PENDER COUNTY – Pender County is preparing to begin debris pick-up following Hurricane Matthew and subsequent flooding. The county announced the measure on Wednesday, with the caveat is that the process is expected to take time.
Pender County Emergency Manager Tom Collins said residents with brush and vegetative debris should leave leaves, branches and tree limbs on the edge of the state right-of-way.
“Please do not pile any debris under power lines or in a location that blocks vision of roadways,” Collins added.
Collins said the debris clean-up is going to take time and he urged residents to be patient.
“Any resident, particularly in the Black River region, who has dead animals on their property, we will serve you first,” Collins said, noting dead animals create a health hazard and were, thus, a priority.
Residents affected by flood water in homes may begin clean-up now. Debris should to be placed in four, separate piles along the edge of the state right-of-way. The categories of debris are:
Vegetative: including trees, pine cones, etc.
Construction material: including carpet, shingles, and sheet rock.
Appliances
Hazardous materials: including gasoline and wet shotgun shells and other hazardous items or chemicals.
Pender County is contracting with Disaster Recovery Construction for debris clean-up. The company is in the process of creating a vegetative debris field on N.C. 53. The public will be notified when this drop site is ready, according to a county press release.
Contractors are not permitted to enter private property or private roads for debris pick-up. Residents living in private subdivisions with private roadways should take their debris to the connecting edge of the state road right-of-way.
“We want to thank the citizens of Pender County for their patience,” Collins said. “Hurricane Matthew left us with three events to clean up – vegetative debris from the high winds, debris from flooding along the Northeast Cape Fear River and the debris from the Black River Basin.”
Pender County Emergency Management will post updates on its Facebook page and on the website. Anyone needing assistance may call the EM office at 910-259-1210.
