CHESAPEAKE OFFICIAL HANGS ON TO JOB

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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 13, 1992                   TAG: 9202130359
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                                LENGTH: Short
CHESAPEAKE OFFICIAL HANGS ON TO JOB
City Manager James Rein has survived a challenge to his job in the wake of reports about excessive repair and maintenance charges at the City Garage.
By a 5-2 vote Tuesday, the City Council rejected a demand to fire Rein, who suspended without pay the former automotive director, George McCoy. McCoy had headed the garage for 23 years.
Police, the FBI and the commonwealth's attorney are investigating irregularities in garage operations. The probe began in the wake of a series of stories by The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star of Norfolk that cited overcharges to service city-owned vehicles and a near monopoly given to one body shop for repairs of city cars and trucks.
According to the newspapers, the garage charged bills of $80.25 for a $10 state inspection and $69.83 for a routine oil change. The newspapers also said city mechanics regularly worked on holidays and scheduled days off to finish jobs and do routine maintenance.
Councilman Arthur Dwyer, who called Monday for Rein's resignation, said he would continue that effort.
"If the council wants to have this hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil routine, that's their problem," Dwyer said. "But I'm not going to rest until Jim Rein is removed from the city manager's office."
Other council members, however, said the move to oust Rein, the city manager since 1987 and a city employee for 21 years, was politically motivated.
"I refuse to be a part of a lynch mob intent on a quick fix," said Mayor William Ward.
Rein said he was unaware of the alleged garage irregularities before the newspaper reported.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB