The Provincetown III, front, will be in Ocracoke May 4 to 5 to test the waters fro a passenger ferry. Photo from http://www.baystatecruisecompany.com
Manns Harbor— As part of its ongoing feasibility study on passenger ferry service, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has signed an agreement with Bay State Cruise Company to charter the M/V Provincetown III for test runs of a potential passenger ferry route between Hatteras and Ocracoke Village on May 4 to 5.
“These test runs will allow us to judge the feasibility of the route, duration of the voyage, fuel consumption, and other factors that will help us determine whether passenger ferry service is something that we can and should be offering,” said NCDOT Ferry Division Director Ed Goodwin. “It’s all part of the due diligence required in the feasibility study.”
The Provincetown III is a catamaran-style ferry that is 98 feet long and carries 149 passengers. It services the Boston to Provincetown route in the summer and works in the Caribbean in the winter. The ship will be on its return voyage north when it stops in North Carolina.
NCDOT commissioned a feasibility study on passenger ferry service late last year in an effort to solve summertime congestion issues on the Hatteras Inlet route. The study is being conducted by Volkert, an infrastructure engineering firm based in Mobile, Ala. It is scheduled to be complete by December.
British Cemetery: a final salute. Photo by P. Vankevich
Note: address to send contributions is below.
This ceremony, organized by the War Graves Committee on Hatteras, remembers the sinking by German U-boats, of the HMT Bedfordshire, a British trawler, off the coast here in 1942. For six months, the U-boat brigade picked off allied convoys like a shooting gallery off the Outer Banks. The annual commemoration of four British World War II soldiers buried on Ocracoke will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 8, at the small plot of British land along British Cemetery Road.
For 72 years, Ocracoke has remembered the four British sailors whose bodies washed ashore after a U-boat on May 11, 1942, torpedoed the HMT Bedforshire, a British trawler pressed into military service to ferry supplies.
Two of the sailors were identified: Sub Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham and Ordinary Telegraphist Second Class Stanley Craig. The people of Ocracoke rallied and donated land on which the four are interred and which is now owned by Great Britain. Four other British sailors are interred in a second cemetery in Buxton. They will be remembered the day before the Ocracoke event. These are the only WWII British cemeteries in the United States.
Under the auspices of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Park Service, the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association conduct the remembrances of these men who made the ultimate sacrifice.
This event attracts a lot of visitors to Ocracoke, many of whom arrive early and remain for a day or two afterwards.
Thanks to the Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board, $2,000 is provided to cover the cost of the cemetery plantings and the reception afterwards. This rarely covers the total cost. So donations are encouraged from the community and property owners.
Two Ocracoke high school seniors will be selected to read the history of the sinking of the HMT Bedfordshire and the names of the men who lost their lives that day.
Two seniors will be selected to welcome the guests to the event. Howard Bennink plays taps to close the program. Ocracoke Boy Scout troop No. 290 marches in the procession and recessional. The school encourages the students to attend the program.
How can you help?
Make a donation to the event and send it to OCBA, P.O. Box 456, Ocracoke, NC 27960. Please note “British Cemetery Ceremony” in the memo line.
Volunteer to help set up the community center the night of May 7.
Serve at the reception on May 8.
Help clean up after the reception on May 8.
Provide soft drinks or water for the reception.
Those interested in helping are asked to contact Janey Jacoby at svc2@embarqmail.com, or 252-928-1881.
British Cemetery Committee Ocracoke Civic & Business Assoc. P. O. Box 456 Ocracoke, NC 27960
Tideland Electric Membership Corporation has issued an emergency energy conservation alert for Thursday and Friday mornings, February 19 and 20, as temperatures dip into the single digits. Electric co-op members in Beaufort, Craven, Pamlico, Washington, Hyde and Dare counties are asked to shift discretionary energy tasks, like laundry, water heating, baking, and dishwashing, to the warmest part of the day. Doing so will help prevent overloads of utility resources which in turn could lead to brownouts or power outages.
This is the first time in over a decade that Tideland has requested voluntary conservation during an extreme weather event but given the widespread nature of the arctic blast co-op officials feel it is better to be safe than sorry.
“It can be very challenging to restore power to a large group of consumers during extreme temperatures like those we will see in the next forty-eight hours,” said Tideland EMC chief executive officer Paul Spruill. “That’s why we decided to issue a call for conservation measures which in turn have the added benefit of saving consumers energy and money.”
