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Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board to have presentation Ocracoke tourism promotion (Feb 12)

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The Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board will meet on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ocracoke Community Center.

The meeting will include a presentation by Kris Noble of the Hyde County Office of Planning and Economic Development regarding Ocracoke tourism promotion and a discussion of Fourth of July fireworks.

The Office of Planning and Economic Development study analyses the current promotion efforts paid through occupancy tax funds and suggests potential plans for improvement. The public is invited to attend. Public comment is specifically sought from people involved with the lodging industry, tourism promotion, and the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association.

A complete copy of the study including appendix is available here

For more information contact:

Sarah Johnson (252.542.0842)

sarah.johnson@hydecountync.gov

Seashore Superintendent David Hallac to attend OCBA meeting tonight

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CAHA - Dave Hallac - 111214The new Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent David Hallac is scheduled to attend the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association (OCBA) monthly meeting tonight (Wed. Feb 11) at 7 p.m. in Community Center to meet the community and answer questions.

 

Other issues on the agenda include

–An update on getting fireworks for the 4th of July holiday

–A brief overview by Kris Noble, Hyde County development officer, of a proposed Tourism Development Authority for Ocracoke.  Noble also will attend a public meeting of the Occupancy Tax Board at 7:30 Thursday night (Feb. 12) in the Community Center, but this is to give islanders another chance to hear about this if they can’t attend Thursday’s gathering.

The Office of Planning and Economic Development study analysed the current promotion efforts paid through occupancy tax funds and suggests potential plans for improvement.  Public comment is specifically sought from people involved with the lodging industry, tourism promotion, and the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association.

–An update on Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree

Passenger ferry study to begin in March

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NC Ferry Division officials, Jed Dixon, back left, and Harold Thomas, right, discuss what's happening with the ferries with islanders Monday. Photo by C. Leinbach
NC Ferry Division officials, Jed Dixon, left, and Harold Thomas, right, discuss what’s happening with the ferries with islanders Monday. Photo by P. Vankevich

By Connie Leinbach

A survey on the feasibility of passenger ferries between Hatteras and Ocracoke will begin in March and follow with public meetings in April, NC DOT ferry officials said Monday.

In their monthly open meetings on Ocracoke, Jed Dixon and Harold Thomas, both assistant Ferry Division directors, answered questions about the possibility of passenger ferries and more with about 13 residents in the Ocracoke Community Center.

Dixon said the survey process by an engineering firm hired by NCDOT will include a local stakeholders committee.  Hyde County Manager Bill Rich, who is on the study steering committee, will select the members. 

Ocracoke will be the site of a trial run of a passenger ferry the first week in May when a passenger ferry en route from the Caribbean to Boston will stop off at Hatteras from May 2 to May 4 or 5 for Ferry Division personnel to investigate how they work, their design and fuel consumption.

“No passengers will be allowed on it,” Dixon said about the trial runs they will conduct. “It’s just information gathering.” 

Fred Westervelt suggested that the Ferry Division look at all facets of transportation between the islands, such as hover craft.

“(Hover craft) could eliminate the need for dredging and extra boats,” Westervelt said. “Don’t lay aside any idea in this evaluation phase.”

As for getting internet access on the ferries and the improvements being made continuously, Dixon and Thomas said the division can look into it again.

Thomas noted that all of these things can help shape eastern North Carolina and put this area on the cutting edge of moving people.

“We know we have a connectivity issue between Hatteras and Ocracoke,” Thomas said.

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Tommy Hutcherson, left,  listens while OCBA President, Rudy Austin, stresses the importance to getting the short route restored. Photo by P. Vankevich

About Hatteras Inlet, Dixon said the division is working with the Army Corps of Engineers, who have jurisdiction over the part of the channel that’s the most shoaled.

The most recent dredging, completed around Feb. 5 did not succeed in making a channel where it’s safe to run ferries.

In the 4-mile short route there’s a one-mile stretch that’s three to five feet deep—not deep enough for boats.

 “We are not going to use the short route this summer,” Dixon said about the short route. “Where the old route was, it’s gone.”

One of the roadblocks to better dredging the short route is that it can only be dredged to 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep, which is what has historically been done in that channel. 

“At 100 feet wide, it’s not going to stay open (from shoaling),” Dixon said. “What has to be done is to change the (regulation) depth and width.”

But it would take a federal act to raise those dimensions to 300 feet wide.

