KEY INFORMATION:
- Dosher Clinic on BHI is now open two days a week.
- Thank you for submitting your questions about the Village’s pending legal efforts, answers are coming soon!
- It’s officially hurricane season, make your preparations now!
- Trash pick-up is now on the peak season schedule. There are changes coming in the fall regarding access to the trash compactor.
- Help us control mosquitoes.
EVENTS & REMINDERS:
- Village offices will be closed on June 19, 2024, in observance of Juneteenth.
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, June 21, 2024.
- Join us for Public Safety Day on Friday, June 28 at Marina Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Old Baldy Foundation’s annual Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade is scheduled for Thursday, July 4.
- It’s turtle & shorebird nesting season.
- Village Utilities is assessing island properties per the EPA’s Lead & Copper Rule.
Dosher Clinic is Now Open
Dosher Clinic is now seeing patients at the Department of Public Safety for the 2024 peak season. It will be operating through August 29, 2024, on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The clinic provides telehealth services, and a medical assistant or nurse is on the island to support the patient and telemedicine cart. For more information, please view our webpage HERE.
Answers to Your Questions
In response to the comments received at the 4/19 Village Council meeting, the Village asked Islanders to submit questions about the Village’s pending legal efforts regarding the future of the Transportation System. Thank you to all who submitted questions. The Village will be releasing the Q&A document via a Village’s Voice/Mayor’s Message.
If you have not heeded our suggestions to start preparing yet, please do so now. Even a tropical storm can cause power outages, transportation delays, and property damage. Make sure you have your emergency kit stocked. Make sure you have an evacuation plan in place. Determine how you are going to communicate with your family during a storm. The Village strongly recommends evacuating over sticking it out through a storm.
NOAA has forecast an above-normal hurricane season this year, but remember, it only takes one storm in our area to make it an impactful season.
The Village Manager, Public Safety Chief, and Public Information Officer attended the Brunswick County Hurricane Conference last week where they heard from County Departments and partners who are vital to storm response. They also heard from Steve Pfaff, National Weather Service Meteorologist-in-Charge, who emphasized that regardless of the outlook, it only takes one major storm to impact a community. He said this area is overdue for a “significant wind impact” storm, so we must be ready!
Visit our emergency preparedness webpage HERE for all the preparedness information you need and make sure you are signed up to receive Village communications (HERE). We will have a hurricane preparedness booth at the June 28 Public Safety Day, so please come by and ask us any questions you have!
Trash Pick-Up is Now Twice Weekly
The Village’s trash contractor is now picking up trash twice a week. If you are in the area that gets picked up on Mondays year-round, your trash will also be picked up on Thursdays through August 30. If you are in the area that gets picked up on Tuesdays year-round, your trash will also be picked up on Fridays through August 30. Please make sure you put out your YES/NO sign, so the hauler knows to stop at your house.
Yard debris pick-up takes place twice a month on the first and third Wednesday (April through October) for those homeowners who do their own yard work. If you need to have yard debris picked up, you must submit a work request. You can do so online HERE or call customer service at (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000.
For additional information, please check out our Trash & Debris Pickup Calendar and Trash Route map HERE and the Public Works webpage HERE.
Some folks drop off excess household trash at the compactor located at Public Works. After the peak season is over, the Village is going to start closing the gates so that the compactor cannot be accessed by the public when staff is not present. This means that starting in the fall, the trash compactors cannot be accessed between 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. daily.
Mosquito Control
Please help the Village control the mosquito population on the island by taking preventative measures to remove potential breeding areas. This includes emptying pots or other rain-collecting containers, filling in low spots, and making sure that you are inspecting tarps and boats after heavy rain to make sure that any water collected is taken care of as soon as possible. If you have a vessel at the Creek Access, please make sure that it is stored on its side or hull side up to prevent rainwater collection.
The Village has a structured Mosquito Control Program which includes surveillance, monitoring, and control methods. The Public Services Department has several employees who hold the proper licenses to purchase and apply a variety of restricted-use pesticides. No method controls the mosquito population 100 percent.
For more information about the Village’s Mosquito Control Program go HERE.
EVENTS & REMINDERS:
Juneteenth
Village offices will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in observance of Juneteenth. This includes the Island Package Center & Post Office and Public Safety administration.
Next Regular Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in the multi-purpose room in the Department of Public Safety (273 Edward Teach Ext.). The agenda will be posted HERE. Zoom information to listen in remotely can be found HERE.
Public Safety Day
Join us for Public Safety Day on Friday, June 28 at Marina Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will have our Department of Public Safety’s apparatus and equipment on display, activities for kids, and educational information including a hurricane preparedness booth. We have also invited the Southport Fire Department, Airlink helicopter, the U.S. Coast Guard, Oak Island Water Rescue, Marine Fisheries, and NC Wildlife to join us to show everyone their stuff! The Public Service Auxiliary will be serving free food, donations will be appreciated.
Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade
The annual Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade hosted by the Old Baldy Foundation will take place on Thursday, July 4. Line up starts at 9:00 a.m. and the parade begins at 10:00 a.m. Spectators can grab their chairs and watch from the historical Old Baldy Lighthouse or anywhere along the parade route. For a map of the parade route and registration information go HERE.
Turtle & Shorebird Nesting Season
Turtle nesting season began on May 1 and will last through November 16. Shorebird nesting season started on April 1 and will last through August 31. The BHI Conservancy has a few tips for protecting this endangered wildlife:
Turtles:
- Turtles Dig the Dark – Do not shine any light, including red light, on nesting moms or hatchlings.
- Red Lights Only – Only red lights are allowed on the beach.
- Fill Up Holes & Pick Up Trash – Holes are dangerous to nesting moms, hatchlings, and our team!
- Turn Off Beach Front House Lights – Brightly lit houses can disorient moms and hatchlings.
- Report Any Turtle Activity – Call (910) 457-0089 x 5 – it is illegal to touch sea turtles.
Shorebirds:
- Keep your distance from posted areas.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Keep your dog on their leash.
The BHI Conservancy would like you to keep an eye out for nests when you are at the beach. If you see a nest that isn’t labeled, please contact their Wildlife Response Hotline at (910) 457-0089 (option 5). This hotline can also be used to report injured wildlife.
In addition, per Village ordinance, during turtle season, dogs on the beach must be on a leash from sunset to sunrise and all beach equipment must be removed between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. and at least 10 feet away from sea turtle nests. your dog on their leash. Please remind our visitors and guests!
Lead & Copper Rule
Village Utilities personnel have been assessing island properties per the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule. This may require them to do a small amount of excavation to check the water lines at the meter. All Village Utilities staff drive vehicles and wear uniforms with the Village of Bald Head Island logo and are authorized to do this work. As of today, the assessment is about 3/4 complete. For more information, read our Lead & Copper Rule Fact Sheet HERE.