Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 17, 1994 TAG: 9411170091
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
The proposal came from Councilman John Stone, who said he had been approached by community leaders suggesting those changes.
He asked the Human Resources Committee at Tuesday night's council meeting to consider the idea of reducing the governing body from eight to four members and letting the mayor vote. Now, the mayor votes only in cases of ties.
Councilman Roy D'Ardenne, chairman of that committee, said he had also found a lot - ``and I mean a lot'' - of interest in reducing the size of council when he ran for a seat and was elected two years ago.
Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger said the matter would require a change in the town charter, which would have to be approved by the General Assembly.
It also would have to be accepted by the U.S. Department of Justice because it involves elections and Virginia is still one of the states under the federal Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department must approve such changes to make sure minority voting rights are protected.
A public hearing also would be required.
Vice Mayor W.H. ``Rocky'' Schrader suggested, because the procedure is so involved, that the entire town charter be studied to see if other changes might be advisable and then consider them all at once.
It will probably not be possible to get that done before the 1995 General Assembly. Charter changes would have to be submitted in December get on the agenda for the next legislative session.
There would be plenty of time to get them before the 1996 legislature, but the Justice Department might not make its decision on them in time for council elections in May of that year, Terwilliger said.
Pulaski's governing body has had eight seats since the town's original charter. There was opposition to the idea of decreasing the size of council more than 30 years ago, when council considered reducing the number from eight to six.
In other business Tuesday, council approved a contract with the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce for its use of the town's renovated train station for office space. The town dedicated the refurbished building, donated by Norfolk Southern Corp., in June.
Chamber President Wade Lephew said the chamber would move its offices from the town Municipal Building to the depot building before the end of the year. ``We're just excited about being able to get in there,'' he said.
The depot also will house the Raymond Ratcliffe Memorial Museum. A central room between the museum and chamber offices, originally planned as a community meeting room, will now be an exhibit room under the revised contract approved by council.
Council also adopted resolutions asking the state to speed up the two-mile extension of the New River Trail to the depot, and asking NS to reconsider its decision to retire its steam locomotive which played such a key part in Pulaski's Depot Day in June.
``The trail into the train station is going to have a lot of economic impact on our town,'' said Mayor Andy Graham.
Council approved up to $500 to help the Pulaski Jaycees with this year's Christmas parade scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 1. Councilman E.G. ``Junior'' Black went along on the condition that the assistance was just this once. ``We do this one time and no more,'' he said.
``We've got to have a parade - for the children, and me!'' Councilwoman Bettye Steger said.
Council denied a request by Ramona and Patrick O'Dell to rezone 3.6 acres of their property, on Peppers Ferry Road near Memorial Square Shopping Center, from R-2 residential to B-1 business. The town Planning Commission had recommended denying approval because the change would not be compatible with the area's residential surroundings.
Graham announced that Pulaski received a certificate of excellence from the Government Finance Officers' Association of the United States and Canada for the 1992-93 fiscal year for its financial reporting. Acting Treasurer Anita Taylor said this was the sixth year Pulaski had received the certificate.
by CNB