Nevertheless, the ferry division has hired a company to study this, Dixon said. An environmental study has to be done first. 

The division also is doing a study to look at shaving 15 minutes off the long route, which is a natural channel farther west in the Pamlico Sound. This channel is called the Barney Slough and has been the official route between islands since last summer.

That route is costing the Ferry Division about $8,000 a day more in the peak season and $3,000 to $4,000 a day more in the off season, Thomas said.

As for the possibility of scheduling the Cedar Island ferry to run a half hour later to accommodate residents going off island for appointments and being able to get back the same day, Dixon said the difficulty is in scheduling crew who can only work 12 hours each shift.

These meetings are typically at 1 p.m. the second Monday of each month in the Ocracoke Community Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ocracoke Students honored for academic achievement

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  En español

Ocracoke School. Photo by P. Vankevich
Ocracoke School. Photo by P. Vankevich

By Peter Vankevich 

While Ocracoke School recently got  an A as rated by the by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), 18 students from grades 3 through 12 on Monday also received all A’s in the second 90-day period of this academic year.  Additionally, 48 more students were added to the honor roll for getting all A’s and B’s.

Ocracoke School has a total enrollment of 160 students in grades kindergarten to 12.

At the assembly, Principal Walter Padgett announced the news about the school’s high rating to the students who broke into applause.

One of the honor students, Lucy O’Neal, said she wasn’t surprised. “We are a great school,” she said. “We’re a great community.”

 

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Students receiving all ‘A’s. Photo by P. Vankevich

 

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Students on ‘A/B’ Honor Roll. Photo by P. Vankevich

 

Below is the list of the students who have been honored.

All  A Honor Roll 
3rd Grade: Alyssa Bryan, Maren Donlon, Dibanhi Santiago, Christian Stevens

 4th Grade: Maggie Evans, Katie Kinnion

5th Grade: Julian Bennink, Jackson Strange

6th Grade: Dylan Esham, Cole Gilbert

 7th Grade: Mila Ortiz 

All 'A' student Samantha Styron receives her certificate from principal Walt Padgett. Photo by P. Vankevich
All ‘A’ student Samantha Styron receives her certificate from principal Walt Padgett. Photo by P. Vankevich

 8th Grade: Mackenzie O’Neal, Samantha Sutton

10th Grade: Dylan Sutton

 11th Grade: Deana Seitz 

12th Grade: Hunter Belch

 

 

 

A/’ Honor Roll 

3rd Grade: Ronald Contreras, Daymon Esham, Yuletzy Hernandez, Elsie Kattenburg, Will O’Neal, Silas Trethewey, Alex Villanueva, Emilia Jordan

 4th Grade: Max Elicker, Wyatt Giagu, Preston Mason, Chandler O’Neal, Marlene Tellez, Gisselle Perez, Valerie Rodriguez

 5th Grade: Odalys Garcia, Lachlan Howard, Brandt O’Neal, Edwin Perez, Jayden West

 6th Grade: Hannah Belch, Mason Fuller, Mackenzie Novak, Alexander O’Neal, Russell Stevens

 7th Grade: Jamie Paul

8th Grade: Colby Austin, Alston Belch, Ingrid Contreras, Taylor Fuller, Cody Pinter,
Kalai Samick

 9th Grade: Liam Caswell, Darvin Contreras, Mac Kalna, Sammy Marinace

 10th Grade: Carson O’Neal, Stacey O’Neal, Jordi Perez, Karen Perez, Karla Perez

 11th Grade: Ariana Trejo, Josie Winstead 

 12 th Grade: Hunter Collins, Abigail Morris, Katie O’Neal, Lucy O’Neal, Samantha Styron

For further information about Ocracoke School’s grade, click here.

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Principal Walt Padgett addresses the student body at the second 90-day period of the 2014-15 academic year.  Photo by P. Vankevich

 

 

 

Ocracoke School gets an ‘A’

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En español

Ocracoke School. Photo by P. Vankevich
Ocracoke School. Photo by P. Vankevich

By Connie Leinbach

Ocracoke School is at the top of the Outer Banks class, according to scores released Thursday by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).

Ocracoke School was the only school in the three Outer Banks counties to earn an A, scoring an 86.

First Flight High School, Kitty Hawk, was close behind with a score of 84, earning a B grade. Manteo High was the third highest scorer with a 79 points and a B.

