Village’s Voice

In this issue:

  • Highlights from the July Village Council regular meeting.
  • New trash compactor hours – A correction.
  • BHI Transportation, Inc. announces passenger ferry summer schedule adjustment.
  • Scam alert! 
  • A message from Brunswick County on property tax bills.
  • 2025 municipal election information.

Reminders & Events:

  • Brunswick County remains under a Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert.
  • The BHI Yacht Club Summer Concert Series continues now through August 13.
  • Brunswick County is holding its annual Health and Wellness Fair on Friday, August 1.
  • 2025 BHI Pirate Invasion takes place August 1-3.
  • The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, August 15, 2025.
  • REMINDER: As previously reported, Public Works no longer accepts hazardous waste outside of scheduled drop-off days, which are TBD.
  • Your feedback is needed to help develop the update to the Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Village Council Regular Meeting

The Village Council conducted its last regular meeting on Friday, July 18, 2025.  A full recap with additional details is on our website HERE.  You can also listen to our new podcast episode recapping the meeting HERE.

Below are a few highlights:

  • The Village Council received additional staff recommendations about changes to the ordinances on ICE vehicles and trailers.  

    Draft ordinance amendments are expected to be presented to the Council at the next regular meeting (August 15), and a public hearing will be conducted at the September 19 regular meeting, with possible ordinance adoption occurring at this time.

    The current recommendation is to provide a 2-year period for contractors to transition to the new size requirements. No “new to the island” ICE vehicles/trailers are being issued permits unless they meet the current ordinance.

    Staff are looking into a way to allow for one oversize vehicle to be permitted per general contractor license/business entity to address the contractor’s need to have one vehicle that can move materials between job sites.
  • The Village Council discussed the comments received from the public in response to Mayor Quinn’s request for input on the future of the Village’s park properties. Some of the items the public requested have already been pursued (bike paths), and some items staff have started researching (creek boat ramp silt issue, tent/pavilion structure). Staff was directed to gather all information to present to the public and the Council prior to the next Council retreat.
  • The Village Council received a presentation from the Assistant Village Manager regarding the challenges that the Island Package Center and Post Office is having because Amazon started sending more packages via USPS than UPS.  The Village does not receive a per-package rate for packages received from the USPS. The Village is looking into the possibility of getting a contract with Amazon. There is also a chance that the return to sender policy of 30 days will be shortened to help with space at the IPC/PO facility.
  • Village Manager Chris McCall announced that Finance Director Zachary Hewett received his Local Government Budget Officer certification.  He presented Zach with the framed certificate.
Village Manager Chris McCall (right) presented Finance Officer Zachary Hewett with his framed certificate for Local Government Budget

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). 

New Trash Compactor Hours

Beginning on Friday, July 18, 2025, the gate to access the compactor will be closed daily.  It will be open on the following days and hours:

  • Monday – Friday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 AM to 1:30 PM.

Please note that it was incorrectly reported that the gate would be closed on Sundays. We apologize for any confusion.

The compactors are not meant for paint, lawn chairs, construction debris, or yard debris. Please help the Village keep this area clean.

The recycling receptacles continue to be available 24/7.  Please make sure you are placing unbagged acceptable materials in these containers.  Please use the “cardboard only” receptacle for all cardboard.  A list of acceptable material can be found HERE.  If you have renters, please be sure you have designated receptacles in your home for them to place recyclables and that they know what is acceptable.  This info is in our new Visitors Guide (HERE).

Passenger Ferry Summer Schedule Adjustment

BHI Transportation Inc. posted the following announcement on Monday, 7/21:

In accordance with the North Carolina Utility Commission Order dated 7/9/2025, the Summer Passenger Ferry schedule will be adjusted to change the current Friday and Saturday 9:30 p.m. departure from Bald Head Island (BHI) to 10:00 p.m. beginning Friday, 8/15/202,5 and Saturday, 8/16/2025.

The 9:30 pm BHI departure for Friday, 8/8/2025, and Saturday, 8/9/2025 will be the last 9:30 p.m. departures for the remainder of the Summer schedule. Those with Friday and Saturday 9:30 pm reservations departing BHI after 8/9/2025 will be contacted via email and/or text and may transfer their BHI departure reservation to the new 10:00 p.m. departure or another available departure time. The updated Friday and Saturday 10:00 p.m. departure is available for reservations beginning 8/15/2025.

This change does not affect any other Summer Passenger Ferry schedule departures, the Employee / Contractor Ferry schedule, nor the Winter Passenger Ferry schedule. NCUC order and updated schedule (beginning 8/15/2025) available here: https://www.baldheadislandferry.com/schedule/

Scam Alert!

The Department of Public Safety and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) would like Islanders to know about a couple of recent scams that have been taking place.

The first scam is a romance scam targeting local seniors.  BCSO volunteers received texts and photos from a potential victim.  The photos were of a very handsome man claiming to be a successful professional. The message also referenced the exact street where the potential lives! (BCSO social post HERE).

Messages like this often come from scammers pretending to be:

  • A wealthy businessman.
  • A high-ranking military officer.
  • A recent widower looking for love.

They aim to build trust quickly, often targeting older adults, and eventually ask for money, gift cards, or personal information.

Please help us protect others by sharing this with friends, neighbors, and especially seniors.

