Something surely is fishy about this

When I read the letter to the editor “Something fishy about this” (Oct. 15), I felt like someone had read my mind.  What was described pertaining to the connection between Greg Edds and Jim Sides matches my observations perfectly.  During my 2012 county commission campaign, I experienced a clique within the Republican Party. The group, headed by Edds and Sides, was orchestrating a plan to dominate Rowan politics.

The first stage was to ensure commissioners were added to the board who would always support the vote of Jim Sides and his agenda. The second stage was to add two additional commissioners in 2014, one of which would be Greg Edds.

Candidate Greg Edds’ campaign message is that he is all for the good of the county and will be a true servant to the citizens of Rowan County. Nothing is mentioned of how our citizens are trying to change the commission that Greg and Jim worked so hard to put in place. Will Greg really be part of the change? Jim Sides might just be pulling the strings behind the curtains with the new board if Greg Edds is there for the third vote.

If the citizens still wanted Jim Sides on the board, he would have been re-elected.

There is only one way to guarantee real change in our county commission. Vote three to the board that have no hidden agenda, political or otherwise and no obligations to Jim Sides. I believe we have outstanding candidates who sincerely care about the lives of their friends, neighbors, families and citizens of Rowan County and will work tirelessly without agendas, to ensure that Rowan County will provide the highest quality of life for them, now and years to come.

Serving as a county commissioner is not a game, but the most serious responsibility you will ever undertake for the county.

— Gus Andrews

Salisbury

Andrews, a former Rowan County commissioner, served as chairman of the board in 2004 and vice chairman from 2001 through 2003.

A skilled planner

I am pleased to have the opportunity to endorse Gene Miller’s candidacy for county commission. Gene and I worked together for several years at the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Office when he was associate superintendent and I was elementary education director.

These years of working together gave me the opportunity to observe Gene’s capabilities in several areas. Since he supervised several areas of school operations such as maintenance, food service and bus operations, I had the opportunity to see that he is an excellent leader and manager. He also had huge budgetary responsibilities which he handled with fairness and skill. His previous experience in banking contributed to his success in this crucial area.

Later when I was on the school board, I observed Gene’s skill in planning. He was responsible for coming up with the information needed to make decisions about which projects would be included in what turned out to be a successful bond referendum. He surveyed the building needs in all of the geographic areas of the county, put together the necessary statistics and helped to lead the building of three new elementary schools, one high school and additions to several other schools.

He has had experience in our local school system, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools and two other systems with construction, architects, attorneys, contractors and business leaders.

In addition to his strengths and experience I have listed above, Gene is a man of fair and honest character. He will be able to work with other commissioners in a respectful and open manner. Most of all, he will respect the citizens of Rowan County and work for what is best for us.

Gene is running as an unaffiliated candidate. Look for his name on the ballot and vote for this fine man. You will be glad you did.

— Martha K. West

Salisbury

All for youth

I would like to endorse Travis Allen for school board. I have known Mr. Allen for several years, and have been impressed by his strength of character and commitment to youth. I helped him coach a couple of Little League teams and got to know him quite well during that time.

We all know that schools must keep up with technology, yet there is still a need for traditional, human contact instruction. Apparently some of the firmly entrenched decision makers are inclined to simply throw a high-tech tire into a room full of kids, thereby absolving teachers from the responsibility of actually teaching.

Moreover, Mr. Allen places more importance on how the students and teachers are housed than on building a cathedral for the bureaucrats.

Finally, the incumbents have not performed to a level which compels one to extend their tenure. No one cares more about our children’s future than Mr. Allen. Please consider Travis Allen for school board on election day.

— Bruce La Rue

Mt. Ulla

Positive leadership

With all the verbal and written attacks on candidates that are running for county commissioners’ office, it’s refreshing to know one candidate that is taking the “high road” during this fall political season. His name is Greg Edds.

Greg’s theme for his campaign is “positive leadership” and was evident at the candidates forum on Thursday night as he outlined his plan of action to serve the people of Rowan County as a commissioner by being proactive in his projected plans for the future.

Greg Edds has demonstrated through hard work (personally knocking on over 932 doors) and fielding many questions from concerned residents of the city and county to see that the future has never been brighter for all concerned.

Greg Edds is a fine young businessman who loves his wife and three children and country. His stable home-life speaks volumes about who he is as a man of integrity and principle. This county will be blessed to elect him as one of the new Rowan County Commissioners.

— D. Lee Norris

Salisbury