ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, November 27, 1996           TAG: 9611270018
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: COMPILED BY PAUL DELLINGER AND ROBERT FREIS 


PUBLIC PULSE

* Pulaski County Supervisor Jerry White asked for a traffic study on lowering the speed limit in the area near Virginia 643 (Thornspring Road) and U.S. 11 (Lee Highway) near Dublin and New River Community College. Supervisor Bruce Fariss suggested extending the study west on U.S. 11 to Cougar Trail Road at Pulaski County High School, and the Board of Supervisors voted for that study. A brother and sister on their way to the school died in an accident on U.S. 11 Nov. 18. The board remembered Christopher Yonce, 17, and Stephanie Yonce, 15, with a moment of silence at the opening of its meeting. "It's not as if another accident's going to happen there, it's when it's going to happen," said Supervisor Frank Conner in supporting the lower-speed study.

The Board of Supervisors also will look into the costs of extending water and sewer service along Virginia 100 outside the town of Dublin, from Interstate 81 to the town limits. Supervisor Bruce Fariss urged the study at the board's meeting Monday, noting that several motels are in the planning stage for that area and predicting other businesses would follow. He said the county could look into ways to pay for the services after determining whether they were financially practical at all.

The board also held its annual hearing on its six-year secondary road plan, but drew only a few speakers. One was Andy McCready, who suggested a designation for county roads near Renfro Corp.'s Newbern Road plant as carrying import-export goods. Such a designation would allow higher truck weight limits and make the plants around them more competitive in shipping, he said.

The Dublin Lions Club, which earlier gave $500 to the county's Office on Youth allowing the purchase of new recreation equipment, announced a second $500 gift and challenged the board to match it with $500 from the county. No immediate action was taken.

The board will hold its next meeting a week early, at 7 p.m. Dec. 16, to avoid Christmas week.

* Blacksburg Town Council deferred talk on an plan to rezone 29.3 acres at the northwest quadrant formed by Toms Creek Road and the U.S. 460 Bypass, from Rural Residential 1 to Rural Residential 2 for a development called Brookfield Village.

Council deferred discussion to Dec. 10 because the town's Open Space Conservation Committee didn't have a quorum when it reviewed the proposal Oct. 21. The open space committee will look at the rezoning proposal again at 5 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Town Council Conference Room, on the first floor of the Municipal Building, 300 S. Main St.

* The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors said Monday it will advertise for a replacement for retiring County Administrator Betty S. Thomas immediately. Thomas announced last week she will step down March 31 after serving as administrator since 1981. Chairman Henry Jablonski said the board hopes to begin interviewing candidates by January. Jeff Lunsford, the county's assistant administrator, said he plans to apply for the position.


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