Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 2, 1994 TAG: 9409020057
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV17 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
``I believe it is our responsibility to keep Count Pulaski Day as a continuing heritage celebration,'' he said Thursday.
Graham made his statement shortly after the town's Finance Committee voted to recommend to Town Council that the town contribute $1,500 toward the event.
The festival group had asked for about $2,800 from the town to go with $2,200 already accumulated for promoting Count Pulaski Day. Councilman John Johnston suggested the $1,500 figure.
Several weeks ago, Graham said he feared the town was losing its leadership role in the event. The leadership had been taken up by a number of downtown merchants and the event had been moved from its traditional location at Jackson Park to downtown.
``Any contribution to the town would not be a subsidy request for any business or merchant on Main Street, but would be a joint contribution to our community in remembering a significant historical event,'' he said Thursday.
This is the first time the town has contributed financially to the event, though in the past, the Department of Parks and Recreation has organized it. Dave Hart, director of parks and recreation, sought to involve downtown merchants in the venture this year, because his department will now be involved in Depot Day, another town festival.
Councilman Junior Black cast the only vote Thursday against making the funding recommendation to council. Council will consider the request when it meets Tuesday.
Some of the merchants organizing the festival took offense at Black's remarks at an Aug. 25 Finance Committee meeting. If the town contributed to the event, Black had said, it would be subsidizing businesses in the downtown area, where the festival will be held.
"There was some talk that some of them wanted to close there stores," said Tom Combiths, town manager. But now, tempers have calmed, things are moving ahead, and meetings between the town and merchants have been productive.
``I think it's time we stopped talking about what happened in the past and just go from this point forward,'' Graham said. ``This is an important event in our community.''
Co-chairwomen of the festival are Debbie Jonas, owner of the Colony of Virginia Ltd., and Marlis Ryssel-Flynn, owner of Upstairs/Downstairs boutique.
The town and county of Pulaski are named for Count Casimir Pulaski, an exiled Polish nobleman who joined Gen. George Washington's army in 1777 and was mortally wounded at Savannah in Oct., 1779.
The county's name "serves as a daily reminder for each of us of the price of freedom," Graham said. "It is certainly fitting that all localities in Pulaski County come together to share our common heritage on Count Pulaski Day.''
by CNB