Village's Voice - Village of Bald Head Island

In this issue:

Highlights from the November Village Council regular meeting.
Sand placement for the 2025 CDSR project due to start first week in December.
The Village has published the post-PTC #8 Q&As.
Holiday schedule for IPC/PO, holiday mail & package tips.
Construction on N.C. 133 to begin on December 2, 2024.

Reminders & Events:

Annual change from chloramines to chlorine is underway.
Yard debris pick up is now once monthly, you MUST put in a work order if you need us to pick up your debris.
Annual golf cart registrations will begin no earlier than December 2, 2024.
Dementia seminar scheduled for November 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Department of Public Safety.
The fourth annual Golf Cart Christmas Parade will take place on Friday, November 29, 2024.
Village offices will be closed on November 28 & 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. BHIT has released its Thanksgiving ferry schedule.
New ferry schedule begins on December 1, 2024.
The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, December 13, 2024.

Regular Council Meeting

The Village Council conducted its last regular meeting on Friday, November 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. A full recap of the meeting is on our website HERE.

Below are a few highlights:

The Village’s coastal engineers gave an update on the upcoming 2025 Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project. There was also discussion on long term planning for the soft-tube groin field as far as determining how the tubes will be maintained into the future. They will present more information on this at the Village Council’s annual retreat (February 3 & 4, 2025).
Chief Gibson gave an update on the proposed camera system. The Village is receiving options from a combination of vendors. Line of sight is going to be a main issue for installing cameras on BHI. Staff will be presenting the options at the December meeting.
Chief Gibson presented some photos from the manufacturer who is working on the Village’s ladder truck and engine. The Village is still expecting delivery of these apparatus and the second ambulance by the end of the year. View the photos HERE.
Public Services Director, JP McCann reported that Village Utilities staff have evaluated the grinder pumps that were impacted by PTC #8 and is looking at options to modify the equipment to lessen the impacts of stormwater flooding. In speaking with industry representatives, none of the options available will completely eliminate inflow and infiltration (I&I) from getting into the system. At best the modifications will offer more operational control and result in getting the grinder pumps turned on more quickly once they have been submerged.
Mr. McCall reported that Verizon is expected to get started on moving its equipment to a higher location on the cell tower next month (December 2024). This work should be completed by the end of the 4^th quarter.
Mr. McCall announced that the Village has completed a draft ADA Transition Plan. He reviewed the implementation plans which include communications, public buildings, spaces and rights-of-way. The draft plan is available online HERE. The Village is requesting public input which can be submitted to the Village Clerk (village.clerk@villagebhi.org) or at the December 13, 2024, public hearing.
Ms. Faulkner (Public Information Officer) reported that Village staff hosted the Village’s inaugural hospitality meeting on October 23. About 25 folks attended, representing several rental companies, inns, and a few businesses. Staff gave an overview of the Village’s communication channels and target audiences. Then there was a discussion amongst the group on the best ways to inform renters about the island to improve their experience. This generated a few ideas for additional content that can be pushed out to the renters prior to their stay. Due to its success, the Village will likely make this an annual meeting.

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 August meeting minutes, they can be found under the September regular meeting agenda).

2025 CDSR Project

The Village’s 2025 Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project is due to start any day now with the mobilization of equipment and pipe placement on the beach near Beach Access #11 (Sandpiper Trail). No sign of them yet as of today (11/21). Sand placement is expected to start the first week in December. The Village will be updating the project webpage (HERE) and posting regularly on its social media channels (HERE) as the project progresses. Please send direct any questions to the Village Public Information Officer at public.information@villagebhi.org or (910) 457-9700 ext. 1025.

PTC #8 Q&As

As previously announced, the Village has responded to the questions received on its response to the stormwater flooding due to Potential Tropical Storm #8. Those questions and answers can be reviewed in this Q&A document (HERE). Village Staff anticipates presenting a PTC #8 response summary at the December 13 regular Village Council meeting.

Holiday Schedule for the Island Package Center & Post Office

Thanksgiving Holiday – The IPC/PO will be closed on Thursday, November 28^th and Friday, November 29^th, 2024, for the Thanksgiving holiday. It will be open extended hours on Wednesday, November 27^th and will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. USPS mail will be put up on Saturday, November 30^th, 2024.

Christmas Holiday – The IPC/PO will be open for extended hours on Monday, December 23, 2024, and will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. The IPC/PO will be closed Tuesday, December 24^th and Wednesday, December 25^th. Although the Village offices will remain closed on Thursday, December 26^th, the IPC/PO will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day. We recommend that if you are having items shipped to the island for this holiday that you place your orders December 9 or earlier to give sufficient time to make it to the island.

