Saying he had a “good run” and was “privileged” to have served for so long Roanoke Mayor David Bowers confirmed this afternoon that he will not run for the office again next spring.
“I’ve been privileged to have served all of these years,” Bowers said.
Bowers will have served as Mayor for 16 years when he leaves office. He spent 24 years in all on City Council – with an 8-year hiatus at one point.
“Roanoke is on the right track,” said Bowers, who ticked off a list of accomplishments on his watch he said he was proud to be a part of, including the greenway system, the lower crime rate, new city parks, higher graduation rates at the city’s two high schools etc.
Bowers will have served the second longest tenure as Roanoke mayor ever when he steps down next year – just short of Noel Taylor’s 17-year run.
Fellow City Council member Sherman Lee has already announced for the position and Dave Trinkle is also a possible candidate ; former state senator Granger McFarlane said today he was considering the Mayor’s job as well.
While Bowers said today he will not run for reelection next spring – he didn’t rule out running for some office again in the future – even for mayor again, and said at age 63 “I hope I’ve got lots of good years ahead.”
By Gene Marrano