Ways consumers can help “Beat the Peak” Thursday and Friday mornings:
* Postpone non-essential tasks to a later time such as washing and drying clothes
* Cut your water heater off between the hours of 5 am and 9 am
* Avoid dishwasher use until the warmest part of the day
* Don’t use your oven to bake in the morning
* If you normally shower or bathe in the morning consider doing so the night before
* Set your heating thermostat to 68 degrees or lower during the morning hours
* Shut off hot tubs until the weather warms on Saturday
Energy saving cold weather tips:
* Heat pump owners: check your thermostat and make sure it is not in the emergency, auxiliary or E-heat setting
* Make sure central system thermostats are in the auto setting and not in manual mode which results in unnecessary operation of the unit’s fan
* Make sure all crawlspace vents are closed
* If you have storm windows make sure both sets are closed and air tight
* Remove window air conditioning units so you can fully close and seal windows
* If you are not using your central HVAC system make sure registers and returns are sealed shut. Don’t shut individual rooms registers if the system is operating. Doing so increases duct leakage.
* Close dampers when fireplaces aren’t in use. Using a fireplace when temperatures are below 50°F will result in net heat losses.
* Rather than turn up the thermostat bring the warmth to you by layering clothing, using electric blankets and throws, and consuming warm liquids.
If you notice that lights start to dim or flicker shut off as many electric items as possible to reduce the likelihood of an outage.
Phragmites in fall along Southpoint Road. Photo by C. Leinbach
Editor’s note: To learn more about phragmites, see the Ocracoke Observer’s article by Pat Garber. Clickhere.
February 18, 2015
Presentation to be held at the Ocracoke Community Center on Feb. 23 and the Fessenden Center, Buxton, Feb. 24.
The National Park Service Outer Banks Group Know Your Park citizen science program series continues this winter with upcoming scheduled presentations.
Rob Emens, environmental specialist for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, will present a program describing the efforts to stop the spread of Phragmites, australisaustralis, an invasive Eurasian plant species along the coastal shorelines of North Carolina. The program will take place in two locations: at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb, 23, in the Ocracoke Community Center and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Fessenden Center in Buxton. Both programs are free and will last approximately one hour.
Phragmites is a large, coarse, perennial grass often found in wetlands. Although scattered clumps of phragmites provide cover for small mammals and birds, it usually forms large, dense stands that provide little value for wildlife. Phragmites reduces the diversity of plant and wildlife species. The spread of phragmites is a significant resource issue at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
An understanding of the impacts of phragmites and other invasive plants along North Carolina’s coast has important implications to the park and local communities.
Mr. Emens is one of North Carolina’s experts in aquatic weed control. His presentation will identify specific invasive aquatic plants and the impact they have on natural occurring communities, including seashore dunes.
The Know Your Park citizen science program series is designed to further connect the Outer Banks communities and residents with the rich natural world and cultural heritage of their neighboring national park sites–Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.
Ocracoke School will have a 2 hour delay for today (Feb 18),Thursday and Friday. School will begin each day at 9:55 am.
Another weather casualty: The Coastal Ten Basketball Tournament has been canceled. The boys won their first round on Saturday beating the Cape Hatteras Hurricanes 65-47. The Lady Dolphins first round game was not played. The girls team will head to Wilmington this Saturday (Feb 21) to play in the seeding round of the 2015 NCHSAA Women’s Basketball State Championship.
“It’s cold out there
colder than a ticket taker’s smile
at the Ivar Theatre, on a Saturday night” from “Emotional Weather Report,” by Tom Waits
Ocracoke is in the freezing zone.
Temperatures are in the 20s today and tonight, though are supposed to climb upwards starting tonight. It is expected to get into the 40s tomorrow but drop again below freezing–into the 20s–Thursday and Friday.
Although this may not seem that cold for other locales, these low temps lead to some frozen and burst water pipes in houses on the island–both occupied and unoccupied. Burst pipes can lead to significant water damage, especially if not quickly detected. Unoccupied houses , and there are many this time of the year, are the most vulnerable.
“Every year when there is a freeze, we get some burst pipes, especially with unoccupied cottages,” said David Tolson, manager of the Ocracoke Sanitary District that administers the water plant.
Ride the Wind Surf & Kayak shop winter of 2014. Photo by P.Vankevich
To prevent this from happening, he has some suggestions.
