his position as editor of the Virginian Leader, a weekly newspaper, on Jan. 1.
A 10 percent cutback on any unspent portion of the county budget. If revenue picks up, the departments making those cutbacks will have the money returned to them.
LENGTH: Medium: 59 linesby CNB