Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 30, 1995                   TAG: 9503300064
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIRST PULASKI TOWN MEETING DRAWS LITTLE INTEREST FROM PUBLIC

The mayor, administrative staff and six council members showed up at the New River Valley Emergency Building for Tuesday night's meeting, along with a couple of reporters and some crew members already at the station.

But nobody from the public showed up.

"This is the first one we've attempted to have, and I wish we'd had some audience here," Mayor Andy Graham said. "We have three scheduled. We will carry out those and see how they do go."

The others will be at 7 p.m. April 11 at the Howard Community Center at 320 Altoona St., and 7 p.m. April 25 at Pulaski Middle School.

A committee had suggested such meetings as a way of reaching people who did not regularly attend council sessions, Councilman Roy D'Ardenne recalled.

"They felt the council was not reaching out enough to its citizens," D'Ardenne said. He had suggested similar outreach methods during his campaign for council. "But, if they're not willing to give us their input, we'll do the best we can and that's all we can do."

Councilman John Stone said he could not believe citizen interest was lacking in how their government was spending their $4 million in revenue. The first-term councilman criticized the lack of turnout - "I can say that because I'm not running for this office ever again" - but hoped there would be more interest at the next two meetings.

Councilman John Johnston suggested that the regular two regular monthly council meetings were sufficient for citizens, and the fact that nobody came out Tuesday could be a vote of confidence, saying, in effect, "I don't need to get dressed and go down there and tell those people a bunch of stuff. They're doing a pretty good job."

Town Manager Tom Combiths pointed out that the town of Pulaski has had no increase in personal property tax rates for years. In fact, it had a slight decrease about six years ago.

"We have had, of course, some fee increases in sewer and water," he said. But the fact that Pulaski is continuing to hold the line on taxes is significant, he said, especially since neighboring Montgomery County and the city of Radford are considering tax increases next year.

Councilman John Stone brought his wife, Donna, to the meeting. After a whispered conference with her, he reported that his poll of the public showed "100 percent here tonight believe we're doing a good job."