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

DATE: TUESDAY, July 3, 1990                   TAG: 9007030520
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: Peter Mathews
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A LITTLE RECOGNITION FOR PLANNER?

Someone with 20 years on the Planning Commission deserves a little more than that, don't you think?

"Dean was the father figure" of the commission, said its chairman, Orrin Arvold.

"He was a really outstanding Planning Commission member," said Joe Powers, the county's planning director.

"I'd give him an `A,' " said Supervisor George Gray.

"He's provided a valuable link to those people who are coming on board," said Supervisor Henry Jablonski.

Other supervisors also lauded the work of Allen, who was instrumental in creating the county's planning department and comprehensive plan.

These are the same people who chose not to reappoint him May 30.

The recorded public vote appointing Ray Alcorn, Taylor Jones and Jeffrey London to the commission, and reappointing Harry Neumann, was unanimous. Allen is said to have had the support of two or three supervisors during the closed session before the public vote.

If all this sounds contradictory, there's more. The supervisors have the authority to expand the commission - and they did, adding one member.

So if someone is an outstanding planning commissioner and he wants to continue, why not reappoint him?

Several supervisors said it was a desire for "new blood."

"It says something to the business community about them being listened to," said Supervisor Todd Solberg.

Alcorn is a developer whose projects include the new Blacksburg Comfort Inn.

London is director of special projects for Virginia Mountain Housing Inc., a non-profit group that provides and rehabilitates housing for low-income people.

And Jones, a 22-year-old Virginia Tech student, holds a real estate license but isn't sure what he will do after he graduates in August.

Jablonski said supervisors' recommendations of candidates in their districts usually carry some weight. Jones is from Solberg's District F - as is Allen, who ran unsuccessfully against Solberg for a supervisors seat in 1987.

But Jablonski and some other supervisors said the decision not to reappoint Allen was not politically motivated.

Allen, a Tech extension specialist in 4-H programs, is a former chairman of the Planning Commission and past president of the Virginia Citizens' Planning Association, which honored him last year as an outstanding citizen planner.

And he was clearly a hard worker on a Planning Commission where a few people seem to do most of the work.

Asked if he was disappointed about the vote, Allen said: "A little bit, but I realize that after 20 years some folks would like to see a change made. I don't have any hard feelings about it."

Last month, the supervisors passed resolutions honoring Larry Linkous, who resigned after about five years on the commission, and Kimberly Helms, who resigned after only a year on the School Board.

Dean Allen is still waiting.

FOR THE RECORD

published correction ran Wednesday, July 11, 1990

Because of a reporter's error, it was reported incorrectly in the July 3 New River Current that the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors had not recognized former Planning Commission member Dean Allen for his service to the county. The supervisors passed a resolution June 25 honoring Allen.

Memo: correction