DOBSON — The Gary York campaign spent $15,650 in a losing effort to become mayor of Pilot Mountain, according to documents released this week by the Surry County Board of Elections.

That amounts to $89 per vote, based on the results of the Nov. 8 municipal election in which incumbent Mayor Earl Sheppard defeated York by a count of 231-175 to climax a hotly contested race.

Sheppard captured nearly 57 percent of the vote, despite spending less than the $1,000 threshold at which candidates are required to report their contributions and expenditures. Only York and one other candidate across the county, who sought a Mount Airy commissioner seat, exceeded that sum during the recent municipal elections.

The total spent by York — the owner of the Neighbors convenience store chain, radio station WIFM and other business interests — came close to the spending level that is believed to be the record for a municipal election in Surry County.

That was the $19,974 invested by local businesswoman Teresa Lewis in her unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Mount Airy in 2009. Lewis later was appointed as a city commissioner and served for two years.

However, that total was eclipsed by candidates for county offices in 2010, led by Sheriff Graham Atkinson, whose re-election campaign had a $70,578 price tag. One other candidate, running unsuccessfully for a county commissioner seat, spent $27,486.

Breakdown For York

A county elections official said that York’s final campaign-finance report was to have been turned in by last Friday, and was not received then. Instead, it arrived in the mail Monday, but contained a postmark of Jan. 25.

The 15-page document shows that York both generated and spent $15,560 for a zero ending balance.

Just about all of the money raised for the campaign was in the form of loans made by the candidate to himself. The report shows that some of the loan proceeds were repaid, with others forgiven.

In the latter instances, which total more than $14,000, the candidate was required to file signed statements that he did not wish to be reimbursed for loan amounts and will consider each as “a contribution” to his election committee.

Only $650 of York’s war chest was in the form of contributions from individuals. They included R. Lewis Alexander, an Elkin attorney; Warren Nichols, a retiree who lives in Mount Airy; Sarah M. Johnson of Mount Airy, the owner of Merritt Machine; and Phillip J. Kirk Jr. of Raleigh, an energy services contractor.

They gave sums ranging from $100 to $250.

York’s list of campaign expenditures includes T-shirts, radio and newspaper advertising, pens, posters, yard signs and stakes, memo books, rally supplies, postcards, letterheads, website fees and building rental.

The largest-single expenditure listed was $4,733 to Carroll Signs & Advertising in King, for pens, posters and yard signs. In all, York spent $10,701 with that business for various materials.

Reach Tom Joyce at 719-1924 or tjoyce@heartlandpublications.com.