By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON — Recent work at Edenton Harbor has uncovered additional repair needs, prompting the Town Council Tuesday to seek nearly $222,400 in federal funding to continue improvements to the town’s waterfront infrastructure.

Council approved a resolution supporting an application for a federal Boating Infrastructure Grant, or BIG, for a project estimated at $296,480. The town would seek $222,360 in federal funding and would be responsible for a 25% match of $74,120 if the grant is awarded and accepted.

More information about the meeting, which included a discussion about Hotel Hinton and the proposed Beechwood Apartments, will appear in an upcoming story.

The application follows recently completed work at the harbor funded through the town’s Harbor Towns allocation. During that work and related inspections, additional repairs were identified, including steel I-beams supporting the breakwater and damage to the wave attenuator.

Town Manager Corey Gooden said repairs were initially made to concrete portions of the breakwater below the waterline. Five additional beam locations were subsequently identified. One was repaired before the July 4 holiday, while the remaining four are being included in the proposed BIG project along with additional wave attenuator work.

The BIG program is a reimbursement grant, meaning Edenton would initially pay eligible project expenses and then seek reimbursement from the federal grant.

The town’s $74,120 share would not be reimbursed under the 75/25 grant. Gooden said staff could pursue other funding sources, including USDA and Golden LEAF, to help offset some or all of that local match.

Applying for the grant does not obligate the town to accept it or spend the matching funds. If Edenton receives an award, the grant would return to council for acceptance.

Mayor Hackney High said that gives council time to determine whether the project and its local cost make sense.

Gooden said an award is unlikely before the end of the year and could come during the first quarter of 2027.

The town is applying under the program’s Tier 1 category, keeping the project below $300,000 and avoiding additional federal review requirements associated with larger Tier 2 projects.

Filbert’s Creek design moves ahead

Council also moved another water-related project forward, selecting The Wooten Company as the most qualified engineering firm for Phase 3 of the state’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program.

Unlike the harbor grant, the Filbert’s Creek work is expected to be 100% grant funded. It is also a reimbursement program, meaning the town will pay eligible expenses and then be reimbursed by the state.

The project focuses on Filbert’s Creek and the Granville Street area between Hicks Street and Virginia Road, where flooding has been a recurring concern.

Phase 3 will move the project from planning into engineering and design. Work is expected to include reconstruction of the existing weir, a capacity study, improvements along the greenway and evaluation of a possible forebay on town-owned property across Virginia Road.

Gooden said the goal is to finish the phase with plans that are 95% to 100% construction-ready, putting Edenton in a stronger position to pursue Phase 4 funding for construction.

The project is intended to address flooding both upstream and downstream along the creek. Gooden noted that areas near the medical center have experienced flooding during major storms, including Hurricane Matthew.

Electric Department site remains under review

Council took no action Tuesday on the proposed purchase of approximately 14 acres near Old Hertford Road for a future Electric Department facility, but Gooden provided an updated concept addressing some of the concerns council raised in August.

The Electric Department has outgrown its existing site, and town officials have been considering the property as a long-term location for a new facility. The department serves more than 4,300 customers.

The latest concept includes a potential extension of Hubley Drive that would direct primary Electric Department traffic toward the Church Street area rather than Old Hertford Road.

Gooden also showed council how the property could accommodate a substantial buffer between a future facility and existing homes. Depending on the final layout, the building could be approximately 100 to 200 feet from rear property lines, with green space and plantings providing additional separation.

The proposed Hubley Drive extension, however, would require right-of-way across two parcels. Gooden said those discussions are ongoing.

High also asked the town attorney whether council could place legally binding conditions on the town-owned property to protect the buffer and prevent Electric Department vehicles from routinely using Old Hertford Road in the future.

Gooden stressed that construction of a new Electric Department facility is not imminent. He estimated a building could still be three to five years away, with the town’s planned fire station expected to come first. The property could potentially be used for storage in the meantime.

The land acquisition remains unresolved while the town works through access and right-of-way issues.

Grocery store project moving forward

Gooden also reported progress on efforts to bring Carlie C’s IGA to the Edenton Village Shopping Center on North Broad Street.

Council approved a performance-based economic development agreement for the grocery store project in July. Under the incentive structure previously discussed by town and county officials, Edenton and Chowan County could each contribute up to $100,000 annually for five years, with payments tied to the project meeting established performance requirements.

Gooden said discussions with Chowan County over the incentive agreement are continuing and indicated he remains optimistic about the project.

The grocery store is expected to serve as an anchor for the shopping center, where Tractor Supply has already opened. Town officials have previously said other retailers have expressed interest in locating there once a grocery store is secured.

Residents raise public safety, tree concerns

Public comments Tuesday ranged from recognition of a longtime community volunteer to concerns about gunfire and the removal of downtown trees.

Beth Taylor thanked High and council for a proclamation recognizing her longtime work organizing Edenton’s July 4 celebration.

This year’s ceremony was Taylor’s last after 27 years of organizing the event. She recalled that about 75 people attended when she and Virginia Wood began the celebration nearly three decades ago. Taylor estimated about 1,000 people attended this year’s event, the largest crowd she had seen on the green.

“I felt like I went out with a bang,” Taylor said.

She said the town’s recognition “put the icing on the cake for me” and was something she would always treasure.

Public safety was also a topic of discussion as Deanna Robinson’s father’s home on West Freemason Street was struck by a stray bullet during an Aug. 22 shooting.

The Deanna and her husband, Mike, said it was not the first shooting in the area and asked town leaders to consider additional ways to address repeat problems, including whether additional surveillance equipment could help police.

They also told council they had sent members a letter Aug. 27 outlining their concerns but had not received responses.

High said council shares their concern and has historically supported Police Department funding requests, although the town faced a particularly tight budget this year.

He also pointed to the difficulty police face when witnesses are unwilling to cooperate with investigators, but said the town would continue supporting efforts to address violent crime.

Resident Pat Grother, meanwhile, questioned why crape myrtles along East Queen Street had been cut down.

Gooden later told council the removals resulted from a miscommunication among Town Hall, the Electric Department, property owners and town staff. The trees were supposed to be maintained but workers were instead instructed to remove them.

“They will be replanted,” Gooden said.

Gooden said most tree removals are reviewed through the town’s Tree Committee, although town staff can authorize removal when a tree presents a public safety or liability concern.

Gooden also addressed concerns about public access to town meeting materials.

He said staff has been directed to post agenda packets for Town Council, the Edenton Preservation Commission, Planning Board and Board of Adjustment before their meetings.

Under the new practice, Gooden said, packets should be posted to the town website at approximately the same time they are distributed to board members, giving residents access to supporting documents before meetings rather than after the fact.

Gooden said the town’s website was up to date as of Tuesday.

Council filled two vacancies on the Board of Adjustment after interviewing three applicants.

John Wood and Anne Marie Sparks were appointed as full members. Hal Murray was appointed as an alternate after an earlier motion to appoint him as a full member failed to receive enough votes.

Council also issued a proclamation recognizing Sept. 17–23 as Constitution Week, the annual observance commemorating the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. High presented a copy of the proclamation to representatives of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution- Edenton Tea Party chapter.