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

DATE: TUESDAY, June 19, 1990                   TAG: 9006190539
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

END URGED TO VALLEY BICKERING FITZPATRICK PUSHES ECONOMIC EFFORTS TURNER

The Roanoke Valley governments should stop bickering over petty issues and work together to promote economic development that benefits the entire valley, Roanoke Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick said Monday.

"We need to look ahead five to 10 years down the road, not just five months," Fitzpatrick said as he prepared to relinquish the vice mayor's position.

"We need to realize that our competition is Richmond, Knoxville and Charlotte - not Salem, Roanoke County or Botetourt County."

Fitzpatrick, who has been vice mayor for two years because he led in the voting in the 1988 council election, will give up the position June 30.

He will remain a councilman because he has two years remaining in his term, but Councilman Howard Musser will become vice mayor because he was the top vote-getter in the recent council election. The top vote-getter in each election serves as vice mayor for the next two years. It will be the third time that Musser has been vice mayor since he was first elected in 1982.

Fitzpatrick, a strong advocate for economic development, said Roanoke is no longer just a railroad town. The valley has a diversified economy that has tremendous economic potential, he said.

Fitzpatrick said he believes the city and the valley are facing "great opportunities and challenges" as they head into the 1990s.

"The challenge is to become a team and work together to do what is best for all of us."

When Fitzpatrick ran for council two years ago, he made jobs and economic development the central theme in his campaign.

Fitzpatrick said he believes the valley is on the threshold of reaching its potential, and he cited a series of projects that have either been started or proposed.

He said those include the proposed convention and trade center, Hotel Roanoke renovation, new office buildings downtown, the Roanoke-Blacksburg highway and government economic-development efforts.

by CNB