Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 9, 1991 TAG: 9104090504
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALAN S. BUCKNER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
First, we would like to commend the city manager for "living up" to the "deal" made in a series of closed meetings with a few selected representatives of the Greater Deyerle Neighborhood Association, acting in their own interest. However, we commend him even more for taking the sign down six months later. He acted reasonably and logically after obviously studying the matter for several months and determining that:
Both local merchants and a substantial number of residents were actually opposed to the sign.
It diverted more traffic down Grandin Road and created additional congestion at the three-way intersection of Grandin Road, Garst Mill Road and Circle Drive.
It increased traffic on Belford, Norwood, Westchester and Gatewood, which are truly residential streets, not a thoroughfare like Mud Lick Road.
The Peters Creek Road Extension will not be built until 1995 or later.
The Deyerle association's hand-picked representatives, who claimed to act on behalf of all the members as a result of their survey, have been unable to explain why a significant percentage of the residents in the area did not receive a copy of this "survey." Nor could they produce its results to members of the association at their January meeting.
Furthermore, these "representatives" knowingly failed to inform area residents of the content of these closed-door meetings or of their plans for our neighborhood. According to attorney Jonathan Rogers, they decided what was best for the rest of us.
It is these few people, who claim to be acting for an association consisting of approximately 900 households (how many they truly represent is unknown), who have repeatedly changed their story, misrepresented the facts, failed to even tell their neighbors about the outcome of the closed-door negotiations until it was a "done deal," and who have now managed to embarrass many of us who live in this area with their outrageous acts and comments during the March 11 meeting of City Council. These same individuals who demanded that council ratify the "consensus agreement" have never allowed their own membership the opportunity to ratify it.
According to the State Department of Transportation, the actions of Salem and Roanoke County have delayed the Peters Creek Road Extension again. If the road is ever built, that could be sometime between 2000 and 2015. Why should any traffic-control measures be implemented now?
As a result of the actions of these few, a new group has been formed to represent our area: the Grandin Road-Windsor Area Neighborhood Association. We are proud of City Council and city officials for doing what was best and fair for the majority of the residents in the area.
\ AUTHOR NOTE: Alan S. Buckner is a former board member of the Greater Deyerle Neighborhood Association.
by CNB