SPENCER — After six years, the day Jody Everhart has been waiting for arrived Saturday when retired Rowan County Superior Court Judge Thomas Seay Jr. swore him in as mayor of Spencer.
This election was Everhart’s third run against Buddy Gettys, who served the town as mayor for 10 years.
Saturday morning Everhart said he was thinking, “You finally got here.”
But even when he lost, he won, Everhart said, because he met people and made friends while campaigning.
Everhart’s step-daughter, Allison, said he always had a good attitude through the elections, and his family is happy for him.
In November, Everhart came in ahead by three votes, but when the election board validated three provisional votes, it was a tie. The local election board drew a name from a hat, and Everhart’s came out.
But Gettys appealed to the Rowan County Board of elections for a re-count, which happened Nov. 13. That count left Gettys the winner by one vote.
Everhart then asked for a hand re-count that happened the same day, resulting in a 408-408 tie.
Both names were again put in a hat, and this time Gettys’ came out.
Everhart protested to the local board and then the state elections board, which ordered a new election.
On a cold March 5, both candidates stood outside North Rowan High School welcoming voters to the polls.
That night when the votes were in, Everhart tallied 590 votes to Gettys’ 436, with five provisional ballots.
The local election board certified the election March 8, and Gettys presided over his last Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, assuring the board and residents he would stay involved in the town.
With family and friends and four alderman in attendance, Judge Seay swore in Everhart at 8 a.m. Saturday, the first day elections rules permitted him to take office.
His wife, Melinda; son, Jason; and Allison snapped pictures and videotaped the proceedings.
After Seay administered the oath, Everhart took charge of the meeting.
He first thanked everyone for coming out so early and said he looks forward to working with a good group of alderman. “It’s a pleasure to represent the town of Spencer,” Everhart said. “I will do my best.”
His first order of business was to change some of the committee appointments Gettys made in December.
Everhart switched alderman Steve Schenk and Scott Benfield in their committee chair positions. Schenk will now chair the Sanitation Committee, and Benfield will lead the Public Safety Committee.
After the meeting, Everhart explained that he felt it was not a good idea to have Schenk — chief deputy with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department — as the town’s public safety chair.
Everhart has already represented the town at a meeting of the committee planning the Rowan County 250 Fest Celebration. He said he looks forward to working on the committee and Spencer’s involvement in the celebration. Everhart plans to visit North Rowan High School Thursday to talk to students about how small town government works.
Contact Jillian McCartney at 704-797-4253 or jmccartney@salisburypost.com
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