In this issue:
- Highlights of the August Village Council regular meeting.
- Peak hurricane season is here! Erin’s impacts.
- Trash pick-up schedule and compactor access updates.
- Help us respond appropriately to fire alarm calls.
Reminders & Events:
- Village offices will be closed for the Labor Day holiday.
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, September 19, 2025.
- Annual PO Box Renewals
- REMINDER: As previously reported, Public Works no longer accepts hazardous waste outside of scheduled drop-off days.
Village Council Regular Meeting
The Village Council conducted its last regular meeting on Friday, August 15, 2025. A full recap with additional details is on our website HERE. You can also listen to a podcast episode recapping the meeting HERE.
Below are a few highlights:
- The Village Council received a presentation from Dosher Memorial Hospital on its master facility plan.
- The Village Council adopted a proclamation for Constitution Week 2025 (September 17 through 23), a resolution for the Village’s application for State Assistance for Water Resources Development Grant Program (this is the grant that helps pay for the maintenance of the marina channel entrance), and a resolution authorizing disposition of surplus property (a long boat trailer).
- The Village Council continued to discuss parks programming and investment. A preliminary design for a permanent pavilion structure for Marina Park (tent site) was shared. Funding via the BRAAT fund (Beach Renourishment Recreation and Tourism) and a non-profit based fundraiser were discussed.
- There was a first reading of the draft ordinance on ICE vehicles and trailers. Staff took questions from the Council about the reasoning behind the ordinance changes, administrative processes, and enforcement. A public hearing was called for the September 19 meeting to hear public comments on the draft ordinance. Staff will also be bringing a proposed ICE vehicle fee schedule to the regular September meeting. The fee schedule coincides with the ordinance and will include lower fees for smaller vehicles to encourage their use.
A full account of these meetings can be found in the minutes which are posted HERE. Typically, minutes are posted with the agenda of next month’s meeting (e.g., if you want to read the December meeting minutes, they can be found under the January regular meeting agenda).
Peak Hurricane Season
Peak hurricane season runs from mid-August to late October. It looks like our area will be spared from the worst impacts of Hurricane Erin. The storm is expected to take a turn to the north through mid-week and move to the western Atlantic, staying off to the east of the Carolinas. The largest impacts will be the increased wave activity and strong rip currents. Earlier today, the Village issued a swimming advisory. Swimming in the ocean is not advised from now through Friday.
Village staff have been in contact with the BHI Club regarding the lagoon levels, which were below normal as of last Friday. The water level at the bypass lagoon is also being monitored, and it too was low as of last Friday.
Erin serves as a reminder to always be prepared during this time of year. Take this opportunity to complete your “before a hurricane” steps, make sure your emergency kit is stocked, complete your property preparations (especially if your property floods), review your evacuation and communication plans, and make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts. You can find everything you need to know on our emergency preparedness web page HERE.
There are two other systems in the Atlantic that are moving to the east. These systems are a long way out, and models are sporadic right now. Please be advised not to focus on the long-range forecasts as ultimate outcomes. There is a lot of time and distance to cover before they would be in our region. The Village will continue to monitor these as they move east.
You can always find up to date and accurate weather information from the National Weather Service Wilmington Office and the National Hurricane Center. Our new Severe Weather Event webpage includes a direct link to NWS Wilmington’s Tropical Weather Outlook page and other useful links.
Trash Updates
Trash pickup will go to once weekly on September 1, 2025. Pick up will be on Monday and Tuesday only. Biweekly pick up will resume after Memorial Day 2026. View the Village’s trash and vegetation pick up calendar HERE. This includes an up-to-date map of the pickup areas.
The gate to access the trash compactor is now closed daily. It will be open the following days and hours:
- Monday – Friday, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday, from 7:00 AM to 1:30 PM
The compactors are not meant for paint, lawn chairs, construction debris, or yard debris. All materials that can be recycled should be placed in the receptacles for recycling, which are accessible 24/7. Only cardboard should go in the cardboard receptacles, and co-mingled materials should not be bagged. Please help the Village keep this area clean. Do not leave items outside the gate.
The reasoning behind closing the gates to the compactors is to allow for more monitoring of the usage and types of waste going into the Village’s waste stream. The gates are closed when Public Works staff are not on-site to monitor.
Public Works has been leaving a truck outside the gate to accommodate folks who were adjusting to the new schedule which was put in place July 18. The truck was intended to be temporary. It was full of waste after this past weekend. See the photos below. This was what was collected when the gates were closed this past Saturday and Sunday. This means several folks are not changing their routines to meet the new schedule. Public Works is trying to contact the people who are still using this temporary service because it was not intended to be available for over one month.
In the meantime, if you cannot meet the schedule or have other concerns or trash disposal needs, please contact us via the Village’s online service request portal HERE. This portal should also be used to contact Public Works to notify us of overflowing public trash receptacles around the island, including those at beach accesses and the market area.
Fire Alarms
Since smoke detection systems on Bald Head Island are monitored by an alarm company, once your smoke detector goes off, your alarm company is notified, and a 911 call is dispatched to the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Many of these calls end up being caused by cooking smoke or shower steam, which are not emergencies.
Property owners can help our DPS in these non-emergency instances by calling the alarm company immediately after the smoke detector goes off to let them know that there is no emergency. This is relayed to our DPS through dispatch. DPS will still have to respond, but with less manpower and equipment, and no lights and sirens. This helps the DPS in that our officers and equipment will be available to respond to other emergencies. It will also make our roads much safer.
Please relay this information to your renters and guests, and make sure the alarm company contact information is readily available for these non-emergencies.
REMINDERS & EVENTS:
Labor Day
Village offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, for the Labor Day holiday. This includes the Island Package Center & Post Office and Public Safety administration. Monday trash service will not be impacted. Please call 911 if you need a Public Safety Officer to come to you.
Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. has released its Labor Day weekend ferry schedule. You can view it HERE.
Next Village Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda will be posted HERE. Zoom information to listen in remotely can be found HERE. There will be a public hearing on the draft ICE vehicle and trailer ordinances as well as a discussion on proposed ICE fees.
Annual PO Box Renewals
Island Package Center & Post Office staff want to remind PO box holders that they are required to renew their PO Box each year. When a PO Box is expired, an annual renewal form is placed in the PO Box. These forms need to be filled out and turned in as soon as possible. Please make sure to use your Bald Head Island address and not your off-island address when filling out the form. Completed forms should be handed to IPC/PO staff at the counter. If you need a blank form, those are also available at the counter.
Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
As previously reported, on June 1, 2025, the Village stopped accepting hazardous waste drop-offs daily. Hazardous waste includes paint, chemicals, and electronics. The Village will be scheduling specific days (previously reported as weeks) during the year in which this type of waste will be collected from property owners at Public Works and promptly taken off-island.
This is a common practice for counties and municipalities on the mainland and helps protect the collection area from contamination.
The fall dates have been determined and are November 20 and 21. If there is a weather delay, the alternate dates are December 4 and 5.
The Village has added these dates to its Trash & Vegetation Pick Up Calendar and Village Calendar, and as soon as the spring dates are arranged, we will publish this information.
If you have a property manager or trusted neighbor who handles maintenance and post-storm activities, you should be able to use these folks to help you get any hazardous waste items turned in during the designated dates. Some island service providers may also be willing and able to help.
Bald Head Association events can be found HERE.
Old Baldy Foundation events can be found HERE.
BHI Conservancy events can be found HERE.
Village Chapel events can be found HERE.
Project Longevity event info HERE.
The Village calendar can be found HERE.
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