Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 9, 1993 TAG: 9306090146
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Jim Martin, who ran four years ago as a Democrat, agreed Monday night to make another run at Jablonski, a Republican and fellow employee at the Radford Arsenal. Martin has served on the Planning Commission for nearly 13 years.
Jablonski is seeking his third term on the county board. District D encompasses the southwestern portion of the county from Fishers View Mountain to the New River near Walton.
The county Democratic Committee picked Martin as Jablonski's opponent at a Monday night meeting. Martin had been reluctant to commit himself to run at Saturday's Democratic Mass Meeting.
Martin was concerned about the support he would receive from people in his district and Democrats across the county, said county Democratic Chairwoman Lindsay West.
"I just wanted to make sure the sentiments in the county were the same as they were four years ago," Martin said.
Martin lost to Jablonski by 241 votes of 3,013 cast in 1989. "I think it deserves another shot," he said.
Martin, 50, has been active for many years in the Democratic Party and is a member of the county Democratic Committee. He is married and has four children, ages 7 to 20.
He is one of three Democrats seeking seats on the Board of Supervisors this fall. He joins James "Jimmy" Smith of Elliston and James Moore of Blacksburg.
Smith, 53, will challenge incumbent Republican District C Supervisor Joe Stewart of Shawsville. He was nominated at Saturday's mass meeting.
District C comprises the southeastern portion of the county from Alleghany Springs and Christiansburg to Hightop Mountain and Bradshaw Road.
Moore, an incumbent in the District A seat, will run unopposed. Moore defeated Republican George Bell by 81 votes in 1989. District A is made up of the northeastern portion of the county including parts of Blacksburg.
This will be Smith's first attempt at public office. He is an electronic technician in quality control at the General Electric plant in Salem. He and his wife, Margaret, have three grown children.
Smith said he would like to see a stronger economic development program in the county. "Montgomery County is losing out on industry we might have gotten," he said.
He also would like to see educational opportunities improved for all students who want to prepare for a college, Smith said.
by CNB