Pulaski Town Council honors Telecommunicators; Lowers rental rates for the Depot
Telecommunication employees honored for saving baby: Pulaski Town Council recognizes Public Safety Telecommunications employees for their part in saving an infant’s life last February. Timothy Williams, with the help of Ashley Newby, Pepper Wilson and Haley Turner, was able to give the caller CPR instructions resulting in the baby being resuscitated. From left, Mayor Shannon Collins, Ashley Newby and Chris Akers, Executive Director of the Pulaski County Joint 911 Communications. (William Paine/Patriot Publishing)
By WILLIAM PAINE
Patriot Publishing
The Pulaski Town Council began their meeting Tuesday by passing resolutions honoring the “heroic efforts” of four Public Safety Telecommunications employees.
Chris Akers, Executive Director of the Pulaski County Joint 911 Communications addressed council to praise his colleagues for their actions.
“Pulaski County Joint 911 Communication Center commends the heroic efforts of our Public Safety Telecommunicators and our first responders after successfully guiding lifesaving CPR instructions that led to the resuscitation of an infant,” said Akers. “Their swift actions, professionalism and dedication to public safety made all the difference.”
Akers went on to say that Public Safety Telecommunicator Timothy Williams provided critical CPR instructions to a distressed caller this past February, which resulted in the infant regaining consciousness even before emergency personnel arrived on scene.
Williams was assisted in his efforts by Ashley Newby, Pepper Wilson and Haley Turner, all of whom were duly recognized for their efforts in coordinating an emergency response.
Pulaski police officers Josh Day and Danielle Stephans arrived on scene soon after and continued providing lifesaving medical care to the infant.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Shannon Collins gave an update from an New River Valley Passenger Rail Authority Visioning Session, which he recently attended.
Collins announced that a groundbreaking ceremony was set to take place on Thursday, April 24 at the old Cambria railroad station near Christiansburg, which will bring passenger rail service to the NRV.
Collins explained that the original plan was to bring rail service from Roanoke to a depot near Uptown Christiansburg mall. Later in the process, Norfolk Southern agreed to allow passenger rail service to run on one of their railroad lines, which brought the project to the old Cambria railroad depot owned by Norfolk Southern.
According to Collins, the Cambria railroad station will need substantial renovation before functioning as a passenger rail depot.
“We’re looking at probably 2027-ish for passenger rail service to be back in the New River Valley,” said Collins. “It’s not here but it’s helping our people because it’s a lot closer than driving to Roanoke.”
Renovations to the Cambria depot will include constructing a high-level platform with a canopy, a layover facility and a parking lot. The historic Cambria rail yard offered passenger rail service from 1904 to 1979.
The Town of Pulaski’s Outdoor Facilities Manager Nate Repass gave council a proposal for updating the fee structure for renting the historic Pulaski train depot. The depot was built in 1888, two years before the Town of Pulaski was incorporated.
“It ran passenger rail service until the 1960’s or so and then in November 2008, an electrical fire burnt down significant portions of the building,” said Repass.
After significant renovations, the Pulaski train depot reopened on June 11, 2011. Since then, most of the building has been available for daily rentals, though Pulaski Bikes operated at one end of the building for 10 years before closing shop. This part of the building is now used primarily for storing benches, trashcans and trail tools.
Repass proposed simplifying and updating the rental rates for the depot. Currently, the Pulaski train depot costs $100 to rent from 9:30 am till 4 pm and $175 to rent from 5 pm till 11:30 pm. All day rental for the depot, 9:30 am till 11:30 pm, costs $250. All these rates include a $50 deposit, which is returned if there are no excessive cleaning costs and no damage to the property. Nonprofit organizations receive a significant discount, as do town employees, who can rent the depot for half price.
According to Repass, the Town garnered $7,400 in rental income between July 2023 and June 2024. Costs associated with maintaining the building, including electric, gas and cleaning fees, came to $17,258.
Repass also noted that the vast majority of the 82 rentals during this time were for the 9:30 to 4 pm time slot. There were seven “evening” rentals and only four all day rentals of the depot during this period.
So as to simplify rates and better serve the citizens of the community, Repass proposed changing the depot rental charge to $150 for a full day extending from 9 am to 9 pm. Morning and evening time slots would be eliminated in favor of one full day rental. Those desiring to come earlier or stay later than the 9-to-9-day rate would be subject to an additional fee of $50.
“In 2011 the price was $50 for the morning, $100 for the evening or $150 for the whole day,” said Repass. “So, we’re reverting our price to what we originally came out with in 2011.”
Because the $50 cleaning deposit is almost always returned, Repass proposed dropping the $50 deposit entirely from the cost of rental.
Vice Mayor Brooks Dawson suggested that language be included to the rental contract, which would hold the renter liable for excessive cleaning costs or damages. Town Manager Todd Day agreed to insert that into the proposed rate change.
“I’m concerned about rate structure in terms of perception,” said councilman Joel Burchett Sr. “I don’t see why a town employee should get a discount as opposed to the public.”
Repass replied that the employee discount has been part of the rental package since the original fee system was set in 2011 and that’s why he kept it in.
“You could look at that as an employee benefit or part of the benefits package,” said Dawson.
But Burchett was unmoved.
“I’d like to see town employees and citizens, taxpayers, pay the same amount,” said Burchett. “I shouldn’t get a break because I work in town that my neighbor doesn’t get because she doesn’t.”
Day suggested that the employee discount be removed from the proposal, adding that town council could discuss the employee discount later and decide whether or not to include it in the new rental agreement.
The town council voted to approve the changes in rental price for the Pulaski train depot, with the new rates going into effect on July 1, 2025. All rentals made before that time will be subject to the current rates and times listed earlier.
At meeting’s end, councilman Steve Erickson asked why several fire hydrants in town had been covered.
Day explained that health department regulations require the town cover them so that the fire department knows they are damaged. Replacement valves for damaged fire hydrants have already been ordered. Once repaired, the hydrants will be uncovered and again ready for use.
