Daughtridge cruises to big win in Ward 5
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
"Rocky Mount businessman Elijah “Lige” Daughtridge said Tuesday night that he would push for a more transparent municipal government as a member of the Rocky Mount City Council.
Daughtridge, 48, led from start to finish as he defeated Robert Cordell in the race for the Ward 5 seat being vacated by incumbent Tom Rogers, who chose to not seek re-election. Daughtridge tallied 1,111 votes to 399 for Cordell, according to unofficial election results."
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/10/09/Daughtride.html
Daughtridge wins big in Ward 5 contest
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
"Lige Daughtridge led from start to finish in the race for the Ward 5 seat on the Rocky Mount City Council.
Daughtridge and Robert Cordell were both seeking the seat currently held by Tom Rogers, who chose not to seek reelection.
Daughtridge tallied 1,111 votes — or 73.43 percent — to 399 — or 26.37 percent — for Cordell. There were three write-in ballots.
Daughtridge won the early vote by a margin of 693-198 with one write-in ballot cast.
Daughtridge, a member of the Rocky Mount planning board, is president of Daughtridge Sales, an industrial equipment supplier.
Cordell is an Air Force veteran and a retired educator. He was an unsuccessful candidate in 2018 for a position on the Nash-Rocky Mount School Board."
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/10/08/Daughtride.html
Council critic seeks open seat
February 24, 2019
Lige Daughtridge understands pressure and heat.
As a local businessman, he sells gauges and thermometers — and as an active citizen, he often holds feet to the fire during Rocky Mount City Council meetings.
The time has come for Daughtridge to jump into the hot seat....
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/02/24/Council-critic-seeks-open-seat.html
Candidates offer ideas to promote unity
Lige Daughtridge, who is seeking election in Ward 5, said as a City Council member, one leads by example and said, “If you want respect from the citizens that you’re representing, you’ve got to show respect. And so that’s the first thing that we need to do as leaders, is we’ve got to show respect to everyone.”
Daughtridge said adults, when they were children, learned about treating each other the same.
“Why don’t we put it in practice as adults? Sometimes, if you go out to City Council meetings or if you go out in public and you get on social media, we act like a bunch of children — but quite frankly, children act better than we do,” Daughtridge said.
Daughtridge was responding to a question at a recent forum posed to him as well as other candidates for City Council and mayor.
The question was if elected, how the candidates would work to foster unity, equality and equity across the city groups, as well as municipal employees, residents in various communities, people of different races or religions and lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders."
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/10/01/Candidates-offer-ideas-to-promote-unity.html
Candidates discuss senior housing
Daughtridge went on to say he believes the elderly should have the opportunity to go to work because jobs are available and given employers cannot always fill them with qualified people.
“We also need to expand on certain things like gatekeepers that go into various homes of the elderly one time a year,” Daughtridge said. “We can expand upon that. And it also teaches our young people some skills and to see how other folks live — and also come together as a community and work together.”
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/09/29/Candidates-discuss-senior-housing.html
Candidates discuss gentrification
Friday, September 27, 2019
Ward 5 candidate Lige Daughtridge said while he believes the city does need to prepare for the issue of gentrification in the long term, he believes there should have been discussion before the October 2018 opening of the Rocky Mount Event Center.
“We’re doing this after the fact, but one thing that we need downtown for the event center and the downtown to be successful is we do need folks with money coming in,” Daughtridge said.
“But we also need the mixed-use in there — and we could do that by incentivizing builders and people to come in through zoning,” this to allow for perhaps more dense housing, Daughtridge said.
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/09/27/Candidates-discuss-getrification.html
Candidates discuss jobless rate
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Next to answer was Ward 5 council candidate Lige Daughtridge, who is a board member of the Rocky Mount-based Carolinas Gateway Partnership, which is the chief industrial recruiter locally.
Daughtridge said the partnership, in conjunction with the area’s government officials, is working with the community colleges to train a workforce. Edgecombe County is going to be the scene of New York-based Corning’s future distribution facility and Chinese-based Triangle Tire’s future manufacturing facility.
Noting he operates a small business, Daughtridge also spoke of the lack of potential future employees both being trained and having soft skills to work with people. Daughtridge said his bottom line is jobs are available.
“I’m out there giving jobs every day — and I know what it takes for people to get a job,” he said. “The big thing that everyone needs to get a job is you show up for work and you work harder than the next person.”
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/09/22/Candidates-discuss-jobless-rate.html
Council candidates pledge accessibility
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Ward 5 candidate Lige Daughtridge said he believes the standard procedures of a council member including meeting with constituents and having quarterly meetings, if possible, at various places, throughout the respective ward.
Daughtridge, emphasizing transparency citywide, also said, “We need to televise live the City Council meetings and the rest of the meetings — and record those.”
Daughtridge also said Rogers was quite responsive when he reached out to him.
“And I plan on continuing that when elected in City Council Ward 5,” Daughtridge said.
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/09/21/Council-candidates-pledge.html
City to release utility studies
Two seek open Ward 5 seat
Sunday, August 18, 2019
"The people who reside in Ward 5 and all of Rocky Mount are what make our community a great place to live. Ward 5 is the home to many residents and includes a great concentration of the tax base in Rocky Mount led by retail, hospitality and the health care industry. Ward 5 and Rocky Mount is destined for growth due to these industries and the addition of the Sunset Avenue/I-95 interchange in 2023. I look forward to being a part of this exciting time in our city."
