LANDIS — A week before the municipal election, a letter from Landis Mayor Mike Mahaley in which he endorses three candidates and criticizes three others was delivered to town residents .

The letter began circulating Tuesday.

In the letter, titled “Setting the record straight,” Mahaley outlines problems and accomplishments of the current Board of Aldermen and its response to requests from the State Treasurer Office’s Local Government Commission amid a State Bureau of Investigation probe into the embezzlement of town funds. He goes on to criticize mayoral candidate Meredith Smith and Katie Sells and Ashley Stewart, who are running for the Board of Aldermen. 

“Forget the rumors and fake news,” the four-page letter begins.

“The three worst sources of rumors and misinformation regarding Landis are Facebook, the rumor queens who regularly congregate at the back table of the Shell Station and the Salisbury Post paper boxes,” Mahaley writes. “Although I am not seeking re-election, as your mayor, it is my duty to provide you with the facts and insight regarding the town of Landis, as well as those candidates who are seeking office. I’m not writing to be cruel, nor am I writing to be kind — I’m writing to set the record straight.”

The letter asks Landis votes to support current Alderman Bobby Brown for mayor and Darrell Overcash and Shirley Martin for alderman. Martin would be a write-in choice. 

The letter makes no mention of the other mayoral candidates, Dorland Abernathy, Mark Connell and Alby Stamey.

“Perhaps the single most important distinguishing factor between these three candidates and their opponents is that they are all running for the good of the town — not for personal gain, not for status and not to prove that their daddy’s money can ‘buy’ your vote,” he writes. “They can be trusted to make decisions based upon facts and logic, not rumor and rhetoric. If, like me, you care about Landis and our future as a town there is only one ticket which shares your values.”

Asked about the letter by the Post, Mahaley said he didn’t have any comment and declined to answer questions. He said the letter is plain and meant for the people of Landis.

Asked Thursday about the letter, Smith said she has tried to avoid dirty politics and is not looking to attack anyone.

“Most of our supporters are really upset this is the avenue they chose to go down,” Smith said.

Stewart said Mahaley should be a better steward for the people of Landis until a new board is sworn in.

Stewart said the letter spreads misinformation about him. The letter says Stewart has lived in Landis for three years, arguing that he doesn’t know the town’s history. Stewart said he has lived in Landis for 13 years, and his wife and her family have southern Rowan County roots.

“Mike is trying to discredit my knowledge of the town,” Stewart said.

Sells said the letter falsely says that her husband, David, applied for to be Landis fire chief and stayed at a town-owned property rent-free. Sells said she is working with her bank to debunk that statement with bank records. Sells said she has addressed the issue of an invoice for providing bartending services for the town publicly, including at a Board of Aldermen meeting.

Smith said she did not get a copy of Mahaley’s letter at her home, as did Sells and Stewart. Stewart said he believes Mahaley has been selective about who receives the letters.