In Hyde County, Mattamuskeet Early College High School got a D, scoring 45 and Mattamuskeet Elementary a C, scoring 57.

The General Assembly mandated that all public and charter schools in the state be issued letter grades for the 2013-14 results, based on achievement scores and student academic growth.

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Connie Leinbach speaks with Principal Walt Padgett during a break in Friday’s basketball game. Photo by P. Vankevich

“We kicked the butts of all those schools with lots of money,” noted Ocracoke School Principal Walter Padgett during Friday’s basketball games in the school gym, “and we’re the school in the poorest county.”

He noted that all three of Ocracoke school divisions (elementary, middle and high) had to receive As for the entire school to get an A.

As the Dolphins boys basketball team strove against the Plymouth Vikings, Padgett noted that the tests were given to students in grades three to 12, both at the end of the year and at the end of the respective courses.

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Honor student Lucy O’Neal wasn’t surprised at the School’s ‘A’ Grade. “We are a great school. We’re a great community.” Photo by P. Vankevich

“Eighty percent of the (NC Report Card) grade is testing and 20 percent is to show growth,” Padgett explained.   College entrance exams of SAT and ACT also are a big part of the score along with the graduation rate, which for Ocracoke is 100 percent.  The “growth” component is if a school met or exceeded student academic growth standards.

A small school, even though it has fewer resources than the big school, has an advantage of a low student-to-teacher ratio enabling students to have more teacher attention than other schools, Padgett noted.

The entire Ocracoke School, from pre-K to grade 12, has 160 students, said Leslie Cole, assistant school principal.

“There is much more to a student than merely how they do on a standardized test,” Cole said.  “It is so nice to hear positive and happy news about our school. It is always nice to be recognized for great achievements.”

Padgett praised the school’s teachers and parents for a large part of the students’ success.

“We are a community school supported by our parents,” Padgett continued, noting that Ocracoke has less discipline problems

Nearly half of the schools in North Carolina were given C grades, according to the report.

All of Ocracoke’s school athletic teams have to travel long distances for their games and must do their school work on the various ferries, Padgett noted.

“There’s a real sacrifice our kids have to make to participate in athletics and keep their grades up,” he said.

Eighty percent of the NCDPI grade was determined from the achievement score, which was calculated by the number of students proficient on specific indicators. The other 20 percent came from whether a school met or exceeded student academic growth standards.

“Thank God we’ve got quality teachers here and kids that work at it,” he said.  “Our teachers do a good job of covering everything.  We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”

NCDPI is charged with implementing the state’s public school laws and the State Board of Education’s policies and procedures governing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education. The elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction leads the Department and functions under the policy direction of the State Board of Education.

The agency provides leadership and service to the 115 local public school districts and 2,500+ traditional public schools, 100 charter schools, and the three residential schools for students with hearing and visual impairments.

For more information including  how all of the schools were graded,  click here.

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Coastal Whales of NC presentation at Deepwater Theater at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9.

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Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Update 1/24/15: The stranding number has been corrected below.

By Connie Leinbach

Encountering distressed dolphins on the Ocracoke beach this fall prompted David Mickey and Sue Dayton to bring a program on whales to the Deepwater Theater, School Lane, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9.

Sponsored by Ocracoke Alive, Keith Rittmaster, the natural science curator at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort, will give a free talk on “Coastal Whales in North Carolina.”

“He does a great job with lots of personal anecdotes,” Mickey said about Rittmaster’s program. “He’s run into quite a few whales in his travels all over the world.”

In addition to an overview of the different whale species, Rittmaster will bring skeletal specimens for a “show-and-tell,” and also talk about the whaling industry and other threats to these mammals.

Mickey got to know Rittmaster and his wife, Vicky Thayer, after Mickey and Dayton encountered a dead dolphin on the beach in October. Thayer, who is a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, assists often in aiding stranded marine mammals on the coast, Mickey said.

He and Dayton stayed and watched the necropsy of the deceased dolphin in October, and after that visited the maritime museum.

Then, in late November, Mickey said, someone found a stranded dolphin on the beach in the early morning hours. Thayer and Rittmaster had already been called and caught a 7 a.m. ferry to the island, Mickey said. Mickey joined the operation on the beach and witnessed the subsequent euthanasia of the stranded dolphin.

“Unfortunately, there’s not much they can do,” he said about these strandings, and euthanasia is often the only choice because there are no facilities around where these animals can be treated.  While it also was sad, “it was quite impressive,” he said about that morning’s activity.

With these events, Mickey was most concerned about who does one call when there is a stranded marine mammal on the beach?

The National Park Service here didn’t know, Mickey said.  With a Google search, he found the Stranding Network.

Mickey said there also will be information about the monofilament fishing line collection program where people who find fishing line on the beach can take it to be recycled.

Mickey said if beach-goers find a stranded marine mammal on the beach, the Stranding Network phone number is 252-241-5119.

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The euthanized dolphin is taken off the Ocracoke beach in November. Photo by Kelley Shinn.

Poetry by Richard Bryant

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We present two poems by Richard Bryant.

Toward the Meniscus

In the effervescent vortex,
streaming upwards,
towards the meniscus,
of my morning;
I await the dissolving:
the dissolution of life,
amid a murky orange mist,
a substance created,
claiming to heal,
but on this task,
certainly has missed,
for there is no way,
I can feel whole,
drinking this water,
flavored and cold.

 Saramago’s Blindness

The unwilling willingness,
Of willful blindness,
Surrounds me,
Wait here,
Will I be,
Again someone,
Who really sees?

Richard BryantRecently returned from service in Ireland, the Rev. Richard Bryant serves as pastor of Ocracoke United Methodist Church, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  He blogs at Richard’s Food for Thought.

 

NPS to review recent legislation related to Cape Hatteras National Seashore

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Recreational use of the Ocracoke beach by anglers in the 2014 Ocracoke Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament . Photo by C. Leinbach

NPS Press Release

2015 National Defense Authorization Act Actions Update

In early January 2015, the National Park Service began the process of reviewing and complying with recently passed legislation in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, related to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

The legislation provides 180 days for the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the State of North Carolina and accordance with applicable laws, to review and modify wildlife buffers and designate pedestrian and vehicle corridors around buffers to allow access to areas that are open in the Seashore.

It also requires a public process to consider, consistent with management requirements at the Seashore, changes to the Seashore’s Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) special regulation as it relates to morning opening of beaches, extending the length of fall and spring seasonal ORV routes, and modifying vehicle free areas.

The Secretary of the Interior must report back to Congress within one year after the date of the enactment of the Act.

The National Park Service plans to use a four-step approach:

  1. Review the best available science on wildlife buffers, in coordination and consultation with State and Federal agencies, to consider modifications to buffers currently used by the Seashore and possible new ORV corridors. We anticipate making any proposed modifications available for public input and review later this spring.
  2. Launch a series of public discussion meetings in late May/early June to gather and consider public input on morning openings, extending seasonal ORV routes, and modifying vehicle free areas and to develop an appropriate plan to implement appropriate changes.
  3. Review the current beach access construction projects schedule for possible reprioritization towards those projects that provide vehicle access points in critical areas.
  4. Report back to Congress by December 19, 2015.
Updates

Updates will be posted on this web page as significant progress is made.
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does the legislation say?
In summary, Congress passed legislation that requires the Secretary of the Interior to:
  • Review and modify wildlife protection buffers in Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) in accordance with applicable laws,
  • Using adaptive management practices, modify wildlife buffers to ensure that the protection buffers are of the shortest duration and cover the smallest area necessary, as determined in accordance with peer-reviewed scientific data,
  • Where possible, designate pedestrian and vehicle corridors around protection areas of the National Seashore closed for breeding wildlife, to allow access to areas that are open,
  • Coordinate and consult with State of North Carolina wildlife officials to determine appropriate buffer protections for species that are not listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 but that are identified for protection under State law,
  • Construct new vehicle access points as expeditiously as practical and in accordance with management plans, and
  • Undertake a process to consider, consistent with management requirements at the Seashore, the following changes to the Final Rule:
    • Opening beaches closed to night driving on a rolling basis every morning,
    • Extending seasonal off-road vehicle routes in the fall and spring if the use would not create resource management problems, and
    • Modifying the size and location of vehicle free areas.

2. What are some examples of “applicable laws”?

Many laws will apply. Here are a few examples:

  • The Endangered Species Act,
  • The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and
  • The National Environmental Policy Act.

