ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 22, 1996 TAG: 9602220021
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
Truman Daniel, a long-time member of Christiansburg's Town Council, has announced he will not seek re-election in May, guaranteeing at least one new face on council in May and perhaps signaling a changing of the guard in a town government that has seen its share of long tenures.
At least nine people may be considering a run for Daniel's seat and the two others whose terms are expiring.
Daniel, 71, has served on council for four, four-year terms, but decided when he was elected in 1992 that this term would be his last. He told the other council members of his decision about a month ago.
"Yes, I'm going to miss Truman. I was very saddened when he announced he wasn't going to run," said council member Ann Carter.
Other town officials were unanimous in their praise of him.
"All the way around, he's a person who's interested in the community. He has no special interests," said Mayor Harold Linkous.
The seats held by Wayne Booth and Scott Weaver also are up for re-election, and both have decided they will run again. They are busy gathering the necessary petition signatures and are formulating their campaign plans.
Booth, 55, a retired school administrator who works for a printing company, has served more than two terms. At Tuesday's council meeting, he made a motion that next year's budget include funding for a study of whether the town could hire an economic development and public relations officer.
Christiansburg operates its own industrial park off Roanoke Street and plans to supply utilities to a Montgomery County industrial park scheduled for the Falling Branch area. With that in mind, Booth said he believes it is time the town had someone to oversee business and economic issues.
"The whole spectrum of business attraction would be part" of the job, he said.
Weaver, 71 and a retired controller and treasurer for Radford University, already has served seven terms and wants to complete one more to see the completion of the town's recreation center and new rescue squad building, two projects that have been on the drawing board for years.
Booth and Weaver may have more competition than any candidate in recent elections.
Two years ago four candidates vied for three council seats, and two people ran for mayor. The incumbents easily won then.
So far, Booth, Weaver and seven other people have requested election forms from the registrar, but that does not mean there will be that many candidates. In order to run, candidates must get the signatures of 125 town residents who are registered voters. Booth and Weaver have started gathering signatures and will try to get about 175 to allow for room for error.
None of the other seven people have formally announced plans to run. The deadline for filing is March 5.
Booth and Weaver said they are planning a relatively low-key campaign that will feature newspaper advertisements, and maybe fliers and buttons. They plan to spend about $300 to $400. Booth said he will do some door-to-door campaigning; Weaver said he will not.
Both candidates said they will not engage in yard sign wars, which have become something of either a local election tradition or scourge.
"They might run us out of town if we start putting yard signs up," Weaver said.
"No, I'm not going to get into that yard sign business," Booth said with a laugh and mock grimace.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB