THIRD CHOICE PROPOSED FOR PEARISBURG LIBRARY SITE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 15, 1993                   TAG: 9304150129
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV9   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: STEVE KARK CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                LENGTH: Medium
THIRD CHOICE PROPOSED FOR PEARISBURG LIBRARY SITE
Whether the town library will remain at its present location in the municipal building or be moved to the old King Johnston School building remains undecided. Now, however, it's not simply a question of one or the other.
After an hour of closed session between Town Council and library officials Tuesday evening, Town Attorney James Hartley said the town is considering buying another building that could become a library.
The possibility of moving the library to this third location, which Hartley refused to identify, has come to the town's attention only in the last two days, Mayor Frank Winston said.
Before the closed session, Library Board members presented council with two letters recommending the library not be moved to King Johnston.
In one, Robert Walsh, library buildings consultant for the Virginia State Library and Archives, wrote that he opposed the move, in part, because there isn't enough room at the old school.
And, because of the way the shelves would have to be arranged at the old school, security could be a problem as well.
Another thing to consider, he wrote, is that locating in a building primarily being used as a recreational facility could create problems with noise that would disturb library patrons.
In the other letter, Ann Fisher, director of the Radford Public Library, basically agreed with Walsh's recommendations.
For two years, she pointed out, the Radford library was located in the recreational department building. Consequently, library users were exposed to loud noise and parking problems during sporting events.
Although no definite decision was made at Tuesday's meeting, Winston said council "will proceed with haste."
In another matter, several town residents requested that the town return to a twice-a-week garbage pickup. Residents told council that because trash is picked up only once a week, their trash accumulates between pickups and, with the warmer weather, is starting to smell.
Currently, the town picks up trash once a week from backyard receptacles. The service costs $6.50 per month.
Among the options it will be considering is whether to expand the service to twice a week or change to twice-a-week curbside service, which is cheaper because it's faster for the town crews.
In another matter, Town Manager Ken Vittum said the long-awaited Curve Road improvements have been bid, which means that the project likely will begin by July. Some residents along the road have opposed the project, which will widen and straighten the road, on the grounds that it will turn their neighborhood into a speedway.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB