ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250030
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Bob Abraham
Experience: Past president of the Kiwanis Club, past vice president of the Christiansburg-Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.
Employment: Retired owner of Christiansburg Printing.
Age: 67
Two biggest issues and why:
Recreation, including getting a swimming pool - "I feel [a pool] is something Christiansburg lacks. One of the important things you do in life is learn how to swim. There's not an opportunity for a kid in Christiansburg to do this, and this is something that I think is essential."
Communication and input - Abraham says some residents don't believe that council listens to their concerns. He wants citizens to be able to "voice their feelings and be able to have their questions answered by a council that cares."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "I've met a lot of different people. I was real concerned about dogs, but that hasn't occurred at all."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Don't get nervous. Try and be able to think well when you're on the spot. Try to think that you're talking one on one, instead of to a large group of people."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "No matter what you vote on, there are some people who aren't going to agree with your vote. Try to explain to them why you voted the way you did. Also, be a good listener. Try to understand why they have to say what they have to say."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "I like the fact that it's not a big city, that you can get out into the country easily, and that I know a lot of people and I like a lot of people here."
Address: Hillcrest Drive
Most recent book read: "My American Journey," by Colin Powell
Richard Ballengee
Experience: Past president of the Christiansburg-Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Kiwanis Club, current member of the town's recreation advisory committee.
Employment: Longtime Montgomery County school administrator, now semiretired.
Age: 59
Two biggest issues and why:
Community - "I just want Christiansburg to be a progressive community, but with a pay-as-you-go philosophy."
Preserving and protecting our way of life and small-town atmosphere - "That's important because I'm a resident here. When I go downtown, folks know me by name, and I like that."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "I had one person ask me if I was in favor of snow removal. That's probably the funniest thing that's happened to me."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "We have to watch our speech mannerisms more than anything else ... I'm convinced if you're going to be in the public eye, you should take a public speaking course."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "I'm certainly going to listen to the constituents. They're the ones who put you there. It would be a grave mistake to go against your constituents."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "The residents are good people, their cooperative spirit. They treat each other with respect. They treat strangers like one of the family, and I like that. When you come to Christiansburg and you're a stranger, you won't be one for long."
Address: Maple Drive
Most recent book read: "A Place Called School" by John I. Goodlad
Wayne Booth
Experience: Incumbent, has served two four-year terms, and was originally appointed to complete the term of a council member who moved out of town. Booth is a former Planning Commission member and past president of the Kiwanis Club.
Employment: Retired school administrator. He now works for a school-supply company.
Age: 55
Two biggest issues and why:
Managing growth - "Because it has to be done orderly with a plan. There are so many unknowns out there that you have to plan very carefully to facilitate growth."
Quality of life, including recreation - "We're all citizens of the town, and the things we do outside of work are very important to us."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: When he was asked about public transportation early in the first public forum April 9 - "I really had to put my thinking cap on in a hurry. That was one that kind of threw me, that first question. To formulate an answer to it that early in the forum was tough."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Practice. Don't try to wing it, and maintain eye contact and respect for your audience."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "I have to vote my convictions. You're not supposed to let your emotions get involved in it. based on your best information."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "We've established our home and raised our family here. I feel real good about where we live and the people we know here in the town."
Address: Ellett Road extension
Most recent book read: "Call the Briefing" by Marlin Fitzwater
Rocco Capozzi
Experience: He was a losing candidate for Montgomery County clerk of the court in 1986. He is a past president of the Christiansburg-Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.
Employment: Capozzi runs the Evergreen Bed and Breakfast Inn with his wife. He is retired from Corning and ITT, and is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.
Age: 59
Two biggest issues and why:
Revitalizing and maintaining the community, including quality of life - "I believe that 'community' is what makes a town. With it, all you have is a place to eat and sleep, but not a place to live. I'm afraid we've either lost or are about to lose our community."
Communication and citizen input - Capozzi is worried that residents don't have the opportunity for input into town decisions. "I want to be able to listen."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "I've had people call me and offer to help me. That to me is encouraging. These are people who I know by name but I don't know the individual. There is some support out there that is basically unsolicited."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Do your homework, and make sure you know what you want to say. If you've got your facts, it makes it a whole lot easier. Be prepared."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: You've got to put your own personal desires aside because you're there for the constituents. I'm not sure what's best for the town has to be to the detriment of a particular community or area.
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "I guess it's the people. When the downtown was bustling, it was always friendly ... and some of that is still there. But you lose it if you don't have a walking town."
