Rockingham County commissioners adopt proclamations, approve $5,000 for Crime Stoppers and grant DOT road abandonment

The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on April 7 adopted multiple proclamations and routine items, approved a $5,000 transfer to a Crime Stoppers rewards fund and agreed to a request from the North Carolina Department of Transportation to abandon a 0.03-mile unpaved portion of Allen Road.

County Manager Lance Metzler read a resolution honoring Sergeant David Eugene Hardy, a Rockingham County native who was taken prisoner during the Korean War, later buried as an unknown and identified on Sept. 27, 2024. Metzler said military services were held March 8, 2025, and the resolution ‘‘honors the life of Sergeant David Eugene Hardy and the ultimate sacrifice he and others have made to protect our country and our freedoms.’’ Commissioner Richardson moved to adopt the resolution; Commissioner Hall seconded and the board approved it by voice vote.

Family members who attended thanked the county and responding agencies. Karen Hardy said the community ‘‘has really shown how important it is for our community to continue to bring our soldiers home’’ and expressed appreciation for the support provided during repatriation and memorial events.

The board also adopted a proclamation designating April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, citing the need for prevention services and community partnerships, and a separate proclamation recognizing April as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, referencing North Carolina statutes that define animal cruelty. Both proclamations passed by voice vote after motions and seconds from commissioners.

At the request of a law-enforcement presenter identified as Captain Jennifer Brown, the board approved transferring $5,000 in federal forfeiture funds to Crime Stoppers, a community-run program that pays rewards for tips leading to arrests. Captain Brown described Crime Stoppers’ anonymity procedures and oversight by a civilian board: "Tonight I'm coming to you to request to use $5,000 in federal forfeiture funds for scribe stopper reward money," she said. Commissioners asked about call volume and past disbursements; Brown said the program currently has about 14 active cases handled by the sheriff’s office liaison and that reward amounts vary by case.

The board held a public hearing on a NCDOT petition to abandon 0.03 miles of unpaved Allen Road. County staff said DOT had no objections, that the segment has no right-of-way or turnaround and that the affected property owners—Randy Hankins, Sarah Hankins, Craig Howard and Yoko Howard—supported the petition. No members of the public signed up to speak; Commissioner Barrow moved to approve the abandonment and Commissioner Richardson seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote.

Other routine business included adopting the consent agenda and adding a closed-session item to the meeting to consult with the county attorney. The board moved into closed session at the end of the meeting under North Carolina General Statutes §143-318.11.

Announcements and commissioner remarks included a free disposal week at the Rockingham County Landfill April 21–26, recognition of multiple fire departments that responded to a recent large fire, praise for longtime social services employee Lisa Chaney and a notice that the landfill now uses cashless payments outside free weeks. Rockingham County Health and Human Services was also set to host a maternal-and-child health pop-up on April 8.

The board scheduled its next public meeting for April 21, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the commissioners’ chambers.