VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (WVEC) — She once lived in the Windsor Woods neighborhood with her two children in a home, but about two years later she calls an apartment home.
“We had to sell the home in order to pull ourselves out of the debt that we were in,” said Virginia Wasserberg. “So, we don’t really know where to go from here.”
Ever since Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016, Wasserberg has dedicated her time to inform the community and city leaders about flooding issues.
Her Facebook page, Stop the Flooding Now, has garnered more than 1,000 followers.
Recently, she said she was disappointed with the city council’s decision to eliminate a fee that would have funded nine newly proposed Storm Water jobs.
“Public Works in Virginia Beach needs the money for projects, but also for positions to help those projects move forward,” Wasserberg said.
Councilwoman Barbara Henley told 13News Now the positions would have been instituted to make changes after the results of two flood studies that are currently in the works.
“It puts us a little behind, being able to put in place new standings,” Henley said. “It’s going to slow things down from that standpoint, but I guess it’s not insurmountable.”
The latest drafted budget calls for about $60 million in stormwater improvements, according to the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Both Henley and Councilman Bobby Dyer told 13News Now they want more communication with the public when it comes to drafting future budgets.
Dyer wants public hearings to start in January.
“Everybody’s going to make a promise. And it’s just a matter of if they keep it or not,” said Wasserberg. “That’s why I have to remain active. Doing what it is that I’m doing when it comes to the community.”
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