ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996             TAG: 9601180078
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER 

WHITE TO FILL IN AS VICE MAYOR VOTE UNANIMOUS TO GIVE HIM TITLE

Councilman Wendell Butler may occupy state Sen. John Edwards' former seat on City Council, but Edwards' title of vice mayor has gone to someone else.

Council members unanimously elected Councilman William White acting vice mayor Tuesday night immediately after appointing Butler to council.

White, a self-employed accountant and chairman of the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center Commission and council's Audit Committee, will serve in the post until July 1. The top vote-getter in May council elections will succeed him.

The vice mayor presides at council meetings when the mayor is absent. He also fills in at ceremonial events the mayor can't attend.

In other action Tuesday, council:

Approved two applications for a total of $900,000 in federal transportation funding under the Intermodel Surface Transportation Efficiency Act.

One, a request for $600,000, would help fund a $750,000 greenway between the Roanoke City Market and the Blue Ridge Parkway, the first phase of a larger greenway network officials hope to establish in the valley. The $150,000 remainder will come from in-kind and private donations.

The greenway would traverse several downtown sites and go up Mill Mountain along Prospect Road before continuing along Fishburn Parkway to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The other request, for a $300,000 grant, would help fund $800,000 in planned improvements to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The city would contribute $400,000 in borrowed money, and the museum expects to raise another $100,000 in private donations.

Both grants are subject to the approval of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Approved designation of a portion of the Gainsboro neighborhood as the city's second residential historic district.

LENGTH: Short :   46 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  WAYNE DEEL/Staff. Circuit Judge Clifford Weckstein 
          swears in new Roanoke City Councilman Wendell Butler on Wednesday.