Council members chide mayor over press release – Rocky Mount Telegram

The Political Agitator’s response: This was one of the best meetings I have attended. Now that Mayor Sandy Claus Roberson has had his Special Called Meeting to satisfy the Special Cs in the Rocky Mount Concerned Citizens group they need to wait just like myself for the agencies that Beth Wood NC State Auditor say she has turned had turned her findings over to.

Mayor Sandy Roberson received criticism from the majority of the City Council about his communications via the news media in the aftermath of the recent findings of State Auditor Beth Wood and her team’s probe of the City of Rocky Mount’s finances and operations.

A council special work session was held Tuesday and led by Councilman Andre Knight in his capacity as mayor pro tem. A focus of council discussion was about a press release that Roberson, through a news media contact of his, emailed on May 19.

The press release stated that four council members refused to attend an upcoming emergency meeting of the council.

Of particular issue, as part of the press release, was Roberson and a city police sergeant posed together in a photograph. The photograph showed both holding paperwork of service, apparently in connection with the meeting.

During Tuesday’s work session, Roberson sat quietly. At the end of council discussion of the item, Roberson expressed appreciation for the suggestions and said he would take them under advisement.

During the work session, Councilman T.J. Walker told Roberson, “With the utmost respect that I have for you as an individual, as a businessman and your zeal to be a leader, I believe the way in which you handled this situation was very, very controversial in a time that’s already tense and controversial for our city.” (Read more)