Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 23, 1993 TAG: 9306230203
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The spat started earlier this month when Republican Supervisor Ed Kohinke requested a public meeting to discuss rumors that state and county officials looked the other way when McGraw, a Democrat, applied for permits to build houses on marginal land in the Bradshaw Road area.
Tuesday, Kohinke insisted he was satisfied that neither McGraw nor building officials had done anything wrong.
"I would like to see this matter dropped now," Kohinke said.
But Democratic supervisors demanded a formal investigation to exonerate McGraw, who was a member of the Board of Supervisors until his election as clerk in 1991.
Vinton District Supervisor Harry Nickens accused Kohinke of continuing to question McGraw's integrity. Nickens read from a memo - written Monday - in which Kohinke said he still wanted the county staff to verify McGraw's claim that he received no favoritism.
"The pot continues to be stirred," Nickens said.
Nickens and Hollins District Supervisor Bob Johnson said they would ask the county commonwealth's attorney to investigate if Kohinke insisted on pressing the matter.
"Let's put it on the table for everyone's consumption," Johnson said. "I don't think anyone has anything to hide."
The Democrats finally let the matter drop after Kohinke agreed to say nothing more about the issue.
Kohinke maintained that he was not leveling any accusations against McGraw when he wrote a memo calling for a public meeting to discuss the Democrat's business dealings.
"If anything," Kohinke said, "I was trying to convey the way people feel."
Some people in the Bradshaw Road area became suspicious when McGraw obtained septic and building permits for five houses along a creek. The area is prone to flooding and soils along Bradshaw Road often are too poor to support septic systems.
Earlier this month, McGraw detailed the steps he took to make sure the property was above the flood zone and met state septic tank standards.
Roanoke County Engineering Director Arnold Covey and state sanitarian Dave Taylor told the Roanoke Times & World-News that McGraw received no special consideration because of his political connections.
by CNB