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In a brief special called meeting, Dare County Board of Commissioners decided to allocate $1.5 million more to Woda Cooper Companies to build 57 units of essential housing.

County manager Robert L. Outten told the commissioners that it was not possible to build on the Bowsertown property without the connection to the Town of Manteo wastewater treatment plant.

For Woda Cooper, that means that land costs must now be added to the cost of any building project.

Outten also said construction costs have risen 30% to 40%.

Dare County has allocated $10.5 million to the Woda Cooper project. With another $1.5 million, the total allocated is $12 million. The motion requires that Dare’s project costs not exceed the $12 million figure.

Outten told the board that “we will still have fund balance over 25%” of General Fund Revenue. Estimated fund balance remaining for the current fiscal year is $6.472 million.

In response to question about when a project would start, Outten said he “will try to get something more concrete as to a timeline.”

Vice Chairman Wally Overman presided over the meeting as board Chairman Robert L. Woodard was out of the state. Present with Overman were commissioners Danny Couch, Ervin Bateman and Rob Ross. Commissioner Steve House attended by phone.

The meeting was held Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 at the Dare County Administrative Complex.

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