KEY INFORMATION:
- 4/26 Budget Workshop recording available.
- Send us your questions about the Village’s pending legal efforts regarding the future of the Transportation System.
- Dosher Clinic on BHI will be open for the 2024 season.
- Road repair on Edward Teach Extension is complete.
- The Village’s beach accesses receive extra attention.
- Work on Dune Ridge Main lift station off S Bald Head Wynd has begun.
- Thank you for celebrating Arbor Day with us!
REMINDERS:
- It’s turtle AND shorebird nesting season!
- Village Utilities is assessing island properties per the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule.
- Notice of second primary.
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, May 17, 2024.
- Cape Fear Memorial Bridge westbound lanes expected to be closed through May 23, 2024.
Budget Workshop
Last Friday’s budget workshop was recorded and is available for viewing HERE. You can also access the PowerPoint slides and other information about the FY25 budget on our “Annual Budget” webpage HERE. The Manager’s Budget Message will be posted to this webpage on Monday (5/6). The Village Council appreciates your feedback and questions. You can email all council members at once by using the email address council@villagebhi.org.
Send Us Your Questions
In response to the comments received at the 4/19 Village Council meeting, the Village is accepting questions regarding the Village’s pending legal efforts regarding the future of the Transportation System. For more information, please view our announcement from earlier this week HERE.
Dosher Clinic will be seeing patients at the Department of Public Safety for the 2024 peak season. It will operate from May 30 through August 29, 2024. The clinic will be open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The clinic will provide telehealth services with a medical assistant or nurse on the island to support the patient and telemedicine cart. For more information, please view our webpage HERE.
Road Repair
An unexpected water main break last November required the removal of a stretch of asphalt near the intersection of Federal Road and Edward Teach Extension. Public Works filled the hole with several loads of gravel over the last several months and allowed it to settle so that the area could be paved over. The area was paved this week. We hope it is a much smoother ride for folks. During the next large-scale paving project, the Village will have a paving contractor add a new layer of asphalt in this area for improved durability and weather resistance.
Beach Accesses
The Village’s beach accesses are getting new signs, and they are attention grabbing. The Village is replacing the red on white signs with new ones that are white on red which are easier to spot along the beach. As previously reported, the Village is about halfway through the sign replacement project. Public Works is making the signs in- house with its own CNC machine.
On a related note, the Village had several accesses maintained or repaired last fall (#2, #8, #9, #13, #17, #18, #22, #27 and #32) in preparation for this peak season. Each year Public Works surveys the Village’s beach accesses to determine needs, prioritizes the ones that need repair, and selects a handful to include in the annual budget. If you notice any repair needs at the beach accesses, please submit a service request so the Village can evaluate and address the needs as soon as possible. You can submit a service request HERE.
Dune Ridge Main Lift Station
Folks have taken notice of some heavy equipment off South Bald Head Wynd. This is part of the Village’s lift station upgrade project. Crews will be working on the Dune Ridge Main lift station refurbishment for approximately three more weeks. More information about this project and others can be found on the “Village Project” webpage HERE. Staff is working on including additional background information on this project. It started out as a three-phase project and has been expanded to five phases due to inflation and supply chain issues.
Arbor Day
Thank you for celebrating Arbor Day with us last week. Mayor Quinn, Mayor Pro Tem Gardner, Councilor Ginnie White, and Village staff were in attendance. Members of the Bald Head Association’s Resource Conservation and Beautification (RCB) Committee and scholars from the Bald Head Island Academy were also there to assist with the planting of two oak trees at the Department of Public Safety. Mayor Quinn also read the Arbor Day Proclamation. In addition to the tree planting the Village had a virtual celebration. We produced a video looking back at the first five years of the BHA’s Operation Re-Forest – We Forest. You can view the video HERE.
Turtle & Shorebird Nesting Season
It is officially turtle nesting season! It started on May 1 and will last through November 16. It’s also shorebird nesting season which 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.
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
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. For more information, read our Lead & Copper Rule Fact Sheet HERE.
Notice of Second Primary
The Brunswick County Board of Elections would like BHI voters to know that there is a second primary for two state Republican contests, NC Lieutenant Governor and NC State Auditor. Those eligible to vote in this primary are Republicans and Unaffiliated voters who either voted the Republican ballot or did not vote in the March 5, 2024, primary election. Early voting is taking place now through May 11 and the second primary election day is May 14, 2024. More information HERE.
Next Regular Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 17, 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.
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
The westbound lanes of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge are currently closed and are expected to reopen just ahead of Memorial weekend on or before May 23, 2024. More details about the project can be found HERE.