ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602080024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Jake Blevins has been a one-man chamber of commerce for Pulaski's beleaguered Dora Highway section of town.
His push for improvements in that area prompted an unsuccessful run for Town Council in 1994, when the retired Hercules employee campaigned to improve access and services to people living along the highway.
Earlier that year, ice storms had forced a temporary closing of the highway and Blevins was concerned that residents could become trapped if flooding, which has also plagued the area, cut off the other road out.
Last month, flooding returned with a vengeance, covering a section of Dora Highway and forcing some evacuations from homes. That brought Blevins back before council Tuesday, asking if members could instruct a work crew to widen and clean out Peak Creek in that area.
"I've been working on this thing for 20 years, trying to get the creek rechanneled," he said, particularly a bottleneck near his home where it narrows from 125 feet in width to only 25 feet and spills over during high water. He also called for removal of slag and debris.
"I'd like to see that bottleneck removed plus, say, 20 feet of that rock moved," he said.
This time it may happen. But it won't happen soon.
Council will contact the Army Corps of Engineers to see what kind of flood control work is allowed. In the past, there have been some restrictions on what could be done, and the town has no money budgeted for what it was allowed to do.
"I've heard this thing for 20 years, the Army Corps of Engineers won't let us do this, or we can't do that," said Councilman John Johnston, who was among those urging a meeting with the agency. "We may not have the money, but [a meeting is] a first step."
Councilwoman Alma Holston said another stumbling block is that the town, in past attempts to work on the problem, has not gotten all the easements it needed from property owners to allow heavy equipment to cross their land.
Blevins said some people are concerned about potential damage to their property if they sign the easements. But the choice seems to be between taking the risk or doing nothing about the creek.
"If you move heavy equipment in and out, you are going to do some damage. That's the price you pay," Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger said.
Town Manager Tom Combiths said the town has gotten approval for a program allowing prison inmates to do some municipal work, which could include removing brush along Peak Creek. But that will not happen until spring.
In other business, Oliver Taylor, another citizen addressing council Tuesday, urged the straightening of a blind curve on Valley Road where several near-accidents have happened. At least, he said, the hill on the curve should be cut down so drivers can see one another approaching.
And council passed a resolution honoring William A. "Bill" Hall for his induction into the Virginia State Fire Fighter's Association Hall of Fame.
Hall has worked for 35 years in fire prevention, fighting fires and teaching fire-fighting classes. He was a leader in getting state funds and town support for building a training ground on Draper Mountain, which helps keep fire fighters up to date with training requirements.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Alan Kim. During the last flood caused by melting snowby CNBin January, Peak Creek was lapping at the edge of Jake Blevins'
porch and the basement was flooded.