June 15, 2018
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Distributed Free Each Friday Since 2009 June 15, 2018 www.pcpatriot.com Locally Owned And Operated COUNTY’S TOP TEACHER WEEKEND WEATHER SATURDAY SUNDAY Patchy fog between 7am and Mostly sunny, with a high near 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, 88. with a high near 87. Light and variable wind. Sunday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Pulaski County Schools photo Saturday Night - Partly Bird Wins School Division Honor cloudy, with a low around 64. Congratulations to Dublin Middle School’s Michelle "Shelly” Bird for being named the 2017-18 Pulaski County Schools Teacher of the Year. According to Dr. Kevin Siers, School Superintendent, Bird is one of the finest educators with whom anyone in the school system will ever have the opportunity to work. She is beloved by her students, their parents, and her co-workers. Siers said her efforts in the classroom this year were marked by a display of grit, determination, and courage that is usually reserved for battlefields. Pulaski Town Council receives smaller budget By MIKE WILLIAMS $150,000. The Patriot While Utt's first budget proposal was balanced with no tax increases, East led an effort along Pulaski Town Manager Shawn Utt on Tuesday with councilmen Jamie Radcliffe and Lane Penn presented to council a second budget proposal for to cut expenses and halt what he termed a yearly the 2018-19 fiscal year - one in which spending is trend of increased spending. cut by 1.65 percent or about $160,000. Tuesday, Utt said he had met with the town's Utt's budget proposal was in response to direc- department heads and came up with the cuts tion from council a week earlier. Mayor Nick sought by a majority on council. Glenn broke a 3-3 tie and voted in favor of a Included in the new budget plan is the reduc- motion by Vice Mayor Greg East, which directed tion of one patrol officer position in the Police Utt to formulate an alternative budget with 1.5 percent across the board cuts to save about See BUDGET, page A2 Page A2 - The Patriot - Friday, June 15, 2018 a time. up on that." ing expenses and shrinking rev- one of six on council," he said. At this point, Dave Hart, Hart said, however, he is enues. "I hope it's going in the Utt noted that a plan must be Budget Parks and Facilities Director, more concerned about the future opposite direction now, but it put together to transition the Continued from page A1 asked Glenn if he could address of the town's parks and play- becomes a concern not only for work of the Parks and Facilities council. grounds. Parks and Facilities, but for the Department in a way that does- Department, which is currently Unhappy about the new bud- "I cannot see why, in this day whole town." n't negatively affect the town's vacant, and elimination in get's plan to eliminate his and age, we would have an East said that's where he is parks and playgrounds. December of the Parks and department by December, Hart elimination of parks, play- coming from. "I think there's some opportu- Facilities Department. questioned council on how grounds and open spaces - the "It's not a personal decision," nities to combine some things," Glenn commended Utt and things have gotten to where they things people want and need. he said. "It's easier to do noth- Utt said. He commended Hart the department heads on their are. Whatever your thinking is going ing. We're elected to represent on coming up with a reasonable work to reduce the budget, call- "Somehow we went in three forward, would you please 9,000 citizens and we must do transition plan for combining a ing the review of the budget weeks from a balanced budget address that and please make it what we feel is right for them." few of Parks and Facilities' "long overdue" going back sev- with a fully funded Parks and a priority," Hart said to council. Hart responded that he could chores with those of Public eral years and councils. Facilities budget, to a half-year Hart noted that, last week, understand East's point, howev- Works. Glenn, whose time as mayor for my position and a plan in East had compared the size of er, he felt council is "Taking "I think we can take advan- comes to an end June 30, urged which we're not sure where Pulaski's Police Department to drastic action that isn't neces- tage of and improve on what we council to follow through on a everything else is going and that of other communities in the sary - at least for this year." have (in parks and playgrounds) line item review of the town's what's going to go on," Hart area. Hart said the same could East said he believes it best to rather than take a step back," budget - something he has pro- said. be done with parks. make "a mild correction now Utt said. moted since becoming mayor "I feel like after 33 years of "Every one of those, with the than a drastic correction later." Council will hold another two years ago. working in this job, I'd like to exception of Pearisburg, has a Hart asked council if their work session on the budget "It will take time and be have an explanation as to how fully funded and very large - plan is to take all aspects of the Tuesday at 6 p.m. when it will tedious, but it's what is going to we got to this point," he contin- much larger than the amount Parks and Facilities program discuss the Parks and Facilities have to be done in the face of ued. you're looking to cut out now - and continue it. issue as well as a buyout pro- what's coming down the road," Hart said he had talked to Utt parks and recreation depart- Councilman Joseph Goodman gram for employees eligible to Glenn said about expected about an upcoming retirement ments," he said. responded that if the town's retire. increases the town will face in incentive plan and that he East responded that he appre- plans include closing or not tak- expenses such health care and appreciates the town is looking ciates Hart's service - service ing care of the town's parks or Approval of the budget will others. at something light that. that stretches back to when he not making sure the quality of be on the agenda, but council Council has discussed hold- "It's very generous," he said, arrived in Pulaski in 1985. life citizens enjoy is protected, could table a final vote on the ing an extra meeting during adding, "It's evident my time is "From my standpoint," East "I won't support it." spending plan until its next those months in which there is a done here probably, and I hate said, "It's strictly budgetary." "What we're doing with this meeting on June 26. fifth Tuesday and do nothing to say that. I hate to go out this He said that over time, proposal, I'm not happy with. I The budget must be approved but discuss the budget - one way. I probably will, if we can through no fault of Hart's, the don't agree with it, but I'm only by June 30. department and one line item at work out the details, take you town's Parks and Recreation Department had become Parks and Facilities, as the county Production restarting took over all recreation activi- ties and the Shelor group had purchased Calfee Park. at RAAP following Gatewood, now being operat- ed for the town by an outside vendor, was a "$170,000 hole in fire that injured three the budget," East said. RADFORD, Va. (AP) - that two remained in critical con- East explained that council is Officials say some production is dition. dealing with a budget with ris- restarting at the Radford Army The facility on thousands of Ammunition Plant after a fire acres is one of southwest injured three workers this week. Virginia's largest employers. The U.S. Army owns the plant At approximately 7:30 p.m. and defense contractor BAE Monday, nitrocellulose material Systems operates it. They said in the drying process combusted Thursday that officials have and caused a flash fire. At 8:11 determined the facility is ready PM the fire was extinguished by for a staggered restart, with full the fire department and the inci- production resuming by Monday. dent is contained. Their news release says an Mutual aid was activated with investigation is under way to support from Radford City Fire determine the cause of Monday and Rescue, Christiansburg evening's flash fire in a nitrocel- EMS, REMSI and Pulaski lulose drying facility. County Company 3 Fire Three workers were taken to a (Fairlawn). local hospital, then transferred to The three injured personnel a North Carolina hospital. One were transported to Wake Forest has been discharged and a hospi- tal spokeswoman said Thursday See RAAP, page A3 The Patriot - Friday, June 15, 2018 - Page A3 Pulaski County Schools Teachers of the Year Named Pulaski County Schools photos The Teacher of the Year from each school is pictured above during Tuesday’s meeting of the Pulaski County School Board. Recognized were: Patti Blose, Critzer Elementary; Dianne Stone, Dublin Elementary; Ruth Vordo, Pulaski Elementary; Angela Price, Riverlawn Elementary; Trina Payne, Snowville Elementary; Michelle Bird, Dublin Middle; Tony Viers, Pulaski Middle, and Byran Ward, Pulaski County High School.