Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992 TAG: 9202240199
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
POLITICAL SCORECARD NEEDED, AFTER ALL
WHAT A difference a couple of weeks can make!At their mass meeting today (William Fleming High School, 11 a.m., with registration beginning at 9), Roanoke city Democrats will choose not only a mayoral nominee but also three City Council nominees from among six candidates.
Moreover, city Republicans now have three candidates for council - ensuring that they, too, can field a full slate for the non-mayoral seats in the May 5 election.
Early this month, we were complaining about being able to tell all the players without a scorecard. With Mayor Noel Tayor retiring and Vice Mayor Howard Musser vying with Councilman David Bowers for the Democratic nomination to succeed him, where were the promising rookies trying for potential roster openings?
There's no need to ask now, following a rush onto the field of several new faces amid general applause. It's healthy for Roanoke's body politic that council races have turned out to be more than an old-timers' game.
Now, this is not to disparage any of the council veterans, some or all of whom may well be the best choices. Taking proper measure of any officeholder is simply more difficult if there are no solid challengers against whom to compare. And the pool of candidates, in addition to the city's leadership, needs periodic replenishment.
Just a few days ago, the known Democratic candidates consisted of incumbent Councilman Bev Fitzpatrick, former Councilman James Trout and Renee Anderson, a former executive secretary in the city clerk's office.
Since then, the list has doubled, and the Democrats today are choosing from among the above three plus J. Eugene Young, pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church; Steve Goodwin, a supervisor with the state Department of Motor Vehicles; and Ted Key, executive director of the Williamson Road Area Business Association.
On the Republican side, it wasn't very long ago that the only announced candidate was incumbent Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles. The party still doesn't have an announced candidate for mayor. But its list of council candidates has expanded to include not only Bowles but also Beverly Lambert, a legislative aide to Republican Del. Steve Agee of Salem, and Mac McFadden, a district sales manager for USAir.
The GOP slate is to be chosen at a mass meeting Tuesday night in the Municipal Building; it's already apparent Republican recruiting efforts have paid off.
Indeed, none of the council candidates, Democrat or Republican, are frivolous or fringe figures. Several of them, including newcomers, can point to non-political experience in civic activities. They bring fresh concerns and energy to the candidate pool. Their willingness to step forward is commendable.
The Musser-Bowers battle for the Democratic mayoral nomination has unfortunately overshadowed the contests for the other council seats. With council members accorded one vote apiece - mayor included - the other races are, collectively, as important as the race for mayor.