MONROE, N.C. — A Channel 9 investigation uncovered questionable spending by Monroe city council members.
Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster got hundreds of pages of expense reports by the mayor and city council members over the past 13 months, in a records request.
[Monroe city council may tighten policy that allows use of taxpayer money for business travel]
Foster learned that two council members, who went to the National League of Cities conference in Charlotte last November, decided to stay in uptown hotels rather than drive the 25 miles from Monroe.
Surlata Anthony stayed two nights at the Holiday Inn Center City, which cost $349.16. Franco McGee stayed at the Hyatt Place for three nights, which cost $1,083.77.
“That to me is unacceptable,” said Brian Peters, a Monroe taxpayer. “We work hard. I work seven days a week just to make ends meet. For them to waste money like that, to me is unacceptable.”
Last month, McGee and Anthony traveled to Los Angeles for the same annual conference. Anthony’s trip cost $2,854.37 but McGee’s was $4,031.28 for the same trip. Part of the additional cost is because records show he brought his mother along and charged her flight and meals on the city credit card.
“Sharing a hotel room is one thing, but meals and all the other expensive flights, that should be strictly their responsibility. That definitely should not be paid by the taxpayer,” said Monroe taxpayer Rhonda Watkins.
City council briefly discussed the travel policy at a meeting last week. McGee and Anthony said they would feel penalized if they could not go to a conference because they ran out of money in their allotted budget.
“I don’t understand why we have a cap on our finances,” McGee said during the meeting.
A city spokesperson told Foster that McGee came to city hall Tuesday to pay the city back for his mother's meal costs during the California trip. Under the current policy, the city pays for airfare for a companion to travel with an elected official.
City staff has proposed several recommendations to change the travel policy for elected officials. Council voted to wait until February for that discussion.
Statement from Councilman McGee:
"Travel by Monroe City Council Members is and will continue to be necessary to better serve the residents of our great city. Travel outside of the community provides enrichment and educational opportunities for Council, to learn new governmental best practices and how other communities are dealing with similar situations that we face in Monroe.
Travel is a privilege I take seriously, and I have diligently ensured that during my travel, all fiduciary responsibilities were met.
I will continue to ask the Council to examine the travel policies of not just the Council, but of all City of Monroe staff, to ensure we are adequately serving our community while seeking new development opportunities that will benefit our residents."
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