OCBA Draft Minutes From November
Ocracoke Civic and Business Association
DRAFT Minutes
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. Ocracoke Community Center
Meeting was called to order by Rudy Austin at 7:02 p.m. Board members present: Connie Leinbach. Since there was no quorum, no official business could be transacted.
Others present: Sundae Horn, Peter Vankevich, Teresa and Albert O’Neal, Arleen Burley, Darlene Styron, Joelle LeBlanc, Sean and Laurie Death, Corky Pentz, Philip Howard, Ann Ehringhaus, Mickey Baker, Ashley Harrell. Bill Rich attended by telephone conferencing.
Minutes: Of the October meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s report: Connie Leinbach reported in lieu of Kenny Ballance. Total assets are about $42,000 in checking account and $33,900 in the CD (board-restricted to public restrooms). The profit-and loss as of Oct. 31 shows a negative $18,718.51, which reflects the amount needed from Occupancy Tax reimbursement for July 4, Fig Fest and British Cemetery event costs (about $20,000 needed to reimburse all three of these).
Travel & Tourism Director’s report: Sundae Horn reported that the Tourism Resources Assistance Center group with Visit NC who came to Ocracoke Oct. 22 loved their stay here. They showed Sundae how to use their website, and she encouraged the members to send her their info for uploading onto the VisitNC website. They charge for their enhanced website.
Walking map payments are due next week.
OCBA plans to revamp its website www.ocracokevillage.com early next year and she will work on a request- for-proposal over the holidays.
Scenic Byways meets tomorrow in the OVFD fire hall.
Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree: she said that some businesses would like this event to be the weekend before Halloween weekend. Despite a glitch with too many trick-or-treaters along Lighthouse Road, this event was a big success.
Bill Rich, speaking for Hyde County, said he appreciated what the Jamboree committee and OCBA pulled off. It was fantastic. He gave out candy for two and a half hours to people and had folks from Morehead City congratulating us.
County manager’s report:
Noise ordinance discussion: Bill Rich said he and Will Doerfer, special assistant county manager, studied several different towns and noted that many have subjective sections, or enforcement that’s up to law enforcement’s determination of violation.
The group looked at the draft changes to the ordinance, which sets the maximum decibels from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 70, but after that says: noise that crosses property boundaries is in violation.
The question now is what, if any, should the decibel level be from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.? Doerfer has suggested 43. Bill thinks 43 is a fair compromise. “This is a draft,” he said. “If it becomes apparent everyone wants a change, we’ll change it.”
Board member Jim Borland in an email to Connie before the meeting said 43 decibels is “a whisper” and not practical.
Sean Death, owner of the Ocracoke Bar & Grille, presented his findings on noise ordinances of other coastal communities and said 43 decibels is unreasonable and unattainable. Dead silent will be louder than 43, he said. Arleen Burley said she’s heard frogs croaking louder than 43 decibels.
Bill Rich asked what would the community like to accomplish? Sean said it should not be neighbors complaining against neighbors. Stop the (outdoor) music at 10 but then law enforcement should then enforce the ordinance and not wait until someone complains.
Ann Ehringhaus said at three different nights she was awakened at 1 a.m. from the dozens of patrons across the street at the Ocracoke Bar & Grille laughing and talking. She said 45 decibels is considered “enough to awaken a sleeping person.”
Darlene Styron said we have a mix of residential and commercial buildings together. We’re back to being respectful of our neighbors.
Mickey Baker said we’re out in the middle of the ocean and we want peace.
Bill said we’ve got to come to a decision as to “who we are,” and suggested that the county take more decibel readings in various spots in the village in the next several weeks. At a previous meeting, he said he hopes to have the county commissioners approve any ordinance changes at their Jan. 4, 2016, meeting.
Ferry tolling: Bill said he will go to the Dare County commissioners meeting and ask them to rescind the vote they took at their Oct. meeting when they approved the concept of tolling the Hatteras Ferry.
President’s report: Rudy Austin reported that the state will do dredging in the Hatteras Inlet so that charter boars can get out. They are looking to get some type of permanent, ongoing dredging permit for the state’s section of the channel. They hope when that dredging is done it will give the Army Corps a spot to dredge to. A concern with the eroding inlet is Tideland’s main electric cable to Ocracoke. He said Tideland would need $2 million to lay a new cable along the two-mile stretch from about the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum to the point of the island.
Old business: The second vote to approve OCBA sponsorship for $1,500 of the 5K/10K April 23, 2016, will have to be done at December’s meeting due to lack of a board quorum.
NPS report: None
Christmas lights: Ocracoke School junior Matteus Gilbert is refurbishing the Xmas lights and has done about half of them. (There are 30 total.) They should be ready by mid-December for installation.
Announcements: Portsmouth Homecoming will be April 30, 2016.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. The next meeting is Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Respectfully submitted, Connie Leinbach, secretary
