A letter sent to 493 households netted some $13,000 for Raymond Coltrain’s campaign — the highest level of contributions among the eight people in the race for Rowan County commissioner this year.
Coltrain, a former Democrat county commissioner now running as an independent, enters the fall campaign with the most cash on hand, $10,467.
Republican Judy Klusman has been the biggest spender in the race so far, with more than $15,000 in expenses, $11,999 with the Miller Davis Agency. She still has $8,736.89 on hand, largely because she loaned her campaign $20,100 in April to get started.
Those are a few of the figures to be found in campaign finance reports filed by county commission candidates in the spring primary and November election.
State law required candidates to file second-quarter reports by July 10. Coupled with first-quarter reports submitted in April, the documents show a high level of activity in the 2014 commission race.
Well-known Salisbury names pop up frequently in the lists of contributors. Among those giving above $100 to more than one campaign are Paul Fisher of F&M Bank, Victor Wallace of Wallace Realty, Dwight Messinger of Power Curbers, Fred Stanback of Stanback Powders fame, attorney Edward Norvell and Tom Smith, former Food Lion CEO.
Fisher, for example, gave $500 each to Coltrain, Jim Greene and Gene Miller.
Wallace gave $300 each to Coltrain, Greene and Klusman.
The flood of contributions jibes with the other history-making element of this race; for the first time, three independent candidates will be on the ballot.
In addition to Coltrain, the unaffiliated candidates are Chris Cohen and Gene Miller. Miller’s report also shows a high level of contributions — $5,675.
Among the Republican candidates — Greg Edds, Jim Greene and Klusman — Greene has attracted the most contributions at $4,175.
The Democrats in the race, Leda Belk and Rick Locklear, each received less than $1,000 by July 10.
They’re all vying for seats now held by Chairman Jim Sides, Chad Mitchell and John Barber, all Republicans. Sides lost in the May primary. Mitchell ran unsuccessfully for state House. And Barber chose not to run again. So the commission will have three new members by the end of the year.
Among the candidates who lost in the Republican primary, none topped $2,000 in contributions, but some spent more than that by loaning money to their campaigns. Sides spent the most, $4,784.17; Joe Coladarci spent close to the same amount, $4,556.82; and Brandon Cupp spent $1,431.27. Johnny Love and David Roueche reported receiving and spending less than $1,000.
Asked about his long list of contributors, Coltrain said he was grateful to people who responded to a letter he sent out which detailed his experience and goals and requested support. The letter does not mention money. Coltrain said he was not comfortable with directly asking for a contribution. The letter brought 153 responses averaging $100 from across the county, he said.
Here’s a list of the commission candidates, including those in the primary, their campaign totals as of July 10 and contributors who gave $100 or more. Where no town is listed, the contributor has a Salisbury address. Loans are from the candidates, putting their own money into the campaigns.

Leda Belk, Democrat
Committee to Elect Leda Shuping Belk for Commissioner; Leda Belk, treasurer.
Total contributions: $950
Expenditures: $226.71
Cash on hand: $799.58
$100: Winfred Shuping, Roselind Steele
$300: Edward Norvell
$350: Steven J. Shuping

Chris Cohen, unaffiliated
Elect Chris Cohen RCC; Chris Cohen, treasurer
Cohen didn’t file until June 13, after gathering enough signatures to qualify to be on the ballot, but all the expenses he has listed were incurred in the first quarter for buttons, posters, bumper stickers and a website. He reported starting with a $2,500 loan he made to his campaign, and showed no contributions.
Expenditures: $1,471.24
Cash on hand: $1,028.76
Joe Coladarci, Republican
Lost in primary
Joe 4 Rowan, now inactive; Barbara Johnson, treasurer
Total contributions: $1,770
Loan proceeds: $2,800
Expenditures: $4,556.82
$150: Ralph Fuasse, N. Haldon, N.J.
$250: Craig Pierce
$300: Barbara Coladarci, Flat Rock, the candidate’s sister
$800: Mike Kennedy, Huntersville

