Beau Mills, a veteran of state and local government, has gone to work as the new district director for 4th District Democratic Congressman David Price.

Mills replaces Rose Auman, who is retiring after nearly 12 years as Price's district director, Rob Christensen reports.

Mills is well known in government circles. He has worked as an advisor to former Gov. Jim Hunt, as the executive director of the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition and most recently as a partner at Fountainworks, a public policy and market research firm in Raleigh.

Price also announced the hiring of Andrew High to be his press secretary. High, a Durham native, has worked the past two years as a press aide to California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez.

He replaces Phil Feagan, who is now attending law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Nine North Carolina mayors made their case to Barack Obama's top staffers today.

As part of a group of several hundred mayors at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, the mayors heard from the president-elect's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, and adviser Valerie Jarrett and transition team adviser David Axelrod.

The group is arguing for more of the federal stimulus package to be spent on local infrastructure, such as schools, water and sewer lines and even municipal Internet access.

Gastonia Mayor Jennie Stultz said that towns and cities would be more accountable for the spending, an argument she said seemed to play well with Obama's team.

"I don't think they're going to hand out a blank check," she said. "I think you've got to show them how you're going to spend it."

The North Carolina mayors will meet with U.S. Sens. Kay Hagan and Richard Burr Monday.