PENDER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - History has proven that hurricanes have no mercy when it comes to damages and losses, and rebuilding can cost towns millions of dollars. Topsail Beach is no different.
A new $7.5 million inlet realignment project at the north end of north Topsail Beach calls for the town to contribute around $2.5 million.
Some residents living near the north end, which has seen a majority of the damage in the past, say that putting more sand on the beach is crucial.
Mayor Dan Tuman says the results of the project will be worth it, given current damage and erosion issues on the north end.
"[The damage] represents a serious threat to property owners in the neighborhood," said Tuman.
Yet, residents like Ed Doherty says the project doesn't benefit everyone, and that the town is only focused on protecting homes on the north end.
"I'm not against beach nourishment," said Doherty. "I'm against only people who aren't going to benefit having to pay for it."
Doherty is also worried about a tax increase to contribute to the project, and he says those increased taxes aren't fair to those who won't be getting any added sand.
"The north end only contributes half a million to the revenue stream of the town, so they would have to increase taxes many fold to make up that shortfall," said Doherty.
However, Mayor Tuman argues that the taxpayers shouldn't worry.
"We are not interested in raising anybody's taxes during this process," said Tuman. "The majority of town residents want this problem addressed, and that's where we're going. Now, we hear some noise in the background, and it's a vocal minority."
Mayor Tuman says the town wants to get started on this project that has been nearly a decade in the making. He hopes to have the project running by the fourth quarter of the year.
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Mayor Tuman says the town isn't interested in raising taxes for the multimillion-dollar realignment project.
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