The first payment of state funds for local municipal roads was announced today (Wednesday).
The State Street Aid to Municipalities is more commonly known as Powell Bill Funding. The program was established by former State Senator and Whiteville Mayor Junius K. Powell. Powell led the effort for the 1951 legislation to provide $4.5 million in state funding to help with streets in cities and towns. The fund has since grown to $143 million, and is distributed in two payments to 509 municipalities every year.
The funds can be used for street improvement and maintenance, bridges, drainage projects, green spaces and walkways, and sidewalks.
The funding is broken down based on population (75 percent) and locally-maintained streets (25 percent).
The first payment from the state to towns and cities arrives in October, with the second in January.
Totals in Columbus County for this fiscal year are:
• Brunswick $10,076, $20,152 total
• Chadbourn $26,056, $53,012 total
• Bolton $13,354, $26,209 total
• Lake Waccamaw $19,719, total $39,439
• Tabor City $49,384 Total $98,718
• Sandyfield $5,944 Total $11,889
• Cerro Gordo $2,698 total $5,396
• Fair Bluff $16,510 Total $55,020
• Whiteville $69,686 Total $139,373.
