After Cavanagh was elected in 1997, he asked Andrews several times to return to the board, but Andrews refused because of a conflict with Little. Appointing housing board members is one of the few powers the mayor has in Winston-Salem. Cavanagh said that once he realized this, he set out to reform what he saw as a troubled agency. He appointed Andrews and Ernie Pitt, the publisher of The Chronicle, to fill two vacancies left by tenants and then he persuaded the aldermen to reduce the size of the board from nine members to five. The aldermen approved the proposal in a 5-3 vote.
Critics say the shakeup was nothing more than political payback.
Cavanagh said he was glad to find a way to get Andrews back on the board. Mr. Andrews said he had a conflict with Larry Little. He said, 'Absolutely not. When he became chairman he had a calming effect, but there are still people who are angry. That's not how Roseboro remembers Andrews' return.