3. What is the name of the actual legislation?

Sec. 3057. Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area is part of the larger, comprehensive 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, enacted on December 19, 2014. (A link to the legislation is provided below)

4. What plan does the Seashore have to implement this legislation?

The National Park Service will utilize the following steps to implement the legislation:

  • Prepare a review of the best available science for wildlife buffers, in coordination and consultation with State and Federal agencies, to consider modifications to those buffers and possible new ORV corridors.
  • Launch a series of public discussion meetings during the spring to gather and consider public input on morning openings, extending seasonal ORV routes, and modifying vehicle free areas and develop an appropriate plan to modify the Final Rule and implement potential changes.
  • Review the current beach access construction projects schedule for possible reprioritization towards those projects that provide vehicle access points.
  • Report back to Congress by December 19, 2015.

5. Why does the Seashore refer to the use of “best available science” if the legislation states “peer-reviewed scientific data”?

The Seashore will, as the Act described, use peer-reviewed scientific data as we move forward whenever possible. However, there are likely to be cases where peer-reviewed data are not available to guide our efforts. In those cases, we intend to review all of the scientific data available (best available) to help evaluate management options, consistent with the legislative direction.

 6. Will the public, including local residents and interested stakeholders, be involved?

Yes. After reviewing the science and developing potential buffer modifications and corridors, the Seashore will hold public meetings and provide a public review period to solicit comments and ideas. Once the wildlife buffer review and corridor development process has been completed, the Seashore will have additional discussions with the public to consider whether or not to make changes to the Final Rule regarding beach openings, seasonal off road routes, and vehicle free areas.

7. When will this work be completed?

The legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete the wildlife buffer review and modification and corridor designation within 180 days (by June 16, 2015). The Seashore staff will be working hard and in coordination with the State of North Carolina and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete this task first.

Regarding the public process to consider changes to the Final Rule, the Seashore plans to begin that process second. The length of time required to complete the work will be based on the ideas and input received from the public and the types of changes to the Final Rule that are under consideration by the Seashore.

Construction of new vehicle access points is underway. The Seashore completed Ramp 25 in 2014 and additional projects are expected to be underway in the next few months. An expedited schedule for constructing access points will be developed and shared with the public during the spring of 2015.

8. Will this work result in changes to the way ORVs are managed during the summer of 2015?

It is possible that proposed changes to wildlife buffers or the proposed establishment of corridors around closed areas may be put into place during the summer of 2015. The efforts to consider modifying the Final Rule will take more time and potential changes are not expected to be implemented during the summer of 2015. In this interim period, ORV use will continue to be managed under the current Seashore ORV Management Plan and special regulation.

9. How do we currently manage off-road vehicles in the Seashore?

The mission of the National Park Service (NPS Organic Act, 16 USC 1) and the enabling legislation for the Seashore require that the Service to balance recreational use with the protection of natural and cultural resources. This requirement includes conservation and protection of plants and wildlife, several of which are federally-listed threatened species including the piping plover, three species of sea turtles, and seabeach amaranth. In addition, the Seashore provides a variety of visitor recreational experiences such as fishing, ORV use, and the enjoyment of undeveloped beaches. On February 15, 2012, the National Park Service implemented an ORV Management Plan and special regulation designed to balance ORV use and access in the Seashore and protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources, while minimizing conflicts among various users, and promoting the safety of all visitors. (A link to the plan and and Final Rule below)

10. Where do I find current information on beach driving in Cape Hatteras National Seashore?

The park currently has a special off-road vehicle webpage with information needed for off-road travel in the Seashore: http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/beachactivities.htm

The Google Earth map, updated frequently during the busy summer months, is available at:http://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?mapId=0c53eca8-fd01-40ef-b809-41f814fe5efc

2010 ORV Final EIS: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=358&projectID=10641&documentID=37448

 Links

Ocracoke pony herd has a new member

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Photo of newborn Hazelnut and her mother, Sacajawea, courtesy of the National Park Service.

Feb. 6, 2015

From the Cape Hatteras National Seashore

The Ocracoke pony herd has a new member.

Hazelnut was born on Feb. 4,  at approximately 10 a.m. and becomes the 17th member of the current Ocracoke pony herd.  Her mother is Sacajawea, a mare from Shackleford Banks who joined the Ocracoke herd in 2010, and her father is Rayo, a direct descendant of the original Ocracoke ponies.

Hazelnut was named by the Volunteers-In-Park, who work directly with the Ocracoke ponies.  Born on a chilly February morning, she will not stray far from her mother’s side for at least six months and will join the rest of the herd sometime in the late summer.

