Since taking office in December, Patrick County Supervisor Andrew Overby said he has worked to fulfill his campaign promises of increasing transparency and engaging with residents. However, those efforts have put him and other board members in the crosshairs of a colleague.
Over the past few weeks, Overby, of the Dan River District, said another board member has attempted to “threaten, bully, silence, and intimidate” supervisors while also trying to restrict public access to government proceedings. He accused the supervisor of controlling information by labeling emails as confidential and claiming AI-generated statements as copyrighted material. Overby made these remarks in his official reelection announcement last week on Facebook.
At the most recent board meeting, Overby said the supervisor “threatened the county, board and multiple individual supervisors with a lawsuit in hopes of achieving a payday, at your expense. Rest assured, I will not bend to this supervisor’s malicious attempts to silence and obstruct transparency. We all must stand together against this corruption and expose it wherever it is found.”
Overby’s comments referred to a document titled “Notice of claim and intent to bring civil and/or criminal action,” which was delivered to the county attorney, county administrator, and board members on February 10.
While distributed during the closed session, the notice was not part of that initial closed meeting. The board returned to the public session long enough to cite legal matters as a reason to reenter a closed meeting.
During that subsequent closed meeting, Steve Marshall, of the Blue Ridge District, remained in the hall.
A copy of the notice obtained by The Enterprise indicated it was distributed by Stephen D. Marshall. In it, Marshall outlined his intent to file legal action against Patrick County, the Board of Supervisors, and Supervisors Jonathan Wood, Clayton Kendrick, and Overby. Marshall alleged violations of his constitutional rights in both their official and individual capacities.
Marshall cited emails he marked confidential on Jan. 13 and Jan. 16 that involved matters of public concern including government operations, and “issues of public importance. …The emails were leaked and subsequently published” in this newspaper on Jan. 22.
Marshall alleged that Wood, Kendrick, and Overby retaliated against him through “malicious official comments” in a Jan. 29 follow-up article. He accused Overby of either personally releasing or enabling the release of the emails and alleged that was a “clearly retaliatory” act.
Marshall’s document also alleged that Wood, as board chairman, “led the retaliation” in the article, with Kendrick and Overby contributing through their statements. Marshall pointed to Wood’s quote in the story—where Wood dismissed the allegations as being based on “beliefs” rather than facts—as an example of “malicious viewpoint discrimination.”
Marshall contended that the actions of Wood, Overby, and Kendrick amounted to unlawful retaliation and violated his First Amendment rights. He requested a formal investigation, monetary damages, injunctive relief, and coverage of attorney’s fees/costs.
“I am prepared to resolve this matter amicably if the county and its officials take appropriate corrective action,” the notice stated. If a resolution is not reached, Marshall said he would proceed with a lawsuit.
Despite the controversy, Overby remains focused on his campaign platform, emphasizing fiscal responsibility and efficient governance. He said he is committed to keeping government “as small as possible” while maximizing taxpayer value.
Overby, the board’s vice-chairman, was elected last year to fill the unexpired term of Brandon Simmons in the Dan River District. That term ends this year, and he is now seeking his first full four-year term in November.
“Public service has been central to my career, and I am proud to work for the betterment of our county,” Overby stated in his campaign announcement. “In my short time on the board, I have already identified several areas where we can create efficiencies to save money, improve accountability, and build relationships to ensure our government is working for taxpayers.
“Now, more than ever, we need people in our local government that are going to fight for the taxpayers, ensure transparency, and stop special interests and self-serving egos from turning Patrick County into something it is not,” Overby wrote. “I will fight for you, the taxpayer, at all costs.”
On Monday, he said that he would appreciate support in November, and “I appreciate everybody’s support to ensure transparency in the county.”
His campaign page, “Andrew Overby for Dan River District Supervisor,” is available on Facebook for updates.
Interesting. Given that Mr Marshall routinely violates the 1sr Ammendment by blocking Patrick County residents from his various social media accounts, which he uses to share County related posts. He also calls out individuals with inflammatory language while blocking their ability to respond. IMHO he suffers from delusions of adequacy.