Nine city officials will be reimbursed $6,933.39 by the city for attending the recent three-day ElectriCities conference at an oceanfront resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to expense reports.

The largest tab was run up by 3rd Ward Councilman Rickey King, $994.65, which included $492.51 for three nights of lodging at $164.17 per night, $84 for meals, $57.78 in parking tolls and $360.36 in transportation — 616 miles at 58.5 cents per mile.

Mayor Steve Atkinson's tab was $936.87, which was the same breakdown as King's, minus the parking tolls.

In all, seven officials submitted vouchers for

reimbursement, including: Atkinson; King; Karl Clow, electric superintendent, $700; City Manager Rich Olson, $84; 3rd Ward Councilman Daniel Evans, $867.95; 1st Ward Councilwomen Jean Baker, $899.67, and Betty Meggs, $576.51.

Olson said he and Finance Director Sarah Blanchard approved all vouchers submitted.

Two others who attended, 4th Ward Councilors Kirk Rivers, $936.87, and Volanda Watts, $936.87, had not turned in their expense reports as of Tuesday.

Two 2nd Ward councilors, Anita Hummer and Tony Stimatz, did not attend the recent three-day ElectriCities annual conference at the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grand Dunes.

The conference was held about a week after the ElectriCities board of directors and City Council approved a 14 percent electric rate increase, effective this month.

Those attending defended the conference, saying it was packed with money-saving ideas. Some opposed it, calling it a three-day junket at a resort beach on the taxpayer's tab.

The conference cost ElectriCities — the administrative arm of N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency — an estimated $175,000, about half of which was covered by corporate sponsors and the rest by NCEMPA's 32 member cities, who sent an estimated 600 officials.

One of the critics was Hummer, who said only the city manager should have gone.

"I would love to attend, but how could I justify spending this kind of money at a time when taxes have been raised on our citizens at the worst possible time in our country's history — (a time) comparable to the Great Depression?" Hummer said.

Baker, who is also planning to attend the upcoming N.C. League of Municipalities conference for city officials in October, defended the trip.

"Nobody complained about the line item in the budget," she said Tuesday. "I've had two people give me comments — one said the timing could have been better. The other said, 'I hope you spend every nickel the city provides you.'"

She said the conference was fruitful, having met a vendor who sells a software system she will recommend the city buy.

The system is designed to link all departments to customer service and ensure that all electric customer starts and stops happen as scheduled, with no delays due to lost paperwork, Baker said.

"Our software is absolutely archaic," Baker said. "This is something we've needed for a long time. It's going to cost more money, but in the long run will save us money and enable customers to make online payments. It will bring us into the 21st century."