For more park information regarding the Ocracoke Ponies and how you can participate in the “Adopt-A-Pony” program, see http://www.nps.gov/caha/historyculture/ocracokeponies, or call 252-928-5111.

OCBA approves Fig Cake Festival, explores fireworks this year

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OCBA logo
Note: the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association has public meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Ocracoke Community Center.  The next meeting will be Feb. 11, and will include attendance by the new Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent David Hallac.
The group is exploring the possible return of fireworks during the 4th of July holiday and voted to make the Fig Festival a separate, expanded late-summer event.  More details of these events will be forthcoming as they are in in the early planning stages.
The draft minutes from the Jan. 21 meeting are printed below. (While the meetings are on the seconds Wednesdays, January’s meeting was held a week later.)

Ocracoke Civic and Business Association

DRAFT Minutes

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015.  Ocracoke Community Center

Meeting was called to order by President Rudy Austin at 7:04 p.m. Board members present: Connie Leinbach, Kenny Ballance, Justin LeBlanc and Jim Borland.  Members/others present: Sundae Horn, Gregg Honeycutt, Peter Vankevich, Arleen Burley, Mickey Baker, Dick & Janey Jacoby, Darlene Styron, Anna Rucker, John Fletcher.  County Manager Bill Rich joined the meeting via cell phone.

Minutes: The minutes of the Dec. 10  meeting were approved.

Treasurer’s report: Kenny reported that the beginning cash balance was $63,589.34.  He made some deposits and payments, but did not have an ending balance for the meeting. He is working with Katherine Parker-Lowe to submit a tax return by the middle of February.

Travel & Tourism Director’s report: Sundae reported that she now knows how to do hyperlinks on our website and has contacted most all of the businesses on the list who did not get hyperlinks last year. Most have said they would like the credit for 2015-2016.

Visitor’s Center in Community Square: Ocracoke Foundation has now said they would like us to pay rent for the house (not just pay for electricity). We know that visitors do go in because materials disappear. After some discussion, Jim Borland made a motion that we propose a monthly rent for this house of $300, including utilities for 2015 and seek Occupancy Tax reimbursement for the total expense; seconded by Justin LeBlanc. Motion approved and carried.  Sundae also noted that Robin Payne suggested we have a TV with a slide show in there, too. Justin said he has a spare TV to donate.

Hyde County Chamber: will be on the island to have lunch with Sundae and Alan Sutton, who are board members. The chamber let their executive director go and Sundae and Alan are supposed to help drum up business here on Ocracoke.

Fig Cake bake-off/festival: We have gotten a lot of good feedback about having this event held last year in Community Square. We will include expenses for this in our Occupancy Tax request. While some feedback has been that it should be after the high season (such as September), others have said that it should be when the fruit is in season, or August, as it was last year.  Also, a number of businesses are interested in creating fig offerings to make the event village-wide.

 Fireworks: Pyrotechnico can possibly do fireworks on Ocracoke this year but not actually on July 4.  Their CEO, Justin Pruett, was on the island, met with Darren Burrus and determined that Burrus’s barge would be adequate from which to launch.  However, since the OCBA does not want to be the sponsor/certificate holder, the group agreed to ask Hyde County to be the sponsor/certificate holder and the OCBA help organize and publicize it. The Occupancy Tax Board is interested in funding fireworks. The group appointed a committee to look into and handle the fireworks details: Sundae, Connie, Darlene, Justin, Amy Johnson and Trudy Austin. Bill Rich will ask the county commissioners to have Hyde County be the certificate holder.

A motion to have two events—July Fourth and the Fig Bake-off Festival (either Aug. 15 or 22) was made by Darlene and seconded by Jim Borland. Motion approved and carried.

Walking map: is not done yet.

NPS: The new superintendent, Dave Hallac, and public information officer Cyndy Holda will attend the Feb. 11 OCBA meeting.  Sundae said Hallac told her the NPS will fully fund lifeguards (from a contracted outfit) for this year—Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Old business: Gregg Honeycutt, on behalf of the 5K/10K race, asked the OCBA to be a $1,500 sponsor of the race that will be Saturday, April 25. People are already registering and he expects it to have more participants than last year.  WOVV, the Community Park and the Ocracoke School Boosters are the proceed recipients. According to the by-laws, requests for $500 or more must be voted on at two meetings before they are approved. A motion to approve the second request for $1,500 was made by Jim Borland and seconded by Justin. Motion approved and carried.

