Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 21, 1993 TAG: 9310200411
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W-13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Are there any preliminary sketches of the center? What kind of programs would be offered? Is there a summary of costs?
Eddy sought - without success - to postpone a vote until the staff could answer these and other questions.
Eddy, an engineer with a mind for details, has been a voice of caution and deliberation during his four years on the Board of Supervisors.
His style has come under attack as the Republican seeks a second consecutive term as representative of the Windsor Hills District.
Democrat Lee Garrett, who is seeking a political comeback after losing the seat to Eddy four years ago, claims that the district has lacked full representation because of what he called Eddy's indecisiveness.
Garrett said there have been several key issues - most recently a zoning request along the Blue Ridge Parkway - in which Eddy has abstained or opposed because he couldn't make up his mind.
"The five supervisors get information at the same time from the same source," Garrett said. "I can't understand why four of them are always ready to vote and, yet, one isn't."
Eddy makes no apologies for often wanting more information than he gets from County Administrator Elmer Hodge and his staff.
"I don't think it's the job of the county Board of Supervisors to be a rubber stamp for the staff," Eddy said.
"It's awfully easy to vote what the staff recommends and move on. But, I don't think that's my job and why I was elected."
Over the last four years, Eddy has voted contrary to staff recommendations on numerous occasions. He opposed shipping garbage to Smith Gap Landfill by rail; voted against buying the Travelers Building for new county offices; and opposed spending $350,000 for a temporary entrance to the Explore Park.
While his deliberate style can at times exasperate staff, Eddy said there can be a benefit in waiting when decisions are not urgent.
In June, for example, the supervisors postponed action on an economic development policy after Eddy suggested changes that would give county staff the flexibility to offer financial incentives to prospective industries without board approval.
"He actually improved it in the things he did," said Tim Gubala, economic development director.
The Windsor Hills race is a rematch of 1989, when Eddy carried five out of six precincts to unseat Garrett. The vote was 3,564 to 3,110.
Garrett blamed his defeat on his various commitments - he was board chairman and a member of the county consolidation negotiating team - that left him little time for campaigning.
Garrett, 68, said he has the time and energy to devote to the task this time around. He has knocked on doors and hired a campaign manager, Debbie Jordan, who served as legislative aide to former Sen. Granger Macfarlane, D-Roanoke.
Garrett, a retired commentator and community services manager for WSLS-TV, Channel 10, has been a resident of the Windsor Hills area since 1960. Garrett is a stage name from his TV days. His legal name is Homer Holcomb.
Garrett said he wants to return to the Board of Supervisors to help complete some of the projects he helped launch, such as Spring Hollow Reservoir and the Valleypointe business park.
Eddy, 66, is a self-employed engineer who has been a resident of Southwest Roanoke County since 1962. He was member of the Board of Supervisors from 1968 to 1972.
Eddy said he wants to serve another four years because he believes in community service and sees the job as a way to remain active as he begins his retirement.
Garrett has raised nearly three times as much money as Eddy - $8,229 to $2,758, according to campaign finance reports through the end of September.
Eddy reported only two contributions of more than $100: $300 from the Roanoke County Republican Committee and $150 from the Roanoke County Education Association, a teacher's group.
Garrett's contributor list includes a number of local business and Democratic leaders: the Roanoke County Democratic Committee; $4,000; Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, $500; furniture executive George Cartledge, $250; and Roanoke Electric Steel chairman John W. Hancock, $200.
Garrett has spent much of his money toward direct mail, including a recent flier that tried to turn the Windsor Hills race into a referendum on elected school boards.
Garrett supports a Nov. 2 initiative to give county voters the power to chose school board members through popular election. Eddy opposes elected school boards, favoring instead appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
"Lee Garrett trusts the citizens to make an educated vote," says the Garrett flier. "A vote for Lee Garrett is really two votes - one for supervisor and one for elected school boards!"
Eddy acknowledges that the school board initiative will pass, but he has stuck with his belief that elections would politicize school boards, discourage qualified people from serving and give well-organized special interest groups a chance to dominate the schools.
"I've been told by many people that [appointed school boards] is a loss cause, but . . . I'm willing to put my neck on the line to see that people are as well informed as possible before the election.
"If people zero in on that single issue, I could lose. I hope they will take a broader view."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB