Former Hyde commissioner: Budget impasse is unfortunate for all

August 13, 2022

Editor’s note: Former Hyde County Commissioner for Ocracoke, Tom Pahl, responds to the latest turn of events in the funding dispute between the Hyde County Board of Education (BOE) and the Hyde County Board of Commissioners (BOC).

This is an unfortunate situation which could have and should have been avoided, in my opinion.

The BOC, which I was honored to sit on for four years, is statutorily required to prepare its budget, including the BOE portion of that budget, in open session, including the convening of a public hearing in order to assure that all citizens, taxpayers and interested parties have multiple opportunities to weigh in on the budget before it is adopted.

That the Hyde County Board of Education (BOE) failed to communicate its vital needs and its deep concerns about the BOE share of the budget at any time during the BOC budget process, including at a special joint meeting of the two boards, has resulted in the horrific impasse that we now see between these two boards.

For years the BOC has been tempering increased budget costs by tapping into its reserve fund instead of raising taxes, and rightfully so, as, for a long time, that reserve was higher than it should have been, according to state auditors.

But, since Hurricane Dorian (2019), that practice has tipped away from being responsible management to the dangerous practice of funding operations out of necessary savings.

Every time increased operations costs are funded from the reserve, the can is kicked down the road, and represents a future increase in taxes, unless those costs are reduced or offset from another revenue source.

Clearly, this budget year was the year that the BOC decided to bite the bullet and increase property taxes (by $.10) rather than to further deplete the reserve fund and kick the can down the road again.

In addition, they proposed a significant cut to the BOE appropriation, based on their understanding that there was a surplus showing in the BOE budget. The BOE did not attempt to object to or correct that understanding, though it was apparently a misinterpretation of the status of the BOE budget.

That is where the process went off the rails. In fairness to the BOE, we need to acknowledge that they were in the throes of an administration change and were working under an interim Superintendent. But off the rails, nonetheless.

I won’t reiterate the process that has followed, as it is spelled out clearly in the Ocracoke Observer articles, but the result was for the BOC to go back to the table and finally agree to fully fund the original BOE request, drawing $400,000 from the reserve fund, and despite their efforts not to…again kicking the tax-increase can down the road.

Now, the BOE is going back to the BOC again and demanding an additional $75,000. I think that is unfortunate and will unnecessarily damage the already bruised relationship between the two boards.

In my opinion, there is plenty of fault to go around and I feel that it is time for the BOE to step back and withdraw this last request in the hopes that next year the two boards might work together responsibly BEFORE the budget is finalized to provide adequate funding for all of the county’s needs.

Whither the Ocracoke ponies?

August 12, 2022

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The Ocracoke ponies at their morning graze. Photo: P. Vankevich

By Connie Leinbach

Andrew Hawkins is concerned that Ocracoke might lose an iconic feature – the Banker pony herd – if more foals aren’t born soon.

Hawkins, a parttime islander who with his wife volunteers as an NPS campground host, also volunteers with the care of the 14-member pony herd, corralled at the center of the island.

“We’re just worried that if they don’t do something, we’re going to lose the herd if we don’t breed them,” he said. “We haven’t had a foal in four or five years.”

These Banker ponies are a special breed with a different number of vertebrae and ribs.

New interpretive signage at the pony pens. Photo by Erin Oleski

The herd has two stallions, one gelding, 10 mares and one filly. The mares range in age from 4 to 36 years.

“At least five are too old to breed and one too young,” Hawkins said. “So that’s five of breeding age and because of their relationship to the stallions we must discount one. That leaves only four mares eligible to breed, but father/daughter and brother/sister relationships make it complicated.”

Also complicating increasing the herd is the lack of a plan by the NPS, who manages the herd.

The Ocracoke ponies are part of an Outer Banks attraction of free-roaming horses, which are descendants of ponies that survived shipwrecks hundreds of years ago.

On Shackleford Banks in the Cape Lookout National Park to the south of Ocracoke and on the Currituck beaches in Dare County to the north, the ponies still run free.

On Ocracoke, the herd ran free until the National Park Service bought almost all of the island in the 1950s.

When N.C. Highway 12 was paved in 1957, permitting vehicles to drive 50 mph, NPS corralled the ponies for their own safety creating the 180-acre pasture area that in 1959 was officially named the Ocracoke Pony Pens.

“They’re managed much more like a domestic herd at this point,” said David Hallac, Cape Hatteras National Seashore superintendent. “We manage it as a cultural resource or historic resource. There are questions if that is the right management model. So, we need to develop this plan.”

Meaghan Johnson, chief of resource management and science with the Seashore, said the park first needs to receive funding to devise the plan. She said they applied for funding this year from the regional office but did not receive it. The most recent plan was from 1995.

A new plan would include the history of the ponies, the current herd size and their ages, their genetics and how a herd aligns with NPS policies, she said.

Sea level rise and the groundwater sustainability in the area of the pens is also on the radar.

“Looking at the sea level rise projections, do we need to be thinking about the pen where they are currently?” she said. “I think we need to understand where we’ve been and to look at it in a broader picture before we make any decisions such as continuing breeding and what is the right number for that herd.”

Johnson doesn’t have the answers to that but hopes a management plan will yield those.

If they get funding, developing the plan would probably take a year.

In the meantime, a priority this year, she said, has been assessing the status of the pony pen facilities, the fencing, getting some new gates and managing the vegetation around the pens.

After the Ocracoke light station, also owned by the NPS, the Ocracoke ponies are one of the top island attractions.

“The ponies have always been of interest to tourists because they’ve been here so long,” said Helena Stevens, executive director of the Ocracoke Township Tourism Development Authority. “The state tourism bureau gets a lot of inquiries and sends them to us.”

As of now, the Ocracoke herd consists of the following horses:

Adults: Winnie, age 4, Jobelle, 5, Hazelnut, 7, Captain, 9, Rayo, 10, and Paloma, 12. Middle aged: Jitterbug, 14, Sacajawea, 15, and Lawton, 18. Seniors: Maya, 22, Luna, 24, and Easter, 28. Geriatric: Oops, 33, and Lindessa, 37.

Jobelle, born May 7, 2017. Photo: P. Vankevich

Hyde County Board of Education continues request for larger appropriation

August 11, 2022

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Ocracoke Observer staff report

Since July 1, the Hyde County commissioners and the Hyde County Board of Education have been involved in a mediation process regarding county’s appropriation for school services which were cut by $400,000 for the county’s FY 2022-2023 budget that went into effect on July 1.

See Mediation underway in budget dispute between the Hyde County Board of Education and Hyde County Commissioners.

Two public meeting were held and can be viewed on the Hyde County Public Information Facebook page.

In the second meeting on July 24, the mediator, Benjamin G. Alford, declared an impasse. On July 28, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting, also viewable on the Facebook page, and voted 3-2 to appropriate an additional $412,000 to the $1.3 million the Hyde County schools’ appropriation, restoring the $1.712 million that was originally requested by the Board of Education.

The additional appropriation will be taken from the county’s fund balance and will not incur a tax increase.

However, the school board is continuing its request for $1,787,162, which is an additional $75,161.85 and which is what they say they are due according to state statute.

It is not clear how the request for the additional money will be resolved. Hyde County Public Information Officer Donnie Shumate said in an email that nothing has been scheduled until at least the next commissioners meeting Sept. 7.

Board of Education Chair Angie Todd wrote the letter to Earl Pugh Jr., chair of the commissioners, which the Ocracoke Observer received on Aug. 2. Attachments were not sent.

The Ocracoke Observer asked the Board of Commissioners for a response, which was received on Aug. 10. Both letters are printed below.

