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Residents press Rockingham commissioners for records on insurance and trip spending
Summary
Several residents criticized the board over transparency issues on Jan. 20: a citizen alleged county insurance was used to defend commissioners for campaign conduct and demanded records; others sought receipts and donor lists for an economic development trip and asked the board to review shooting/noise rules.
During the public‑comment period on Jan. 20 several residents urged the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners to provide more transparency about county insurance use and public spending.
Jim Fink of Eden told the board he obtained a Travelers Insurance letter referencing a claim and asked why county insurance resources would be used to defend commissioners in litigation he described as arising from campaign conduct. "If county insurance resources, which are funded by taxpayer dollars, are being used and subsidized for the personal legal defense of individuals sued for their campaign conduct... that constitute potentially a misappropriation of public funds," Fink said. He submitted a list of questions as public information requests, seeking who submitted the claim, the basis for coverage, communications with the law firm of Dowling PLLC and the amount the insurer has paid or reserved.
Later in the meeting Commissioner Burger (as identified in the transcript) responded, saying he believed Travelers had determined the matter related to the commissioners' professional capacity and that the case had been dismissed; he encouraged the public to read the judge's order. "I believe the insurance company made the determination that the lawsuit filed by mister Travis was something that was actually in the professional capacity," he said.
Other speakers raised separate transparency concerns. Doug Eisley asked the board to release receipts, donor names and communications related to an economic development trip to Maryland; he said prior records requests for those materials were not fulfilled. Don Powell of Reidsville asked the board to examine whether shooting on private property should be limited after dark, noting repeated late‑night shooting that he said disturbed elderly neighbors.
The board did not take formal action on the specific public records requests during the meeting. Commissioners and staff were asked to respond to the requests and to provide public records where appropriate; board members also urged residents to pursue formal public‑records requests where necessary.
Next steps: Citizens who requested information said they would follow up with formal public‑records requests; the board did not announce a timeline for responding to the questions raised at the meeting.
