Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 26, 1991 TAG: 9102260371
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BY PAUL DELLINGER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
The board unanimously adopted Supervisor Jerry White's motion serving notice on Dublin that the county has no interest in further discussion of boundary adjustments.
The motion followed a 50-minute closed session at the end of the regular board meeting.
Asked if the action meant that the county was ready to go to court to battle any annexation attempt by Dublin, White said the board always is ready to defend any motion it passes.
Dublin, which has used up practically all developable land in its less than 1 square mile of territory, approached the county three years ago about the possibility of a friendly annexation without costly court challenges.
Some discussions were held, but neither the county nor residents in the proposed 6 square miles to be annexed approved the boundary change. Dublin agreed last year to scale down the amount of county land it would seek, but both sides hired attorneys and chances for an out-of-court agreement grew smaller.
The county's action appeared to end all chance of avoiding an annexation court fight.
In another disagreement with Dublin officials, the board again declined to give Town Council priority on using the meeting room at the Charles and Ona B. Free Library.
Mayor Benny Keister and Councilman Colbern Linkous previously had objected to the proposed agreement on use of the Pulaski County branch library in Dublin. They also objected to a provision that would bar council from using the reading section of the library after hours for executive sessions.
Linkous, who spoke to the board Monday, said Dublin had put $182,000 into the facility, counting the town's $20,000, the $12,000 site conveyed to and donated by the town and a $150,000 grant from the estate of the Dublin couple for whom the library is named.
The county has put in $75,000, he said. "For the public record, I just wanted to make that statement."
But White replied that, because the county bears the responsibility for the library and its operating cost, it should have priority on using the meeting room.
He said he would object to language giving Dublin priority, although Dublin officials should realize that the supervisors would make every effort to keep the room available for Town Council meetings. "If they think we're going to be unreasonable, then we're on the wrong footing to start with," White said.
In other business, the supervisors went on record as objecting to a proposed reduction in a $1 million state development grant for the county Corporate Center.
The money was to go toward road development as promised when BBA Friction agreed to locate a plant in the center. The state also has announced an indefinite delay in a loan for shell building construction at the center, all because of the state revenue shortfall.
While it is not unreasonable for a loan delay, the board agreed, the withdrawal of necessary funding to meet the BBA Friction commitment was not reasonable. The resolution is to go to Gov. Douglas Wilder and state legislators from the New River Valley.
by CNB