NPS report: Ed Fuller, via email to Connie Leinbach—So far this year they have sold 174 ORV permits and 19 weekly permits. There was one seal on the beach last week for a day just south of Ramp 70. The maintenance division is continuing to haul sand to Ramp 72 (Southpoint Rd.). They’ve been sanding that road for the last two weeks and will continue to do so for another week or so. They want to get that road built back up really well to help prevent the flooding issues occurring last year. They also have to complete some fill work on the sound side access roads.

President’s report: Rudy reported  that folks in Hatteras are meeting with the Coast Guard because all are concerned about the CG’s response time getting out of the inlet via the long route for emergencies. The Coast Guard wants the short route open for their big rescue boats. Having the Coast Guard pressing for this might be our best leverage in getting funds to properly dredge.

Tideland EMC is also concerned about the inlet because if the shifting sands uncover the underwater electric cable, that would be an expense of more than $2 million to repair. Tideland spent $300,000 after Hurricane Arthur last July 4 replacing poles on the island.

Hyde County manager’s report:   Bill Rich, via cell phone, reported that he and Ernie Doshier attended a meeting Jan. 16 in Hatteras of charter boat captains. That meeting was all about the short and long routes and marking the channels. The amount of real estate that has eroded on Hatteras Island is incredible, he said. We need a hopper dredge to put all of the sand on the Hatteras side.

The night before that meeting, he attended a Dare County waterway meeting and that one was all about the sand build-up in Oregon inlet.  It really needs a hopper dredge 365 days a year, which would cost about $3.7 million.  Rudy noted that “$38 million each year goes under that bridge” in revenues from about 200 charter boats each year.

“I can’t tell you how passionate the charter fishermen and the Coast Guard are about keeping the short route open,” Bill said.

David’s Trash: Bill said he met with the two owners; showed them a lot of photos; wrote them a letter 45 days ago that they were in violation of their contract by not preventing their trucks from leaking; untimely removal of the compactors and more. If the trash juice out of the trucks is not stopped, Hyde could be forced to transport Ocracoke trash to the mainland a different way, which could be (financially) devastating.

He told them Ocracoke needs more containers and more trucks to remove them faster. David’s said they are scheduled to have new trucks and more drivers in the next 30 days. Bill asked islanders to keep their eyes open as to what’s going on at the dump.

Animal control: Bill reported that a dog killed a cat recently.  There is no leash law in the county but he will try to make the existing ordinance better. Our ordinance covers “nuisance and dangerous” animals.  The ordinance allows for animal control to grab a dog and put it in quarantine. However, we could transfer enforcement of the nuisance ordinance from the Health Department to the sheriff’s department.  He will work on this next week.

Blackbeard’s puddle (on Back Road) between Blackbeard’s Lodge and Secret Garden Gallery: Everything is in place to put a culvert in Old Pony Road (alongside Blackbeard’s Lodge) to relieve this puddle except for approval by two landowners who wanted specific assurances from Hyde County. The county has complied, but these two owners haven’t signed off. The goal is to get this done before the season begins. Justin said he would contact the two property owners.

Passenger ferry: Hyde County has made a resolution in favor of the concept of it coming to Ocracoke (not necessarily into Silver Lake Harbor). Dare County is also in favor of passenger ferries between Hatteras and Ocracoke as long as fees are charged and they don’t replace car ferries.  Our regional Rural Planning Organization also passed a resolution to support passenger ferries as long as they charge fees and don’t replace car ferries.  The NC Ferry Division has commissioned a survey over the next 10 months to determine how these would work.

A trial run, using a ferry en route from the Caribbean to Boston, will occur in the first week in May this year. It will dock opposite the Berkley Manor.

Cedar Island ferry: Commissioner Fletcher at the January county commissioners’ meeting had asked if the ferry division could schedule the final departure from Cedar Island a half hour later, or 4:30, which would help islanders coming back from shopping and doctor’s appointments.

He said at John Fletcher’s request, Hyde County sent a letter to Dare County thanking them for their cooperation and support. Receiving that letter meant a lot to them.

The next meeting with NC Ferry officials here will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, in the Community Center.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Ocracoke Community Center.

Respectfully submitted,
Connie Leinbach, secretary

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