90 days later: Fate of Seven Springs
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 9, 2017 7:36 AM
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Stephen Potter's father, Ray, points to the line drawn on the house where the floor will be after it is raised several feet.
"I am planning to come back. I will be here God willing," Seven Springs Mayor Stephen Potter said Friday morning as he stood in his gutted Main Street home.
Potter is rebuilding following the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew in October -- he is not sure how many of his neighbors will return.
And he has heard the rumors that Seven Springs, devastated by two major floods in 17 years, will give up its charter and cease to exist as an incorporated town.
Potter is hopeful that a meeting between Federal Emergency Management Agency, state and county officials and local residents will provide some answers.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at Seven Springs Baptist Church at 5924 N.C. 55 East.
"Certainly we want to keep this as an incorporated town if possible, but you do run into an issue," Potter said. "The state laws have changed on annexation and in talking dollars if you are going to have a municipal government, you've got to have money to run it. I don't know how many people will be left when everything is said and done."
Prior to the flood the town had a population of around 115.
Read more about Seven Springs' recovery and possible decline 90 days after Hurricane Matthew in today's issue of the News-Argus.