By Jessie Burchette
Salisbury Post
A teacher assistant and PTA leader for two decades, Patty Overcash thinks she can make positive changes in county government.
Overcash is one of eight Republican candidates seeking two nominations for the Rowan County board of Commissioners.
The 48-year-old Landis resident is making her first run for public office.
She’s the first to admit that she’s not a politician, but she has a vision of things that need to be worked on to make the county better.
“I don’t have all the answers. I love Rowan County. I think people need to use common sense,” said Overcash.
“The world has changed,” said Overcash, reflecting on being brought up when textiles were king. “Life was good and thing weren’t complicated.”
“Change is no longer an an option. It’s inevitable. The world has changed,” said Overcash.
“We must bring in industry and retail to lighten the tax load on homeowners. Everything revolves around money.”
Overcash would like to see boards, the commissioners and the school board, hire good people and stop micro-managing.
“Everybody needs to quit worrying and step back ó just deal with the big issues. …
“Right now we need a positive attitude … Rowan County needs a positive attitude,” she said, adding that county hasn’t gotten a lot of positive publicity recently.
She pledged if elected she will work hard to make things happen.
A Northwest Cabarrus High School graduate, she has served for 10 years as president of the county Parent Teacher Association Council. She also served as manager for the District 7 PTA.
Overcash and her husband, L.A., have two children. He is a former member of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education.
A member of New Hope Baptist Church, she is music director and president of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Anyone wanting to contact Overcash may call her at 704-857-6801. She plans to have a Web site up and running at a later date.
Other Republican candidates include: Ken Deal, Carl Ford and Mike Miller, all of China Grove, Donna Peeler, Rockwell, Von Coolidge Poston, Harry Rivera, and Jim Sides, all of Salisbury.
The North Carolina primary is May 6.