Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250079
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Lautenschlager resigned his post hours before he was indicted by a grand jury for embezzling more than $16,000 from the Salem Rescue Squad during a two-year period. He confessed to the crime.
The indictments came after a three-month state police investigation into discrepancies found in a Salem Rescue Squad account.
Givens, owner of Givens Lumber Company in Salem, was chosen from a list of more than 15 Salem residents this weekend, Mayor Jim Taliaferro said.
"There were many well-qualified people that we contacted, and some contacted us," Taliaferro said.
City Councilman Sonny Tarpley said he'd had Givens, 45, in mind for months. He contacted Givens, whom he has known for 30 years, three weeks ago. Lautenschlager announced his resignation Friday.
"He's not going to please the women or the minorities," said Tarpley of his fellow church member, a white male.
In its history as an independent city, Salem has never had a minority councilman and it has had only one councilwoman. But it was age, not gender or race, that Tarpley felt was important to voters.
"Our voters sent a message to us with Garry Lautenschlager, that they were looking for a younger member on council," Tarpley said. At 45, Givens meets that criterion, Tarpley said.
Although Givens was not Salem born, he was Salem bred. His family moved to Salem when he was 3 years old. He went on to play football, basketball and track before graduating from Andrew Lewis High School in 1968.
"I've known just about every athlete to come through Salem. And I've kept up with him," Taliaferro said of Givens. "I have no reservation about his devotion to the city."
Givens did not take the appointment lightly. It's a decision he said he took some time in making.
"After some thought and consideration, I decided that this was a way I could give something back to my community," said Givens, who would not say if he'd ever been to a council meeting before his swearing-in Monday. "I'm looking forward to learning more about my city."
The 1972 Virginia Tech graduate said he has no political party affiliations, and said "it's too far to think about" whether he would seek election when Lautenschlager's term expires in July 1998.
Lautenschlager resigned his post and confessed his crime hours before he was indicted by a grand jury for embezzling more than $16,000 from the Salem Rescue Squad during a two-year period. He confessed to the crime.
The indictments came after a three-month state police investigation into discrepancies found in a Salem Rescue Squad account.
In other action, council:
Dissolved a nine-year contract requiring Roanoke County to pay Salem $1,900 whenever the city's Fire Department responds to county fire calls. City Manager Randy Smith said that in the years since the agreement has been in place, no money has exchanged hands.
Denied a zoning request to change from residential to business for an in-home child-care business at 809 Tennessee St. The rezoning would have made the existing business legal.
by CNB