Effort to oust board member in N.C. called 'witch hunt'

Currituck County Board Chairman Barry Nelms wants to remove Commissioner Owen Etheridge from his post on a regional board just weeks before the election.

Etheridge called the move a "political witch hunt" by Nelms, backed by Commissioner Gene Gregory.

Nelms has scheduled a special meeting Tuesday to remove Etheridge from the Albemarle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority.

"Owen Etheridge has never attended a meeting, and we're going to remove him," Nelms said.

On Wednesday, the authority is scheduled to vote on a multiyear contract extension for solid waste disposal after months of debate. The vote, involving seven counties in the region, was postponed last week after Currituck commissioners were surprised by some parts of the contract and declined to take action, Nelms said. He blamed Etheridge for not keeping commissioners informed.

Etheridge said he was never notified that he was on the board. County Manager Dan Scanlon regularly attends authority meetings anyway, he said.

"They're trying to embarrass me three weeks before the election," Etheridge said. "This is a political witch hunt."

Commissioners are routinely assigned to represent their respective counties on the boards of regional bodies such as the solid waste authority and the Albemarle Commission.

Nelms and Gregory have a history of conflict with Etheridge.

Nelms became chairman of the Board of Commissioners after he was elected in 2006, and he immediately clashed with Etheridge over assignments and county issues. Many early votes after Nelms became chairman were 4-1, with Etheridge being the only dissenter. Etheridge, the lone Republican, said at the time he was being isolated.

Etheridge beat Gregory in the 2004 election for the Crawford Township seat. Two years later, Gregory won the at-large seat to return to the board. Gregory has openly supported Etheridge's opponent in the upcoming election, Johnny Messina.

"This campaign is all about Gene's revenge," Etheridge said.

Gregory disputes Etheridge's claim. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of," he said.

Gregory acknowledged support for Messina but said Etheridge is being removed from the solid waste authority because he failed to attend meetings.

Etheridge was removed from two other boards late last year for lack of attendance, according to county records. Letters from the Albemarle Commission, the Economic Improvement Council and, this month, from the Albemarle solid waste authority asked that Etheridge be removed for lack of attendance.

Etheridge said he was not aware he had been appointed to the solid waste authority or the economic council. He asked not to serve on the Albemarle Commission but was given the assignment anyway.

"I serve on seven boards," Gregory said. All members are notified of their assignments to regional posts, he said.

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