Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 10, 1990 TAG: 9004100516
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Joel Turner Municipal Writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"This won't be easy because we have a long list of strong and very qualified candidates," Taylor said Monday night after council had listened to 19 speakers for nearly one hour lobbying for their candidates.
Six of the nine applicants for the three seats received support at a public hearing by council to hear city residents' views. Supporters of the applicants nearly filled the council chamber, although many didn't address council.
At moments, it seemed almost like a political convention as a parade of speakers - which included a former councilman and two former School Board members - praised the skills and talents of their candidates and cited the reasons why they would make good members.
Sallye Coleman, who is seeking reappointment to the board, and Emanuel Edwards, a lawyer, had the most speakers - five each.
But the supporters of four other candidates - Charles Day, Delvis McCadden, Lewis Peery and Finn Pincus - pleaded their case just as strongly, though they were fewer in number.
The two board seats with new terms beginning July 1 are now held by Coleman and William White, who hasn't applied for reappointment because he is running for council in the May election.
The third seat to be filled has been held by Guy Byrd Jr., who resigned last month because he has taken a job in Charleston, W.Va.
Council will interview the nine applicants publicly Thursday night and make the appointments in May.
The Coleman supporters included William Hubard, a former councilman who said he had resisted the temptation to return and address council on issues since he left a decade ago. But Hubard said he couldn't resist the honor to speak on behalf of Coleman and urge her reappointment.
Ruth Willson, a co-president of the Fishburn Park School's Parent Teacher Association, also urged council to reappointment Coleman, describing her qualifications as superior and her dedication as genuine. The reappointment of Coleman would help assure continuity on the board, Nadine Wheaton said.
Supporters of Edwards said he was intelligent, knowledgeable, conscientious, caring, concerned and dedicated. Many wore lapel tags with the initials "EE."
"As a parent, I am convinced that he is the kind of talent we need on our School Board," said Roland Lazenby, a city resident. "He is a very solid person."
Edwards has a "unique combination of objectivity and sensitivity" that enables him to deal effectively with issues, said Stanley Hale, executive director of the Southwest Virginia Community Development Fund.
Ralph Smith, a teacher and former student in city schools, urged council to appoint Day because he said he has the ability to "touch and change people's lives."
Smith said he was one of 10 children in a Tazewell County family that moved to Roanoke more than two decades ago during the first year after city schools were integrated. Day was principal at the former Addison High when Smith enrolled.
He said Day helped ease racial tensions between white children from Southeast Roanoke and black children from Northwest Roanoke.
Day "was tough, but fair. He was a good man. Addison had less trouble than other schools - not because we were better, but because he was so great," Smith said.
"I was a white kid from Southeast and when I came to Addison, I wanted to leave because the school didn't have a wrestling team," Smith said. He said he saw wrestling as a way to go to college and get an education.
"He went out and gave me a wrestling team. He made a difference in my life," Smith said, adding he went on to become a state wrestling champion. "We need people on the School Board that can touch people's lives," he said.
The Rev. James Allison, a former chairman of the School Board, also urged the appointment of Day, saying his experience as a school administrator and teacher would be valuable on the board.
James Burks, a former School Board member, urged the appointment of McCadden, a former teacher who is now district sales manager for USAir. Burks said McCadden has the understanding and diligence needed in a board member.
"You all have a heavy choice, but I am here to represent Delvis `Mac' McCadden because he knows and understands what our people need," said Paul Moyer.
John Wade urged the appointment of Peery, saying he has served many community service agencies in volunteer work. Peery, a retired postal worker, has the experience and the knowledge that is needed on the board, said Florine Thornhill.
"If anyone knows the city better than Lewis Peery, I would like to know who it is," Thornhill said.
Two speakers urged the appointment of Pincus, director of the Electronic Computer Programming Institute. Ken Robinson praised Pincus for his community service work and his skills as director of the computer institute.
The other three applicants for the board seats are: John Geary, a retired postal worker who now works in the Lewis-Gale Clinic's security department; David Lisk, a former School Board member and a former City Council member; and Denise Reedy, a housewife and PTA leader.
by CNB