ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 7, 1996 TAG: 9603070013
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
MAYOR David Bowers calls Elizabeth Bowles, who is retiring from City Council, Roanoke's ``grandmotherly figure.'' The description is apt, considering the quiet stability of her leadership as a council member for 20 years, during which time she has focused in particular on maintaining the city's quality of life for young people growing up here.
Former City Councilman Robert Garland calls her ``the Iron Lady of Williamson Road,'' and that's also fitting. Republican Bowles, now 74, has applied perseverance and determination as well as countless hours of effort to the tasks she's taken on and the issues she has championed for the city.
These have included not only her grandmotherly railing in the '70s to shut down massage parlors - thinly disguised brothels - on Williamson Road, and her persistence, when others thought it a waste of money, to give Roanoke's downtown streets and parks the grace note of beautiful flowers.
Bowles also played a role in assuring good water and sewer services, at reasonable cost to city residents, in her nitty-gritty work as chairman of the city's Water Resources Committee. She's been a faithful and tireless worker for dozens of improvements in Roanoke, including downtown revitalization, professional municipal management and increased funding for public schools.
Her commitment to the city is reflected, too, in long service on the directing board of the Miss Virginia Pageant, which she helped to found and to keep in Roanoke, on the Total Action Against Poverty board, and on behalf of the Williamson Road Area Business Association, which the former bakery owner also helped found.
Bowles' retirement announcement preceded by one day word from fellow Republican Mac McCadden that he also won't seek re-election to City Council. Though McCadden has served only one term, compared to Bowles' five, he leaves a positive impact as well.
A USAir district sales manager and former major league baseball umpire, McCadden has been an outspoken advocate for sports as an economic-development asset. He helped bring the Tour DuPont to the Roanoke Valley, and also helped make sure the Roanoke Express hockey team has a home at the Roanoke Civic Center. Both are significant achievements.
The 45-year-old McCadden's retirement from City Council may prove a lull before a quest for other office. Bowles, noting in her reasons for departure the failing eyesight of her husband, Ralph, is probably marking the end of her political career. Both deserve the city's thanks for fine public service.
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