Updates and Reminders

KEY INFORMATION:

Village Council has quick special meeting to adopt resolutions certifying the 3/5 election results.
Beach bonfire season is ending soon as turtle nesting season approaches.
Don’t get pulled over for an expired registration!
Orton Plantation will be performing controlled burns through May 1.
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Preservation Project update.

REMINDERS & EVENTS:

Village offices will be closed tomorrow, March 29, in observance of Good Friday.
Old paper tickets will expire on March 31, 2024.
The BHI Conservancy & BHA are hosting an Earth Day Pollinator Event on Friday, April 5, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Marina Park.
The 3^rd Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium will take place on April 9, 2024.
The next Duke Energy siren test is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2024
The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, April 19, 2024.
Project Longevity/Community Care is having an event on advanced care planning on May 3, 2024.

Special Meeting

A very quick (5 minutes!) special meeting of the Village Council took place this morning (March 28). The purpose of the meeting was to certify the Certificate of Canvass of the Brunswick County Board of Elections for the $13.5M and $4.5M GO Bond Referendum Elections. The next step is for the Village to complete its application to the Local Government Commission.

If you would like to receive public notices for special meetings, public hearings, and other legal notices, please contact the Village Clerk (email). Use “Sunshine List” in the subject of the email.

Beach Bonfire Season Ends Soon

Turtle nesting season begins on May 1 each year. This means that the Village will no longer be issuing beach bonfire permits after April 30, 2024. If you would like to have a bonfire between now and then, please visit our beach bonfire permits webpage HERE for details. As a reminder, winds MUST NOT exceed 10 MPH. If the winds are too high, your permit is invalid.

Golf Cart Registrations

Golf cart registration renewals were due on January 1, 2024. Public Safety Officers are issuing citations for expired/unregistered golf carts. If you have not yet registered your cart(s), please do so as soon as possible, you can only do it online HERE. Please remember to include your insurance information, mailing address, and VIN. Entering “on file” or “same as last year” is not acceptable.

If you have any specific questions about the annual registration process, please contact Elizabeth Gray, Administrative Assistant, at 910-457-5252 or by e-mail at psadmin@villagebhi.org.

Controlled Burn

Orton Plantation, located off River Rd SE (State Road 133), will be performing controlled burns covering 6,000 acres through May 1, 2024.

Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

All lanes of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge are now open. The eastbound lanes were re-opened ahead of schedule (3/26 instead of 3/31). They will remain open until April 8, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. when the westbound lanes are due to close. This project is expected to be completed by May 23, 2024. For more information on the NCDOT’s bridge preservation project, go to the project webpage HERE.

REMINDERS & EVENTS

Village Offices Closed

Village offices will be closed on Friday, March 29, 2024, in observance of Good Friday. The Island Package Center and Post Office will also be closed but will be open on Saturday, March 30 (10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.).

Islanders should expect traffic pattern changes and/or road closures on Easter Sunday (March 31) near the vicinity of Lighthouse Wynd as we accommodate the estimated 800 folks who will be visiting the Village Chapel for the three services taking place that day.

BHI Transportation, Inc. released an Easter weekend ferry schedule. You can view it HERE.

Old Paper Ticket Expiration

Please take note of this recent announcement from BHI Transportation, Inc.:

Bald Head Island Transportation will STOP accepting two-part (“old”) paper tickets after March 31, 2024. “Old” Bulk 40 tickets (only) may be exchanged for a coupon code through March 31, 2024.

Starting April 1, 2024, only QR-coded “new” tickets and transferred or newly issued passes will be valid for ferry boarding.

Click HERE for the announcement. Click HERE for BHI Transportation’s website.

BHI Earth Day Pollinator Event

The BHI Conservancy and Bald Head Association are hosting an inaugural Earth Day event on April 5, 2024. This year’s theme is pollinators.

There will be a native plant sale, a farmer’s market, and fun activities for the whole family. The NC Wildlife Federation, Bee City USA, Old Baldy, the BHI Garden Club, and others will be sharing the importance of pollinators on Bald Head Island, and how you can create a habitat for them in your own backyard.

Explore the new pollinator garden and complete the BHI Conservancy’s colors-in-nature Bioblitz activity! You’ll learn how to use iNaturalist, a community science app, to make wildlife.

This event satisfies our community’s commitment as a Bee City USA affiliate to host pollinator awareness events. To learn more about Bee City USA, check out our webpage HERE.

3rd Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium

Join the BHI Conservancy on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. This year’s session will feature guest speakers and round table discussion on pressing concerns for Bald Head Island’s next 40 years, including Frying Pan Shoals, development, and maritime forest protection.

Attendees will also enjoy a special presentation from Johnston Graduate Fellow in Coastal Sustainability Kimmy Hansen from UNC-Chapel Hill. Kimmy’s presentation, “Impact of Different Buildout Scenarios on BHI’s Maritime Forest,” will be followed by a round table discussion and public Q&A.

There is no cost to attend this morning session, but please register by emailing BHI Conservancy Executive Director Dr. Chris Shank (shank@bhic.org). Spaces are limited—please RSVP by April 5!

Siren Test

Duke Energy will be testing outdoor warning sirens around the Brunswick Nuclear Plant on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The full-volume, 5-30-second test is scheduled between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. No public action is required. More info can be found HERE.

Next Regular Council Meeting

The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 19, 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.

Project Longevity/Community Care Event

The Project Longevity/Community Care team is back again with a special event. Jason Clamme from Lower Cape Fear Lifecare will be returning to the island. You may recall he was a presenter at their last meeting and discussed hospice care.

Jason will be back to ” Begin the Conversation” about:

Understanding and defining healthcare choices
Putting plans in writing
Sharing decisions with family members and doctors

A notary will be available to assist with the preparation of your advance directives, so be sure to bring your ID.

If you would like to attend on May 3rd at 10 a.m. at the Public Safety Building on Edward Teach, please email Joan Maggio (email) with the following information for each individual who will be attending: