The Roanoke Times from Roanoke, Virginia • 11

Metro State Roanoke Times World-News Deaths Sports Business Classified Ads Section Tuesday Evening, June 12, 1979 City personnel chief says more blacks, women By JOEL TURNER Municipal Affairs Writer Roanoke's personnel manager says he has found that officials are receptive to the idea of hiring more minorities and women for city jobs. Charles Patterson the city's first black departmental manager, said he has found that city officials are willing to consider minorities and women for important managerial positions as well as more traditional jobs. Patterson, who has been personnel chief for nearly a year, said he hasn't found any evidence of discrimination in city hiring. Under a procedure implemented by City Manager Bern Ewert, Patterson has the authority to hold up appointments and hirings if he thinks there has been discrimination. But he said he hasn't done so in any case because he hasn't found discrimination.

3 groups seek license for Ch. 27 By MAG POFF Senior Writer Three groups are pursuing the lengthy application process for picking up the license of UHF Channel 27 in Roanoke. The television channel has been dark since WRLU, an ABC network affiliate, went off the air in 1975 because of financial difficulties. The are Roanoke Christian Broadcasting Glenn "Whitey" Robertson of Mobile Video Productions and a group of business investors headed by Henry Scholz Jr. and E.

Dana Cox Jr. Cox was the first vice president and general manager of WBRA-TV, Channel 15, from 1966, when the educational channel was established, until he took a job in Toledo. Ohio, in October 1972. He returned to Roanoke this month from Kansas. The Federal Communications Commission keeps no records on the number of application forms sent to interested groups and could not say whether others might be engaged in the same process.

"Talk is cheap," said a spokesman in the FCC Broadcast Facilities Division. "It's applications that count." There has been a trend toward applications for UHF licenses during the last two years, he said. During that period, he said, UHF applications have increased threefold. UHF stations nationally generally lost money, the FCC spokesman said. The time coming those stations will make a profit, he added, and investors are moving to claim for the existing channels before they are gone.

Scholz and Cox could not be reached for comment on their plans, but Robertson and Christian Broadcasting would operate as independents rather than network affiliates. Llewellyn Fischer, president of Roanoke Christian Broadcasting, and Robertson confirmed they have met several times to discuss a possible joint effort in obtaining a license. Fischer said such discussions are in the preliminary stages but "I would listen" if a consolidated effort proved possible. He and Robertson have "pretty much the same goals," Fischer said, Scholz plans "a business venture." Fischer said See Ch. 27, Page B-3 SUE GARST HART Running as independent CASE leader declares candidacy for revenue post By FRAN COOMBS Staff Writer Sue Garst Hart is carrying her opposition to the county executive form of government into the race for Roanoke County commissioner of revenue.

Mrs. Hart declared her candidacy today. The position will be re-established Jan. 1 when the traditional form of government is restored. The commissioner's post was abolished Dec.

31, 1975, when Roanoke County assumed the executive form. One of the leaders of CASE, the citizens' group that successfully championed the return to the traditional form in a November 1977 referendum, Mrs. Hart is running as an independent. She is opposed by Republican Richard C. Flora, a former member of the county Board of Supervisors, and Wayne Compton, a member of the current board.

The commissioner's race, Mrs. Hart said, "will probably be a race of the execu- See Candidate, Page B-3 getting jobs 0 "The department heads and managers are receptive to the idea of a work force that reflects the city's labor force," he said in an interview. Patterson cites the following cases in the past year in which blacks or women have been named to high-level positions: William Stewart has been named manager of street maintenance, supervising about 80 men. Earl Reynolds was hired as human resources coordinator. Dolores Daniels was named assistant to the city manager for community relations to oversee the citizens' request for service office.

Susan Paul became administrator of city accounting services. Elizabeth Stahl was hired as public information officer and economic developer. Patterson said his own appointment as personnel manager is another example of the changing attitude in the city's hiring practices. Anticipation He acknowledged that minorities and women still hold only a small percentage of management-level positions in city government, but he isn't concerned about quotas or fixed numerical goals. "I am concerned in maintaining an environment and atmosphere where people feel in their hearts they have equal employment opportunity.