From the Hyde County Board of Education
Dear Mr. Pugh:
I am writing on behalf of the Hyde County Board of Education. We appreciate the Board of Commissioners’ vote on July 28 to appropriate $1,712,000 to the Board of Education, and we are very pleased that you were able to approve the $412,000 increase from the County’s existing fund balance, without cutting services and without a further tax increase. This will also prevent us from losing our State Small Schools funding of $1,820,000. However, we are entitled to $1,787,161.85 under N.C. Gen. Stat. §115C-431, and the Board of Education needs and is requesting this amount.

Under §115C-431(b), the mediator has the authority to declare an impasse and end mediation if the two boards cannot resolve their dispute. On July 24, Judge Alford, our mediator, declared an impasse. (Please see his confirming email, attached.) We were all present when that happened. Once an impasse is declared, the statutory formula under §115C-431(b1) must be applied. The law states that “[t]he board of county commissioners shall appropriate to the local current expense fund the sum from subdivision (3) of this subsection, rounded to the nearest penny, to the local board of education for the budget year in dispute.” [Emphasis added] I have attached a copy of our calculations under the formula. The Board of Education will need the full $1,787,161.85, to which it is statutorily entitled, following the impasse declared on July 24. Our finance officer will be sending a purchase order for July and August of 2022, for one-twelfth of this amount for each month.

I do not want you to think we are requesting this money simply because we can. A lot of hard work and deliberation surrounds this decision. Prior to, throughout, and since the mediation process, numerous circumstances have changed. I hope you will more fully understand the school board’s position after considering these factors.

In Fiscal Year 2021-2022 (FY 22), the Board of Education needed and spent all of the $1,700,000 in local current expense funding appropriated by the Board of Commissioners. This money was utilized towards our goal of providing a better education to students, with not a penny left over. We requested a $12,000.00 increase in May to offset the $12,000 cost the school system will incur from the change in waste disposal charges in FY 23.

The Board of Education’s anticipated costs have significantly increased since our request in May. At the time of our request, we did not know what the state’s “hold harmless” would be, and it has been eliminated. The elimination of the hold harmless means we are no longer being funded by the state at our previously higher pupil levels. Beyond that, Hyde County Schools will need to pay an additional $107,290.03 in local funds this year (FY 23) just to match the mandated state salary and benefits increases. This cost is on top of $26,544.63 the school system paid last year and will need to pay again this year for state mandated personnel cost increases added in FY 22. Inflation is soaring, with the most recent national calculation an annualized 9.1%. Combined with supply chain issues, this means almost every vendor we contract with has increased or soon will be increasing its prices. And, as with the County, we have had to incur significant legal fees in the budget dispute process. All of these factors have led to increased costs which Hyde County Schools did not anticipate when it made its initial $1,712,000 request in May. These cost increases are significant, they are real, and they far exceed the additional funding to which we are now entitled.

Dr. Melanie Shaver began as the new Superintendent of Hyde County Schools on July 1, 2022. Neither Mr. Blackstock, as Interim Superintendent, nor Dr. Shaver was as involved in the entire budgeting process as an incumbent superintendent might have been. Dr. Shaver has exciting and creative ideas for how Hyde County Schools can provide the best education and the best educational experiences for students, but accepting flat funding for the fourth year in a row would hamstring our schools. Dr. Shaver, our dedicated teachers and staff, and the children of Hyde County deserve the necessary funding to allow Hyde County Schools to grow, not just remain stagnant. I know you appreciate that.

We expect the county to meet its statutory obligation and appropriate the full $1,787,161.85 mandated under the funding formula required by law. The additional $75,161.85 is needed and represents only a very small increase over the flat funding over the past several years. We have considerable additional costs and unmet needs, especially with regard to recruitment and retention of personnel (particularly bus drivers, teacher assistants and teachers), SRO, school safety, restoring athletic supplements, mental health needs, early childhood support, and so much more.

I hope our boards can continue to work together to provide a sound education for the children of Hyde County and to adequately support the needs of our schools.