Raymond Coltrain, unaffiliated
Supporters of Raymond Coltrain; Mark B. Perry, treasurer
Total contributions: $15,159
Loan: $500
Expenditures: $5,189.94
Cash on hand: $10,469
$100: Thomas Carlton Jr., Jerry Freeman of Mooresville, Allan Rouzer, Wilbert Blackman, Carolyn Blackman, David Setzer, Barbara Norman of Spencer, Betty Mickle, William Stanback, Dorothy Goodnight, Richard Reamer, Karen Hobson, Gerry Hurley, Clancy Bostian of Spencer, Wade Rouzer, Martha West, Ed Rusher, Frank Eason, William Webb III, Cliff Sorel, Julius Waggoner, Richard Goodman, Laura Thompson, Jack Errante, Tommy Thompson, John Bumgarner, R.B. Lowe of Cleveland, Doug and Michelle Patterson of Mount Ulla, David Smith, Henry Hampton of Mount Ulla, Luke Fisher, Tom Abramowski, Richard Prim, J.O. Reynolds, Robert G. Rowland, William Burgin, Nash and Valinda Isenhour, Joseph Hall, Matt Barr,
$150: Joel Goodwin, Jayne Helms
$200: Francis Koster of Kannapolis, Michael Owen, Suzanne Casey, Tom Childress
$250: Shirley Ritchie, Bob Glassgow, Edward Norvell, Lorene Coates, Lynn Bertram, Tippie Miller, Pat Featherston of Spencer, Dwight Messinger, Mona Wallace, Robert L. Cook Jr., Ann Koontz
$300: Victor Wallace, Paul C. Teeter of Huntersville
$500: Laura Williamson, Howard Williamson, Paul Fisher, Fred Stanback, Rachel O. Bernheim
$1,000: Tom Smith

Brandon Cupp, Republican
Lost in primary
Committee to Elect Brandon Cupp; Annie Hester Cupp, treasurer
Total contributions: $1,596 (Most from himself in in-kind contributions of campaign materials)
$100: Richard Daryl Cox
Expenditures: $1,431.27
Cash on hand: $165

Greg Edds, Republican
Committee to Elect Gregory Edds; Melissa J. Hill, treasurer
Total contributions: $1,650
Loans: $6,089.68
Expenditures: $6,086
$100: Arnold Beaver, Tom Lynch, Steve Fisher, John Holshouser
$250: Morris Clements of Cleveland
$500: William House of Alpharetta, Ga., David Norris

Jim Greene, Republican
Committee to Elect James C. Greene County Commissioner; Maurice H. Hendrick, treasurer
Total contributions, $4,175
Loans: $6,326.71
Expenditures: $10,141.69
Cash on hand:$360.02
Giving $100: Robert L. Cook Jr., Bob Setzer, Bill Wagoner, Phil Kirk of Raleigh, Joseph C. Hall Jr.
$200: Harold K. Roberts, Tony Almeida
$250: Greg Alcorn
$300: Tom Smith, Fred Stanback, Edward Norvell, Victor Wallace
$500: Paul Fisher, Dwight Messinger, John M. Fisher of Granite Quarry

Judy Klusman
Klusman for Commissioner; Judy Klusman, treasurer
Contributions: $4,799.20
Loans: $20,100
Expenditures: $15,054.12
Cash on hand: $8,736.89
Giving $100: Janice Treumper, Eva GeoRene Jones, James Klusman, Mark Lewis, Nichole M. Towns, Kathryn L. Davis
$250: William R. Wood, Gregory Shields, Gwin Barr, David Shelby
$300: Edward Norvell, Mark Robertson, Victor Wallace
$500: Todd Paris
$1,000: Shawn Campion

Rick Locklear, Democrat
Committee to Elect Richard “Rick” Locklear; John A. Basinger, treasurer
Total contributions: $900
Loans: $2,476
Expenditures: $3,246.10
Cash on hand: $129.90
$100: Robert Lester, Liana Eddinger, William D. Kenerly
$500: Marshall Murphy of Landis

Johnny Love, Republican
Lost in primary
Neither received nor spent more than $1,000

Gene Miller, unaffiliated
Committee to Elect Gene Miller; Bill Bucher, treasurer
Total contributions: $5,675
Loans: $500
Expenditures: $3,445.59
Cash on hand: $2,229.91
$100: David Jordan, Dr. Martha West, Jim Benton, Dwight Messinger, Charles Steinman, Claude Bernhardt, Dr. Tom Thurston III, Susan Herrington of Rockwell, Glenda Graham, Henry Buck, Edward Norvell, Gay Sanderson of Faith, Robert Segal of High Point, Tim Canup, J.O. Reynolds, Jeff Mills of Faith, Butch Bivens of China Grove, Sam Nash, Phil Kirk of Raleigh.
$150: Boyd Watts
$200: Jerry Harviel, Tom Smith, Ralph Ketner, Javis Arey
$300: Eric Brady
$500: Garrett Miller of Atlanta, Paul Fisher
$610: Bill Bucher (includes $500 in-kind for website service)

David Roueche, Republican
Lost in primary
Neither received nor spent more than $1,000
Jim Sides, Republican
Lost in primary
Jim Sides for Rowan County Commissioner; Jim Sides, treasurer; inactive now
Total contributions: $1,913
Loans: $2,500
Expenditures: $4,784.17
$100: Phyllis Sides, Maureen Mensing, David Aycoth
$200: Evelyn Morris
$250: Charles Hughes
$300: Tina Hall
$500: Jeff Stevens (in-kind, website design)