Commission staff and insurer defend county after public accusations; insurance to represent commissioners in 2023 suit
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Summary
County risk manager and staff told the Rockingham commissioners that Travelers Insurance elected to represent named commissioners in a 2023 lawsuit, that the North Carolina Department of Insurance closed an inquiry finding no evidence of criminal activity, and that public accusations of fraud are baseless, prompting questions from residents about records and transparency.
Multiple public speakers raised transparency and legal concerns at the Feb. 16 Rockingham County commissioners meeting, prompting a detailed response from the county's safety and risk manager about insurer procedure and the status of related complaints.
Doug Eisley told the board he had submitted a public‑records request seeking communications (including texts and personal accounts) from certain commissioners and said the county attorney's initial reply — that the county lacked custody of the records — did not meet his understanding of North Carolina public‑records law. "Saying the county lacks custody is not enough when a public records request is made," he said, citing Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.
Don Powell, a former commissioner, called a lawsuit filed by Craig Travis "frivolous" and said the matter had harmed perceptions of the county. "If the money was concerned of Mr. Travis, they could simply not have filed the lawsuit and saved the county a pile of money," Powell said.
Chris Elliott, the county's safety and risk manager, explained how insurers review claims and said Travelers elected to provide representation for the commissioners named in the July 2023 suit. He also said the North Carolina Department of Insurance had reviewed and closed an inquiry. "The North Carolina Department of Insurance has closed this complaint having found no evidence of criminal activity," Elliott said and asked the board to enter a deputy commissioner's letter into the record.
Elliott and commissioners noted that motions to dismiss were granted in court, the complaint had been dismissed twice and is on appeal, and that the county pays applicable deductibles while Travelers handles defense and any final coverage decisions. Elliott called public social‑media accusations "baseless" and said they damage staff and the county's reputation.
Board members said they expect transparency in public‑records responses; one resident had asked whether the county would instruct elected officials to search personal devices for responsive records. The board volunteered that relevant records‑search clarifications would be provided to the public and requested the insurance‑department letter be entered into the record for confirmation.