Elizabeth City spent more than $5,500 at the city manager’s direction lodging a homeless city employee at a local motel for 2½ months without City Council’s knowledge or approval, city officials said this week.

City Manager Montre Freeman authorized Public Works employee Troy Selsey’s stay at the Quality Inn from June 23 to Sept. 7 and charged the expense to an account set aside in the city budget for a homeless shelter, officials said.