First, wrap any exposed outside pipes on the outside of the house. For unoccupied houses, the water should be turned off and pipes leading to outside showers and spigots thoroughly drained. Antifreeze should be poured into the drains and toilets.
For the houses that are occupied, a dripping technique can be used to keep the moving water from freezing, but this should be monitored carefully. If the pipes do freeze, the drain may back up with water and ice may cause further damage.
Consumers should prepare for the very cold by closing dampers on unused fireplaces, making sure storm windows are properly shut, closing crawlspace foundation vents and sealing air leaks and drafts, notes Tideland EMC.
Limit electric space heaters to a small, confined areas and not rely on it to heat an entire house which will result in high energy bills. Space heaters should be plugged directly into wall outlets and never into a power strip or extension cord.
Ocracoke lighthouse winter of 2014. Photo by P. Vankevich
Anyone using kerosene, unvented gas heat or wood heat should have a working carbon monoxide detector inside the home. Use extreme caution when refueling kerosene heaters which is a process that should only be done outdoors. All homes should be equipped with working smoke detectors.
In the event of a power outage, electric utility consumers are advised to turn off individual breakers to major appliances such as water heaters, refrigerators and heating equipment.
Once power has been restored wait 15 to 20 minutes before turning breakers back on. This will give the electric system time to warm back up without creating an overload that could damage utility equipment and trigger another outage
Editor’s note: we have received a few more comments on Hyde County’s proposal to enact a new Tourism Development Authority (TDA) especially for Ocracoke. This authority would raise the occupancy tax rate another 2 percent for a total of 5 percent on all short-term lodging rentals. From the proceeds, the TDA board would hire a full-time executive director to handle marketing on Ocracoke. The county commissioners are looking to enact this concept at their March 2 board meeting so that the tax rate can be raised this year and work can begin. Below are three new comments on this subject.
Hyde County Planning and Economic Development Director Kris Noble. Photo by C. Leinbach
From Al and Linda Scarborough Reasons for supporting an increase of 2 percent in the occupancy tax
The right for any county or municipality in North Carolina to levy any tax can only be authorized by an act of the legislature. Basically, there are only two taxes which are available to all counties in NC– sales and property. Others, such as food and beverage taxes, land transfer taxes and occupancy taxes, must be authorized by acts of the legislature. House Bill 882 was ratified in 2006 giving Hyde County the ability to increase the current occupancy tax.
Why not have a food and beverage tax and/or a land transfer tax rather than increase the Occupancy tax? The General Assembly has not approved these in years due to the strong restaurant and real estate lobbies.
What about the sales tax? Hyde can raise it .25 percent (one fourth of one cent). This could raise around $100,000 a year and not necessarily benefit Ocracoke.
The current occupancy tax of 3 percent is the lowest of any coastal county in N.C. (Indeed, I suspect it may be the lowest of any occupancy tax on the East Coast).
Hyde is one of the 10 poorest counties in North Carolina Dare is one of the 10 richest counties. One thing the rich counties have in common is access to higher occupancy taxes–some have a food and beverage tax, and some have a land transfer tax. Dare has all of these revenue streams.
If we had been collecting the additional 2 percent tax when it was first authorized by the state in 2006, Ocracoke would have benefited by over $2 million (revenue from the additional 2 percent is estimated to be in excess of $250,000 every year). That is the fire hall and the ball field.
Don’t be fooled. Businesses only collect sales taxes and lodgings only collect the occupancy tax. They do not pay the tax.
While two thirds of the 2 percent additional tax (approx. $160,000 after the administration fee) must be used to “promote tourism,” one third (approx. $80,000) can be used for “tourism related expenditures.” Ninety percent of the original 3 percent tax can be used for any purpose for “the direct benefit of the island.” What this means is Ocracoke would have access to approximately $500,000 every year to benefit the island at no cost to over 800 island residents and taxpayers This is $500,000 controlled by Ocracoke.
Given that Ocracoke’s tax will not exceed adjacent counties, it is a poor argument to suggest that people will choose to not stay on Ocracoke. I doubt that anyone vacations on Ocracoke because of the lowest rate, and I feel confident that Ocracoke has a lot more to offer than low occupancy tax rates. How could the expenditure of $160,000 on promoting tourism benefit all businesses and specifically the lodging industry? What has done the most to fill up motels and cottages during what was once a slow week?
