ElectriCities of North Carolina opposes state Sen. Lisa Barnes’ push to impose additional restrictions on how Rocky Mount’s government uses the revenue from its power and gas utilities. Barnes’ Senate Bill 1076 “undermines a system that is already lawful, limited and overseen,” says Rhian Ray, ElectriCities’ government affairs manager. The argument, however, didn’t persuade a […]
Nash County’s only state senator says she filed a bill that would forbid Rocky Mount from using electric-utility revenue to shore up its general fund because the city “has proven that it’s not a good steward of taxpayer funds.” It’s thus necessary to “ensure every penny our rural neighbors outside Rocky Mount send to the electric […]
Rocky Mount is probably two years away from returning to full financial normalcy, its city manager told the Local Government Commission on Tuesday. An upcoming budget request to the city’s elected leaders will propose about $16 million in spending cuts, City Manager Elton Daniels says. To save money, the city’s done away with employer contributions […]
Local Government Commission members say Rocky Mount’s financial troubles stem from a bad culture that started at the top, with the city’s elected officials. They agreed Wednesday to warn the city that it’s at risk of having the commission take over its financial affairs and is on what State Treasurer Brad Briner called “an extremely […]
Local Government Commission members intended to grill officials from Rocky Mount and Littleton Wednesday afternoon on why they haven’t been able to get their municipal finances in order. The situation in both is to the point that State Treasurer Brad Briner’s office has warned them the LGC could end up taking control of their financial […]
Rocky Mount’s mayor is defending the city’s acquisition of a prospective casino site in 2023, even though State Auditor Dave Boliek’s staff says the purchase helped put the city in a financial hole. “This land makes a big difference in terms of creating live, work [and] play environments within the city,” Mayor Sandy Roberson said […]
A big pay increase for police was one of the early links in the chain of events that plunged Rocky Mount’s government into a financial crisis, State Auditor Dave Boliek and his aides say. Widely reported at the time, Rocky Mount’s 2023 decision to raise the starting pay of police officers to $60,000 led to […]
Rocky Mount’s government announced last week that “for over two years, the city has spent millions more each month than it received.” This requires at least $30 million in cutbacks, they say. To get there, layoffs affecting at least 10% of the town’s full-time employees and half of its part-time staff are required. City leaders are also […]
