Hyde County Puts Skin in the Game

"In response to legitimate concerns that were expressed at last week's meeting of the Occupancy Tax Board, we have decided to reduce our request to the OTB by $70,000 and to make up the difference from the Hyde County Budget," said Ocracoke Commissioner Tom Pahl. (Editor's note: the county will now ask Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board for $146,000 over two years to fund the tram system.)

County Manager Bill Rich said that the OTB meeting was "very positive" and that after some discussion, it was agreed that the county would seek the additional funding from the 2018-19 budget.  That would allow the funding to be in place in time to fund the tram operations for its first year, starting in May of 2018.

Rich said, "Once this thing gets going, the increase in revenue to the businesses of Ocracoke and to the County will easily justify this expense.  In fact, I don't see it as an expense as much as an investment."

In addition, according to Pahl, County officials also agreed to include a plan for the construction of public restrooms somewhere central to the village as a part of the continued funding which will be required starting the second year of the operation of the tram system.  "Several people raised the question of public restrooms at the meeting and it is something that the study addressed, but was included in the infrastructure proposal only at the new passenger ferry terminal and not in the village," Pahl said. 

County officials will seek funding to keep the tram in permanent operation starting in the spring of 2019 and along with those operating funds, they will be seeking revenue to build public restrooms.  According to Rich, those funds may come from a variety of sources including adding an additional 2% to the occupancy tax, adding a 1/4% additional sales tax and/or from possible grant funding that may be out there.

"We are aware of the needs of other groups and organizations that depend on Occupancy Tax funds and we don't want to hurt any of those groups," Pahl said.  "By reducing our request and spreading it out over two years, we are hoping the Occupancy Tax Board will be able to find the necessary funding for all of these critical needs."