Rolls misses first 2013 commission mtg

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Commissioner Gary Rolls skipped the first Kent County Board of Commissioners meeting of 2012.

Rolls had a personal protection order taken out against him in September by a woman who claimed he molested her when she was a teenager. The woman claims the alleged sexual encounters with Rolls started when she was a teenager. She is now 28.

Rolls was re-elected to his Fourth District seat in the November election by a nearly 2-1 margin and denied the accusation in the petition.

Since the PPO was filed, Rolls has missed four meetings in a row.

"He has missed some meetings and I'm sure he'll show up hopefully in the near future," Commissioner Dan Koorndyk, who was elected to the chair position Thursday, said after the meeting.

He added he didn't know if Rolls missed the meeting because of his legal issues:

"You'd have to talk to Gary on that. I don't know all the background."

No one was home when 24 Hour News 8 went to Rolls' house for comment. The Pinnacle Insurance Company said Rolls no longer works there. The attorney 24 Hour News 8 was told might represent him declined to comment.

It's unclear what will happen if Rolls continues to be a no-show. 24 Hour News 8 asked if there is there a limit at which point he would lose his seat.

"Not that I know of," said Koorndyk. "But I'm sure he'll show up to work soon. I'm hopeful."

Voters pay Rolls -- and every other commissioner -- a flat fee of $20,000 a year.

Koorndyk said he believes voters would have to remove Rolls from office if they are unsatisfied because the board cannot legally do so.

Ionia County Prosecutor Ron Schafer, who is reviewing the case against Rolls, said he won't make a decision on whether to file any criminal charges for a few more weeks.

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Koorndyk Thursday also talked about the budget issues the county will face after its first 2013 meeting:

"Our budget is in great shape, the only concern we have is personal property tax that was passed in lame duck. Fortunately none of that goes into effect until 2014 so we have some time to work on that."

Commissioner Jim Saalfeld was named Vice Chair at the meeting and the Minority Vice Chair went to Carol Hennessy.