Sincerely,
Angie Todd, Chairman Hyde County Board of Education

Re: Response to media requests for comment on Hyde County Board of Education Letter Emailed on August 7, 2022 to Hyde County Concerning School Funding

Hyde County holds multiple budget workshops starting in May each year as a part of its annual budgeting process. NCGS § 115C-429 requires the Hyde County Board of Education (HCBOE) to “… submit the entire budget as approved by the board of education to the board of county commissioners not later than May 15…” HCBOE failed to submit its entire budget to the Hyde County Board of Commissioners (HCBOC) by May 15, 2022. Despite failing to meet that statutory obligation, HCBOE requested $1.712 million for fiscal year 2022/2023 during a joint meeting of the two boards held on May 2, 2022. Hyde County informed HCBOE that the upcoming year as well as the following year would be difficult budget years and asked for assistance in finding any cost savings or reductions within the HCBOE request and budget.

HCBOC held a series of budget workshops with the HCBOE, all Hyde County departments, and outside agencies during the week of May 9, 2022. During the budget workshop with the HCBOE, HCBOC again requested HCBOE work together in identifying any cost savings or reductions within the HCBOE request that might be available considering the limited revenues Hyde County would receive in the upcoming fiscal year. After receiving no response from HCBOE, Hyde County completed its own research in an effort to find responsible as well as reasonable ways to reduce HCBOE’s request using the data available.

A third joint meeting was held between the boards on June 6th. At which time, HCBOC proposed an appropriation of $1.3 million. This proposal was based upon an analysis of the limited financial data made available by HCBOE and other sources. When HCBOC presented this proposal to HCBOE, HCBOE representatives gave HCBOC the distinct impression that this appropriation was sufficient to support a system of free public schools in Hyde County. A public hearing was held that evening on June 6th. During the public hearing, there was no public comment with regard to and there was no objection from HCBOE. In reliance upon these proceedings, the HCBOC budget, including the $1.3 million appropriation to HCBOE, was voted on and approved on June 27 by HCBOC. There was no communication whatsoever from HCBOE to HCBOC between June 6 and June 27 concerning the appropriation.

On July 1 the HCBOE, through its attorney, notified Hyde County that the $1.3 million appropriation to HCBOE was being disputed. This notification triggered a statutorily required process that began and concluded with a series of public joint meetings between both boards beginning on July 4 and ending on July 24. NCGS § 115C-431 requires the following”… At the joint meeting, the entire school budget shall be considered carefully and judiciously, and the two boards shall make a good-faith attempt to resolve the differences that have arisen between them.” Despite repeated requests, HCBOE did not make, and still has not made, their entire school budget available to HCBOC. Instead of acting in good-faith, in their initial presentation, HCBOE presented a calculation using a statutory formula, which statutory formula is supposed to be resorted to only after good-faith attempts toward a resolution by both boards are exhausted. When asked what differences have arisen since June 6^th between the boards, HCBOE responded by saying simply – administrative changes. During the public joint meetings, HCBOC offered several compromises including 1) an increased appropriation of $1.4 million for 2022/2023, an appropriation of $1.5 million for 2023/2024, and an appropriation of $1.7 million for 2024/2025 and, later, 2) that HCBOE meet HCBOC in the middle and agree to an appropriation of $1.556 million for 2022/2023. HCBOE’s attorney declined those offers. HCBOE refused to work in any meaningful way toward any type of compromise, did not offer a single compromise, and did not provide specific or sufficient detail regarding the shortages and/or reductions that might be required with an appropriation of $1.3 million. HCBOE steadfastly insisted that the statutory formula be utilized. Following the conclusion of the public joint meetings, HCBOC met on July 27 and approved HCBOE’s full original budget request of $1.712 million in an act of good-faith with the hope that the two boards would put their differences aside and recommence working together collaboratively in future years for the betterment of the schools.

