Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 4, 1995 TAG: 9501040082
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
For years, Franklin County Supervisor Homer Murray has been an outspoken advocate of staggered terms among the county's seven board representatives.
So when county Registrar Peggy Allman drew lots Tuesday morning to determine the three election districts that will be up for two-year terms in November, it was fitting that one of those was Murray's Boone District.
The drawing took place at the board's annual reorganizational meeting at the county courthouse.
Allman also picked the Rocky Mount District, whose seat now is held by Gus Forry; and the Snow Creek District, now represented by Page Matherly, for two-year terms.
The county's four other districts - Blackwater, Gills Creek, Union Hall and Blue Ridge - will be up for four-year terms in November.
After the two-year term is up in 1997, the Boone, Rocky Mount and Snow Creek districts will return to four-year terms.
Before the board agreed to start the staggered-term process this year, Murray had argued that the county's practice of electing all seven board members every four years held some risk.
"If a totally new board were elected, who's to say a county administrator might not like what happened and pack up and leave," he said Tuesday. "That would make it almost impossible for a board to do its business."
Murray said he knows there are negatives to staggered terms - including supervisors always looking over their shoulders as an election approaches - "but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages."
Murray, however, probably won't be around to run for the two-year term.
He said he doubts he'll run for re-election.
"When I drew the two-year term instead of a four-year one, several people have asked me to reconsider," said Murray, 86. "But I don't believe I'll change my mind."
Forry, who was elected to his fourth stint as board chairman Tuesday, said he wasn't planning to run again, but the two-year term designated for his district changed his mind.
Asked if that means he won't run in 1997, Forry said: "I'll just have to see what's in the water then."
Matherly of Snow Creek and Charles Ellis of Gills Creek said Tuesday that they will seek re-election.
Matherly said he would have preferred to run for a four-year term because the election in two years won't coincide with countywide elections such as those for sheriff and commonwealth's attorney - a situation that he believes will greatly reduce voter turnout.
Blackwater Supervisor Wayne Angell, Blue Ridge Supervisor Hubert Quinn and board Vice Chairwoman Lois English of Union Hall said they haven't decided whether they'll seek another board term.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***