In this issue:
- Highlights from the March Village Council regular meeting.
- The Village is requesting input on ICE vehicles and trailers.
- Dosher’s health talk and future status on the island.
- The living shoreline has been installed!
Reminders & Events:
- An island-wide shredding event is taking place on Thursday, April 3, 2025.
- Share your thoughts on wind and solar development on April 4, 2025.
- The year’s Earth Day Celebration and Arbor Day Ceremony is on Friday, April 4, 2025.
- The 4th Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium is on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
- Duke Energy will test sirens on April 9, 2025.
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, April 11, 2025.
- A third ICE Vehicle & Trailer Town Hall is scheduled for Monday, April 14, 2025.
- FY26 budget preparation is underway, how you can participate.
Village Council Regular Meeting
The Village Council conducted its last regular meeting on Friday, March 21, 2025. A full recap of the meeting is on our website HERE.
Below are a few highlights:
- Village Council adopted resolutions for Arbor Day and Earth Day.
- Village Council adopted changes to the ordinance regulating beach bonfires.
- There was a first reading of a zoning ordinance text amendment amending the maximum height requirement in the PD-2C zoning district. A public hearing on this amendment will take place on April 11, 2025.
- Village Council approved an off-island office space lease proposal.
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).
ICE Vehicles & Trailers
Village staff hosted a second ICE Vehicle & Trailer Town Hall for property owners and HOA/POA representatives on March 18. Like the first, the second town hall was well attended. The presentations and ordinances discussed at the town halls can be found online HERE.
The Village is accepting comments from property owners and HOA/POA representatives through Friday, April 4, 2025, at comments@villagebhi.org.
Staff will host a third town hall on Monday, April 14, 2025, to receive feedback from island business owners; details are below under “Reminders and Events.”
Dosher’s Health Talk
Yesterday, Dosher Memorial Hospital conducted a community wellness seminar titled “Enjoy a longer, healthier life!” to a small but engaged audience. Dosher Physician Assistant Jeff Martin’s talk was given by Cassaundra Hefner, DNP, FNP-BC, in Martin’s absence. Hefner covered several health topics that informed attendees on what they need to know to prevent disease and stay healthy. This includes information about important screenings for men and women at different ages and stages, along with the three areas that are key to preventing disease and achieving optimal health.
Since COVID-19 began in 2020, Dosher has had many challenges with staffing and their ability to maintain patient volume at the clinic on BHI. They moved to providing virtual visits with staff on the island, hoping to maintain volume and service.
This past summer, visits declined to less than 30. Due to this change, they feel they could better support BHI through education and outreach opportunities while reaching more residents and visitors. This means that Dosher will no longer have an on-island clinic.
Yesterday’s health talk was the first of several opportunities that Dosher has planned to reach residents and visitors on BHI. Here are a few others that are in the works:
- June – Attend Public Safety Day to help provide awareness and answer questions about Dosher as the local hospital and providers to serve those in the community.
- August – Informational session with the Dosher team to talk about our Master Facility Plan and growth. This would include information about our New Emergency Room which is under construction now and planned to be completed in early 2026.
- October- Flu Vaccines offered on the island.
Stay tuned for dates and times as they are finalized.
Living Shoreline
The living shoreline was installed on a portion of the shoreline at Marina Park on February 24, 2025. This project is a collaboration between the Village, BHI Conservancy, Sandbar Oyster Company, the NC Coastal Federation, and the Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability. The Village’s Public Works staff helped unload the large reef frameworks. Conservancy staff and volunteers teamed up to get the muddy part of the work done.
The Conservancy says that Marina Park is a great location for a living shoreline because there is erosion along the shoreline by the bulkhead due to boat wakes and sea level rise. More info HERE.
REMINDERS & EVENTS
Shredding Event
An island-wide shredding event is taking place on Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Marina Park. All islanders are invited to bring their shredding material in a standard “banker’s box’ sized box for confidential shredding and destruction. Businesses with multiple boxes will cover the cost of the shred truck on a pro-rata basis. The cost for the shredding for individuals is $10 per box with all net proceeds benefiting the BHI Conservancy.
Wind & Solar Public Meeting
As part of the Carolinas Renewable Energy Development Assistance and Siting Hub (DASH), the NC Clean Energy Technology Center — in partnership with the NC Cooperative Extension,
Center for Energy Education, Southeastern Wind Coalition, and South Carolina Energy Office — is committed to engaging local communities to gather their insights on large-scale renewable energy projects.
They are hosting community meetings focusing on large-scale solar and wind energy projects to provide a platform for residents to voice their perspectives and learn about the DASH initiative.
Your input will help inform the siting, permitting, and development process and shape future educational workshops, technical assistance, and an online technical assistance hub with resources for communities across the Carolinas. The Brunswick County meeting is on April 3, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm at the Brunswick County Center, 25 Referendum Dr NE, Bolivia, NC 28422. RSVP and see other locations HERE.
Earth Day Celebration
This year’s Earth Day Celebration is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Marina Park. Some of the planned activities and educational opportunities include:
- BHI Conservancy will have educational info about sea turtles, a painting activity for kids, and will be showing folks the new living shoreline!
- Bee City USA table with literature and FREE milkweed seed packets (donations welcome).
- Organizations attending: NC Wildlife (with butterfly info), Museum of Coastal Carolina, NC State Cooperative Extension (with soil testing kits), and others invited.
At the conclusion of the event, Mayor Quinn will be reading the Arbor Day proclamation, and all are invited to join us at the Department of Public Safety’s side parking lot for a tree planting in the area between Public Safety and Contractor Services.
Fourth Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium
The Fourth Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium is on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the BHI Generator Society Hall. This session will include several guest speakers, including Village Manager Chris McCall. The theme this year is “Smart Decision Making.” There is no cost to attend the morning session, but please register by emailing BHI Conservancy Executive Director Dr. Chris Shank (shank@bhic.org). Spaces are limited, please RSVP by April 2.
Siren Testing
The outdoor warning sirens around Duke Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant will be tested between 10 and 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The test will last five to thirty seconds. No public action is required.
For more information about the outdoor warning sirens, residents can refer to the information available on Duke Energy’s website HERE.
Duke Energy customers can sign up to receive phone, text, and email alerts HERE.
Next Regular Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is on Friday, April 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda will be posted HERE. Zoom information to listen-in remotely can be found HERE.
ICE Vehicle & Trailer Town Hall
The Village has heard from contractors, property owners, and HOA/POAs and will be hearing from island businesses on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Department of Public Safety multi-purpose room. This will be the third and final town hall.
Your feedback will help Village staff draft necessary ordinance changes that will be presented to the Village Council. A public hearing will be held to receive input on the draft ordinance.
Public notices for hearings are emailed to those who are on the Village’s “Sunshine List” and posted at Village Hall. If you would like to be on the email distribution list, please contact Darcy Sperry at village.clerk@villagebhi.org and use “Sunshine List” in the subject line.
FY26 Budget Preparation
Like last year, the Village will assist taxpayers in keeping up with the budget process by placing all the meeting/workshop information, documents, and resources in one place. Our “Annual Budget” webpage can be found HERE. Taxpayers will have access to the budget schedule, video of the budget workshop(s), presentation slides, meeting minutes, and any additional information produced as part of the Council’s deliberation on the FY26 budget. Taxpayers are encouraged to submit questions and comments.
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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