Through an email on Sunday, August 7, 2022, HCBOE requested HCBOC appropriate an additional $75,161.85 (over and above the $1.712 million originally requested and subsequently appropriated) utilizing the statutory formula, which statutory formula begins with the assumption that the appropriation for the prior year (2021/2022) was 100% accurate as well as not excessive and uses the “… second quarter Employment Cost Index for elementary and secondary school workers as reported by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics,” which index is not remotely applicable to Hyde County. While HCBOE has emphasized and it is true that school funding from HCBOC has remained flat for a number of years, the amount appropriated by HCBOC to HCBOE was exactly what HCBOE requested during those years despite the fact that enrollment decreased dramatically during that time without a corresponding decrease in funding from HCBOC. HCBOC is deeply regretful that HCBOE is trying to demand even more funding than HCBOE originally requested, especially after HCBOC fulfilled HCBOE’s original request for funding in the full amount in good faith. It is unfortunate that HCBOE has not acted in good-faith throughout this process and is now demanding county taxpayers pay more than HCBOE originally requested because they think they can obtain it by using the statutory formula, not because they need it or have shown they need it.

Hyde County schools already receives more per child than almost any other school district in the state, in excess of $32,000 per student. The local county appropriation is roughly $3,142 per student. In 2021, only seven counties in the state spent more per student. The school system has a total budget of over $15 million for 461 students, which is on par with what the entire county operates on for roughly 4500 citizens. In light of these facts, we do not understand how the increased appropriation is not sufficient funding for the school system. Without a line-by-line, entire school budget for the current fiscal year, we cannot identify areas where savings might be available or where overspending may be occurring.

Until HCBOC has the opportunity to convene and give further direction, if any, Hyde County disputes the additional $75,161.85 asserted by HCBOE and reserves the right to reduce future payments until this matter is resolved with finality in good-faith.

Island son Jim Wynn: 1943 to 2022

August 10, 2022

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William James Wynn III, 79, of Ocracoke died at home Aug. 1.

Born Nov. 30, 1943, to Lanie Boyette Wynn and William J. Wynn Jr. in Goldsboro, Jim grew up on Ocracoke Island raised by his loving extended family.

As a child, he enjoyed riding the Ocracoke ponies and all of the adventures of life on the island at that time. As a young man, he served in Vietnam as a member of the U.S. Air Force.

While raising his family, he worked successfully in the elevator industry and afterwards enjoyed traveling for many years with Carolyn aboard their sailboat, Carolina.

Jim was best known for his love of and talent for music and spent many evenings playing guitar and singing songs for family and friends.

He will be especially missed for his fun and mischievous personality and remembered for being quite the character.

Special appreciation and gratitude to his nephew, James Wynn, his much-admired hospice nurse, Kathy, and nurse Julie for their dedication to his needs and care; and also, to dear Rusty, his constant canine companion and man’s best friend who never left his side.

He is survived by Carolyn Wynn; daughter Gina Najem (Lawrence), grandchildren, C.J. Wynn (Meredith) and Nicole, John and Emily Najem.

Also, brothers, Jon Wynn and Paul Wynn (Joan), and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Christopher Wynn and his sister Jean Cox (Mayhew).

A celebration of Jim’s life is planned for Friday, Nov. 25, on Ocracoke Island and details will follow.

Memories and condolences can be shared online at www.gallopfuneralservices.com.

Kayaking on the Pamlico Sound: A hug from the water

August 9, 2022

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By TL Grace West

Carl Sagan once said, “Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known.”

For me, that somewhere is on a kayak in the Pamlico Sound off the shores of Ocracoke.

During the 30 years I’ve been leading kayak tours, each one has been unique.

I name each two-and-a-half-hour tour according to that something incredible that we experienced.

Recently about 10 dolphins graced us with their presence in Silver Lake.

Other kayak trip names include: first diamond back terrapin of the season; the green flash; baby skates, double rainbow; jumping mullet; slick calm; terns feeding; thousands of migrating cormorants; gentle rain.

You get the picture.

Kayaking is easy to learn, comfortable, and needs only six inches of water to glide over.

This means you can explore the island’s creeks and marshes firsthand.

Grace West directs a kayak tour around Ocracoke. Photo courtesy of Grace West

I always bring a net to scoop through the eel grass to, I jokingly say, “catch lunch.”

