Village Manager

West Columbia Democratic Councilwoman Mary C. Lorsung kicked off her re-election campaign last night in the low-key manner her supporters have come to expect from her.Speaking to a small gathering of friends and Democratic activists at the home of her aide, Lorsung steered clear of flashy talk and promised to give her district more of the same if elected to a second term."

Howard County police and prosecutors are investigating a financially troubled Columbia village manager in connection with possible embezzlement from the village center.Anne Darrin, who resigned Feb. 27 after 10 years as the Dorsey's Search village manager, would not comment yesterday on the allegations or the investigation.Assistant State's Attorney Bernard Taylor said his office is working with police to investigate alleged thefts at the village center. Asked how much money might be involved, he said, "It has the potential to be large."

The Columbia Council is considering a proposal to remove financial autonomy from Columbia's 10 village centers amid questions of possible financial mismanagement at one center and an audit that is examining the books at all centers.Anne Darrin, village manager of Dorsey's Search, resigned Feb. 27, a few weeks after the Columbia Association launched an audit of her center's records, according to Pam Mack, a CA spokeswoman.In a written statement, Darrin, who had been the center's manager since 1989, said, "The village ran very well under my management, and the results all support this."

The Neighbors column in yesterday's Howard County edition of The Sun incorrectly spelled the name of Ruth Bohse, the village manager of Columbia's Owen Brown village.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 10/15/97

Should Columbia's village board members receive compensation for their volunteer service to their neighborhoods?This issue, which has been debated off and on for years, was raised again recently when Donna L. Rice, the chair of the Town Center village board, sent letters to village board members -- who are volunteers -- proposing giving them compensation packages.The 10 members of the Columbia Council -- the Columbia Association's board of directors -- receive free memberships to athletic facilities in the planned community.

Senior Rouse Co. officials will meet with the village board and residents of Columbia's Oakland Mills village tonight to discuss the future of the community's main shopping center.Alton J. Scavo, Rouse's manager for Columbia, and Duke Kassolis, a senior vice president of the company, are expected to discuss the company's plans for possible renovations at the village center and options for replacing its Giant grocery store that will close at the end of this month, said Erin Peacock, village manager.

Local politicians, officials and residents will discuss the fate of Columbia's Oakland Mills Village Center at a village board meeting tonight. Village board officials have designated the meeting as a public forum to tackle issues that have arisen since the February announcement that the village center's Giant grocery store will close in June.County Executive Charles I. Ecker is expected to attend, along with Democratic state delegates Shane Pendergrass, Elizabeth Bobo and Frank S. Turner, said Erin Peacock, village manager.

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON has been happier for a number of our less fortunate neighbors, thanks to food drives sponsored by two west Columbia villages.Anne Darrin, village manager for Dorsey's Search, estimates that she delivered the equivalent of four laundry baskets of food to Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.The food was left by village residents under the Giving Tree in Linden Hall.Residents also contributed wrapped toys and mittens for clients of Grassroots.Darrin noted that this year's food drive got a head start in October, with more than 150 cans of food donated by children who attended the village's Halloween party.

Brenda Eastridge remembers when east Columbia's Kings Contrivance village only had about 30 houses, when the village center wasn't there, when the community association met in an unheated space shared with lifeguards at the Macgill's Common pool house.She's been there almost from the beginning of the village, watching it grow and change. But last month that came to an end.After more than 16 years answering questions about traffic and street lighting, helping new arrivals settle in and long-time residents get along, Eastridge gave up her post as assistant village manager to take a full-time job elsewhere.

OWEN BROWN residents who missed the deadline to apply for the April elections now have a second chance to serve their community. Two village board vacancies were created because board member Wanda Hurt was elected to the Columbia Council and Catherine Hester is resigning June 28.Residents are asked to bring or mail a letter of interest to the Owen Brown Village Board, 6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, before 5 p.m. June 20.Village Manager Ruth Bohse and the...