Benson town manager said financial frustration fueled outburst at staff meeting

The Benson town manager is in the spotlight after a video started circulating on social media involving an outburst at a staff meeting.

Town Manager Dane Rideout confirmed to WRAL Investigates that he got heated during a department head meeting where town officials discussed the budget.

"Not only are we starting at zero, we are starting at $2.75 million in the hole," Rideout said. "That’s where we're starting.

"I am not trying to be dramatic, it's not personal. I hope I have gotten it through the commissioners’ head, we're f****** broke and we've got to do lion s***. And we finally did it. I about lost my s*** last week when it was a 4-2 vote, when we sat in here in this room and all the commissioners around there, I said 'Everyone good?' and we looked around and all fricking seven of 'em said, 'We're good,' and then two of them decided to fricking kowtow to their population, and 'oh, by the way, we talked about this that only two of those little sons of b******.”

Rideout's outburst was shared on several Facebook groups. He said that mounting frustrations over the town's finances and differing opinions among commissioners lead him to say those things.

However, Rideout told WRAL Investigates the remarks at the end of the video were spliced and taken out of context.

The town's financial troubles aren't new.

At the Benson Board of Commissioners meeting on May 12, Rideout stated that the town is $2.75 million in debt, announcing potential cuts in services and staffing.

"Not only have we spent all the monies in our rainy-day fund. We have spent more monies that we have to pay back,” Rideout said at that meeting.

WRAL Investigates found in July 2025 the town announced an audit found Benson owed more money than it was generating.

Laverne Richardson, a long-time Benson resident, said she’s both frustrated with the finances of the town but also the town manager’s behavior.

"You have to get the point across cussing like that? she said. "That is how you get your point across, town manager? You don't get your point across like that."

Rideout declined an on-camera interview and said WRAL Investigates can expect a statement from the town’s mayor.

The mayor did not immediately respond to WRAL Investigates' request for comment.