Minutes from February and March OCBA Meetings

Minutes Feb. 12, 2013

Ocracoke Civic and Business Association

The meeting was called to order by Clayton Gaskill, vice president

Minutes: of the September and November minutes were approved. Minutes of the January meeting were approved with the following correction: the British Cemetery Ceremony is May 10.

Treasurer’s report: Carol Pahl reported that there were quite a few expenses in January: check supplies, website payment, sponsorship payment for the 5K run in April; Variety Store for Christmas trees; payment for the lighthouse built for the Governor’s inaugural parade and $2,500 for our new Travel and Tourism Director Sundae Horn, for her work through June 30. That totaled $5,619 for the month.There are $8,616 in accounts receivable due from occupancy tax monies, and $9,500 in accounts payable. There is $35,080 in restricted funds, which is set aside for the public restrooms. There’s $54,500 in unrestricted funds.

Committee reports: The hiring committee interviewed three candidates for this position and chose Sundae Horn for our travel and tourism director until July 1. Welcome, Sundae, and thank you.

National Park Service: Ed Fuller reported on the fire break and said there’s an interagency agreement in the works now between the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the NPS to use the Fish & Wildlife service’s marsh master to cut the break. They are committed to doing this, Ed said, but a new accounting system has been holding things up. The break is expected to be cut by the end of March. As for the damaged dock and floating ramp at the south end of the village, money will be appropriated for repairs by the end of July. The public parking lot north of the pony pen was damaged by Hurricane Sandy and is scheduled to be repaired. The number of beach driving permits sold this year so far is 67 annual and 24 weekly. Proceeds from these sales goes to beach ramp repair. The campground will be open April 5 to Oct. 28. Re: the Ocracoke ponies: one pony is pregnant and due in May or June. There are 17 total ponies. Barclay Trimble is the new CHNS superintendent. Currently, the NPS is under a hiring freeze and he doesn’t know when they will be able to hire temporary and seasonal workers.

County manager/commissioner: No reports

Travel & tourism update: Sundae began Feb. 1 and has been learning about the OCBA website. The phone number has been changed to hers and she has been getting calls. She and Valerie Mason have agreed that Sundae will pass on requests to Valerie who will continue to send out asset brochures and walking maps. Sundae would like businesses to email her or send her a Facebook message so she will know who is open. Sundae started a Facebook page—“Ocracoke Village—Ocracoke Island”--and a Twitter account. There already were 87 “likes” on the Facebook page as of today.She has taken over the July 4th organizing.

Old Business: Second vote on Charles Temple’s request for $1,000 towards a $4,000 theater lighting system. Ocracoke Theater Company will own it. A motion to approve this grant was made by Fred Westervelt and seconded by Sundae Horn. Motion approved and carried.

New Business: The Ocracoke School prom committee is requesting $500 for the prom April 19. The total cost is $2,500 and they’ve raised $1,000 already. A motion to approve this grant was made by Janey Jacoby and seconded by Bill Jones. Motion approved and carried.

Ferry update: Darlene Stryon-Doshier reported that the US Army Corps of Engineers surveyed the alternative ferry route between Hatteras and Ocracoke and with pressure from Dare County will put this route into action after all the buoys are placed, probably by Feb. 22. The pipeline dredge is still around the #10 buoy. Fred Westervelt said the DOT will do its NC 12 presentation in March or April. When he gets the date, he will forward that to Sundae for dissemination. Adjourn: the meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Connie Leinbach Secretary

 

Ocracoke Civic and Business Association

Minutes March 14, 2013;

Ocracoke Community Center: The meeting was called to order by President Rudy Austin

Minutes: No February minutes to approve.

Treasurer’s report: No report

New Business: Jennifer Daniels, director of Ocracoke Day Care, said the day care wants to do a big fundraiser to help reduce the number of small fundraisers throughout the year. They are interested in doing a kids’ carnival on July 4th to complement some of our activities and which also gives little kids more things to do and at different locations on the island. They asked if the OCBA could give them the seed money to hire the equipment from a company near Raleigh, which would cost around $8,000. The group recalled that $8,000 is the total of the OCBA’s budget for its own July 4th activities. The group suggested the Day Care do this event the next day—on July 5—as an added attraction for island visitors, but the Day Care folks weren’t sure that would work. In any event, since the Day Care group was lacking some specifics, the OCBA asked the Day Care to draw up a budget as to the costs of the carnival and expected revenues, as well as how it all would work, and present it again at the April meeting.

Ferry Tolls: The legislature once again is asking for increased ferry tolls. Rudy noted that in 1970, after the state brought ferry service in earnest to the island, Ocracoke began to develop into the community it is today. The new governor, Pat McCrory, and his transportation secretary, Anthony Tata, who used to be a surfer, visited the damaged section of NC 12. The governor stood on the sand bags and got wet. So, they are very much aware of the Highway 12 situation.

Rachel Cobb suggested we get the school students to write letters and maybe do a video about the island. George Chamberlain said we need to offer the legislators another option other than tolls to raise revenues, putting the situation into a business framework. We need to give them a solution. Dave Kiefer suggested we show them that Ocracoke is an attraction much like the NASCAR museum in Charlotte. If they toll our road, how about putting a toll on Concord Blvd. in Charlotte that leads to this museum, or the Biltmore Estate in Ashville? Connie Leinbach noted that the lobbyists suggested we recruit people to be team captains for the email/correspondence campaign once this begins. Rachel Cobb, Sundae Horn and Tiana and Dave Kiefer agreed to be captains. 

As for educating the legislators, the group decided the OCBA will write a letter about Ocracoke and send it along with our brochures to all in the legislature. As for the alternate ferry route, the group decided it needs two letters to be sent: one from the head of EMS in Hyde County strongly urging the retention of this route as a backup in case of emergencies. The second one would be from the OCBA to Sector 5 advocating retaining this as a permanent alternate route. A motion to approve our sending this letter was made by Jim Borland and seconded by Hal Snyder. Motion approved and carried.

The OCBA’s request to the Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board will need to be delivered no later than March 30 to Martha Garrish. They will hear requests on April 9. Carol Pahl submitted this paperwork last year and can be expected to do it again. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Connie Leinbach Secretary

   
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