Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 22, 1994 TAG: 9411220101
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Pulaski Town Council took the first step on Monday by discussing a new economic development board it hopes will be in place by early 1995. Discussions included what areas of expertise should be represented on such a board.
Council's Human Resources Committee came up with a list and will meet again at 7 a.m.Nov. 29.
``To go from here to the next step, I think, is going to take some time,'' said Councilman Roy D'Ardenne, committee chairman.
D'Ardenne read a letter from Michael Dowell, director of the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley and, with his wife, Pat Gooch, operator of the new Casimir Co. store on Main Street. They urged that the economic development board include at least one representative from Pulaski Main Street, the organization which has revived the downtown.
Pulaski now has a strong growing downtown area, they said, and it is time to extend that kind of growth throughout the town.
That was the idea behind Councilman John Stone's proposal last summer to form an economic development board.
At the council brainstorming session, suggestions for representatives on the board included Pulaski Main Street, the medical and health care field, industry, education, beautification, finance and insurance, and more.
The county's state legislative representatives may be asked to meet with the board as ex-officio members, as their schedules permit.
The members will be appointed by council, which will set goals for the board and approve an annual work plan. The town staff will provide administrative support.
Council also received a draft from Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger of a new policy to define and prohibit harassment of any kind among town employees. It will be considered at a future council meeting.
The town already has an anti-harassment policy. ``This one puts it into a little bit plainer English,'' Terwilliger said.
About 70 of the employees attended a meeting last week on the policy, and the others are scheduled to discuss it today.
The draft contains a provision against dating between supervisors and subordinates who work for the town.
Terwilliger said the town has no desire to meddle in the private lives of its employees, but does have an interest in personal relationships that could lead to claims of sexual harassment which would be hard to refute. Such relationships could also lead to others on the staff perceiving, correctly or incorrectly, that the employee dating the supervisor is getting special treatment.
``The town recognizes that its employees are adults and that the dating of fellow employees and their relatives may be expected,'' the draft says. ``Since the employer interest is minimal unless supervisors are involved, the town's ban does not apply unless a supervisory relationship exists.''
by CNB