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/08/18/Two-seek-open-Ward-5-seat.html
Candidates flock to file for election
Saturday, July 6, 2019
...Lige Daughtridge filed for Ward 5.
“As an ardent advocate for thoughtful transparent government, I’m excited to be a candidate for Rocky Mount City Council — Ward 5,” Daughtridge said. “We desperately need a city government that makes decisions balancing the human and financial needs of the city while asking tough questions of city management. Sometimes the best action is no action at all. I believe my business experience coupled with my leadership at both the local and state level have prepared me to serve as Ward 5 City Council representative.” ...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/07/06/Candidates-flock-to-file-for-election.html
Critics pan downtown hotel plans
Friday, July 5, 2019
..."“There are alternative uses for $18 million that could benefit downtown and the city far more,” said council candidate Lige Daughtridge," ...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/07/05/Critics-pan.html
Parking deck costs shift
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Downtown parking concerns date back at least three years when Lige Daughtridge, now a council candidate, raised concerns that 321 parking spaces weren’t enough for an Event Center space of more than 150,000 square feet.
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/07/02/Parking-deck-costs-shift.html
It’s time to quit on current city government
May 26, 2019
I’m not engaging in name calling and character assassination. And I’m tired of wasting my time at City Council meetings. Instead, I’m waiting for the state auditor’s report. And beyond that, Election Day. I can’t wait to cast my vote for Lige Daughtridge, the highly qualified candidate for Ward 5....
Letter to the Editor: Hotel plan raises questions
May 24, 2019
The Rocky Mount city manager and City Council want the citizens to contribute $27 million on top of the $50 million already committed to the Event Center (RMEC).
This time, taxpayers are to “pay” a private “investor” to build a hotel with retail space, market rate...
Candidates differ over results of city probe
May 15, 2019
Opinions over the independent review of City Hall are a mixed bag among candidates for mayor and City Council.
Daughtridge said it was disturbing that the City Council didn't ask any questions of the auditors during the public meeting.
"The auditor even admitted to discussing results with the manager," Daughtridge said. "This leads to the question, 'Is this truly independent?' We need leadership that is going to ask tough questions and challenge the status quo of government. My hope is this audit does not lead to a mass exodus of qualified experienced staff."
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/05/15/Candidates-differ-over-results-of-city-probe.html
Residents jeer council at meeting
April 23, 2019
Monday afternoon's meeting of the Rocky Mount City Council boiled over with jeers from the audience and council members biting back over development downtown and at Crossing at 64.
Local business owner Lige Daughtridge, a candidate for Ward 5, asked the council why millions of dollars...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/04/23/Residents-jeer-council-at-meeting.html
April 19, 2019
Despite public denials, Rocky Mount Councilman Reuben Blackwell was aware of plans to break an agreement with Edgecombe Community College on downtown parking in favor of a housing project, according to emails obtained by the Telegram.
In answer to reader interest, the Telegram is posting...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/04/19/Emails-show-intent-about-parking-lots.html
April 09, 2019
In order to gain complete control of the Douglas Block, the Rocky Mount City Council agreed to pay nearly half a million dollars to the Rocky Mount Edgecombe Communtiy Development Corp.
City Attorney Jep Rose announced the settlement during Monday's City Council meeting. The agreement...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/04/09/City-agrees-to-Douglas-block-deal.html
Housing site faces environmental concerns
April 03, 2019
The Tarboro Street site chosen for workforce housing is a state environmental brownfield site not safe for well water as revealed Tuesday at a public meeting on the matter.
Local business owner Lige Daughtridge, candidate for the City Council Ward 5 seat, asked the officials conducting...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/04/03/Housing-site-faces-environmental-concerns.html
Nash to leave partnership
April 02, 2019
NASHVILLE — Lige Daughtridge — a small business owner, partnership board member and candidate for the Rocky Mount City Council Ward 5 seat — asked commissioners to delay their vote to give them and the partnership time to discuss their concerns....
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/04/02/Nash-board-set-to-leave-partnership.html
City Hall probe nears end
March 26, 2019
An independent investigation into alleged malfeasance at City Hall is nearly complete with a report forthcoming, Mayor David Combs said during Monday’s City Council meeting.
To wrap up the inquiry, the law firm conducting the review needs to interview City Manager Rochelle...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/03/26/Law-firm-s-city-probe-nears-end.html
Facade grant program to begin
March 14, 2019
Downtown Rocky Mount property owners will soon be able to receive $5,000 from the city to spruce up storefronts.
"We don't want to put lipstick on a pig," said Councilwoman Chris Miller, in explaining it's important buildings be structurally sound as well as having an attractive facade....
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/03/14/City-to-begin-grant-awards-in-downtown.html
Petition targets downtown development
March 09, 2019
The most interesting item to be presented Monday at the Rocky Mount City Council meeting isn't on the agenda.
Downtown investor Ben Braddock is circulating an online petition in support of code enforcement and facade grants for downtown property owners. He said he plans to present the...
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2019/03/09/Petition-drive-targets-downtown-development.html