Thanks to the dedication and forward thinking of Gary Mitchell and David Tweedie the first weekend of June (Ocrafolk Festival) is now a virtual sellout for beds on Ocracoke. What if we had a paid promoter? How long can we expect people to volunteer their time and energy to organize events that fill the motel rooms and restaurant seats Yes, the increase in occupancy tax can have a direct effect on motel occupancy during the “off season” if only we quit relying on volunteers.
There is great potential in the Pirate Festival, Fig Festival, Oyster Roast, Blackbeard play, running events, fishing tournaments, women’s arm wrestling, and what creative ideas might be centered around the new ball field? It just needs someone with time to devote to these events.
No one stands to benefit more than the lodging industry. Just one more three-day weekend with 100 percent occupancy will more than offset any perceived loss due to an increase in the occupancy tax.
Tourism is the economic engine for Ocracoke. As good hosts, we should be obligated to provide 24/7 emergency services, public restrooms, trash disposal, fire and law enforcement protection, access to the waterfront and courteous and helpful assistance. Unfortunately, Hyde County’s limited resources do not address many of the needs.
Money from the current occupancy tax has supported Hyde EMS, OVFD, Ocracoke Child Care, the Community Center, WOVV, Friends of the Library, the Ocracoke Community Park, OPS Museum and various events that attract visitors (Fourth of July, Ocrafolk Festival, Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree, the British Cemetery Ceremony.) Having the additional 2 percent would allow more support for these and other needs as what is now spent for marketing would come from it.
Look at the big picture. Let visitors know what the occupancy tax helps to provide.
From Fred Westervelt:
Thursday’s meeting on this topic, spearheaded by Kris Noble’s (aided by Sarah Johnson) informative presentation focusing on occupancy tax, was spirited, broad-based and quite lengthy for such on the island. I was disappointed that the crowd was not larger, and that no commissioners attended. Perhaps this speaks relevant volumes: it’s not really convenient to get here.
Tourism at its simplest involves attracting visitors, facilitating their journey, providing them a safe and enjoyable stay and encouraging them to return. If there is a deficiency in this four-point approach it is in travel access. We all agree that is the most frequently addressed choke point, but that is for another time.
As life on our sandbar has morphed into the 21st century the needed services and their costs have increased, Seldom is the ambiance of Ocracoke faulted, leaving aside the restrictions to beach access, fishing and Nature’s occasional unfriendliness. Rather, it seems it is the earning power of our facilities and services that are perceived as falling short of overall Hyde County needs and wants, even though after all the allocations of occupancy tax monies our thoughtful Occupancy Tax board has managed to squirrel away nearly 3/4 of a million dollars in reserve funds for the inevitable rainy day.
The purpose of this (new) proposal is to create a costly Hyde County-based Office of Marketing, or some such, to direct tourism and its advertising. At present Ocracoke’s relevant activities are volunteer based (see OCBA, criticized because of personnel turnover (read elections, the American way). Individual businesses market according to their perceptions and budgets. Perhaps they simply need advice from the pros as well, which would seem less imperious, and less costly.
To be brief, I believe we should look more broadly for added funding, rather than hit the lodgers further. I know, the occupancy tax is 5 percent or more elsewhere, but we are not elsewhere. Meals and beverage come to mind (think Dare County) and spreads out the burden logically to a larger clientele. Is our Sales and Use Tax properly structured? A glance at mainland farming might be lucrative. Perhaps there are state funding sources worthy of study. Surely a major push in support of the seemingly overwhelmed DOT might bolster tourist numbers with benefit. All this requires broad public involvement, thought and input. With due credit, “If we do not hang together, we shall hang separately.”
The moment of truth fast approaches. Think on this, talk it up, let your government know how you feel. In the words of my favorite bumper sticker, “Preserve Ocracoke.”
From Finley Austin:
Based on my many years in business and public policy I would submit there is a third option that should be on the table:
Option 3 – use a portion of the Occupancy Tax reserve (don’t raise taxes) to hire a consultant to perform and manage many of the suggestions under Option 1 (create a Tourism Development Authority). Pay them enough of a base to attract bidders, but to keep out-of-pocket expenditure to a minimum offer as incentive a predetermined fraction of or percentage of increased OT revenues in 2016.
I’d have to look carefully at the numbers to determine how much and whether to bench mark it against previous year or an average. This could also be scaled (e.g., 5 percent for the first $10,000, 1 percent for the next…). If it works, the OCBA can renew the contract or negotiate a new one. If it doesn’t work the contractor can be dropped and someone or something else tried.
