RALEIGH - Governor Pat McCrory convened the first meeting of the Hurricane Matthew Recovery Committee and outlined a recovery plan for the first 100 days to help North Carolina recover from the storm.

“There are a lot of people in North Carolina like Troy Johnson in Fair Bluff who are still hurting,” said Governor McCrory. “Through this framework and timeline, I am confident that we will be able to help North Carolinians like Troy recover and rebuild even stronger than before.”

Governor McCrory met with Troy Johnson in Fair Bluff yesterday as he toured homes which were flooded. Although Troy's home and possessions were destroyed, the governor was inspired by his resilience.

Last month, Governor McCrory appointed Chief of Staff Thomas Stith to chair the Hurricane Matthew Recovery Committee. Other co-chairs appointed by the governor include Steve Wordsworth of Rocky Mount representing the business community, Anne Faircloth of Clinton representing the agriculture community and Vanessa Harrison of AT&T representing utilities.

The governor announced the committee will soon tour areas affected by Hurricane Matthew and will hold its first regional meeting in Lumberton later this month.

The governor said he expects preliminary damage assessments to be completed this month and he plans to formally submit North Carolina's request for supplemental federal disaster assistance to the state's congressional delegation on November 14.

He expects to call a special session of the legislature in early December to address the long-term financial needs of the state going forward, as well as the school calendar.

The federal government approved Governor McCrory's request to add Halifax County for individual and public assistance, while individuals in Brunswick County can now apply for assistance. This brings the total number of counties that have qualified for both federal individual and public assistance to 37, while five additional counties have been approved for public assistance. More than $61 million has already been approved for individuals who have been affected by the storm.