After vowing a comeback last October, former Roanoke Rapids City Councilman Wayne Smith on Tuesday filed for his District 2 seat currently held by Andy Jackson after his appointment last September.

Smith had announced he was stepping down from the council last June after he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and cancer in the tube that runs from his kidney to his bladder. 

His prognosis since then has gone well, he said this morning. “I’ve been through treatments and my cancer is gone. I feel good about it. I go every four months and everything’s been clear since then — no more treatments or nothing.”

Asked why he wants to make another run, Smith said, “I’ve been to a few council meetings and I’m not happy with some of the things that have been happening. No questions are asked. On the budget side, they don’t ask questions to the finance director. We’ve got $2 million in funds for the theater and all the interest is going back into the general fund and the interest on that $2 million should be reinvested so it can increase and we can pay off this debt. We wouldn’t have to keep taking money out of the fund balance to meet the budget.”

He said of the council, “They’re kind of rubber stamping everything that’s being done and I don’t like that. If they would ask a few questions it would be another story.”

At a meeting last October where he was honored for his service on the panel, Smith said, “I’ll be back.”

Other filing news

Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District Board member Colby Lyles confirmed Tuesday that he would not be seeking another term due to work and family obligations.

Filings thus far

Smith was the only new filing at the close of business Tuesday.

As as of the close of business Monday, the following had filed for the November 4 municipal elections:

Roanoke Rapids Mayor Emery filed to retain his seat

Scotland Neck Mayor Eddie Braxton filed to retain his seat

Incumbent Roanoke Rapids Rapids Graded School District board member Steven Ellis filed

Jim Whitmire and Carlton Ansley filed to run for the RRGSD board

Incumbents Jon Baker and James Kerr filed to retain their seats on the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District Board of Directors

Anthony Moseley filed for the third seat on the RRSD board

Filing ends Friday, July 18, at noon in the Halifax County Board of Elections Office at the Old Historic Courthouse in Halifax.