Actually, these baby fish, shrimp, crabs and eels are newborns and are tiny.

There is nothing like seeing these fragile new lives to appreciate why it is important to protect our estuaries.

You don’t have to sign up for a tour to enjoy the wonders of kayaking on Pamlico Sound. You can bring your own or rent a kayak for an hour or a week.

It’s relatively safe and you can get basic instructions, directions and safety guidelines — especially about the ferry, boat wakes and the channel — from Ride the Wind Surf Shop (SurfOcracoke.com).

The Coast Guard requires children 12 and under to wear life jackets.

The rest of us just need to have a life jacket on board. Since kayaking in the sound involves paddling in shallow water — less than five feet — it’s safe for kids.

My goddaughter’s 2-year-old, who is afraid to get into water that moves, loved a short kayak ride with her dad.

Kayaking is best on days when the wind is 10 mph or less. Also, check the radar for storms.

When slipping into a kayak I feel like the water is hugging me.

The quiet can’t be beat.

As Wendell Berry says, “For a time you can rest in the peace of the world and be free.”

(Carl Sagan quote from “Think Happy, Be Happy,” Workman Publishing, New York. Wendell Berry poem “Peace of Wild Things,” from “Openings”)

Encounters with wildlife. Photo courtesy of Grace West

Kayaking in Ocracoke canals. Photo by Scott Buechler

Ocracoke events Aug. 8 to 14

August 8, 2022

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Ocracoke surf refreshes in the dog days of summer. Photo: C. Leinbach

Tuesday, Aug. 9
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Bryan Mayer, 7 pm
Ocracoke Preservation Society: Rodney Kemp (storyteller), “Fish house Liar,” 1 pm
1718 Brewing Ocracoke: Dusty Old Bones

Wednesday, Aug. 10
Ocracoke Preservation Society: Kids Kraft: Ocracoke Ponies, 1 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Bryan Mayer, 7 pm
The Breeze: Red Stapler Duo, 9:30 pm

Thursday, Aug. 11
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Brooke & Nick, 7 pm
The Breeze: Red Stapler Duo, 9:30 pm
Bingo: Ocracoke Community Center, 6 pm

Friday, Aug. 12
Ocracoke Coffee Company: Live music, 6-8pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Kate McNally, 7 pm
The Breeze: Zach Brock & Good Intentions, 9:30 pm
1718 Brewing Ocracoke: DJ Yess

Saturday, Aug. 13
The Breeze: Zach Brock & Good Intentions, 9:30 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Martin Garrish & Friends, 7 pm

NPS Programs

Discovery Center hours open daily: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ocracoke Lighthouse base open daily: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Twenty-minute talks are at 11 a.m. Monday to Thursday.

Shaping these Barrier Islands
Monday to Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras.

Banker Ponies
Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the pony pen.Meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.

Bird Walk
Every other Tuesday: Aug. 16 and 30, at 8:30 a.m. Meet winged residents of Ocracoke and those traveling the Atlantic Flyway. Binoculars are available. (60 minutes) Meet at the parking lot adjacent to the NPS Campground.

The Ocracoke Express Passenger ferry is back up and running.

Ocracoke Express passenger ferry. Photo: P. Vankevich

WOVV to raffle golf cart

August 6, 2022

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Chad Macek sells raffle tickets for a new golf cart to benefit WOVV radio station. Photo: C. Leinbach

Ocracoke’s community radio station WOVV 90.1 FM is raffling off a customized golf cart as a fundraiser.

The winning ticket for the 2022 EZ-Go Valor 4 48V electric cart in electric blue will be drawn at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, and announced on air.

Tickets are $10 each or $50 for six. They are available for sale most Saturdays outside the Variety Store and are announced on air and on the WOVV Facebook as scheduled.

Tickets can be purchased online on the WOVV website, www.wovv.rocks, and click on the Golf Cart Raffle Tickets button.

The winner is responsible for transporting the golf cart to wherever.

WOVV (Ocracoke’s Village Voice) is a nonprofit community radio station noted for its eclectic mix of music genres and weekly music shows prepared by volunteers.

