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

DATE: TUESDAY, April 17, 1990                   TAG: 9004170255
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Southwest bureau
DATELINE: ABINGDON                                 LENGTH: Short

WASHINGTON COUNTY ATTORNEY RESIGNING

Joe Howard, Washington County's attorney for eight years and acting county administrator for two months, is leaving for a new job in Prince William County.

Howard told the Washington County Board of Supervisors last week that he was leaving to become senior assistant county attorney in Prince William at the end of April.

He said he felt he had been working well with the new supervisors on the board this year, and the turmoil on the governing body since January played no part in his decision to leave.

Resignations had been demanded from Howard and former County Administrator Dan Collins by Supervisor Thomas Whittaker. Whittaker and the three supervisors elected last year with the backing of the Washington County Taxpayers' League have been controlling many board actions by a 4-3 majority.

Collins did resign, and County Accountant Mark Seamon was named acting administrator. When Seamon said the added duties were too much, the board named Howard as acting administrator.

Whittaker's motion that Commonwealth's Attorney Dennis Godfrey be asked to handle some county attorney duties temporarily was defeated in a 3-3 deadlock. One of the supervisors who usually votes with Whittaker, Cecil Simcox, was not at the meeting.

The jobs of county administrator and county planner remain unfilled. County Planner Dulane Parks also resigned under pressure from the Whittaker majority this year.

by CNB