Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 31, 1992 TAG: 9203310373
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The five were at a candidate forum, sponsored by nine civic groups to give voters a chance to question the candidates running in the May 5 election.
Incumbents Michael Chandler, Frances Parsons and Waldon Kerns and challengers Brian McConnell and Frank Teske Jr. all suggested ways to improve the business climate. But the approaches varied from traditional to innovative.
McConnell, a student at Virginia Tech, offered entrepreneurship to jump-start the business community.
"There are hundreds, if not thousands, of persons involved in those type of [entrepreneurial] activities, right across the street at Virginia Tech," McConnell said. He went on to advocate active town support for "garage shop" enterprises and a job skills inventory of town residents.
Meanwhile, Teske suggested Town Council should remove red tape impeding businesses.
"Take the case of Champion's Pizza," said Teske, who owns a real estate company. "There are 70 road signs between here and Prices Fork which average 5 1/2 square feet. And yet we can't let a revenue-producing business have its signs on a chimney - and I think they enhance its appearance."
Champion's has been ordered to remove its signs because they are larger than allowed under the town's sign ordinance.
Chandler stressed ways council has sought to involve the business community.
"Town Council has created the Business Relations Advisory Committee or BRAC," said Chandler, who is seeking a third term. "The relaxation of the sign ordinance as it is applied in the planned commercial districts is a result of one of these BRAC task forces."
Parsons talked about the need to promote present employers as sources of growth.
"We continue to work with existing industries to encourage them to stay here and expand," said Parsons, who has been on council since 1972. "We've had some success in that area."
Kerns said the key to solving these complex problems was follow-through.
"I've been asked many times why [the town] has to recoup the $365,000 spent paving the Progress Street parking lot," said Kerns, who is seeking his second term.
"It was a little hesitant using public monies to pave private property. But it was an excellent idea, a new idea. User fees have to pay for that lot and in five years it reverts back to private ownership. That's why you can't just easily cave in on these things."
On other issues, Teske restated his support for the proposed trash incinerator at the Radford Arsenal. The others took a wait-and-see position, waiting for more specifics.
All the candidates agreed that seizing land without compensation was wrong. However, they differed somewhat on the definitions of seizing and taking. Chandler said "downzoning" based on the carrying capacity of the land was acceptable, while Teske felt taking value away could be a taking.
Chandler and Kerns, both of whom are Virginia Tech professors, as well as student McConnell said they did not see any potential conflict of interest between their council duties and their positions at the university.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB