The Rocky Mount City Council members accused of not paying $30,000 worth of utility bills are sharing why they didn't pay.
Council members TJ Walker and Charles Roberson said they were "taking a stand with the people" during a utility billing issue and waited for an audit to bring clarity.
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The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor completed its information systems audit of Rocky Mount after some residents said they received two utility bills in one month in late 2025.
Council member TJ Walker said that, until the audit, even some members of the council were not clear on the issue.
"Nobody could answer the questions with clarity about what truly happened," Walker said.
The report found the city did not double-bill customers. Instead, auditors said the city was trying to correct billing delays and eliminate a gap between meter-reading dates and billing dates.
"As soon as the results came out, we didn't get any preferential treatment, we didn't get any write-offs, or debt forgiveness. TJ and I, and I'm proud of that, we stepped up, and we paid our bill," Roberson said.
The bills went unpaid during a time when the city paused late fees and utility shutoffs.
Still, some residents say it doesn't sit right that council members were not paying their utility bills while customers felt they had no choice but to do so, adding to a trust issue that has built over the years.
WRAL asked several residents what the city can do to regain trust.
"Transparency. That's key. Being transparent. Don't answer questions just to give me an answer...have supporting documents and information," Darlene Spencer-Harris said.
The audit comes as the City of Rocky Mount continues to navigate an ongoing financial crisis, which was the focus of another audit earlier this year.