Cooper checks on Matthew recovery, but again won’t meet with Fair Bluff residents
FAIR BLUFF, NC (WWAY) — Nearly two years later, some areas in the Cape Fear are still recovering from Hurricane Matthew. That includes Fair Bluff, where many people are still hoping to get some help from the government.
Today Gov. Roy Cooper paid a visit to Fair Bluff to see how things are progressing. He said he feels for the people of Fair Bluff, and he understands why they are upset for waiting nearly two years to get some more help.
“People here deserve relief. People across the state deserve relief. There are a lot of people who have gotten some help, but there’s a lot more that we need to do and I know that they are all working hard to do that,” Cooper said.
Cooper’s first stop in our area was at the Fair Bluff Fire and Rescue Station. His next stop was at the Columbus County ReBuild NC Application Center. His trip was quick, but he says he is happy with the progress made so far.
“I’ve told every one of my cabinet agencies on down that hurricane recovery is the priority for North Carolina and I’m here to make sure that things are working,” Cooper said.
However, Mayor Billy Hammond says he doesn’t understand why the governor won’t come and talk to the ordinary citizens living in Fair Bluff.
“It would be a plus in his column for him to come to our town and have a what you might call a town hall day and answer some questions for the people and help get them satisfied,” Hammond said.
When asked about this, Gov. Cooper said it’s better to have an expert in the community to answer any questions the people may have.
When asked about how much longer it would take for money to come to Columbus County, the governor said that the people deserved relief as soon as possible, but he would not provide a timeline.
He returned three months later to check on the progress, but did not meet with the public.