My concern is in sustaining an environment not with numerics," he said. Asked if he thinks there is such an environment in city government now, Patterson said that "given the city's past history, there is more receptivity to this than ever Patterson said he sees the need for a vigorous recruitment to help assure that there are applicants from minorities and women for high management positions. Since he became personnel manager, Patterson said, there has been a good response to advertisements for positions with a "good cross-racial and cross-sexual" mix of applicants. This has occurred without any major recruitment effort. Patterson, who also is the city's affirmative action officer, said he hasn't found: any conflict between this role and his job as personnel manager.

When the two jobs were combined last year, some citizens expressed concern that this would compromise the independent status of the affirmative action officer. But Patterson said he has found that the change has actually enhanced the affirmative action program because the personnel manager has more leverage in employment and personnel matters than an affirmative action officer would have alone. On another item, Patterson confirmed that the pay range of some city workers has been upgraded in recent months as a result of administrative approval by Ewert, but he said he doesn't think this has undermined the validity of the overall pay and classification plan approved by the City Council last year. Patterson said some jobs have been reclassified with a higher pay range, but "overall, there have been relatively few Some city workers have complained privately that the city administration has rewarded certain individuals by upgrading their pay range and giving them raises above their normal merit and cost-of-living raises. Some workers said this is causing morale problems.

Patterson confirmed that some individuals have been given pay raises above normal merit and costof-living raises, but he said "these adjustments have been well reasoned." He said the raises have been based on change in job duties or re-evaluation of the position. Patterson said the city manager is the only official who has the authority to grant raises above normal merit and cost-of-living raises. Low-rent nt housing approved by city By JOEL TURNER Municipal Affairs Writer Roanoke City Council voted Monday night to authorize changes in the city's proposed housing assistance plan. The alterations are planned to eliminate objections by a federal agency that could have jeopardized several million dollars for the city. Council authorized City Manager Bern Ewert to negotiate a settlement with the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development on a housing assistance plan. HUD has insisted that the city's plan provide for additional subsidized rental housing for families in the next three years. Council's action is expected to help assure that the city will keep receiving about $2.3 million in federal Community Development Act money. It also will help increase the city's chances for obtaining a federal grant for downtown improvements. The city's proposed plan for the next three years, which had been submitted to HUD earlier, concentrated on rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing and housing for the elderly.

There were no provisions for additional subsidized rental housing for families. In recent years, the city's plan had a priority on rental housing for families. However, HUD recently told the city it should attempt to deal with the need for both -occupied and rental housing for families at the same time, instead of concentrating on one at a time. HUD said federal regulations require the housing assistance plan's goals to be proportionate to the city's housing needs. And the agency said the city's own statistics show there is a need for more subsidized rental housing for families.

So, the city's plan must include provisions for rehabilitation of -occupied housing, housing for the elderly and rental housing for families. The housing plan is required as a part of the city's application for money that is being used for Gainsboro and other housing programs. To receive the money, the city must have an approved plan. The plan is the city's guide for using federal money for subsidized housing, including the position it takes on applications by private developers for federal money for housing projects. Council held a 25-minute closed session with Ewert to discuss HUD's objections to the plan.

There was no public discussion of the matter. Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution that authorized Ewert to file a revised plan and application for the community development money. The resolution also authorizes him to negotiate a plan that will be acceptable to HUD. Ewert said the resolution permits him to negotiate a settlement with HUD without specifying any precise number of rental housing units for families to be included in the plan. Presumably, this number will be determined in the negotiations.

Also, the negotiations presumably will determine the type of subsidized program that will be used to provide the rental units. There are four available programs: new construction units, rent subsidy for existing units, moderate rehabilitation and substantial rehabilitation. The city's Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been notified that federal money has been allocated for 52 moderate rehabilitation units under the rent subsidy program. It was not immediately clear if these units could be used to help satisfy HUD's demand for some rental units for families. See Low rent, Page B-2 Staff photo by Wayne Deel Waiting for a fish to bite takes a lot of patience, and Harry Minnick (left) and Ronald Wood were on the Rognoke River early this morning to make sure they gave the fish plenty of time.

All it takes is one good nibble to make the waiting worthwhile. The Colonial Avenue residents are fishing from a small bridge near Wiley Drive. Low ratings knock Salem council off air Salem Bureau meeting. Council had authorized the broadcast on a trial The Salem City Council radio program has been can- basis. celed but few listeners apparently will notice.

