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Board addresses public ethics allegation, appoints school‑board replacement and hires outside counsel in sheriff matter
Summary
During public comment a resident alleged a commissioner benefited from a $3 million airport project; the board disputed that claim, later appointed Paul Moore to fill an Eden school‑board vacancy, entered closed session on personnel, and approved hiring Ed Powell of Melvin & Powell as outside counsel related to sheriff matters.
A public commenter at the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners' Dec. 1 meeting alleged a conflict of interest involving a commissioner and a $3,000,000 Shiloh Airport project; the accused commissioner disputed the allegation on the record and said he has not done work for Rockingham County since his election in 2018.
Doug Easley, speaking during the public comment period, said his public‑records requests suggested a commissioner had performed a multimillion‑dollar project for Shiloh Airport and that the commissioner had no vendor file on record with the county; Easley cited "North Carolina general statute 14‑234" as the statute intended to prevent public officials from benefiting from government contracts. Commissioner Hall replied that schools and the airport are independent boards and that the county commission does not administer those contracts; Hall said he had not bid on or done county work since 2018.
Later in the meeting Commissioners raised an unrelated but related governance concern: they discussed a sheriff‑related bank account described as "off the books". Commissioners said they have requested records from the sheriff and that the sheriff has indicated he possesses the records; the board said it expects to receive them by the next meeting.
The board took multiple formal actions during the meeting. Dr. John Stover, superintendent of Rockingham County Schools, recommended Paul Moore (the current Eden police chief) to fill the remainder of Vicki McKinney's District 3 seat on the Rockingham County Board of Education; the commission approved the appointment by voice vote.
Following a closed session called under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143‑318.11(a)(1) and (a)(6) to discuss personnel, the board voted to retain Ed Powell of the Law Offices of Melvin & Powell as outside counsel for matters involving the sheriff due to potential conflicts; the motion was made by Commissioner Burger and approved by voice vote.
No formal disciplinary action was recorded on the record in the meeting minutes; commissioners emphasized their desire to receive requested records and to follow statutory oversight requirements for county finances.
