DATE: Sunday, September 14, 1997            TAG: 9709120218

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: ON THE STREET 

SOURCE: Bill Reed 

                                            LENGTH:   61 lines

IFFY SPENDING ISSUES BODE ILL FOR CITY POLS

This has not been a good news week for local taxpayers and it's not a good one for City Council members either. Especially those seeking re-election.

First, this newspaper reported that the city apparently misspent $12 million for a Bonney Road hotel and an adjoining store to accommodate services for the mentally ill, mentally retarded and substance abusers.

The hotel and store, it was learned after the fact, cannot be converted for use by the Community Services Board without extensive and costly renovations and therefore should be torn down and replaced with a brand new complex.

The estimated cost of Plan B: $17.2 million.

Then it was revealed that the City Council decided to buy the properties last year based on incomplete analysis of the structures by architects hired by the Community Services Board - which is appointed by the council.

An initial survey of the properties missed the fact that the buildings needed a new roof, reinforced floors, extensive plumbing and heating and air conditioning improvements. Not included were the costs of providing a new traffic turn lane and probably a new traffic light.

Next, the Navy on Wednesday released a draft environmental study, assessing the impact on Virginia Beach of 180 additional F/A-18 Hornet jets to Oceana Naval Air Station.

The Navy contends Linkhorn and Seatack elementary schools did not have to be moved out of the base flight path after all.

If this is so, it means the city is spending $12 million needlessly to build a new school to replace Linkhorn and to buy property for a new Seatack school. The study does note, however, that an expanded noise and crash zone would put several other schools in jeopardy - meaning they are likely candidates for replacement, which means more spending.

Linkhorn, now located on Laskin Road, is to be housed in a new structure nearing completion on congested First Colonial Road, across from the busy entrance to Virginia Beach General Hospital.

The proposed relocation site for Seatack is near the intersection of Birdneck Road and General Booth Boulevard, across the street from an existing elementary school.

Complaining, Beach residents were advised Wednesday by city officials, would only give Virginia Beach rivals for Navy jet squadrons in North Carolina and South Carolina more ammo in future Pentagon deliberations about base closings and personnel shifts.

In other words, grin and bear it, folks, because griping could cost the city 5,000 new jobs and millions in revenue associated with the Oceana base expansion.

All this comes on top of recent discussions by the City Council and the School Board about the need for a public vote on $83.5 million worth of ``needed'' improvements to eight elementary schools and expand the city's library system.

Earlier this month the council decided to delay a referendum on the issues until November 1998 - seven months after local voters decide who will occupy nine council seats and nine School Board seats that are up for grabs.

City taxpayers may ask, what in the Sam Hill is going here? They also are entitled to ask, who is responsible?

These are questions that undoubtedly will surface again and again in the next nine months at council and School Board meetings and at campaign rallies leading up to the May 5 election.

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