ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610210036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
The Pulaski County Electoral Board got back up to strength Friday with three members again.
Beth Ann Holmes of Dublin is the new member, having been sworn in Friday after being appointed from county Republican Party nominees by Circuit Judge Colin Gibb. She is the wife of a dentist and has been active in county GOP activities.
The board held a brief organizational meeting and chose Holmes as its vice chairwoman. Don Sheffey remains chairman and Margaret Farris, secretary. Sheffey and Holmes are Republicans and Farris is a Democrat.
Holmes succeeds longtime board member and secretary A.J. Smith Jr., who resigned Monday citing press criticisms and a need to devote more time to his businesses.
The board will be busy between now and the Nov. 5 elections because the county is without a registrar.
Phyllis Hanks, who has held that job for the past six years and was assistant registrar for six years before that, is facing charges of embezzling $1,721 by depositing three Bell Atlantic refund checks to the county in her personal account. A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled for Oct. 28.
The previous board first decided to let Hanks, a Democrat, stay on the job through the election rather than go to the expense of a temporary registrar. After Smith's resignation this week, Farris - who had been critical of the earlier majority decision to not suspend Hanks pending the outcome of her case - and Sheffey asked for her resignation. When they did not get it, they fired her.
LENGTH: Short : 39 linesby CNB