McLean files for EC mayor

Accountant Roger McLean became the first candidate to sign up for the Elizabeth City mayoral election this fall, filing notice of his candidacy at the Pasquotank Board of Elections earlier today.

McLean’s filing comes two days after the city’s incumbent mayor, Steve Atkinson, announced that he won’t seek election to a second term.

Cecil Perry, a Pasquotank County commissioner who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2005, said this week he is considering another bid for mayor this fall.

McLean, a former vice chancellor of Elizabeth City State University announced his intention to run for mayor during the public comment period at the March 9 City Council meeting, promising to fight the city’s wholesale electric supplier over rising rates. He said at the time that many city residents now pay more for city utilities than they do for rent.

Council raised electric, water and sewer rates in February in the face of a wholesale electric rate increase from the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency and a warning from the N.C. Local Government Commission regarding dwindling water fund reserves.

“Something has to be done about these utility bills,” McLean said during his speech before council.

Asked about others who had campaigned about reducing utility bills only to get into office and find themselves unable to change anything, McLean insisted he would keep working on it until the bills were lower.

“We’re going to do something about it because we have no choice,” McLean said. “We don’t hjave a choice on this utility matter.”

McLean said the city couldn't endure another January of people borrowing from banks, friends and family members to pay their utility bills.

The city needs a plan to reduce costs of utilities and should refund some of the money generated by the rate hikes to the citizens, he said.

Click here to read more candidates' responses to other questions, plus other local elections stories.