Pikeville to seek FEMA assistance
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on November 13, 2016 1:06 AM
PIKEVILLE -- The Pikeville Town Board laid the groundwork for potential aid from FEMA during Monday night's meeting, as it authorized Town Administrator Michael Hunt to begin the paperwork necessary to apply for aid.
In adopting town resolutions 16-11 and 16-12 the board established Hunt as the town's agent in regards to Hurricane Matthew and FEMA. During the storm, almost all of Pikeville lost power for around 48 hours as the area received 16 inches of rain.
Hunt said that the next step is to create a receipt of damages to present to FEMA during one of their visits to the area, in order to determine what kind of aid the town may receive.
FEMA representatives will determine the level of damage done to Pikeville, and will proceed from there. Damage to the northern part of the county was generally less severe than that in the southern portion, although the area did not make it through the storm unscathed.
The board also approved changes to chapter 71 of the town code of ordinances, which sets rules for the use of golf carts on the town streets.
Police Chief Craig Edwins asked the board at their October meeting to make alterations to the ordinance, as his department was having issues with children under the age of 16 driving the carts while the department had no appropriate way of keeping them from doing so.
Under the previous version of the ordinance, golf carts could be operated by anyone age 16 or older who could show valid identification. That identification did not necessarily have to be a driver's license or learner's permit, and Edwins said that his officers did not have the authority under the previous ordinance to levy any fines on the parents of underage cart drivers.
The new ordinance language clarifies that golf cart drivers must have a valid driver's license, and also makes parents who allow their children to drive golf carts in violation of the ordinance liable for aiding/abetting.