ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996                 TAG: 9606250099
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: A-2  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON 

TARPLEY LIKELY TO BE SALEM'S NEXT MAYOR

The man most likely to move into Salem Mayor Jim Taliaferro's seat is the councilman who first nominated Taliaferro for the position 22 years ago - Vice Mayor Sonny Tarpley.

Councilman Alex Brown said he will nominate Tarpley to fill the role of mayor during an organizational meeting July 1. Brown, Howard Packett and newcomer Harry Haskins will be sworn in at that meeting. The five-member council must then choose a mayor and vice mayor.

Others on council said they are ready to back Tarpley's nomination.

"He's been there longer than anybody else," Packett said. "I don't know who else it would be."

Haskins, the city's former police chief, said Tarpley was on council when he was hired.

Tarpley, vice president of Salem Bank & Trust, said he would accept a nomination for mayor.

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