Flood-stricken NC town’s offices beefed up

ORIENTAL, N.C. — The coastal community of Oriental’s town hall is undergoing a rebuild that should prevent it from being a flood victim again as it was during Hurricanes Isabel in 2003 and Irene last summer.

The Sun Journal of New Bern reported work is under way on the gutted structure built as the town fire department in 1971. The town is spending almost $300,000.

The town manager Bob Maxbauer is serving as the architect and general contractor and public works employees are providing the labor to save money on the project.

Maxbauer says the building will be water-tight up to the windows. Any more than that and the surrounding water could lift the building off it’s foundation like a boat.

Credit: The Associated Press.