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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 21, 1993                   TAG: 9307210203
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FINANCE DIRECTOR SEARCH NARROWS

Roanoke may get a new finance director by next month to fill the post that has been vacant since the forced resignation of Joel Schlanger in December.

Several applicants have come to Roanoke in recent weeks to tour the city and become more familiar with city government. Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., who is heading the search, has escorted four applicants around the city.

City Council is preparing to interview the finalists. Councilman Howard Musser said Tuesday that five or six applicants may be interviewed. Schlanger's salary was $88,000 a year, but his successor's pay might be lower, depending on background and experience.

To help make sure the city had a good field of applicants, council hired an executive-search firm. Many private companies use such firms to help staff top-level executive jobs.

James Grisso, who was Schlanger's top assistant, has been acting finance director. Grisso, 47, is an applicant for the top post. He has worked for the city for 18 years, including 15 as deputy finance director.

Council members have said their far-reaching search does not rule out the possibility that Grisso would get the post.

Council postponed the search for several months because it was busy with the city's new budget, the Hotel Roanoke project and other issues.

Schlanger was forced to resign after misleading City Council about the nature of more than $1,000 in long-distance calls charged to his city-issued AT&T card.

by CNB