Address: East Main Street
Most recent book read: "Truman," by David McCullough
Bob Hockett
Experience: Past president of Blacksburg Jaycees; past president of local engineering society.
Employment: President and owner of Mechanical Balancing, a Christiansburg engineering firm that provides heating, ventilating and air-conditioning services.
Age: 48
Two biggest issues and why:
Communication and citizen input - "In the past, there have been a lot of things that have happened that a lot of people didn't get the chance to speak on."
Improved quality of life, including the recreation center - "Because we've got a nice town here. We need to be more forward with it. If we don't address these issues [like recreation], the town's image will get worse. I'd like to see us take a little pride in the town."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "In general, it's the help people have given me. I guess I didn't realize how good of friends I did have."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Channel your nervousness into what you're doing to sharpen your focus. Use it to your benefit, not to your detriment."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "I'd try to take myself out of it. I'd try to study it and find out what's best for the community, not for me. I'd try to look at the long-term benefit."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "All the friends we have. We've lived here 20 years and made a lot of friends."
Address: Diamond Point
Most recent book read: "A Place Called Freedom" by Ken Follett
Jay Newman
Experience: Political newcomer.
Employment: Pharmacist at Kmart.
Age: 38
Two biggest issues and why:
Recreation - "The time has come to go ahead and build a recreation center." The town has accomplished some tasks already as it has grown, such as providing basic services. Now it's time to look at other requirements. "We're higher on the hierarchy of needs now."
Roads - With periodic traffic problems near the New River Valley Mall, "We need to figure out some way to make sure traffic flows more easily."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: The person who told Newman he would definitely vote for him, even though the voter is a Floyd County resident and thus ineligible in the Christiansburg election.
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Practice your opening remarks. Try not to be nervous, and jump right in."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "I really feel I have to go with the constituents. I would try to do the best I could to determine the majority opinion."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: The proximity to hunting and fishing opportunities, the weather and the pace of life.
Address: Diamond Point
Most recent book read: "Debt of Honor," by Tom Clancey
Paul Poff
Experience: Political newcomer. Poff was a founding board member for the Montgomery County Christmas store, and is a Boy Scout district commissioner.
Employment: Poff is a longtime employee of the U.S. Postal Service. He is a window clerk in the Main Street Post Office.
Age: 54
Two biggest issues and why:
New Police Department building - "The present building is entirely too small. They're running out of space. They don't even have enough space to park their police cars."
Recreation - "I think we need a facility for all age groups. I'm particularly interested in kids and teen-agers. ... They just don't have a place to go. There's not that much for them to do."
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "The day of the first forum in the courthouse, I came down with a cold and couldn't hardly talk. So every time I began to say something, my voice gave out on me."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "I would say basically just be yourself. Just come across being yourself and being as comfortable as you can. The people you're speaking to are your friends. Most of them aren't out to lynch you."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "Everyone who's on the board needs to keep the whole town in mind. ... We need to listen to everyone. We don't necessarily need to agree with everyone, but we're there to represent everyone."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "The friendliness of the town. Through the course of the day I meet a lot of people."
Address: Brackens Street.
Most recent book: "The Green Mile" by Stephen King
Scott Weaver
Experience: Incumbent, has served seven four-year terms. On council, Weaver has been a strong advocate of maintaining and expanding basic services, such as water and sewer; police, fire and rescue; and street maintenance. He serves on the New River Planning District Commission and New River Agency on Aging.
Employment: Retired. Weaver was controller/treasurer of Radford University for almost 30 years, and an assistant controller at Virginia Tech for 10 years.
Age: 71
Two biggest issues and why:
Recreation center, because of public demand.
Expansion of sewage disposal plant, because project will soon become a necessity, because of the town's growth.
Most memorable moment while campaigning so far: "I give out combs when I'm campaigning, and I gave one to a gentleman this morning and he was completely bald. He laughed. I noticed he was bald, but I was campaigning."
Advice for beginners on public speaking: "Know your facts. Make sure you are prepared in the field in which you are speaking."
What would you do if you are elected and constituents are telling you they want one thing and your heart is telling you something else: "You have to take the individual request and consider it being for everyone in the town and then weigh the solution. ... Once you approve something in one section of town, it won't be too long before everyone wants the same thing. The hardest thing I've had to do is tell a man what he can or can't do with his land."
Favorite thing about Christiansburg: "The people, the fellowship, the friends that we have, the congeniality, the cooperation."
Address: Cardinal Drive
Most recent book: "Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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