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Roanoke Rapids City Councilman Wayne Smith served his last meeting Tuesday night and in a letter read into the record by Mayor Emery Doughtie resigned from the panel due to health concerns.
“Dear Mayor Doughtie, please allow this letter to serve as notice of my resignation from Roanoke Rapids City Council,” the letter said. “I submit this notice with mixed emotions. While it has been a great honor to serve the people of Roanoke Rapids, I know the best thing for me is to retire as a council member. During my tenure I have appreciated your support and the support of my fellow council members.”
Smith, who would have been up for reelection in 2026, closed the letter saying, “This month’s meeting will be my last as a member. I wish nothing but the best for this city council and the city of Roanoke Rapids.”
The council did not immediately discuss the appointment process during the meeting.
Before the start of the meeting Smith confirmed, “I’ve got bad health right now. I can’t attend the meetings like I should. I can’t go out into the community like I normally do. I just feel like they need somebody else to do the job.”
Smith said he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and cancer in the tube that runs from his kidney to his bladder. “They went in and took out the kidney and the tube. I’m having a tough time recovering from that.”
If he had been able to finish out his term he would have served a total of 12 years, he said.
Serving, he said, “Has meant a lot to me because I think I’ve helped the town. People in the city have been good to me and they trusted me. They maintained that trust and really care about me. I appreciate that.”
As an advocate for selling the former Roanoke Rapids Theatre, Smith said, “I think the council did a good job and I think they’ll continue to make sure the entertainment district out there (grows). If I find out some of them are against it then I’m going to be sitting out there in the front row voicing my opinion because I’m very strong about that. I think the people out there now are doing a great job.”
He would not say getting the venue sold was a feather in his cap, rather, he said, “I think it’s something that the whole council finally agreed on. It’s not a feather in my cap. It’s a feather in everybody’s hat.”
Smith said his health prognosis is good so far. “I’ll know more in two months. They’ll go back there and look at everything again and make sure everything is OK.”
Doctors found nothing in his lymph nodes. “That’s great news. I went to the doctor today and my heart, the rhythm in my heart from the heart attack I had, everything is fine, no damage.”
Smith, a lifelong resident of the city, said he will miss serving. “I kind of love the city of Roanoke Rapids, 15 years of volunteer rescue and then I helped Dicey King with the Little League from about 1989 until I got on council. I just love this town. I’m going to miss it and if I get well then I’m going to run again. In two years, if I get well when the elections come up I’m going to run.”
Before he read Smith’s letter Doughtie told the council, “It’s not a piece of information I take any joy in giving to you all.”
The mayor said, “It is with great joy that I have served the last 11 or 12 years with Councilman Smith. He has served this council very graciously. He has been very active in his duty since he has been here. He’s always had good conversations with people. He didn’t wait for them to call him. He would reach out to people any time there was something he felt like he could do and he could serve his community better.”
Doughtie said, “We all know Mr. Smith has had some health issues and he’s making a remarkable recovery, he’s still continuing to recover. There's a lot of difference in those seats than it is in these seats. We all have things we have to deal with. Sometimes things we have to deal with are real special and they just kind of weigh on your mind a lot and right now I’m sure that Mr. Smith feels like his health is of utmost concern to him. I just wish you godspeed and for you to get better.”
City Manager Kelly Traynham said following the meeting, “I understand his decision from a health perspective. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with him throughout my tenure here even from when he first attended council meetings requesting money at this time of year for donations to the rescue squad. He had his finger on the pulse on everything going and a liaison to the planning board.”
The city manager said, “One thing I think everybody knows about him is that he will tell you what he thinks. You may not agree but at the end we’re able to see differences and not conflicts.”
As far as Smith’s doggedness on the theater, Traynham said, “I think he’s given everything a lot of fair consideration, a lot of our needs. He’s shown us (city administration) trust. He’s given us guidance that’s allowed us to do our jobs.”
