Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250023
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Back Creek residents aren't dialing only the number of Supervisor Harry Nickens, the potential deciding vote, who missed the marathon public hearing on the issue Sept. 12.
Ever since the Board of Supervisors deadlocked 2-2 to recommend that the Virginia Department of Transportation keep proposed U.S. 221 improvements north of the creek, all five supervisors have been fielding calls.
"I got all the calls I'd received earlier, and I got more," Supervisor Ed Kohinke said. "Most of the calls are from people who want me to change my mind, but I'm not going to."
Kohinke and Supervisor Lee Eddy want to follow VDOT's recommendation for further study of both corridors - one north of the creek and one south of the creek.
Despite a grass-roots lobbying effort, none of the supervisors seems to be budging.
"I will hold to my guns," said Supervisor Bob Johnson, who voted with Board Chairman Fuzzy Minnix to side with residents at two public hearings in May. Nearly half of the 830 people who attended the hearings favored keeping the improvements in the existing alignment.
That leaves Nickens.
Brent Riley, a member of citizen group PAC 221, said that while his organization has touched base with all of the supervisors, Nickens has been the primary focus.
"I'm wanting this to be a unanimous resolution. We need to be able to bury the discontent in the community," said Riley, who plans to continue his contact with the supervisors up to Tuesday's meeting.
The barrage of faxes and phone calls started coming before Nickens returned from his business trip and before he had watched the videotape of the public hearing.
He said he has heard from all sides: don't build, go south of the creek, go north of the creek
The person who sent one fax supporting straightening the road's troublesome S-curves in the existing alignment promised to campaign for Nickens' re-election if he supports a corridor north of the creek, Nickens said.
But the call that most impressed the Vinton supervisor was one that didn't recommend a route at all.
```I just want you guys to make a good decision without politics getting in the way,''' Nickens quoted the caller as saying. "It was a refreshing call."
Nickens, who would not reveal how he plans to vote, said he'll base his decision on the environment, impact on homes and businesses, public opinion, safety and cost.
"It's not pressure. It's just responsibility. I'll do the same thing I did last year and the five years before that. I'll do the homework and make a decision," Nickens said.
by CNB