Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 15, 1990 TAG: 9005150481
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Peter Mathews
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
They feared Blacksburg, which had announced talks with Montgomery County about development standards in the corridor, would attempt to annex them.
They said they would prefer that the area - which includes the Back Country store, Holiday Ford-Mazda and some other businesses - not be incorporated into either town.
But if they must be annexed, they said they preferred Christiansburg's development standards and "timely response in providing services to recently annexed land."
Christiansburg's lower taxes didn't hurt either, some said.
Well, how do they really feel? The county recently sent surveys to 72 of them to find out.
Thirty-nine responded. One favored Blacksburg, one opted for Christiansburg, and 37 said they'd rather not be in either 'burg.
If the option of staying in the county were removed, 17 would opt for Christiansburg and four for Blacksburg.
County officials met with some of the landowners - who also have talked to Christiansburg - after the survey.
Stay tuned.
Ann Hess says being a Montgomery County supervisor is usually a pretty thankless job.
The supervisors generally hear from people only when they're unhappy; rare is the person who comes to a public hearing to tell them what a good job they're doing.
Then there's the media, always focusing on the negative.
Who, us?
would like to express our appreciation and delight in the new van that you purchased for RSVP. To have two, relatively new, well equipped, well running and safe vans is a great pleasure. We want to thank all of you for your efforts on our behalf.
That letter was addressed to County Administrator Betty Thomas and the supervisors. It was signed by the staff and volunteers of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program - 87 people in all.
That wasn't all. A couple of days later, Hess said, more letters had come in from the Townscape Committee in Blacksburg and the Library Board, both thanking the supervisors for an appropriation.
Maybe it's a trend.
Now that people on rural routes are getting new addresses for the 911 emergency system, Montgomery County officials are finding out how some of them feel about the new street names.
Take James L. Sisson of Route 1, Shawsville. He came to the April 23 meeting to tell the board that residents of the Alleghany Springs subdivision think their new street name is too hard to pronounce and spell.
It's not something you'd want to write in a hurry, either: Rhododendron Drive.
The residents proposed keeping "Drive" and substituting Spring, Cedar or Maple for Rhododendron. But there already are four variations of Spring and Cedar and two of Maple in the county or Radford. County officials huddled with Sisson out in the hall, but the negotiations proved unsuccessful.
The supervisors got off easy in the Rhododendron case, though.
"I wouldn't want to embarrass anybody in the group by asking you how to spell it," Sisson told them.
Ah, a rhododendron by any other name would be easier to spell.
by CNB