Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew
>>> A LOCAL COMMUNITY IS
CONSIDERING ITS OPTIONS AFTER
HURRICANE MATTHEW'S DEVASTATING
FLOODING.
TONIGHT PRINCEVILLE TOWN
LEADERS MET WITH RESIDENTS TO
DISCUSS THEIR PLANS MOVING
FORWARD.
ADAM OWENS WAS THERE AND JOINS
US LIVE FROM EDGECOMBE COUNTY.
ADAM?
>> Reporter: GERALD, HURRICANE
MATTHEW WAS THE SECOND
DEVASTATING FLOOD IN THE TOWN
OF PRINCEVILLE IN LESS THAN TWO
DECADES.
SOME RESIDENTS SAY THEY DO NOT
WANT TO BE AROUND IN CASE THERE
IS A THIRD.
THAT IS WHY TONIGHT THEY ASK
TOWN LEADERS TO ALLOW THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUY THEM
OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
>> I ASK GOD THAT YOU WILL HELP
US --
>> Reporter: PRINCEVILLE COULD
USE A PRAYER.
>> GOD, WE CAME THROUGH A HARD
TIME --
>> Reporter: HURRICANE MATTHEW
FLOODED THE HISTORIC TOWN
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
MANY RESIDENTS LOST A LOT FOR
THE SECOND TIME.
>> HAVE NEVER COMPLETELY
RECOVERED.
>> Reporter: ISABEL ANDREW'S
HOME WAS FLOODED BY HURRICANE
FLOYD AND THEN AGAIN BY
HURRICANE MATTHEW.
SHE'S A TOWN COMMISSIONER WHO'S
LIVED IN PRINCEVILLE MORE THAN
30 YEARS.
>> Reporter: DO YOU BELIEVE
IT'S TIME TO GO?
>> I BELIEVE IT IS.
>> Reporter: LIKE SOME OF THE
RESIDENTS, SHE WANTS THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUY HER
LAND SO SHE CAN MOVE OUT TO
HIGHER GROUND.
>> WE'RE TOO OLD TO KEEP
RUNNING EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
>> Reporter: A CHOICE THEY WERE
NOT GIVEN AFTER HURRICANE
FLOYD.
>> THEY DIDN'T GIVE US THAT
OPTION.
>> Reporter: DANIEL PERKINS WAS
THE MAYOR THEN -- DELIA PERKINS
WAS THE MAYOR THEN --
>> THEY DECIDED WE WOULD NOT
BUY OUT.
>> Reporter: THEY INSTEAD
STRENGTHENED THE BARRIERS IN
TOWN.
>> NOBODY WILL BUY MY FLOOD
LAND.
>> Reporter: BOBBY JONES AGREES
WITH THE DECISION MADE IN 1999.
HE SAYS IF RESIDENTS TAKE A BUY
OUT AND MOVE OUT, THE HISTORIC
TOWN BUILT BY FORMER SLAVES
WILL SUFFER.
>> IT WOULD NOT BE BENEFICIAL
FOR PRINCEVILLE AS A WHOLE
BECAUSE I BELIEVE OUR BLOOD,
SWEAT, AND TEARS OF OUR
FOREFATHERS WERE SHED ON THE
GROUND WE'RE OCCUPYING AT THIS
TIME.
>> Reporter: THERE IS A MEETING
ON THURSDAY TO TALK MORE ABOUT
WHAT THE TOWN MAY DO.
AT THIS TIME THE MAYOR SAYS
THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS.
REBUILD HOMES AS THEY WERE,
REBUILD EXISTING HOMES ON AN
ELEVATED LEVEL OR COURSE OUT A
BUY OUT OPTION.
ONLY SOME RESIDENTS HAVE SHOWN
INTEREST IN THE BUY OUT OPTION.
TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS HELD IN A
COUNTY BUILDING BECAUSE THE
TOWN HALL IN PRINCEVILLE IS
STILL RECOVERING.
>> A LOT OF RECOVERY TO DO FOR
THAT COMMUNITY.
ADAM OWENS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY,