We need your help.  Hurricane Matthew took out the Little River Dam at NC 97 in Zebulon in the fall of 2016.  The Town of Zebulon is going to apply to FEMA/State of NC for 75/25% funds.  The catch is that the town staff wants to build/expand a park at the Little River Dam, but the staff will recommend to the Zebulon Town Council on Monday, January 8, 7 PM, that the FEMA funds be applied for, but to build a new larger park and to leave the dam in its present state of disrepair.

There are two significant historic things in Zebulon, the Zebulon Town Hall, formerly Wakelon School and the Little River Dam, circa 1816.

In addition to its probable historic site worthiness, the Little River Dam also kept the millpond as an excellent source of fishing and light boating and it created navigable waters upstream in the Little River for a mile or more depending on the user’s boat.

Assuredly, if the Little River Dam is not repaired with FEMA funds, it will never be repaired.

In previous meetings and staff reports, the town commissioners are offered three choices only for applying for FEMA funds:

A.      A “REPAIR“ project which puts back the damaged section of the dam

B.      An “IMPROVEMENT” project that repairs and reinforces the damaged sections of dam

C.      An “ALTERNATIVE” project that uses the FEMA reimbursement funds for something else

The survey overseen by the town staff appears slanted and did not ask relative questions about the historical significance and the navigable water importance of the dam and the upper river.  The staff report to the town commissioners clearly recommends that the town board approve an “ALTERNATIVE” funding request to FEMA that will leave the dam in permanent disrepair and ruination.

We, as interested citizens, living in and around Zebulon, have a fourth proposal for the Town of Zebulon, that is, OPTION D and OPTION E.

OPTION D, is that the Town of Zebulon Board of Commissioners, based on strong citizenry support, reject the town staff’s recommendation and vote for “B” the IMPROVEMENT project and seek FEMA and state funds to repair the dam, with an addendum to direct the town staff to begin seeking any state, federal, foundation or other park construction grants, including but not limited to, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) which provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local governments for parks and recreational projects to serve the public. 

OPTION E, is that the Town of Zebulon Board of Commissioners, table any vote for or against the Little River Dam and Park, until such time as recognized and authoritative groups have a chance to study and comment on (1) the historical significance and importance of the Little River Dam and (2) the tourism affect and impact in restoring the Little River Millpond and the upstream navigable waters.

As a “non-repair” or “ALTERNATIVE” vote by the Town Commissioners will permanently end either historical importance and/or river navigation, we ask the Town Commissioners to vote for OPTION E, if the board cannot support OPTION D.