Mosquito Control Seeks More Revenue
As many of you likely know, the Ocracoke Mosquito Control Board (OMCB) is funded via a tax assessment on property of $0.01 per $100 of value. This tax is imposed on homes, vehicles, and other real property. It recent years it has generated between $50,000 to $60,000 per year. This covers Mosquito Control activities including village spraying, larvicide treatment of open (and accessible) waterbodies, and clearing and cutting of the various existing drainage ditches in the village where property owners will allow access. It any given year this revenue only slightly exceeds operational expenses.
Several years ago, the OMCB tax rate was double the current rate, at $0.02 per $100 of value. This rate generated a considerable surplus of the OMCB of approximately $250,000. The current OMCB has been using these surplus funds to address drainage problems, aka puddles, around the village. To date we have successfully addressed the “Blackbeard’s Lodge puddle” on Back Road, Fig Tree Lane (aka Duck Path) puddle on Back Road, and improved drainage in the North Pond area. We have recently awarded a contract to improve drainage in the lighthouse area among Silver Lake Drive, Sarah Ellen Drive, and Creek Road. The projects have and will continue to drawdown the surplus funds.
The OMCB would like to continue to address drainage problems around the village. Some of the drainage issues we hope to address in coming years include:
- Additional lighthouse area improvements;
- The “Edwards Motel Puddle” on Old Beach Road at Sanddollar Road:
- The “Zillie’s Puddle” on Back Road between Zillie’s and Mark’s Path:
- The Silver Lake Drive puddle between Ride the Wind and the fishhouse; and
- Other puddles or drainage issues brought to us by residents and businesses.
In order to be able to continue to conduct our regular mosquito control operations and address drainage issues, we will need additional revenue. We would like to propose to the community that we return the OMCB tax rate to $0.02 per $100 of value. We cannot ourselves raise the assessment. We must request such from the Hyde County Board of Commissioners. Before doing so, we are soliciting input from the community. If you believe the drainage projects to date have been successful and that continuing to address such problems is worth the increased assessment, please let us know. If you believe it is not worth increasing the assessment, please let us know. We can be reached by mail at PO Box 312 Ocracoke, NC 27960 or via e-mail to omccomm@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can attend our May OMCB meeting scheduled for 6PM on Thursday, May 17 at the Community Center.
Sincerely,
Your OMCB
Justin LeBlanc, Chair
Cyndi Gaskill, Secretary/Treasurer
Rudy Austin
