OCBA Draft Minutes from November Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014. Ocracoke School Commons Room
Meeting was called to order by President Rudy Austin at 7:04 p.m. Board members present: Connie Leinbach, Kenny Ballance, Clayton Gaskill and Jim Borland. Members/others present: County Commissioner John Fletcher, County Manager Bill Rich, Sundae Horn, Arleen Burley, Dick and Janey Jacoby, Kris Noble, Chaeli Moyer, Amy Johnson, Melinda Sutton, Samantha Styron and two other Ocracoke School students.
Minutes: The minutes of the Oct. 8 meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s report: Kenny reported that the beginning cash balance was $36,660.22, and the ending balance was $25,517.61. Dues for 2015 have been coming in. He put a stop-payment on a $500 check issued to Valerie Mason in August because the envelope he had sent it in had been opened and nothing was in the envelope.
Travel & Tourism Director’s report: Sundae reported on costs for enlarging the walking map to include some of the information in the current “asset brochure.” The cost of printing this would be greater than what the OCBA currently pays, including more time for Valerie Mason to design it. Since these are not printed until January, the group agreed to make the decision at the December meeting.
Some of the business categories in the walking map need to correlate with the website categories. A motion to add three new business categories to the Walking map was made by Melinda and seconded by Janey. Motion approved and carried.
Treasurer’s report: Kenny reported the CD total is $33,993.49. Beginning checking account balance was $28,517.61. Deposits for 2015 memberships/advertising was $21,361 for an ending balance of $33,411.17.
Pirate Jamboree accounting: The Jamboree received $26,000 from the Occupancy Tax Board for this year’s event. So far, there has been $17,315.62 in expense; $2,305 in program advertising income and $7,073.08 in income from merchandise and beer sales and donations.
After his report, Kenny submitted his resignation as treasurer effective Jan. 1, 2015. It was accepted with regret.
Scenic Byways: Melinda showed the signage developed by Scenic Byways that will be installed on Ocracoke. A motion to replace the “Ocracoke Village” sign at the north end of the island ferry entrance (south docks) with the Scenic Byways sign was made by Sundae and seconded by Dick Jacoby. Motion approved and carried.
County manager’s report: Bill Rich reported that Hyde County contributed $12,500 to the Scenic Byways signage.
There will be an added three trash receptacles at the NPS docks area.
John Torbett, a state representative from Gaston County who is head of the NC House Transportation Committee, is still strongly in our court and against tolls. He and the lobbyists, Henri and Joe McClees, have done a lot for Hyde County. The McClees’s were again were hired by Hyde County to lobby for Ocracoke in Raleigh and Washington, D.C. Part of the McClees’s federal focus is to persuade FEMA to pay the county $900,000 in claims still outstanding from Hurricane Irene (2011). They also will help fight the loss of PILT (payment in lieu of taxes) that the federal government is considering.
Two drop-culverts will be installed soon to mitigate the puddle at Blackbeard’s Lodge.
The “NC 12” signs will be replaced with the correct “Irvin Garrish Hwy” signs.
The wood chipper is back in service.
Dump: he is working to get a drainage system around the trash compactors to prevent the compactor leachate from running into the street. It’s a nasty mess at the dump and he is not happy with the service from David’s Trash Service. Although there are two years left on the contract with them, he will write them a letter asking them to beef up their service or relinquish their contract. Kenny noted that because of the build-up in the bins during the week, residents who try to bring debris to the dump on the weekends are getting turned away.
He noted that monthly meetings here with Ferry Division officials will continue. He met with Jed Dixon, deputy ferry division director, and asked them to add another trip mid-day to and from Swan Quarter this winter. As for the ferry officials, he said they are in favor of adding passenger ferries on the Hatteras route but want the community’s approval.
Justin LeBlanc, who attended the meeting via cell phone, reiterated that he doesn’t want Ocracoke to lose the short ferry route.
Bill also reported that he is asking Derelict boats: He is looking into some way of dealing with such boats that are in Silver Lake.
County Commissioner’s report: none
New business: The group discussed the renovation of the Ocracoke Community Center and noted that many users are complaining that the acoustics (with the removal of the drop ceiling and stage curtains) need deadening—with window curtains added and/or stage curtains replaced. A motion for the OCBA to write a letter to the Community Center board requesting this was made by Sundae and seconded by Amy Johnson. Motion approved and carried.
Nominating committee: Rudy asked Melinda Sutton to join himself and Connie Leinbach on that committee.
Announcements: The Community Christmas Concert will be held in the Community Center at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Next meeting is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, in the Ocracoke Community Center
Respectfully submitted,
Connie Leinbach, secretary
OCRACOKE CIVIC AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Monthly meeting
7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014
Ocracoke Community Center
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Approval of Minutes
- Treasurer’s Report (Kenny Ballance)
- Travel & Tourism Director report (Sundae Horn)
5. President’s Report
6. New Business
Ocracoke 5K/10K request for 2015 sponsorship (Greg Honeycutt)
7. Old Business
8. As-needed updates:
Committee reports
Officers’ reports
County Manager, Bill Rich
County Commissioner, John Fletcher
Ed Fuller, NPS
9. Announcements
10. Adjourn
Next meeting: Wednesday, Jan. 14 , 2015. 7 p.m. Ocracoke Community Center
