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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 11, 1990                   TAG: 9005110833
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MAYOR SAYS SCHOOL BOARD CHOICES WILL BE DIFFICULT

"This won't be easy because we have a long list of strong and very qualified candidates," Taylor said after council recently interviewed the applicants and heard city residents voice support for individual applicants.

Sallye Coleman, a board member for six years and current vice chairman, is the only incumbent seeking re-election, but the vote is expected to be close, raising speculation whether she will be renamed. A retired city school administrator, Coleman is a graduate of Virginia State University and has done graduate work at the University of Virginia and other schools.

The two board seats with new terms beginning July 1 are now held by Coleman and William White, who has not applied for reappointment because he won a council seat in last week's election.

The third seat to be filled has been held by Guy Byrd Jr., who resigned recently because he has taken a job in Charleston, W.Va.

The other eight applicants are:

Charles Day, a former principal, teacher and coach in the city school system. Day, who is now in real estate sales, taught and coached at Addison High School, was a principal at Loudon Elementary School and Ruffner Junior High. He has a bachelor's degree from Virginia State University and a master's degree from Radford University.

Emanuel Edwards, a lawyer and former staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society for the Roanoke Valley., He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary Law School. He is former teacher at the Beaumont Learning Center. Edwards has been active in several civic and community service organizations.

John Geary, a retired postal worker who now works in the Lewis-Gale Clinic's security department. Geary is a graduate of the former Jefferson High School and studied law for two years at LaSalle University.

David Lisk, a former board member and former city councilman. Lisk served on the board from 1985 to 1988. A life insurance salesman, Lisk was a councilman from 1966 to 1976. He attended the University of Rochester.

Delvis "Mac" McCadden, a district sales manager for USAir and member of the city Library Board. McCadden is a former teacher in city schools. He has a bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech and has done graduate work at the University of Virginia Extension.

Lewis Peery, a retired Postal Service worker who has been active in several community organizations in recent years. Peery was named Roanoke's citizen of the year in 1987 for his community service and volunteer work. He is a graduate of the Christiansburg Industrial Institute.

Finn Pincus, director of the ECPI Institute. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and two master's degrees from Virginia Tech.

Denise Reedy, a housewife and PTA leader. She is a graduate of William Fleming High. She has been a member of the City Central PTA Council's board of directors.

At a public hearing last month, nearly two dozen speakers lobbied for their candidates. 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.