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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 27, 1991                   TAG: 9103270162
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

ROCK ROAD WILL KEEP ITS NAME AFTER PROTESTS OF POSSIBLE CHANGE

Industrial Drives and Magnetic Bearings Inc. sent letters to council protesting the change. They said changing their address on stationery, advertisements and other paper items would cost thousands of dollars.

And Councilman Bob Nicholson said during Monday night's meeting that trying to recognize the road's history as part of the Wilderness Trail would destroy the history of Rock Road.

Councilman Garrett Weddle had suggested considering a name change based on a citizen's request.

Skip Griggs, president of Industrial Drives at 201 Rock Road, said it would cost the company $500,000 to incorporate a new road name into stationery, literature and advertisements. A name change also would be confusing to customers, Griggs said.

Paul Davidson, controller at Magnetic Bearings, had the same complaints.

Nicholson, a member of the city's Centennial Commission and the local historical society, said Rock Road has been known by as many as nine names. It is the oldest recognized road in Southwest Virginia.

Rock Road was so named because it was once literally a road made of rock, he said. It has gone through many restorations, but Nicholson cautioned that "so often you will rip down history" trying to get back to an original.

"There's history in our making of today," he said in moving not to make a change.

The motion passed unanimously.

In another matter, Nicholson asked council to be aware of the growing number of subsidized housing in the city and how it would affect the welfare and social services departments.

In 1980, there were 371 units for low-income or rental-assistance housing, and that number continues to grow. Nicholson said another 45-60 units may be proposed soon.

The city's welfare board will be compiling more information on the problem in the near future, he said.

Nicholson said he was "extremely concerned they will not be able to meet the demand on their office and caseworkers. . . without some type of assistance at the state or local level."

Council also discussed encouraging college students to pay personal property taxes on their cars in Radford instead of their parents' hometown.

City Manager Bob Asbury said Cassie Turner, commissioner of revenue, could distribute a flyer comparing Radford's personal property rates to others in the state.

For example, Nicholson said, Arlington charges $4.40 per $100 of assessed value while Radford's new rate will be $2.14 per $100 of trade-in value.

Vice Mayor Polly Corn said she was concerned about all city residents who do not buy automobile decals to avoid paying personal property taxes. Turner uses the list of decal buyers and state Department of Motor Vehicles information to compile personal property tax information.

Keywords:
GARY WEDDLE