Council to talk recovery efforts
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on October 27, 2016 10:07 AM
The Goldsboro City Council will meet Friday afternoon to discuss the city's recovery efforts and related expenses in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.
The city council will meet at 3 p.m. in the second-floor conference room in the City Hall annex, at 200 N. Center St.
The primary reason for the meeting is for city staff to present several funding proposals related to response and recovery efforts, said Scott Stevens, city manager. The city has already contracted with outside companies to assist in property inspections and debris removal.
City staff will also provide updates on debris removal, property condemnations and community resources, Stevens said.
Hurricane Matthew brought with it widespread damage across the city dumping nearly 14 to 19 inches of rain and record-flooding left many parts of the county at a standstill. City streets were inundated with floodwaters, roads washed out and western and southern sections of Goldsboro were blocked until floodwaters receded.
City operations since the Oct. 8 hurricane have been primarily focused on assisting residents and ensuring safety, with the recent decision to temporarily condemn nearly 400 homes in some of the hardest-hit areas.
More than 300 of the condemned properties have had electricity disconnected, in cooperation with Duke Progress Energy, due to safety and liability concerns until repairs are approved by city inspectors.
City recreation facilities, where many programs have been canceled until further notice, are also being used during the recovery.
The W.A. Foster Center, at 1012 S. John St., is being used as a Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center, and Red Cross has set up its command center for eastern North Carolina inside the Herman Park Center, at 901 E. Ash St.