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ENGELHARD — The Hyde County Board of Commissioners will vote Wednesday on a proposal to begin repairing a damaged section of the Engelhard Community Boardwalk. 

The Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development Council is interested in working with the county on this project and will present a plan to the commissioners detailing what would be the first phase of a two phase project. 

The first step of phase one involves securing funding through a grant application to the Coastal Area Management Act Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program. The proposed cost for this project would be $2,000 to prepare the pre-application documentation and an additional $2,000 for the final application if asked to submit. This cost would be covered by the county. 

If selected to receive funds from this grant program, the county would be responsible for matching 10% of the $85,000 estimated cost of each phase. The total cost for the completion of both phases would be $170,000. 

In addition to the repair of the boardwalk, the County Attorney will need to secure lease agreements or easements with landowners in the surrounding vicinity of the boardwalk if the county is asked to submit the final application.  This lease or easement must last for 25 years and is necessary to determine site control. 

This process is recommended to be approved by the board of commissioners and the vote will occur at the next Hyde County commissioners meeting Wednesday.