The OCBA announced Tuesday morning that the virtual OCBA civic affairs meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday is canceled.
The OCBA has separated from the Ocracoke Tourism Development Authority and has hired a new administrator, Jesse Stevens.
Stevens will manage all OCBA activities, including contributor relations, the annual Ocracoke walking map, the OCBA website and events, such as July 4 activities, Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, the Holiday Gift Market in December and more.
He takes over from Helena Stevens, no relation, who is now employed by the TDA as the marketing director.
Before this change that took place July 1, the TDA had hired the OCBA to conduct marketing of the island for which the TDA is mandated by law. Over the last year, the TDA and the OCBA have discussed having the TDA do the marketing by itself. See story here.
In June 2017, the Hyde County Commissioners approved the establishment of the TDA after they approved raising the total occupancy tax rate on all lodging rentals to 5 percent, on top of the 6.75 percent sales tax that’s also levied.
With this change, the OCBA will handle the island walking map and other events and issues on Ocracoke.
Jesse Stevens, who is working in his third season as a kayak guide for Ride the Wind Surf Shop, is from Clayton, Johnson County, is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management.
While a student at NC State, he worked for the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department as a summer camp director and camp specialist where he planned events, created curriculum for new summer camps and managed staff.
He’s excited to use what he learned for his college degree and to “make Ocracoke as awesome as we can be. The OCBA is the glue between the tourists and the businesses,” he said.
The OCBA is a nonprofit group whose mission is to promote economic development, bring about civic betterment and social improvements to improve the quality of life for the residents and the quality and value of an Ocracoke experience for visitors.
Stevens will conduct the virtual OCBA civic affairs meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
All are invited to watch and participate with the meeting through the OCBA Facebook Page with the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ocracokecivicandbusiness/
You do not need to be a member of Facebook to watch this meeting.
After each presenter, we will call for questions. You can type your question in the comments section. It works best if you hold your questions until the question portion.
If you cannot participate during the meeting time, please feel free to email me your questions in advance to jstevens@ocracokecba.com
Here is the agenda:
6 to 6:10 pm: Hyde County Health Department Luana Gibbs
6:10 to 6:20pm: Questions for Luana Gibbs
6:20 to 6:30pm: Hyde County updates with County Manager Kris Noble
6:30 to 6:40pm: Questions for Kris Noble
6:40 to 6:50pm: NCDOT Ferry Division with Jed Dixon
6:50 to 7 pm: Questions for Jed Dixon
7 to 7:10pm: Ocracoke’sHyde County Commissioner Tom Pahl
7:10 to :20pm: Questions for Tom Pahl
7:20 to 7:30pm: Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac
7:30 to 7:40pm: Questions for Dave Hallac
Adjourn
The next civic meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 12.
