Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 18, 1995 TAG: 9507180066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
\ Brian Duvall, meet Franklin County politics.
Duvall - the county's new Chamber of Commerce director, who has been on the job about three months - got his first taste of local diplomacy Friday when he received a letter from Rocky Mount lawyer Ralph B. "Dusty" Rhodes.
The letter was short and to the point. Rhodes sent it as notice that he was withdrawing his firm's membership, saying he believes the chamber is turning its back on local lawyers.
Rhodes took exception to a chamber function in April at which two Roanoke lawyers were introduced as new members.
Rhodes, a founding member of the chamber in the early 60s, wrote: "I do not know of any chamber gathering where Franklin County attorneys were introduced as the two Roanoke attorneys were introduced in April."
The letter continues, "Every [chamber] newsletter seems to contain some article by Roanoke attorneys."
And he ends the letter questioning Duvall's use of a Roanoke attorney to close a recent real estate purchase in Franklin County - a statement that Duvall says is not true.
Rhodes said Monday that the matter is between him and the chamber, and that he would discuss no specifics, such as the names of the Roanoke lawyers mentioned in the letter.
"I'm an old guy, and I speak my mind," he said. "I'm trying to keep some young lawyers here from being stepped on."
Duvall also would not disclose the names of the Roanoke lawyers.
Asked if he believes lawyers outside of Franklin County should be allowed to join the chamber, Rhodes said, "I'm not going to get into that."
Several other Franklin County lawyers had differing views. Some think it's not a good idea to admit lawyers from outside the county. Others think it's wrong to exclude any person who does business in Franklin County from chamber membership - a policy the chamber upholds.
Of close to 450 chamber members, 75 to 100 live outside the town of Rocky Mount, Duvall said. He did not know exactly how many members live outside Franklin County.
Duvall, 27, said he thinks the episode is unfortunate. He said the chamber's executive committee will meet today to form an official response to the letter.
"We value his membership," Duvall said of Rhodes. "We're going to ask him to come back."
Told of the chamber's plans, Rhodes said: "I guess that's between the chamber and I."
As to the two Roanoke lawyers who were introduced at the April chamber function, Duvall said that's a standard practice afforded all new members.
"It just so happened that there were two Roanoke attorneys there as new members that night," he said.
Discussing his personal real estate purchase, Duvall said he hired a Rocky Mount attorney, Clyde Perdue, after asking several chamber members whom they would recommend locally.
Perdue confirmed that Monday.
Duvall, who lived in Roanoke before being hired as the chamber's director, said he and his family are still living in the city until they can move into a newly constructed home in Franklin County.
Duvall, 27, said he asked some friends who are Roanoke lawyers about his Franklin County dealings, but hired no one until he asked Perdue.
Duvall said Rhodes' letter caught him by surprise.
"When I was going through the interview process, they told me one of the things I'd have to have was a thick hide," he said. "In this job, you're going to run into some things like this."
Memo: ***CORRECTION***