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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 8, 1992                   TAG: 9201080223
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: David M. Poole
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT                                 LENGTH: Short

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FRANKLIN OFFICIALS CHILLY ON USE OF SNOW BLOWER

Franklin County authorities have been asked to determine if former Town Engineer H. Hester Dudley broke any laws when he borrowed a town-owned snow blower. Dudley, who retired Oct. 1, said Tuesday that he never thought

twice about keeping the machine at his house.

After all, Dudley said, the town was borrowing a disc harrow that belonged tohim.

"It was kind of a trade-around deal," he said. "They knew where it was."

Town Manager Mark Henne said the snow blower turned up missing last month in a routine inventory by the Public Works Department. Henne said he later recovered the snow blower and reported the incident to Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood.

Hapgood declined to comment on the investigation.

Dudley said he had not been contacted by the prosecutor's office. "I didn't know this was such a big deal," he said.

The town bought the machine at a sale of surplus federal equipment in January 1991. The purchase price was $75, but officials say the machine is valued at $695.

Henne said he not determined whether Dudley had violated town policies because there were no formal, written guidelines on personal use of town-owned equipment.

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