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

DATE: TUESDAY, October 17, 1995                   TAG: 9510170082
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MAYOR: `DIVERSITY' NOT ISSUE FOR COUNCIL

A plea that Roanoke City Council endorse a ``diversity enriches'' statement that a gay-rights organization can't get on valley billboards was pulled from City Council's agenda Monday after the group's spokesman couldn't make council's afternoon meeting.

The issue probably will be taken up at another council meeting soon, said Bishop Heath Light, chairman of the Committee on Gay and Lesbian Concerns and head of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.

But Mayor David Bowers said he doesn't think it belongs on council's agenda. For that reason, Bowers on Monday asked City Manager Bob Herbert to reconstitute a community relations task force that would open a dialogue for groups that don't believe they're being treated fairly.

Whether diversity ``enriches'' the city should be taken up by the task force, Bowers said. But he added he wouldn't bar the group from addressing council on the matter.

The topic arose during a long statement by the mayor on two subjects on council's agenda, neither of which came to a vote.

One was the the committee's request that council endorse the idea that diversity enriches the city. The other concerned a letter, signed by Councilmen Mac McCadden and William White, commending black men who participated in Monday's Million Man March in Washington, D.C.

Bowers said the city of Roanoke ``is resolved to respect all individuals, of any race, of any creed, of any sex, of any color.''

But ``it doesn't really matter, I don't think, whether council votes one way or another on these matters. ... I don't think that's really addressing the greater social concerns that I think are causing all of us to question what America is all about these days,'' the mayor said.

Both issues, he added, ``are gripping this nation more so than really this community at this time. It seems to be more of a national interest. But let's not forget that we're a part of this nation.''

In terms of divisiveness in Roanoke, ``I don't see much of that,'' Bowers said.

The committee had asked council to endorse the message ``diversity enriches'' after billboard owner Lamar Advertising refused to allow it on its local billboards. A Lamar spokesman in September said the ads were rejected because of criticism the company received last year for signs the committee rented with a similar message - ``Celebrate Diversity.''

Staff Writer Lisa K. Garcia contributed to this report.

by CNB