DES MOINES, Iowa, May 5 -- The Des Moines City Council has unanimously asked former Iowa Governor Robert D. Ray to lead the city on an interim basis. Council members voted on Monday to offer Ray, a Republican, the job of interim mayor.
He would succeed Arthur Davis, a Democrat, who resigned in March following a recurrence of cancer. Ray, however, said he's not ready to accept the job. He said he'll wait until he gets official notice from the City Council before he makes a final decision. Ray was governor for 14 years, from 1969 to 1983. He spent ten years as president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa before retiring earlier this year. Councilman Preston Daniels nominated Ray for the interim post. He said the former governor would provide strong leadership until a new mayor is elected in a November special election. ---
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