March 11, 2010

Dear Fellow Islander,

From time to time, I plan on writing an open letter to the stakeholders of Bald Head Island to update them on recent Village Council activity.

As always shoreline stabilization remains our highest priority. The current beach nourishment project, which is totally funded by the Island, is progressing well with one critical deviation from the original plan. Due to the unprecedented loss of sand at the west end of South Beach, caused by maintenance dredging of the Wilmington Harbor Channel in the first quarter of 2009, considerably more new sand had to be allocated to that area than was initially planned. This has resulted in a reduced profile continuing east on South Beach, although we still plan to finish in the Loggerhead Trail area.

Replacement of the dilapidated sand tube groin field is progressing slower than expected and will probably require an extension of the permit to the end of April. Once again, because of the magnitude of last year's sand loss, several of the groins will not be totally covered by new sand as has always been the case at the completion of previous projects. The result is a diminished useful life for these groins unless further nourishment is forthcoming.

According to our Sand Management Plan with the Corps of Engineers, Bald Head is to receive dredged material from the next channel maintenance project scheduled for winter 2010/2011. Unfortunately the President's budget does not include adequate funding at this time. Securing such funding is now our highest priority and we are actively working through our representatives to see that this happens.

However, relying on sand nourishment and textile groins is not a viable long term solution. Therefore the Council is pursuing funding to offset the costs of a computerized modeling study of the entire Cape Fear River delta. This study will document the various dynamics of the area with the ultimate goal of identifying better ways to manage the channel and the shoreline. The solutions could consist of a revised Sand Management Plan, a relocation of the channel, hardened structures, a combination thereof or something totally new. Our goal is to make this study a cooperative effort with the Corps, the State, the Port and its pilots, and neighboring coastal towns in order to avoid lengthy and costly litigation.

To aid and advise the Council on these critical issues, as well as others, we have reorganized the Village Committee structure. There are now two new committees, Shoreline Protection and Communications; two combined committees, Public Safety & Transportation and Public Works & Utilities and the Finance Committee. The State mandated Planning Board and Board of Adjustment remain unchanged.

We are also assessing whether to establish a Parks and Recreation Committee to manage the Island's present and future physical assets as well as possible programs and activities. Developing this committee may allow us greater access to supporting State and Federal grants. 

The Council is also establishing two short term Ad Hoc Committees: one to analyze and advise on the proposed NC International Terminal in Southport and the other to address the proposed rate case of the Bald Head Island Transportation Co. These committees will include representatives from the Village, the Bald Head Association, the Conservancy, the BHI Club, Old Baldy Foundation and BHI Limited (for the NCIT study).

With the re-structuring and defining of objectives for our volunteer committees, your Council is asking for everyone's help and consideration for staffing.  Recently we reached out to the community asking each of you to volunteer your skills and talents where you feel they best benefit our needs. For those of you currently serving on committees, your time and talents are greatly appreciated. We encourage you to continue with your current committee, or if you feel you would better serve in a different capacity, here is your opportunity.  Either way our objective is to allow each of you a fresh opportunity to put your time and talents to work where you feel they best fit and where you are the most comfortable.

Recently your Council has spent a great deal of time attending meetings on and off the Island furthering our goals. The State Legislature has tasked the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) to study the feasibility of changing the law to allow terminal groins in certain areas along the coast. In pursuit of a positive decision, we have attended not only all of the CRC meetings but also meetings of its Science Panel and Steering Committee, making presentations at most.

Additionally the Brunswick Beach Consortium met on the Island in February; we attended a meeting of the NC Beach, Inlet and Waterways Association in December and will again later this month; and the mayors of southeast Brunswick County have begun meeting monthly.

Finally the Village Manager and I visited Washington DC last week to tell Bald Head's story and to seek funding for studies leading to a resolution of our unnatural erosion problems. We met with Congressional staffers, Representative McIntyre and his staff and the staffs of Senators Burr and Hagan. Fortunately our trip coincided with the NC Water Resources Congress where we were able to spend some time with Col. Ryscavage of the Corps' Wilmington District and Tom Eager, Director of the State Ports Authority. All of the meetings were also attended by representatives of our new lobbying firm, AckermanSenterfitt, who were instrumental in arranging our schedule and supporting our cause.

As the new Council embarks on new initiatives as well as routine business, we appreciate the support and patience of the community. We also encourage your involvement.