Roanoke Rapids council adopts $71,828 ordinance to finish storm debris cleanup

City staff asked the Roanoke Rapids City Council to adopt Ordinance 2026.06 to appropriate $71,828 to complete storm response and recovery following a May 16, 2025 windstorm that produced widespread debris.

Chalker, a city staff member who presented the request, said the city had previously authorized $250,000 for debris collection and removal. He told the council that the vendor has additional hauling and invoiced costs beyond that earlier amount and that the city has not yet received state reimbursement. "We haven't received any funds from the state," Chalker said, explaining that the city's emergency-management declaration and reimbursement package has been submitted but that processing and coordination at the state level delayed payments.

Staff provided supporting detail: the emergency response collected about 12,090 cubic yards of debris, and the packet included a vendor quote from NJ Price for roughly $23,750 to remove remaining material from the yard. Chalker said the $71,828 ordinance amount represents the balance needed to finish payments related to the storm response.

Council moved on the ordinance (motion recorded by the presiding Mayor, seconded by Mr. Strickland) and approved the appropriation by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The ordinance authorizes the city to expend the additional funds to pay outstanding vendor costs and complete debris hauling and related cleanup from the May 16 storm. Staff said they will continue to pursue state reimbursement but could not guarantee timing; the appropriation allows the city to close out vendor payments in the interim.