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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 4, 1994                   TAG: 9405040122
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST and ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD VOTERS TURN OUT TO ELECT MAYOR TO 3RD TERM

More than half the city's registered voters turned out Tuesday as Tom Starnes easily won a third term as the city's mayor. But it was a razor-close win for Councilwoman and Vice Mayor Polly Corn, who retained her council seat - one of two up for grabs - by just 37 votes.

Radford University administrator William "Bill" Yerrick was Tuesday's top vote-getter with 1,619.

Starnes, 53, outpolled Councilman David Worrell, while Corn squeaked by Todd Ratliff in the at-large balloting. All candidates ran without party affiliation.

Ratliff, 31, a political novice in his first election bid, made the closing of the Memorial Bridge a cornerstone of his campaign. The jeweler also had promised to be "a good listener" if elected.

Tuesday night, Yerrick, 50, pledged to stick with his election campaign agenda that stressed regional cooperation. "I feel very strongly about that," he said. "The smaller communities need to pull together ... for economic development.

Yerrick is a member of the New Century Council, a group studying regional economic development.

Starnes, a manager at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, said he thinks Yerrick's university connection "will add a dimension to council."

Yerrick will join Councilman Bob Nicholson as the second Radford University administrator on the council, but Starnes said he doesn't expect that to shift council's perspective. Starnes said he thinks everyone on council "will look at what's in the best interests of the city."

Starnes has been mayor for 14 years. He fended off a challenge from Worrell four years ago. During the campaign he cited the city's low tax rates and fiscal conservatism as hallmarks of his tenure, although he has indicated that taxes are likely to rise next year.

Worrell, 65, a self-described "people person," touted his lengthy record of public service, including 20 years as a council member. The office supply salesman will retain his seat on council for two more years despite losing Tuesday's election.

Corn, 68, was seeking a third four-year term. "I appreciate the vote of confidence," she said Tuesday. She and Starnes are fiscal soulmates, and Corn also has predicted taxes will rise next year.

The retired Virginia Tech accounting professor ran on her record as a fiscal conservative.

Voter Registrar Tracy Howard said he hoped to avoid a recount in the race between Corn and Ratliff. An unusually large number of absentee ballots - about 100 - were cast, more than in the vote for governor last year, he said.

"The candidates worked that hard," he said. Corn said Tuesday she got 39 absentee votes.

Howard characterized the 2,530-voter turnout as heavy. The number was up from about 2,400 in the last mayoral election. The city has about 5,600 registered voters.

The victors officially become members of council July 1. Current council member Gary Weddle did not seek re-election.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB