Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 2, 1990 TAG: 9003023510
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Macher said today he will be a candidate for nomination at a GOP mass meeting Tuesday night for one of the three council seats up for election this spring.
He thinks his business experience could be helpful on council. This is his first try for public office.
Macher, 37, said he thinks it's time for some new and young viewpoints on council.
He clashed with city officials last year over the acquisition the old A&P Grocery building which houses his antiques mall, but he said this wasn't a factor in his decision to seek a council seat.
Macher said earlier this week he would also be willing to fill the last three months of Councilman James Trout's term.
Trout will resign April 1 because his railroad pension will be reduced if he remains on council.
The three seats up for election in May are held by Trout and Howard Musser, both Democrats, and Robert Garland, a Republican.
Garland said he hasn't decided whether to seek a new term.
Musser is running on a ticket with William White, a School Board member, and James Harvey, a former councilman, seeking the Democratic nomination for the three council seats.
The Democrats will nominate Musser, White and Harvey at a mass meeting Saturday.
Meanwhile, Don Bartol, a former Roanoke School Board member, has joined the growing list of possible candidates for the vacancy that will be created by Trout's resignation.
Councilman David Bowers said Thursday he will propose that Bartol, a retired teacher and principal who often opposed School Superintendent Frank Tota when he was on the School Board, be appointed if council is required to fill the vacancy before the council election.
Bowers said he prefers that council wait until after the election to fill the seat.
The city charter says that "vacancies in the council shall be filled within 30 days . . . by a majority vote of the remaining council members."
Bowers said he thinks council could wait until the night of May 1 and fill the vacancy with the non-incumbent who received the most votes that day. Council could wait until the polls closed and the votes were tabulated, he said.
"If this is not acceptable, I would propose that we name Don Bartol," Bowers said.
Mayor Noel Taylor said earlier this week that council will ask City Attorney Wilburn Dibling for a legal opinion on whether it must fill the vacancy within 30 days after Trout leaves council.
by CNB