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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 22, 1993                   TAG: 9312220190
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO RUN FOR ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL

Harris, a School Board member, confirmed Tuesday that he will seek a council seat. He will hold a news conference next week to make his formal announcement.

Councilman William White and former Councilman James Trout also will seek the party's nomination in the March 1 election.

And council members John Edwards and James Harvey are expected to get into the race before the Jan. 3 deadline.

Party sources doubt that Councilman Howard Musser will seek re-election, but he declined to confirm that.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Musser said Tuesday.

Four seats - held by Edwards, Harvey, Musser and White - will be on the ballot in the primary election. This is the first time in 25 years the Democrats have used a primary to choose their nominees.

Harris, pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church, has been on the School Board since last year.

He also was a member of a task force that last year studied a modified ward system for choosing council members. The group recommended that the city keep its at-large system.

White, a partner in a certified public accounting company, is completing his first term. He served on the School Board for five years before being elected to the council in 1990.

Trout, who was on the council for 16 years, is a retired economic development engineer for Norfolk Southern. He lost a bid for re-election in 1990.

Edwards, a lawyer, was appointed recently to fill part of the unexpired term of Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick, who resigned in October to become director of the New Century Council.

Harvey, a corporate pilot who has been on council for 12 years, is circulating petitions to seek a new term. Musser, a retired General Electric finance supervisor who is recovering from a stroke, also has been on council a dozen years.

Another potential candidate in the Democratic primary is Linda Wyatt, a teacher who has been active in the Roanoke Education Association.

City Republicans will choose their nominees at a mass meeting, the method traditionally used by both parties.

GOP leaders expect to have a full slate of candidates for the May election. Republicans hold only two of seven council seats, but they have been encouraged by the recent victory of Gov.-elect George Allen.

Beverly Lambert, a former aide to Del. Steve Agee, R-Salem, said she is considering running on the Republican ticket.

A citizens' organization also plans to field a nonpartisan slate.

The group, Action '94, is developing a platform on issues before selecting its candidates.