NFIP participation pays off

Published 9:52 pm Monday, September 17, 2012

Congratulations to the City of Washington for its floodplain-management program being recognized as one of the top such programs in North Carolina.
Last week, that recognition came in the form of a plaque, which was accepted by City Manager Josh Kay, who made it clear the credit for the award-winning program should go to John Rodman, the city’s planning and development director; chief building inspector Wayne Harrell and building inspector Allen Pittman.
The plaque was awarded by the National Flood Insurance Program, which the city has participated in since 1972. The plaque is a nice accolade for the city, but what’s more important for city residents and business owners is the fact that the city’s floodplain-management program results in a 15-percent discount on premiums for standard flood-insurance policies.
Maureen O’Shea, the NFIP planner for eastern North Carolina, told the council, “This means that insurance premiums in Washington are among the lowest in North Carolina. The 1,057 standard policy holders in the city will receive over $134,000 in savings over the next year.”
Now that’s a local government looking out for its residents and business owners.