Station owner and manager Lloyd Gochenour Radio couldn't be reached today, and other station personnel station WJLM-FM began broadcasting the said he would have to answer questions about the decilast meetings six months ago, but picked up its equipment sion not to broadcast council meetings. week. There was no broadcast of Monday night's But Council Clerk Randy Smith said Gochenour cited lack of listeners for ending the meeting. program. He said neither Several City Council members didn't notice that the the station nor the city got any feedback radio from the public equipment was gone until halfway through the good, bad or indifferent.

Worker fined, jailed one year for Troy Lee Hill, 26. was charged with Ballou By DOUGLAS PARDUE Staff Writer also accepted a plea agreement is not the wild West." malicious wounding in the shooting of Mrs. on a second charge against Hill. Hill also a Roanoke Ross. However, after judge said today as he imposed a one-year a day-long trial in had been charged with malicious wounding jail sentence on a white construction work- April, a Roanoke jury convicted him of the in the shooting of a black youth two days er convicted of lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

The after Mrs. Ross was shot. In that case, Hill black jury recommended that Hill be given a one- allegedly fired a shotgun from wounding a 75-year-old woman. a moving car year sentence and fined $1,000. and struck the youth in the back with sevThe June 21, 1978, shooting in which eral pellets.

Bertha Ross was wounded in the leg sparked several nights of racial tension in a Circuit Court Judge Ernest W. Ballou racially mixed section of Southwest Roa- imposed the recommended sentence on Assistant Roanoke Commonwealth's noke. Hill today. Attorney Don Caldwell told Ballou today Staff photo by Wayne Deel Line is short at South Roanoke No. 2 poll at Crystal Spring School 'wild West' shooting that the second malicious wounding charge was being reduced to a charge of unlawfully discharging a firearm in the city.

Caldwell told Ballou the charge was being reduced on a plea agreement. He said the prosecution agreed to reduce the charge in exchange for a guilty plea and a suspended sentence because there would be difficulty proving Hill fired the shot that wounded the youth. He said the prosecution could not afford to "take the risk of a trial by jury" because "witnesses are giving conflicting statements and descriptions (are) shaky." Hill pleaded guilty to the reduced charge and was given a 12-month suspended jail sentence and three years' probation. In imposing the sentence, Ballou told Hill, "you have a good (prior) record, but we cannot have people driving up and down the streets shooting. This is not the wild West of the 1800s.

We cannot have De Democratic primary drawing few voters By FRAN COOMBS Staff Writer Voters were going to the polls today in Roanoke City's Democratic primary but just barely. City Registrar Katherine Poole said only 480 of Roanoke's 40,641 registered voters had been to the polls by 10 a.m. today. It was the smallest turnout she'd seen in her 12 years as registrar, Mrs. Poole said.

The only race on the ballot was three way contest for clerk of Circuit a Court, an eight-year job that pays a minimum yearly salary of $25,000. Regardless of the turnout, however, today's primary will cost Roanoke taxpayers at least $8,500, Mrs. Poole said. It will require the services of 139 poll workers until the polls close tonight at 7. The primary will cost the city about $10.000, but $500 filing fees required of each of the candidates will offset this expense somewhat.

she said. Running for the court clerk post are: Patsy Testerman, 49, deputy clerk of court since 1952: Glenn B. Hammond, 31, a lawyer: and David M. Robertson, 31, a research specialist and former legislative aide to Roanoke Valley Delegates A. Victor Thomas and C.

Richard Cranwell. Mrs. Poole said the Wasena Precinct had 29 ballots cast as of 10 a.m. to lead the city's 32 voter precincts. There also were 22 absentee ballots recorded for the primary, she said.

The registrar attributed the low turnout to the office at stake and the colorless nature of the campaign. It is, she said, "an unusual election." Incumbent Roanoke Democrats in the General Assembly, state Sen. William B. Hopkins and Delegate A. Victor Thomas.

had the choice this year of a convention or a primary to pick party candidates. Expecting some opposition, they opted for a primary. But opposition never materialized. leaving the court clerk's race as the only contest on the ballot for today's primary..