MURRAY DIDN'T ACT THE GENTLEMAN

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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 5, 1993                   TAG: 9301050445
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
MURRAY DIDN'T ACT THE GENTLEMAN
WE HAVE been called everything from mobs to bad-speaking idiots, who go berserk when zoning is mentioned and are living behind the Berlin Wall, by the Roanoke Times & World-News and by Franklin County Supervisor Homer Murray.
Mr. Murray said he was offended by speakers implicating he was a liar for going back on his 1988 gentleman's agreement to keep three districts unzoned. I was taught that your word was your honor and if you don't keep it you are a liar. He admits he went back on his agreement.
A Roanoke Times & World-News editorial (Dec. 19) said "call it flexible." In the Blue Ridge district, we call it like it is. Mr. Murray said the agreement went out the window with the last election. Suppose he had been Harry Truman when President Roosevelt died. Would he have said Social Security also died? Mr. Murray lives in the town of Boones Mill, which is not zoned. If he likes zoning so well, why doesn't he move to where he has put zoning?
Also the editorial didn't say how disrespectful Mr. Murray was by turning around and talking while a lady was speaking. He was also disrespectful to Mr. Wayne Angell, another supervisor, by not waiting for them to vote on Mr. Angell's motion before substituting his own motion and voting on it first. That is why Mr. Angell's motion passed. Mr. Murray said he was glad not many of his people came to the meeting. I don't blame him for not wanting them to see him acting senile and disrespectful to the other supervisors, voters and taxpayers of Franklin County. LESTER THOMPSON FERRUM

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB