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

DATE: FRIDAY, June 29, 1990                   TAG: 9006290839
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NEW COUNCILMEN TO MEAN SHIFTS IN COMMITTEES

The departure of James Trout and Robert Garland from Roanoke City Council will cause changes in several key committees that make recommendations to council on economic development matters, construction and equipment bids, water and sewer rates, and other issues.

Trout, a retired economic development specialist for Norfolk Southern, has been chairman of the city's Economic Development Commission since it was created eight years ago.

Garland has been chairman of the city's Bid Committee for the same period.

Council uses a committee system - similar to the General Assembly and Congress - so major issues are considered by committees before they are submitted to the full council.

James Harvey and William White will replace Garland and Trout when council holds its organizational meeting on Monday. Garland did not seek a new term and Trout was defeated in the May election.

It is unclear whether new committee assignments will be made next week, but the change in members will require a shuffling of assignments. Mayor Noel Taylor makes the assignments, usually after he consults with council.

The Economic Development Commission, composed mainly of business leaders and others in the industrial development field, has overseen several major developments in recent years.

When Trout became chairman, Roanoke was the only major city in Virginia without a municipally owned industrial park. In that position, he helped guide the development of the Roanoke Centre for Industry and Technology, a 300-acre industrial park off U.S. 460.

Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. is a likely candidate to replace Trout as chairman of the commission. Fitzpatrick is vice president for economic development and legislative affairs for Dominion Bankshares.

As chairman of the city's Bid Committee, Garland has reviewed scores of bids on construction projects and equipment in recent years. All bids on projects expected to cost more than $10,000 have been opened by council and reviewed by Garland's committee.

Council voted recently to raise the threshold to $15,000, meaningthat only bids expected to exceed that amount will be opened by council.

Garland has also been council's liaison with the Roanoke Civic Center Commission, which governs the center. He has attended commission meetings and participated in discussions, but he did not vote on issues. In the early 1960s, he was chairman of a committee that chose the site for the civic center.

Garland, who has been on council for 24 years, has also been a member of the Water Resources Committee.

Harvey, who will return to council after a two-year absence, is a former chairman of the city's Audit Committee and a member of the Water Resources Committee.

Councilman David Bowers is the current chairman of the Audit Committee. Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles heads the Water Resources Committee, which made the recent recommendation to increase water and sewer rates.

by CNB