ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110058
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: CITY COUNCIL CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
The five candidates for Salem City Council were questioned Tuesday by Salem business owners upset that the city has not moved on calls for a visitors' center in the city.
During a candidates forum sponsored by the Salem Merchants Association, one candidate referred to the visitors' center issue in his opening remarks.
"We've brought up that the business community wants a visitors' center," said Steve Smeltzer, a former president of the Salem/Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce and president of Blue Ridge Office Systems. "We cannot ignore the wishes of the business community."
About two years ago, a committee of people from the merchants association and chamber studied the idea of an information center for visitors. They told council a center was needed and listed possible locations, including a historic carriage house in Longwood Park.
Brenda Bowers, a member of the merchants association, expressed her disappointment Tuesday that council did not act on the committee's findings.
"It wasn't dignified - even by a formal response," she said.
Incumbent candidates Howard Packett and Alex Brown said the matter was referred to City Manager Randy Smith, but it has not been introduced into the budget for a vote.
"We felt at the time that there were things that were of more importance," Brown said.
"I deeply regret not sending a letter of thanks" to the committee, he said. "If that's the worst thing we've ever done, we're not in too bad of shape."
Packett said he had been one of the first people to discuss a visitors' center. But he said certain questions needed to be addressed before the city could take action.
"There was a question of whether [Longwood Park] is the best place for it," Packett said. He also asked who would staff it.
"I think we need it," he said. "It's just doing it right."
Candidates John Moore, a former Salem School Board Chairman, and Harry Haskins, the city's police chief for 20 years who retired last November, said they were in favor of a visitors' center.
Haskins said he didn't realize the center was an issue until he spoke to some downtown merchants recently.
"I got hit with that one right between the eyes," he said.
From a visitors' center, the next hottest topic was a golf course that is being studied for Mowles Spring Park.
Moore, who wants to put the issue before a citizens' advisory referendum, said a golf course may not be the best use for the park.
"What is the best utilization for these 238 acres for the majority of the citizens of Salem?" he asked.
"It's the citizens' land. It's their money. It should be their decision," he said.
Incumbents Brown and Packett noted that the course is being studied by a national golf association and that a council-appointed committee will report on whether a golf course is feasible.
The park has been closed since October 1994 because the city is capping a landfill there.
Haskins said if the city does build a golf course, he would like to see other park facilities included in the plans.
Smeltzer said the land should not be made into a golf course with city funds, but possibly sold to a private developer for the purpose.
Want to hear more? The Salem/Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce and the Salem Merchants Association will hold another candidates forum April 23 from 7-9 p.m. at the Salem High School auditorium.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCILby CNB