Meetings Round-Up
This month's Hyde County Board of Commissioners meeting (Monday, 2/2/15) was jammed packed with updates, voting, and, more updates! We'll cover more of those issues elsewhere, but here's the scoop on leash laws and animal control:
Recently, some Ocracoke residents have been trying to have a leash law established in the village in an effort to prevent dog attacks on other animals and people. At the meeting, County Manager Bill Rich spoke about a couple points. One was in response to Commissioner John Fletcher's question from the previous months's meeting: can Ocracoke have its own leash law, separate from the rest of Hyde County? Manager Rich simply said yes.
Currently, Animal Control does not fall under the responsibility of the Sheriff's Department, and due to budget cuts several years ago, Animal Control was placed under the Health Department. Ocracoke's Animal Control Ordinance allows Animal Control to take care of vicious, aggressive, or neusance animals, but with no Animal Control Officer currently located on Ocracoke, concern arose in the community. After a series of animal attacks and from owners allowing their aggressive pets to roam freely, people in the community began to speak up and express their concerns, but the Sheriff's Department could not do legally do anything in regards to animal control.
Since last month's County Commissioners meeting, an outline was drawn up and a plan created in order to expand animal control responsibilities to the Sheriff's Department. Starting March 1, 2015, the new plan will put Animal Control under the responsibility of County Manager Bill Rich and Sheriff Guire Cahoon, enabling the Sheriff's Department to enforce animal control within Ocracoke Village.
The Hyde County Board of Education met on Tuesday to discuss a wide range of issues. Despite the overwhelming support within the community to reinstate art at Ocracoke School, no official discussion was held. Local Nancy Leach formed a petition through change.org where people could (and still can!) sign to show their support for bringing art back.
As of Monday night's County Commissioners meeting, 500 people had signed the petition. This also wasn't mentioned during the Board of Education meeting. However, Mr. Whitaker, Chair of the Board, did say, "I love art," and continued by speaking about a fond memory he has from when he was 14 or 15 years old. He described how he helped create displays and scenery at the school for Christmastime, and how he used watercolors to paint glass doors. He also said he wants art to, "start rolling again so we can get these schools to shine."
Cynthia Gibbs, a representative from the Hyde County Hotline, spoke about ways to prevent youth violence and bullying. February is "Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month," and Ms. Gibbs said the Hotline – working alongside the Board of Education – wants young people to know how to respect one another, and develop and maintain healthy relationships. She went on to say that dating violence and domestic violence are extensions of bullying; violence is a cycle, one that has to be broken. Ms. Gibbs explained how our communities are no different from others or immune to any of these issues. She also stressed the importance of teaching youth how to prevent violence. Ms. Gibbs said, "These problems exist and we need to try to confront them because we need our youth to be whole and healthy in every way." Hyde County Hotline is a private, non-profit organization that is available 24 hours a day by calling their crisis center at 252-925-2500. Office hours (for non-emergencies) are Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30.
Victoria Mallison, Exceptional Children Program Director, talked to the Board about a new program within the department to cut costs yet maintain a superior level of education. Telepractice will allow exceptional children to receive instruction through specialists via a Skype-type program at their school. Hyde County pays out a high hourly rate for specialists to travel here, and Telepractice will eliminate those costs. Telepractice will also allow specialists and teachers to educate the student(s) and monitor their progress in a private and personal setting. Ms. Mallison assured the Board of this program's effectiveness and spoke enthusiastically about the benefits it will bring to the children, teachers, and specialists, plus how Telepractice will save money.
Plans to renovate the former Ocracoke Fire Hall will be discussed later this month with local radio station WOVV (90.1 FM). The idea is to make WOVV accessible to more of the community, with the hopes allowing Ocracoke School students to do programming and shows.
The Board commended the schools for their exceptional Christmas programs. Chair of the Board, Mr. Whitaker, said members of the communities have expressed their positive feelings and encouraging comments about the productions.
At January's Board of Education meeting, two Ocracoke School students were recognized for their winning entries in the annual Hyde County Schools Christmas card contest. Each year, four winners are selected from the entire county and their designs become part of the electronic greeting that Hyde County sends to other school entities. 4th grader Lillian Perez and Kindergartener Tatiana Martinez of Ocracoke School attended the meeting with their parents so they could receive their original artwork (nicely-framed for them by the school board), along with a certificate of achievement.
Superintendent Randolph Latimore commended the children, and remarked that "Even without art, we still had the contest." Former art teacher Kitty Mitchell was also there to see them get their awards. Congratulations to the young artists!
