OCBA Draft Minutes from April
Ocracoke Civic and Business Association: DRAFT minutes Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Meeting was called to order by President Rudy Austin at 7:08 p.m. Board members present: Connie Leinbach and Kenny Ballance.
Minutes: The minutes of the March meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s report: Kenny reported that cash was $36,296.91; CD $35,788.96 for a total of $72,085.87. He said we are working on the Occupancy Tax Board request, due April 13.
Travel & Tourism Director’s report: Sundae Horn noted we have a request from Evan Smock Ferguson to do Ocracoke map distribution up the beach. Price would be $525. A motion to approve paying for this was made by Ann Ehringhaus and seconded by Fred Westervelt. Motion approved and carried.
Scenic Byways has finished their new brochure and asked for OCBA to help pay $1,000 towards this. We can roll this into the Occupancy Tax Request as it is for tourist promotion. A motion to pay for this was made by Ann Ehringhaus and seconded by Dick Jacoby. Motion approved and carried.
Sundae also reported on our finding a business in the Durham area that might be able to conduct low-level fireworks on a barge in Silver Lake and would cost about $15,000, which we would ask Occupancy Tax to pay for. A motion to approve this was made by Fred Westervelt and seconded by Connie Leinbach. Although a vote of 5 for and two against ostensibly approved this, many in the audience were not OCBA members and it was unclear if this was a true majority. Sundae said she would email the members about this.
Candidate’s Night: Democratic candidates for Hyde County Sheriff Guire Cahoon and Shannon Swindell attended the meeting. Both were born and raised in Hyde County and work in the sheriff’s department, Swindell as a deputy and Cahoon as deputy sheriff. They are the only two running for sheriff.
Both answered questions posed by about 25 members of the community in attendance. Swindell noted that communication with the public is paramount as is improving technology in the department.
Cahoon noted that drug trafficking is the department’s biggest concern.
Kenny suggested to the candidates that whoever is elected spend more time on Ocracoke and bring the dispatchers over to get to know the territory—where streets are.
He also suggested that radio communication between the deputies and the NPS rangers be coordinated so that both can have back-up from the each other. The sheriff needs to have a good working relationship with the NPS. He also said the sheriff should ask the people if they are happy with the present management.
Kenny suggested there be a non-emergency phone number Ocracoke people can call with minor issues.
Ann Borland suggested the deputies ride bicycles during tourist season.
President’s report: Rudy noted that the short Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry run will not be open by Easter. The state dredge has 100 yards to go in the inlet and is doing about 75 feet a day. After that, the state will mark our side. The big problem is getting the federal government in to move the buoys. There are fiver ferries at Hatteras and the ferry division is trying to cut out overtime.
Norman Miller noted that there are no buoys in the Ocracoke inlet.
Rudy also said Dr. Randolph Latimore, superintendent of Hyde County Schools, is asking the OCBA to support a resolution asking the state legislature to reconsider the school appropriations budget that will eliminate $332,532 by July 1 and a total of $927,207 from Hyde County schools by 2017. This budget affects 27 counties. A motion to approve OCBA’s support was made by Ivey Belch and seconded by Ann Ehringhaus. Motion approved and carried.
Sundae noted that the OCBA visitor’s center will move into the shop adjacent to the Black Schooner Nauticl Shop in Community Square. OCBA may have to pay for electricity.
New Business: Ivey Belch requested that the monthly meetings be held on a day other than Wednesdays since the Assembly of God service is that night preventing many from attending OCBA meetings. While this was discussed, no decision was made.
The meeting adjourned at 8:36 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Connie Leinbach, secretary
