Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 7, 1990 TAG: 9003071841
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: KITTREDGE SHENANDOAH BUREAU
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Incumbent City Councilman Andrew C. Jordon is one of the candidates for the May 1 election, after making a "last-minute decision" to run for a third four-year term, he said.
The retired college athletic director said he decided to run again because no one else from the city's black neighborhoods was going to do so.
"I just felt we needed a representative from the black community," said Jordon, who submitted the last of his supporting paperwork on Tuesday.
Two other incumbent council members who are up for re-election, Laurence Mann and J.E. "Jim" Mays, have announced they will not run.
The filing deadline for independent candidates was Tuesday. Candidates from political parties may file through March 12, but council candidates in Lexington traditionally have run as independents, said Lucille Joyce, Lexington's general registrar.
Joining Jordan in the race as of Tuesday's deadline were Virginia Military Institute professor Patrick Mayerchak; Timothy Golden, VMI's financial aid director; local builder David Hunsicker; and James Robert Berger, owner of Lexington Building Supply and Mill Inc.
Berger, a veteran and former prisoner of war, told a reporter Tuesday he had grown worried his occasional business dealings with the city might represent a conflict of interest. He said he has asked for an opinion from the state attorney general's office before making his candidacy final.
Meanwhile, Hunsicker, a local builder who is retired from the Air Force, said he wants to improve teachers' pay, maintain a strong downtown business district in Lexington and seek service fees from the city's two colleges, VMI and Washington and Lee University. He also wants to see more opportunities in continuing education for those in the area who already have some college background, he said.
"I really think I can make a difference," said Hunsicker, a graduate of Virginia Tech.
Golden said he had been thinking for some time about serving on the City Council or the School Board. "I think we have some exciting times ahead," he said, citing plans for a new consolidated high school.
Golden said he would like to explore other city/county cooperative efforts as well, with an eye to current efforts under way between Roanoke and Roanoke County. "We may want to look to them as a possible example," said Golden, a VMI alumnus.
Mayerchak said he decided to seek a council seat because "I feel everybody ought to contribute something to the city. Especially Lexington - it's a good place."
A political science teacher at VMI since 1974, Mayerchak said "I understand the business of government." He said he follows local issues and attends council meetings.
City voters may vote for up to three candidates 1 and the highest three vote-getters will win the council seats, local officials said.
The last day to register in time to vote on May 1 is March 31, said Joyce, the registrar.
by CNB