DATE: Friday, April 25, 1997                TAG: 9704250581

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   44 lines

INSPECTIONS OFFICIAL FOR SUFFOLK QUITS; JOB TO BE FILLED SOON VANESSA SAVAGE LEFT BECAUSE OF HEALTH REASONS, AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SAID.

After serving the city for 21 years, Suffolk's lead inspections official, Vanessa Savage, resigned on Thursday.

Savage wouldn't comment. However, her supervisor, Steve Herbert, the city's new assistant city manager for economic development, said she left the city because of health problems.

``It's not something we encouraged her to do,'' Herbert said. ``I was impressed with her work. We'll miss her.''

Herbert said he will begin plans to fill Savage's position next week.

Savage's tenure was a rocky one.

Two years ago, the inspections department and the city attorney's office were embroiled in controversy over a backlog of housing inspections.

City Attorney Edward Roettger wrote a memo to former Assistant City Manager William E. Harrell informing him that he could not work on any case involving Savage. The City Council requested an investigation and concluded that it was a personality conflict. The conflict was later resolved, city officials said.

But that wasn't the end of it.

The memo was leaked to some members of the local NAACP, who organized a protest march in front of City Hall. Several activists contended the problems between Roettger, who is white, and Savage, who is black, were racial, and they demanded a new investigation.

Herbert said Savage's plans for resignation had nothing to do with the past problems.

``In my discussions with her, she said that was not the reason,'' Herbert said.

City officials have been working to strengthen the city's inspections ordinance. Savage's office has also been instrumental in conducting several area sweeps.

Last year, the city adopted a state code that allows them to tear down dilapidated buildings that harbor illegal drug activity. The former city code allowed the demolition of unsafe and abandoned buildings but not those with drug activity. ILLUSTRATION: Vanessa Savage wouldn't comment on her departure. Her

office has been instrumental in several area sweeps.

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