Currituck County commissioner under fire

Currituck County Board of Commissioners Chairman John Rorer could lose his seat and faces an investigation over allegations that he listed a false address with the Board of Elections in September.

The situation has split the all-Republican, seven-member board and the Currituck GOP. At Tuesday night's board meeting, six commissioners abruptly went into closed session, only to emerge 30 minutes later without taking action. Commissioner Vance Aydlett was not present.

"We want him to follow the rules," said Commissioner Paul O'Neal. "Nothing personal toward John."

Commissioners could decide to vote at the next board meeting whether to oust Rorer, O'Neal said. The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17.

The charges are politically motivated, Rorer said. O'Neal, Paul Martin and Butch Petrey voted against Rorer as chairman in December.

Rorer has the support of the other three board members, including the vice chairwoman, Marion Gilbert.

Aydlett said he thinks the chargeshave "been blown out of proportion. The question should be: Is he representing his constituents?"

There is no provision for such a circumstance in state law, but a majority of commissioners could declare Rorer's seat vacant and then fill it, said Bob Joyce, an attorney on the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of Government.

Rorer has lived in the Carolina Club neighborhood in Grandy, outside his voting district, since December 2010. When elected in 2008, he was registered at anaddress in Waterside Villages, which is inside his district.

This past September, he changed his address to a home within his district on Albetuck Road, though Rorer confirmed Wednesday that he did not live thereand remained at Carolina Club.

In Currituck County, elected officials must live within their district.

Toni Tabb, a Currituck GOP official, filed a complaint last month with the Currituck County Board of Elections. "He has never complied with the residency requirements for District 2," Tabb said.

Just before a Dec. 22 hearing on his case, Rorer refiled election paperwork changing his address back to Carolina Club. With the change, the Board of Elections took no action against Rorer, but it sent the case Tuesday to District Attorney Frank Parrish. Parrish said he will investigate whether Rorer committed a felony.

Rorer said he had planned to move to Albetuck Road, but Hurricane Irene damaged the roof there. He did not vote while listed at that address and therefore did not commit fraud, he said. He also said he is looking for another place within his district.

"I'm going to live in District 2 before the next meeting if I have to live in a trailer," Rorer said.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com