Trees causing problems in cemetery

Mayor Mike Fisher told city council members last week that Calvin Veal, who oversees Cedarwood Cemetery, said some growing trees are pushing up tombstones.

The mayor said he checked other area cemeteries and did not see any trees in their cemeteries. Fisher said he, Streets Department supervisor Donnie Cash and Community Service supervisor Frank Fetner, who probably knows more than anybody else in Roanoke about the cemetery, would meet and look at it.  He did not think there were any trees in Booker Hill Cemetery. He asked and got permission to get estimates on tree removal.

Councilwoman Tammi T. Holley again said she would like to request bids for heating and air at the Fort Charles M. Clack national guard armory and to lower the ceilings now that they have the money to do it.

Councilman Russ Cummings wanted to know what they take in annually by renting out the armory.

Non-profits can rent it for $150 and for profit, or those who charge, it is $300. Revenue officer Pat Truitt said it is booked almost every weekend or every other weekend. Cummings said it is really expensive to run the heat or air, and he wanted to know if that is paid for by those renting. Truitt said she would have to go through every month to find figures. The council voted to get bids for the work there.

A request to add two reserve police officers was put on hold when Councilman Mack Arthur Bell said he has always supported the reserves but they are not functioning like they should and until they are they should hold off on new appointments.

Councilman Smokey Cole asked for clarification and Bell said the reservists are not showing up and meeting like they should. The city is paying liability insurance for them.

Police Chief Adam Melton said they are the road to straightening this out. They are very important for events like ball games.

(For more from the Roanoke City Council see the May 28 issue of The Randolph Leader.)