Botetourt County Library's new bookmobile was delivered on May 26, 2004. The new vehicle replaces the unit which has been in service since 1989 and has logged almost 100,000 miles of traveling around the County. The bookmobile can carry about 3,000 items including books, videos, DVDs, magazines, and audio books. There are materials for both adults and children.

The bookmobile provides service to 20 locations throughout Botetourt County including the communities of Eagle Rock, Lithia, Nace and many others. Each bookmobile stop is served every two weeks. Bookmobile users must have a library card and may get a card on their first visit to the bookmobile. The same library card may be used at any of the Botetourt libraries as well as the libraries of Roanoke City, Roanoke County and Salem.

A full bookmobile schedule may be obtained by phoning the Fincastle Library at 473-8339.

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When the County installed its current radio communications system in 1999, it constructed three equipment towers to provide coverage to at least 95% of the County's land area and to regional hospitals. Knowing that private cellular phone service companies would need to improve their coverage areas along US 220 as the cell phone market continued to develop, the County constructed the towers with extra space available for lease to private companies.

Since constructing its towers, the County has entered into six lease agreements with private communications companies. Currently, these leases provide approximately $110,000 in net annual income to the County. With this income, the County has recouped its initial investment in its towers and offset part of the cost of the services provided to County residents.

"This is one example of how we try to make the most of our investments," said County Administrator Jerry Burgess. "We had to build towers. We sized them to allow for co-locators. Now they've paid for themselves and we're making a profit. And it's saving county taxpayers money."

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At its June meeting, the Board of Supervisors contracted Wampler-Eanes Appraisal Group of Daleville to conduct the 2006 general property reassessment in the County. Mandated by State Law, the reassessment will revalue all real estate in the County to reflect market value. The County's last reassessment was effective January 1, 2002. The 2006 reassessment will be effective January 1 of that year. County real estate taxes for the 2006 tax year will be based on the new values. Payment of 2006 taxes will be due December 5 that year.

Botetourt County currently reassesses real estate every four years, meaning property values for tax purposes do not increase more often. Counties in Virginia must reassess property values at least ever six years. Many localities reassess property values every year.

Wampler-Eanes, a professional and certified appraisal firm, will conduct a study this fall of real estate sales in the County from the past couple of years. Based on the sales study, the firm will establish vaseline values for various property types in the County. Throughout 2005 the firm will visit each residence and business in the County to collect property-specific information. A value will then be established for each property based on the baseline values from the sales study and property-specific information. In early 2006, Wampler-Eanes will notify all property owners of the proposed values and property owners will have opportunities to review and contest the proposed values before they are adopted.

Wampler-Eanes' work will be reviewed by a citizen board to ensure fairness and equality among property valuations.

Once Wampler-Eanes begins work in the fall, periodic new releases will be issued to keep County residents informed of the process and opportunities for comment.

While the Board of Supervisors is mandated by law to hire and pay an independent firm to perform the reassessment, it has no role in or control over how much properties are deemed to be worth.

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The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors recently launched its newly updated web site, www.botetourt.org. In addition to a fresh look, the new County web site offers greater content and enhanced functionality including: an internal search engine; dynamic news, meetings and events information including public meeting agendas and minutes; online documents and forms; a local business search engine; and dynamic statistical and employment information. The new site is also the first within the NewVa region to include the NewVa identity logo.

The recent launch of the County's new web site was the first phase in a multi-phase update of the site. The first phase focused on business-related content and coincided with a new marketing campaign for the County's largest business park, Botetourt Center at Greenfield. Between now and the end of 2004, other content areas will be updated or added.

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