Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 26, 1993 TAG: 9305260170
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER Southwest bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
A crowd of more than 120 people caused the board's meeting to Don't buy a handgun, buy a shotgun. Everybody's an expert with a shotgun. Supervisor Jack Crosswell be moved to the circuit courtroom, and even that was not big enough.
County Administrator Billy Branson said it is obvious that Seacor, a company that also has a halfway house at Lebanon in Russell County, wants to get this one in operation before the county can stop it.
He and board members said they knew nothing about it until a few days ago, when a resident of the Grahams Forge area notified Branson of renovations going on at the old Trail Motel, where the facility is to be housed.
It would house 35 felons completing sentences for nonviolent offenses, and help prepare them to return to their community.
Sheriff Wayne Pike was upset because Seacor had not contacted his office about its project. "If they have a problem down there with 35 felons, you'd better believe I'm the man who they're going to be calling," he said.
"If you own property down there, you can kiss the value goodbye," Pike said. He was not debating the merits of a halfway house, he said, "but there's a proper place to put these places and it is not in the middle of a residential neighborhood."
The board unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Supervisor John Davis expressing its "concern and displeasure" over the project.
It also approved a motion by Andy Kegley to order the county Planning Commission to produce a zoning land-use guidance system for public hearings and board consideration. An ordinance now would be too late on this project.
When the board looked at zoning six years ago, Supervisor Alan Dunford said, "We almost got lynched. . . . We got booed out of the building. That's my experience with taking the zoning ordinance to the public."
It was a different story Tuesday night.
Ben Harmon, who had almost sold a house in the area, said news of this project stopped it.
Tammy Collins worried about her children's safety.
Steve Foley said the sale of handguns would skyrocket.
"Don't buy a handgun, buy a shotgun," Supervisor Jack Crosswell advised. "Everybody's an expert with a shotgun."
by CNB