An Elizabeth City councilwoman says she's "outraged" that nine city officials will be networking on the city's dime when they attend a weekend electricity conference at a luxury oceanfront resort in South Carolina.

Second Ward Councilwoman Anita Hummer says while city councilors and officials are at the ElectriCities annual conference at the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes today, Saturday and Sunday, most of their constituents back home will be wondering how they'll afford a 14 percent electric rate hike that council approved 10 days ago.

"Just exactly what are (nine) representatives from our city going to bring back (from Myrtle Beach) that will ease their burden?" asked Hummer, one of only two city councilors not making the weekend trip.

The three-day conference, which runs through Sunday, will cost ElectriCities $175,000, according to Ken Raber, senior vice president for ElectriCities/North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency. About half of that cost — $85,000 — will be covered by sponsors, Raber said. The rest will be paid by NCEMPA's 32 member cities, who will be sending about 600 officials to the conference.

According to ElectriCities officials, the conference will cost each city approximately $500 per person attending. Nine officials from Elizabeth City are attending the event, costing the city an estimated $4,500. The nine officials include Mayor Steve Atkinson, City Manager Rich Olson, Electric Superintendent Karl Clow and council members Kirk Rivers, Jean Baker, Betty Meggs, Volanda Watts, Rickey King and Daniel Evans.

The only other city councilor besides Hummer not attending is Second Ward Councilman Tony Stimatz.

Hummer said it was unnecessary for so many city officials to attend the conference, especially in the wake of the 14 percent rate increase.

"The city manager is the city's representative on the ElectriCities board (of directors) and could easily bring back information," Hummer said. "Rather (that) than have the majority of council spend taxpayers' revenue from the electric rate increase."

Council approved the 14 percent rate hike, 6-2, at a special meeting on July 30. Hummer and Rivers cast the only votes against it.

Olson said the rate hike was needed because of NCEMPA's skyrocketing energy costs. Customers are picking up the full tab because the city's electric reserve fund is too low to absorb any of the increase.

Several councilors said they regretted having to raise rates that high, but given the circumstances, felt they had no choice. They have urged city electric customers to cut back their electricity usage to soften the blow from the rate hike.

Both Raber and Olson said the information gained by city officials who attend ElectriCities' annual conferences is valuable because it helps cities hold down electric costs.

"(The conference) allows council members to discuss power-related issues (with officials) from other jurisdictions," Olson said. "We do a lot of discussions (during the event) about energy savings and weatherization."

Several city officials attending the conference said they wouldn't have gone unless the eight-hour drive to Myrtle Beach paid off for the city.

"It's an opportunity, especially for the new councilpeople and myself, to truly hear how the other communities and cities are dealing with (the electric rate increase), what they're doing to offset costs," Atkinson said. "Anything we bring back will be important."

Baker, who earlier Thursday attended a N.C. League of Municipalities meeting in Raleigh on behalf of the city, also believes attending the ElectriCities conference will be a valuable experience.

"Bringing something back is all good, but nothing like being there," Baker said. "The value is huge. And yes, we do have fun, too."

She accused Hummer of "political pandering."

Watts said she's attending because the mayor and Olson recommended she go.

"If it is as important for the city manager to attend and for the mayor to drive an eight-hour distance, then I am absolutely subject to their opinion as to their advice," she said. "They encouraged all of city council to attend all the meetings" at the conference.

Evans said as a new councilman — he won a special election in February — he felt it was necessary to attend the conference.

"This is information we need to know and hear," he said. "It's a good way to exchange information with other cities and get new ideas and piggyback on other people."

King said it had been a few years since he last attended one of ElectriCities' annual meetings.

"A lot of things have changed," King said. "You have to be able to network with people. What's happening in Rocky Mount may be important to us. Everybody's doing something different."

Rocky Mount is also an NCEMPA member.

For Meggs, this weekend's ElectriCities conference is her second.

"You cannot measure (the value) in dollars and cents," she said. "I go to each one of the meetings" at the conference

Rivers could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Unlike Hummer, Stimatz said he wouldn't criticize those councilors attending the conference. He didn't go, he said, because he felt he didn't need to.

"For me, I don't feel I need to go (to the annual conference) to get the same information I have or can get," he said.

Baker said she believes the conference is worthwhile because it gives councilors the tools they need to deal with complex electricity issues.

She said she plans to attend each one of the sessions on the agenda.

Agenda topics include:

• Remarks from Jesse Tilton, ElectriCities' chief executive officer who has come under fire for his annual salary and compensation package that totaled $458,002 last year;

• A discussion by ElectriCities officials about the economy;

• Customer service;

• Renewable energy standards;

• Utility safety; and

• The drought over the past year.

Attendees will also have a chance to participate in a golf tournament planned for Saturday afternoon at the Grande Dunes Resort Course. Sightseeing tours also will be available to a nearby aquarium and vineyard while bus tours will available to Charleston, Georgetown and Wilmington.

Hummer said attending such an extravagant conference just 10 days after electric rates were raised by 14 percent sends the wrong message to city ratepayers.

"I would love to attend," she said. "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?

"How could I justify spending revenue from their electric rate increase when people all over our country are dying from the extreme heat and lack of income to afford air-conditioning? Wouldn't these people like to have four days in Myrtle Beach?"