As to Option 2: They can always start a new government entity (such as this TDA). The reverse can prove difficult. If they go this route then there should be clear metrics that must be met, or the new entity should be dissolved. And there should be a sunset so even if metrics are met, “Do we still need this?” should be asked every few years. And it should require proactive reauthorization.
Additionally, in my business experience, this level of primarily descriptive analysis, while useful, would not support raising taxes or forming a new entity. Before undertaking such big steps, contracting would be utilized if the manpower and/or expertise was not available to do needed activities (e.g., improve the website, etc.). Even then, it should be clear what is expected to be derived.
For a new entity to be considered, they would need to provide a detailed business plan (including budget, metrics and expected return on investment (ROI) with modeling of the numbers) for the new entity. Moreover, from a public policy perspective, a pilot and sunset would seem to offer a prudent course allowing for easy correction, if needed, and if Option 2 is seriously considered.
In any case, if they want to raise the tax they should spell-out clearly the upsides (quantitative and qualitative) to be derived, as well as the potential downside risks (if it negatively impacts visitor numbers what is the break-even point for OT revenues? With higher taxes fewer visitors may still support greater OT revenues, but then what does that spell for other businesses?) This can be modeled to allow scenario comparisons.
From Tom Cain:
Bravo Finley! As an unabashed free marketeer, I love your option 3! The profit motive beats government every time. If it doesn’t work, a contract can end. Government never does.
Both Ocracoke Dolphin basketball games scheduled for today (Mon. Feb 16) have been canceled due to weather concerns. The boys’ varsity team were to travel to Camden for the second round of the Coastal Ten Basketball Tournament. The Lady Dolphins were to begin their playoffs by hosting the Manteo Redskins.
On Saturday the boys got through the first round by beating the Cape Hatteras Hurricanes 67-49. The dates for rescheduling have not yet been determined as Eastern Carolina is under a freezing weather-watch for the week.
President: David Tweedie Vice President: Desiree Ricker
Secretary: Kati Wharton
Treasurer: Gary Davis
Board of Directors
Tom Pahl
Alison O’Neal
Crystal Canterbury
The purpose of Ocracoke Alive, Inc. is to enrich the Ocracoke Island community by encouraging and sponsoring cultural, artistic, educational, and environmental activities including the production of plays, musicals, musical events, exhibits, schools, workshops, and festivals.
Ocracoke Alive sponsors the Ocrafolk Festival , owns the skipjack the Wilma Leeand has stepped forward to fund the arts program at the Ocracoke School. For further information, see here
Coach Dave Allewalt announced before Saturday’s game, which was the first round of the Coastal Ten Basketball Tournament, that starter Dalton Kalna would not play due to a sprained ankle injury. This meant that only eight players would suit up.
The Dolphins started a bit slow, including hitting only three of their first 13 fouls shots and trailed 18-16 after the first quarter to the Cape Hatteras Hurricanes, a team they had beat handily twice this season. Then Evin Caswell started hitting his shots and the Dolphins dominated the second quarter to take a 36-25 lead on their way to a 65-47 victory.
Evin Caswell during a timeout. Photo by C. Leinbach
Although the game never got out of control, several technical fouls on both teams were called, including on Evin Caswell for hanging onto the rim after a spectacular dunk in the second quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Brandon O’Neal fouled out, leaving only seven players. By then, it didn’t matter. Excellent ball handling in the fourth quarter by Darvin Contreras, Mac Kalna, Liam Caswell and Waylon Underwood kept the Hurricanes from getting the ball and clawing back into the game.
Darvin Contreras. Photo by Melinda Sutton
All eight Dolphins scored in the victory. Evin Caswell was high scorer with 28 points followed by Matteus Gilbert with 12. All eight players scored points.
Monday (Feb 16), the Lady Dolphins start their playoffs by hosting the Manteo Redskins and will try to reverse their recent loss to them. They have split their two games this season, each winning on the other’s home court.
The boys travel to Camden Monday for their second playoff game. Both games will begin at 5 p.m. WOVV (90.1 FM and wovv.org online) will broadcast one of the games to be determined and provide updates from the other game.
On a brisk Saturday afternoon, islanders show up to cheer on the Dolphins. Photo by C. Leinbach