Daily updates on programming are posted on its Facebook page, Ocracoke Community Radio WOVV 90.1 FM

Through programs such as the weekly ‘What’s Happening on Ocracoke’ and public service announcements, it keeps the community and visitors informed on local news.

The station plays a key role during emergency events such as hurricanes heading our way and has an emergency back up generator when the island loses its power.

Fans and families of the players can listen to live broadcasts of the school’s Ocracoke Dolphins basketball games.

Anyone interested in a tour of the station, located on the second floor of the OVFD firehouse on Back Road, can send a note on its Facebook page or contact Peter Vankevich, petevankevich@gmail.com.

David Sokol, Ruby and Elizabeth Peele get a little carried away grooving to one of their playlist songs when they were special guests recently on WOVV. Photo: P. Vankevich

A first ride across the ‘Jug Handle’ Bridge

August 5, 2022

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The on ramp to the Jug Handle Bridge driving south on NC12. Photo by Kip Tabb

By Kip Tabb Courtesy of Outer Banks Voice on July 31, 2022

I admit it, curiosity got the better of me. So one day after the delayed opening of the Jug Handle Bridge for traffic — the first vehicle traveled across shortly before noon on Thursday, July 28 — I decided to make the journey.

After years of driving to Rodanthe and points south, what may be most remarkable is how unremarkable it is getting on the bridge. Coming from the north, it’s just a gentle curve to the right you’re on.

Driving south, the amazing expanse of Pamlico Sound is apparent. Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European explorer to stumble on Pamlico Sound and he thought he had discovered the fabled passage to the Pacific Ocean. For about a mile and a half, or maybe two miles looking west, there is no land in sight. And 500 years ago, before there was any knowledge of the size of North America, the confusion is understandable.

The pavement markings that were at the heart of the delayed opening of the bridge don’t seem all that exceptional, but NCDOT and Flatiron were adamant that what was put down initially did not meet their specifications and a new contractor had to be found to finish the project.

What was NC12 is now closed north of Rodanthe with a sign telling drivers to use the round about. Photo by Kip Tabb

What was NC12 is still there in the Mirlo subdivision on the north end of Rodanthe. Where the road ends there’s a blinking sign telling drivers. “Road Closed…For NC12 North…RND ABT & Bridge.”

Heading north it’s almost as though the sound has formed a small bay on the north end of Rodanthe. There was a kiteboarder flying across the calm waters between the bridge and shoreline. It’s unclear how he or she got there, because there probably isn’t room under the bridge for a kite that large.

There’s a US Fish and Wildlife parking lot at the north end of the bridge. Paved, plenty of parking and it looks as though a restroom is going to be a part of it. There is a trail that leads over the dune to the beach. The dunes are high in this area and the trail to the top is steep, but the climb is worth it.

The beach at the parking lot on the north end of the bridge is as fine a beach as there is on the Outer Banks. Photo by Kip Tabb

The beach is beautiful. Wide and sandy, it’s everything an Outer Banks beach is supposed to be. Two miles south, the first homes of Rodanthe can be seen, dancing a bit in the heat of a July afternoon.

Getting to the surf breaks of what used to be the S Curves isn’t going to be easy. The beach is open, so if someone wanted to put the effort into it, they could hike a mile or so south.

There’s no way to drive. The road south of Jug Handle Bridge is closed and there are barriers in place sealing it off. The road will be maintained for a little while so Cape Hatteras Electric Coop crews can access power lines until work running conduit under the bridge connecting Hatteras Island to the grid is completed. At that point, the road will be removed and nature will take its course.

That’s probably when we’ll learn just how good the Jug Handle Bridge really is. It’s not clear exactly what will happen at the S Curves one, two or many years into the future. But the same forces that have created one of the best surf breaks on the Outer Banks will inevitably, over time, wear the land down and bring the ocean to the sound.

