Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410040050
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WYTHEVILLE - A Wytheville-based plant that makes seats for 92 percent of the truck seats for the Volvo-GM Heavy Truck Corp. plant near Dublin is planning to expand.
National Seating Co., with headquarters in Vanore, Tenn., will leave its leased Wytheville quarters at 1370 W. Ridge Road and build a 26,250-square-foot plant in Wythe County's Fairview Industrial Park. It will include 1,400 square feet of office space.
The Wytheville plant has about 400 regular and 100 temporary employees. With the expansion, the number of regular employees will grow by 35 to 40 within a year and 50 within two years.
The Wytheville expansion is necessary to keep up production for Volvo-GM which is also expanding, and will increase its production from 60 to 120 trucks per day. The plant should be operational by the second quarter of 1995.
Wythe County also saw the shell building in its Fairview park purchased by the R.H. Sheppard Co., a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of power steering components for heavy-duty trucks.
Its president, Peter Sheppard, said at the dedication of the new manufacturing facility Tuesday that 20 people will be hired and trained to begin using the production machinery being installed between now and the start of 1995. ``Wytheville is strategically located and will enable us to provide improved services and deliveries to our customers in Virginia and the Carolinas.''
The Joint Wythe County Industrial Development Authority had the building constructed several years ago by the H.S. Williams Co., which is renovating it for its new owner.
``There were some people who said we were crazy to build a `spec' building and hope someone would come along and buy it,'' Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe said.
``We took a lot of flak,'' agreed county Board of Supervisors Chairman R.T. DuPuis. ``But we knew it was going to work out.''
New councilman
WYTHEVILLE - Wytheville Town Council has chosen a former town attorney to complete the remaining two years of an unexpired term on the governing body.
James Gleaves, who served as town attorney from 1969 to 1991, was chosen from 13 applicants - including three former council members - to complete the unexpired term of former vice mayor Tom Bralley. Bralley resigned in August after 14 years on council when he moved to a home he had built outside the town limits.
Gleaves currently serves on the town's Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. Jackie King is the new vice mayor.
Cemetery sought
RURAL RETREAT - Wythe County will seek permission from a circuit judge to assume possession of the mausoleum and office building at Sunset Memory Gardens, a cemetery abandoned by its owner.
Lee Chitwood, an attorney hired by the county to handle the case, would not predict whether the court would grant the request. The facilities at the cemetery are in need of repair.
Another attorney, Mary Kegley, is serving as special commissioner for the county's chancery suit against the cemetery corporation and owner Don Magallenes for more than $20,000 in delinquent county taxes.
County Attorney Frank Slavin has started involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against the corporation and Magallenes, who is being sought by authorities on charges of not living up to cemetery contracts.
Museum curator
WYTHEVILLE - A curator may be hired for the historic Rock House and Boyd Museum in Wytheville.
Town Council is considering the creation of the position and would fund it. The Wythe County Historical Society and other interested groups would have a chance to appoint representatives to the town's Museum Board, which would advise the town on programs, hours of operation and other matters.
Condemnation
considered
WYTHEVILLE - The Wythe County Board of Supervisors is considering whether to condemn land owned by one of its members for a new Max Meadows fire house site.
Supervisor Olin Armentrout has said he does not want to sell the 1.5 acres, appraised at $37,500.
The board, with Armentrout abstaining, voted last week to have the county attorney make a formal offer to pay Armentrout $37,500 for the land. If he declines, the county would have to decide whether to seek another site or start condemnation proceedings.
by CNB