Residents press Rocky Mount council on finances and utility decisions

Residents sharply criticized the City Council’s handling of city finances during the public-comment period at the Nov. 10 meeting.

Richard Worsinger told the council the city’s general fund had been "depleted from 120,000,000 to 20,000,000 in only a few short years" and challenged comments about electric-rate history. Worsinger disputed claims that a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission action reduced Rocky Mount’s rates, saying the city is contractually required to buy wholesale power from Duke and that FERC’s order benefited other utilities but "did not lower Rocky Mount's rates." He also said the council had spent more than $350,000 fighting the 2011 Duke-Progress merger before FERC and closed his remarks, "It looked like we don't know what we're talking about."

Maury Menjuez urged the council to act on an upcoming audit and questioned how the city "lost millions," suggesting council members "don't take a paycheck" in the coming months to help close budget gaps. Menjuez referenced a state document about shortages and pressed the council to pay attention to the forthcoming audit results.

Earlier in the meeting, City Manager Elton Daniels addressed the council on broader financial challenges facing Rocky Mount, saying the city has faced difficult but necessary decisions and that staff is taking steps to improve efficiency and financial management to preserve essential services. Daniels described the recent measures as a "reset" to position the city for a more sustainable future.

Council members did not directly rebut the specific claims made by the speakers during the public-comment period in the transcript. The mayor noted public comment is not typically the time for council deliberation but said the board may refer issues to staff for investigation.