For anyone who wishes to do so, it’s a two mile walk on the beach to Rodanthe. Photo by Kip Tabb

Ocracoke Fig Festival starts today through Saturday

August 4, 2022

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The 9th annual Ocracoke Fig Festival begins tomorrow afternoon (Aug. 4) with a sold out dinner with guest Restaurateur and Chef Ricky Moore, of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham.

Chef Ricky was recently named the 2022 James Beard Foundation “Best Chef in the Southeast.” He will judge the Fish ‘n’ Figs category and join Ocracoke residents in judging the Traditional, Innovative, and Kids entries.

Chef Ricky Moore, owner of Saltbox Seafood, will be the guest chef at the 2022 Ocracoke Fig Festival Aug. 4 to 6.

The festival continues through Saturday. Click here for more info on the festival and see below for further details.

Lightning strike silences all island communication services

August 3, 2022

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Technicians from CenturyLink and power systems contractor Hartcom work through the night repairing damage caused by a lightning strike. Photo by Richard Taylor

By Richard Taylor

Local residents and visitors were awakened in the wee hours Sunday morning by two hours of intense thunder and lightning. That by itself wasn’t unusual. What happened next was definitely out of the ordinary.

Sunny skies returned by the time local church services began at 11 a.m. Ocracoke United Methodist Church Pastor Logan Jackson soon noticed his normal Facebook Live broadcast stopped working at 11:15. Jackson was unsuccessful in restarting it.

By that time, others had discovered that all CenturyLink communications services on the island were down (except for radio-connected fire and EMS). Those with access to Starlink, could get internet service.

Most assumed it was another off-island fiber optic cable cut, something that has already occurred twice this year. This time, even local landline phone service was uncharacteristically out of service.

But according to Danielle Spears, corporate communications with CenturyLink, “We identified the cause as a lightning strike that hit our tower and caused a power surge.”

The lightning strike occurred around 3:30 am in the morning, but backup batteries kicked in keeping the service going for several more hours, according to Ocracoke’s commissioner Randal Mathews, a former CenturyLink network technician. “When the batteries fell below a certain voltage, the machines started failing. That’s why even though this lightning strike was at about 3:30 in the morning, we really didn’t start losing service until 11:15 a.m. when the batteries got too weak. They held for six or seven hours, which is pretty darn good.”

By 10 p.m. Sunday night, CenturyLink’s off-island network technicians and contractors were on the island replacing the damaged equipment, three blown rectifiers, electronic devices that convert alternating current to direct current.

Most internet, cell phone and landline services returned to normal at 3:26 a.m. Monday morning and all services were restored by noon on Monday, Aug. 1, according to Spears.

During the public comment period of the Hyde County commissioners meeting on Monday, former Ocracoke county commissioner Tom Pahl provided a written statement about the loss of landline/911 service for the third time this year.

“We were extremely lucky that none of these incidents coincided with a medical or fire emergency,” he said. “But we really shouldn’t depend on luck when it comes to the health and safety of our citizens. This has happened three times and I think it would be prudent to have a plan in place for the next time.”

He said two things need to be addressed.

“The first one is to put in place a backup communications system that will quickly connect people with 911,” he said. “That might be one or more Starlink dial up options WITHOUT password protect located at the OVFD and/or other logical public locations.”

The second is how to communicate the need and the availability of the backup communications system.

“For example,” he said, “park a fire truck outside the station with a big sign in it that says ‘911 EMERGENCY CALL HOT SPOT,’ or similar notification.

“Also, big signage in two or three other prominent locations so that our residents and our visitors have a chance of knowing that this situation is under way and what to do in case they find themselves in an emergency. These may not be the only or even the best ways we can prepare for the next time we lose all normal communications, but let’s recognize that this is a serious problem, and we need a plan in place to address it. Maybe touch base with the Control Group for some additional ideas, but let’s not be unprepared again.”

After Pahl’s comments were read, Mathews provided an update on how these issues are being actively addressed, much of what he said is reported in Wireless broadband project in trial phase on Ocracoke.

Peter Vankevich contributed to this story.

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