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

DATE: SATURDAY, March 9, 1991                   TAG: 9103090292
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: GRUNDY                                LENGTH: Short

NEPOTISM ALLEGED IN BUCHANAN JOB

Complaints of favoritism in hiring by Buchanan County officials have followed the selection of a 19-year-old grandniece of a Board of Supervisors member as county youth office director.

Much of the criticism has come from other applicants for the job, but it still has prompted the supervisors to agree to study hiring practices in surrounding counties.

Marsha Johnson recently was hired as director of the office by a personnel committee composed of Supervisors Arvil Ratliff, William Harris and Earl Scott.

Johnson is Scott's grandniece. A high school graduate who did volunteer work for the office before being hired, Johnson won the position over several candidates with bachelor's degrees.

- Southwest bureau

by CNB