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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 4, 1994                   TAG: 9405040137
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VINTON'S 2 INCUMBENTS OUSTED IN COUNCIL VOTE

Billy Obenchain, a firefighter, was the big winner, with a 325-vote margin over the runner-up, former councilman Bobby Altice.

Five people were running for two seats on the town's non-partisan council.

Going down to defeat were incumbents Roy McCarty Jr. and Don Davis.

McCarty, Vinton's vice mayor and a town council member for 16 years, sat calmly at Vinton's senior center awaiting election results. As the results came in, he crossed the room, shook the hands of his opponents, and headed home.

"The people wanted change," he said. "I have given the town many, many of my years."

McCarty was a Vinton police sergeant and served on the lifesaving crew before running for council. He said he would not seek office again.

Obenchain, the youngest candidate in the race and the father of two teen-age boys, was the only candidate to emphasize the needs of the town's young people.

He rose early on election day - about 3 a.m. - and staked signs at each of Vinton's two precincts. He spent the remainder of the day campaigning at the precincts.

"I've put a lot of miles on the bottoms of my shoes," Obenchain said after the results were in.

His first tasks as a council member will be to "take a look at the town's budget and do the little things that get people involved with town government," he said.

Altice will be back on council after a two-year absence. He was defeated in 1992 after 16 years on council. He started campaigning for this election shortly after the defeat.

"I've spent a lot of time with the people of this town," Altice said. "I have lost before, and now I appreciate the support a whole lot more. I could not have done this alone."

Betty Sink, a retired bank vice president, was the fifth candidate in the election.

Roanoke County Registrar Elizabeth Leah said the number of people voting in Vinton was slightly higher than the last municipal election.

"Someone's door-to-door has turned people out,'' Vinton Election Chief Charles Bolling said.