Currituck County Government operates under a county-manager form of government pursuant to the NC General Statutes.
County Manager
The county manager is selected by; takes direction from and serves at the pleasure of the elected Board of Commissioners, pursuant to NC General Statute (NCGS) § 153A-81 (pdf)
The powers and duties of the county manager specified in NCGS 153A-82 (pdf) are fairly typical of those found in most state statutes and are, by and large, consistent with the general elements of the council–manager plan in North Carolina. The Introduction and first subsection of the law read as follows:
NCGS § 153A-82. Powers and duties of manager.
The manager is the chief administrator of county government. He is responsible to the board of commissioners for the administration of all departments of county government under the board’s general control and has the following powers and duties:
(1) He shall appoint with the approval of the board of commissioners and suspend or remove all county officers, employees, and agents except those who are elected by the people or whose appointment is otherwise provided for by law. The board may by resolution permit the manager to appoint officers, employees, and agents without first securing the board’s approval. The manager shall make his appointments, suspensions, and removals in accordance with any general personnel rules, regulations, policies, or ordinances that the board may adopt. The board may require the manager to report each suspension or removal to the board at the board’s first regular meeting following the suspension or removal; and, if the board has permitted the manager to make appointments without board approval, the board may require the manager to report each appointment to the board at the board’s first regular meeting following the appointment.
(2) He shall direct and supervise the administration of all county offices, departments, boards, commissions and agencies under the general control of the board of commissioners, subject to the general direction and control of the board.
(3) He shall attend all meetings of the board of commissioners and recommend any measures that he considers expedient.
(4) He shall see that the orders, ordinances, resolutions, and regulations of the board of commissioners are faithfully executed within the county.
(5) He shall prepare and submit the annual budget and capital program to the board of commissioners.
(6) He shall annually submit to the board of commissioners and make available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the county as of the end of the fiscal year.
(7) He shall make any other reports that the board of commissioners may require concerning the operations of county offices, departments, boards, commissions, and agencies. (8) He shall perform any other duties that may be required or authorized by the board of commissioners. (1927, c. 91, ss. 6, 7; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)
County Commissioners
Currituck County is governed by a seven member Board of Commissioners, elected at-large in county-wide elections to serve four year staggered terms.
Five of the elected Commissioner must reside in specific residency districts, and two members represent the county at-large.
The elected Board of Commissioners derive their powers from Article 5, Part 1. Organization and Reorganization of County Government NCGS § 153A-76 (pdf)
Five Residency District Seats
Effective with the 2008 Primary Election and General Election, candidates filing for the office of Board of Commissioner for the five residency districts are required to reside in the district which they represented. These five seats are voted by and elected “at-large” by all voters in the County.
These residency districts are:
- District 1 – Gibbs Woods, Knotts Island, Carova Beach, Whalehead Beach (Corolla);
- District 2 – Grandy (South of Uncle Graham Rd.) to Point Harbor;
- District 3 – Grandy (North of Uncle Graham Rd.) to Coinjock Creek Swamp;
- District 4 – Maple Rd. to Tulls Creek / New Bridge Creek;
- District 5 – Moyock (NC/VA State Line south to Tulls Creek / New Bridge Creek)
Residency District Map may be viewed here:
Residency District Map on Currituck County Website (pdf)
At-Large Seats
Two members of the Board of Commissioners represent the county At Large and thus are not required to live in a residency district. These two seats are voted by and elected “at-large” by all voters in the County.
Current Commissioners and Terms (as of Jan 1, 2020)
- District 1 – Robert “Bob” White (R-Corolla) (2016-2020)
- District 2 – Selena Jarvis (R-Harbinger) (2019-2020)*
- District 3 – Michael “Mike” Payment (R-Grandy) (2018-2022)
- District 4 – Paul Beaumont (R-Shawboro) (2016-2020)
- District 5 – J. Owen Etheridge (R-Moyock) (2018-2022)
- At-Large 1 – Kevin E. McCord (R-Moyock) (2018-2022)
- At-Large 2 – Mary “Kitty” Etheridge (R-Shawboro) (2016-2020)
* Appointed by Board of Commissioners to complete the term of Bobby Hanig, after his election in 2018 to the NC General Assembly House District 6 seat.
Currituck Board of Commissioners (2000-2020)
Board of Commissioner member profiles may be viewed here:
Commissioners Profiles on the Currituck County Website
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