Holiday Mail & Package Tips

With the holidays right around the corner, the Bald Head Island Post Office and Island Package Center (IPC) has a few tips and reminders if you are planning to mail and ship items from the island this season. View our tips HERE.

N.C. 133 Construction

The NCDOT is replacing the existing culverts carrying Sand Hill Creek under N.C. 133 with a new bridge. This work will require a road closure on N.C. 133 with an off-site detour route on N.C. 87 and U.S. 17 (see map below) More info information on this project can be found HERE (the project timeline was delayed due to PTC #8).

N.C. 133 and Funston Road will be closed to through traffic during construction. Approximately 1/2 mile of N.C. 133 will be closed, and the road closure will be in place from north of Funston Road to south of Funston Road. Funston Road will be closed at the intersection of N.C. 133.

Through traffic from the south should follow N.C. 87 to U.S. 17 to N.C. 133 at Belville.
Through traffic from the north should follow U.S. 17 to N.C. 87 to N.C. 133 north of Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point.

The completion date is set for fall 2025, however there are incentives for the contractor to complete the project earlier.

REMINDERS & EVENTS

Annual Change from Chloramines to Chlorine

The annual change from chloramines to chlorine is now under way (the County switched on October 26). The change is expected to continue through mid-December 2024. Customers may notice some discoloration and the presence of sediment in your water. These conditions are not harmful and should be of short duration. For more information, view the full notice on our Utilities webpage HERE under Notices.

Yard Debris Reminders

For islanders who do their own yard work, the Village will pick up yard debris once monthly on the first Wednesday of the month November through March and twice monthly on the first and third Wednesday of the month April through October. Property owners who have piles of debris ready for pick up MUST put in a work order via our online service request system (HERE) or place a request through our customer service representative at (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000.

The Village does not pick up debris on-demand, only the designated dates (2024 calendar) and only via service request placed online or via customer service. Please also make sure you follow these guidelines:

Piles should be left on the roadside.
Do not cover water meters or any other utility infrastructure.
The Village will not accept limbs larger than 6 inches in diameter at the largest point.
Please make your request no later than 2:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup.
If you use a landscaper/contractor, they are responsible for removing debris. This service is for property owners with occupied homes who do their own yard work.

Annual Golf Cart Registrations

Golf cart owners will be able to apply and pay for annual renewals beginning on Monday, December 2, 2024 (no earlier). On this day, a “2025 Golf Cart Registration Renewal” button will appear on the Village’s webpage.

This year, please note the date you submitted your renewal. The Village’s webpage will be updated regularly as stickers are available for pick-up at the Department of Public Safety. We will be indicating what renewals have been processed by the date they were received. We process renewals in the order they are received.

Dementia Seminar

Project Longevity/Community Care will be hosting Jason Clamme from Lower Cape Fear Life Center to conduct a Dementia Seminar. This will be taking place on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at the Department of Public Safety (273 Edward Teach Ext.). Seating is limited.

Golf Cart Christmas Parade

The fourth annual Golf Cart Christmas Parade will take place on Friday, November 29, 2024. Cart line-up begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Shoals Club parking lot and the parade route, led by Public Safety’s fire truck carrying Santa himself, meanders along South Bald Head Wynd and ends at the Bald Head Island Club and their Winter Wonderland Festival.

The entry fee is only $20 per cart, with all proceeds benefiting Brunswick County Family Assistance. To register, you can use VENMO to Christine Osborne @Christine-Osborne-22, or ZELLE to 919-868-0643. Follow this with an email to either Christine Osborne or Joyce Nelson with the number of carts you’re entering, along with your family name and cart name.

Thanksgiving

Village offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. This includes the Island Package Center & Post Office (IPC/PO) and Public Safety administration. Please call 911 if you need a Public Safety Officer to come to you.

BHIT has released its Thanksgiving ferry schedule, you can view it HERE.

New Ferry Schedule

As previously reported, the NC Utilities Commission approved a new passenger ferry schedule as part of a settlement between Bald Head Island Transportation and Island stakeholders. The agreement includes a one-year trial period, the elimination of the mid-day break, and the introduction of a reservation system for employees and contractors by January 31, 2025.

BHIT will implement the new schedule starting December 1, 2024. For more details and to view the schedule, visit BHIT’s webpage HERE.

Next Regular Council Meeting

The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 13, 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.

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/Community Care event info HERE.
The Village calendar can be found HERE.