By Nathan Hardin

nhardin@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — County Commissioner Chad Mitchell says he will not run for re-election when his term ends in 2014.
In a phone interview Monday, Mitchell told the Post he had only planned to serve three terms.
“When I ran for election for my third term in 2010, I said then that my third would be my last,” Mitchell said.
The idea behind it, Mitchell said, is self-imposed term limits.
“I don’t think that elected officials should serve in the same capacity year after year,” he said. “I believe that new blood is good. That’s what at least prompted my decision before running for my third term. Twelve years is a long time. In many ways, it seems like it might not be long enough, but it’s time for someone else to be able to serve in that capacity.”
Mitchell, a teacher with Rowan-Salisbury School System, was elected to the board in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Since joining the board at 26 years old, Mitchell has served as the chairman and helped steer the board through several bond disputes.
Although he joined the board as one of the youngest Rowan commissioners in recent history, Mitchell had nearly a decade of campaign experience, having run for the local school board at 21 years old and later the commissioners. In 2000, he won the GOP nomination for the 12th district U.S. Congressional seat, but lost to Democrat Mel Watt.
Mitchell said he doesn’t see any potential future project swaying his decision.
“I don’t think there’s any project that is so grand or large that I would need to help,” Mitchell said.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.