Tips:

  • Never respond to unsolicited messages from unknown numbers.
  • Don’t share personal information or photos with strangers online, no matter how charming they seem.

The second scam making the rounds claims to be from the NCDOT/DMV.

If you get a sketchy message asking you to click a link about your license, registration, or some urgent nonsense, don’t fall for it! The DMV isn’t texting folks out of the blue, and they certainly don’t want your personal info via mystery links.

Don’t click the link. Don’t reply. Block the sender, report it as spam and delete it.  

Stay alert and protect yourself! Scammers are always looking for new ways to trick people — don’t fall for it. (BCSO social posts HERE and HERE).

Property Tax Bills

Brunswick County property owners will soon receive their tax bills in the mail. Tax bills are due and payable on September 1, 2025, and can be paid without interest up to and including on January 5, 2026. For Bald Head Island property owners, the property tax for the Village is also included on this bill.  If you are located in one of the municipal service districts for beach nourishment, that charge will also be on this tax bill.

Payments can be submitted online, over the phone, by mail, in person, or in our physical drop box. Learn more at BrunswickCountyNC.gov/Tax

If your mailing address has changed, you can update the County’s record HERE.

Source: Brunswick County Government Facebook.

2025 Municipal Election

Candidate filing for the November 4, 2025, municipal election closed on Friday, July 18. The Village has three (3) seats open for election this year: the Mayor and two Council Members.  The candidates who filed are listed below.

Village of Bald Head Island Mayor

  • Peter C. Quinn
  • Scott Thomas

Village of Bald Head Island Council Member

  • Slaughter Fitz-Hugh
  • Thomas J. Antalik
  • Jesse Hermann
  • Andrew R. Hano, Sr.
  • John L. Fisher
  • Debra Drumheller

A few important dates:

Friday, October 3Absentee ballots available
Sunday, October 5Residency deadline
Friday, October 10 (forms must be postmarked by this date)Voter registration deadline
Thursday, October 16 – Saturday, November 1Early Voting
Tuesday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m.All absentee ballots due at the Board of Elections office
Tuesday, November 4; polls open from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.Municipal Election
Friday, November 14, 11:00 a.m.Canvass
Source: Brunswick County Board of Elections Facebook. 

Not all Bald Head Island property owners are eligible to vote in this election.  Please review Brunswick County’s residency information HERE.  You can find more information about the 2025 municipal election at the Brunswick County Board of Elections webpage HERE. The Village also shares information released by the Board of Elections on social media and posts updates on the Village website HERE.


REMINDERS & EVENTS:

Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert

Brunswick County is currently under a Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert. This includes Bald Head Island Utilities. You can help conserve water and even out system demands by following the recommended irrigation schedule. See the full recommended irrigation schedule and learn more about the alert HERE.

Source: Brunswick County Government Facebook.

BHI Yacht Club Summer Concert Series

The BHI Yacht Club 2025 Summer Concert Series continues with Tru Sol performing tomorrow night (7/23). Between private donations, reserved seating, and a generous sponsorship offer, the BHI Yacht Club is able to bring The Embers back for an encore performance on August 13th!!

The Village is a sponsor; we have law enforcement there and our own booth. Come say hi! 

View flyer HERE.

2025 Health & Wellness Fair

Brunswick County is holding its annual Health and Wellness Fair on Friday, August 1. Come by the Brunswick County Health and Wellness Fair on Friday, August 1, 2025, anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Government Center in Bolivia to learn best practices for a healthy lifestyle.

This family-friendly event is free to attend and will feature over 30 local businesses and organizations that are ready to teach you and your loved ones how to live healthier through interactive demonstrations, health screenings, activities, handouts, and more.

For additional details, view the County’s announcement HERE.

Source: Brunswick County Government Facebook.

2025 BHI Pirate Invasion

Join us in celebrating the 2025 Bald Head Island Pirate Invasion the weekend of August 1-3.  
This action-packed weekend features live pirate reenactments, historical encampments, cannon battles, sword fights, and interactive activities for kids and adults alike. From the moment you step onto the island, you’ll be transported back to the 17th century when pirates like Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard roamed our coast.

Do not be alarmed if you hear cannon fire during this time.

Visit baldheadislandpirateinvasion.com for full event details and ticket reservations.

This event is entirely supported by volunteers and sponsors, including the Village of Bald Head Island.  To volunteer or to get a sponsorship form, please contact Sandy Kades HERE.

Next Village Council Meeting

The next regular Village Council Meeting is on Friday, August 15, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda will be posted HERE.  Zoom information to listen in remotely can be found HERE.

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.

Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Survey

Brunswick, New Hanover, Onslow, and Pender Counties and their associated municipalities (including Bald Head Island) are working together to become less vulnerable to natural disasters. The counties, along with local jurisdictions and other partners, are working to update the previous Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan identifies and assesses the region’s natural hazard risks and identifies strategies that determine how to best minimize or manage those risks.  You can find more information about the plan HERE.

Your participation in the process is important to us!  Please consider responding to the public survey HERE. This survey is an opportunity for you to share your opinions and participate in the mitigation planning process. The information you provide will help us better understand your hazard concerns and can lead to mitigation activities designed to help lessen the impacts of future hazard events.

If you have any questions regarding this survey or would like to learn about more ways you can participate in the development of the Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, please contact Nathan Slaughter, Project Manager at nslaughter@espassociates.com.

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.

Find us on Linktree.