Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1990                   TAG: 9005020380
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: FLOYD                                LENGTH: Medium

FLOYD MAYOR RE-ELECTED TO THIRD TERM IN LANDSLIDE

In the Town Council election, Otis D. Howell was re-elected to a third term, while 20-year-old Rebecca Sweeney Harman earned her first term.

The victors start their four-year terms July 1.

The election drew about 57 percent of the town's 252 registered voters.

Williams defeated Carrol T. Lane, a former mayor, 107 votes to 36.

Howell and Harman easily outdistanced the other candidates for the two available council seats. Howell had 97 votes and Harman 87, while Thomas V. O'Neill had 46 and Gayle M. Griffin 28.

It was the third straight victory for Williams over Lane. In 1986, Williams won 88-61. Lane was a write-in candidate after he did not file for re-election in time to be included on the ballot in 1982.

"I guess people think we're doing a good job," said Williams, 30. "Now we have some projects to work on the next few years."

Williams, one of six lawyers in Floyd, mentioned the ongoing economic development and beautification efforts as potential areas to be emphasized.

Lane was disappointed with his showing. And the loss probably marked the end of the political career for Lane, who served as mayor from 1974 to 1982.

"That's enough for me, I'm going to stay retired," said Lane, 62. "I don't know what will happen four years from now. But right now, I don't see getting back into it."

Harman becomes the first woman to serve on the council in eight years. And she is the first council member to be younger than Williams when he was elected mayor eight years ago while still a student at Virginia Tech.

With his re-election, Howell, 58, will be able to achieve his objective of seeing several current town projects to their conclusions.

- Staff report