| Sharla Bardin

sharla.bardin@roanoke.com, 381-1669

RADFORD -- City leaders have approved a 9 cent increase to the city's real estate tax rate.

The city council voted 3-2 on the second reading of the ordinance at Monday night's meeting to set the tax rate at 73 cents per $100 in property value.

Mayor Tom Starnes and Councilman Bruce Brown cast the no votes.

Starnes said Tuesday that he was concerned about the increase during tough economic times.

"I still thought there were opportunities where we could cut additional expenses and reduce the tax rate somewhat lower than what was approved last night," he said.

Brown said at the April 13 council meeting, when the ordinance was also discussed, that he was also concerned about raising taxes in the current economy.

No one from the public commented on the rate during Monday's meeting.

The current real estate tax is 64 cents per $100. The 9 cent increase would cost the owner of a house assessed at $200,000 an extra $180 a year. Property within the city is reassessed every four years, with the last in 2008.

Starnes has said that the 9 cent increase will go toward debt retirement on construction of the new Belle Heth Elementary School.

In other action the council:

n Discussed the addition of more community bulletin boards where people could advertise yard sales.

The city put up two community bulletin boards to help residents advertise. One is behind the police department on West Main Street. The second is at Wadsworth and 10th streets, near the entrance to the leg of the Riverway Trail that runs along Sundell Drive.

Earlier this month, the council asked city staff to research where additional community bulletin boards could be placed.

City staff have suggested the depot lot on East Main Street, Preston Street adjacent to the Social Services Department and the parking lot adjacent to the fire department.

The locations are in corridor areas and close to where yard sale signs usually accumulate. Also, the cost of the sign boards is about $150 each to install, according to the city staff report.

The council also suggested Bisset Park as a location. Plans are to bring the board proposal back to the council May 11.

In June 2008, the council voted to approve an ordinance about yard sale signs. The rules limit residents to three sales a year, limit each sale to three consecutive days and require the seller to obtain a permit from the commission of revenue's office.

Also, the ordinance limits each seller to one yard sale sign, which can be placed only on the seller's property.

Some council members said earlier this month that they have heard complaints about the sign issue, such as how residents can get the word out about yard sales.

n Unanimously approved a subdivision plat for property owned by Zheng Feng located at the corner of Third and Carter streets. Plans are to construct six townhomes on the property.

n Received news that the city received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for Radford's current budget.

To receive the award, the city had to meet guidelines for effective budget presentation that includes how well the budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device, according to a news release.

This is the second time that the city has applied for and received the award. Radford is one of 1,165 localities in the U.S. and Canada to receive the award.