Washington County approves final assessment for Eddie Smith Drainage District; rates proposed for cleared and wooded land

The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 2023-019 at its May 1 meeting, finalizing assessments for the Eddie Smith Special Assessment District after a public hearing.

Attorney David Gadd of Raleigh provided legal background on the district and next steps, telling the board staff will prepare separate assessment rolls for cleared and wooded land and bring those rolls back for review and notice ahead of a June 5 public hearing. "The rates would be 35 cents for cleared land and 12 cents for wooded land," Gadd said when outlining the proposed assessment schedule.

Local residents who have participated in the district’s work spoke in favor. Guy Davenport of Creswell said the district helped residents recover after hurricanes and storms and has been important for maintaining drainage. Bill Forbes of Roper said he had contributed money to the district and described drainage as essential to farming and timber operations; he urged attention to the Scuppernong River as well.

Why it matters: The assessment district funds drainage work that local landowners say is critical for storm recovery, agricultural use and timber operations. The board’s action authorizes staff to prepare assessment rolls and return to the board for notice and a follow-up public hearing.

Next steps: Staff will prepare the cleared-land and wooded-land assessment rolls, coordinate with the Tax Office, notice affected property owners, and hold a public hearing at the board’s June 5 meeting.