Receipts released in city dispute

A records request for receipts from the city of Goldsboro validate statements made by Community Affairs director Shycole Simpson-Carter that she paid for lodging for displaced residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence — a claim disputed, at least partially, by District 1 Councilman Antonio Williams.

According to a recently released investigation report,Williams said at a Sept. 27, 2018, Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Board meeting that the city only footed the bill for one night at local hotels — that it did not pay for lodging for the individuals on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018.

“We got them in a hotel for one night with WAGES help, but I had to pay for these individuals room and board after they were put back on the street Friday,” a quote attributed to Williams from that meeting reads. “(Simpson-Carter) is lying. I don’t know what receipts she has, but she is lying. The City did not pay for these individuals hotel stay on Friday.”

Receipts obtained by the New Old North, however, seemingly substantiate Simpson-Carter’s assertion that she did, in fact, pay for several of the residents to spend an additional night at Knights Inn using her “city procurement card.”

The following receipts show Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, check-out dates for four rooms — Room 115, 209, 213, and 217.

Hotel by K Fine on Scribd

And shortly after checkout, Simpson-Carter used her card to buy several duffle bags at Walmart, and meals at Hardee’s, seemingly substantiating her claim that she, on behalf of the city, provided the bags and food to five of the residents.

The dispute is part of an ongoing investigation initiated after Simpson-Carter claimed Williams violated her employment rights by targeting her, verbally abusing her, and demanding her termination. He disputes the allegations and has called the investigation — and his potential censure by the council — a “conspiracy.”