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2012-07-25 Special Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32 SPECIAL MEETING WITH CAROLINA BEACH AND KURE BEACH TOWN COUNCILS PAGE 447 JULY 25,2012 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for a Special Meeting with the Carolina Beach and Kure Beach Town Councils on Wednesdav, July 25, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. at the Town of Carolina Beach Police Training Room, 1121 N.Lake Park Boulevard, Carolina Beach,North Carolina. Members present: Chairman Ted Davis, Jr.: Vice-Chairman Jonathan Barfield, Jr.: Commissioner Jason R. Thompson:and Commissioner Richard G. Catlin. Commissioner Brian M.Berger arrived at 9:16 a.m. Staff present: County Attorney Wanda M. Copley: County Manager Chris Coudriet: Clerk to the Board Sheila L. Schult; Assistant County Managers Tim Burgess and Avril Pinder; Deputy County Attorney Kemp Burpeau:Budget Director Cam Griffin:and County Engineer Jim Iaimucci. Carolina Beach Town Council members present: Mayor Ray Rothrock; Councilwoman Sarah Friede and Councilman Lonnie Lashley. Staff present: Town Manager Timothy W. Owens: Town Clerk Sara Hartman: and Town Attorney Lawrence Craige. Kure Beach Town Council members present: Mayor Dean Lambeth: Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Keener: Councilwoman Emilie Swearingen: and Councilman David Heglar. Staff present: Town Clerk Nancy Avery and Town Attorney A. A. Canoutas. Chairman Davis,Mayor Rothrock and Mayor Lambeth welcomed everyone present and announced that the purpose of the meeting was to hold a joint meeting with Carolina and Kure Beach Town Councils. DISCUSSION WITH CAROLINA AND KURE BEACH TOWN COUNCILS The following issues were discussed: • Room Occupancy Tax Funds: Discussion was held on the distribution of Room Occupancy Tax fiords and the need for a thorough review of the finding formulas as mandated in General Statute. Since there is representation from the County, Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville Beaches, and the City of Wilmington on the Port, Waterwav, and Beach Commission, the consensus is to have the commission review the current distribution formula with the purpose of bringing a recommendation forward on how to best to uniformly address legislative changes for current and fixture distribution. • Beach Nourishment for Carolina Beach and Kure Beach: Carolina Beach Town Manager Tim Owens and Kure Beach Mayor Dean Lambeth provided an update of the upcoming beach nourishment projects. Mayor Lambeth offered comments thanking the Board and Carolina Beach for their support to Kure Beach in the upcoming beach nourishment event when they were not included in finding from the State. Their next beach nourishment event is scheduled for three nears from now. • Carolina Beach Inlet Dredging: Discussion was held concerning the cost of dredging the Carolina Beach Inlet in the amount of $1 million per event. The Army Corps of Engineers holds the permit: $500,000 was allocated from expenses related to Hurricane Irene with approximately $58,000 remaining which amounts to 3 — 4 days of dredging. No money was included in the Federal budget for dredging and Room Occupancy Tax fiords cannot be used for dredging events. Alternative finding methods need to be examined and identified. • Update on"Sand Manager"Position: County Manager Chuffs Coudriet provided an update on the position highlighting that the job description and duties are in the process of being finalized with the position funded from Room Occupancy Tax finds. The position will be part of the County's Engineering Department. • County Emphasis and Assistance with Funding the Greenway Plan: Discussion was held concerning including the Greemvay plan improvements with NCDOT's improvements for Dow Road which are scheduled to begin in September with the consensus that the request be submitted in writing to the Board of Commissioners requesting their support. Discussion also included the necessity for revisions to be made to the buffer zones with consensus that Carolina Beach Town Manager Tim Owens would draft a letter addressing this issue to the Board of Commissioners to seek the County's support with a letter then being sent to Congressman McIntyre and Senators Burr and Hagan seeking their assistance and support. • Smoking Ban on Beaches in New Hanover County: An update was provided that Carolina Beach would be considering this issue at their August 2012 meeting. The Kure Beach attorney has determined that since the beach property is privately owned a smoking ban is not within their jurisdiction. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32 SPECIAL MEETING WITH CAROLINA BEACH AND KURE BEACH TOWN COUNCILS PAGE 448 JULY 25,2012 • Plastic Bag Ban for Beach Communities: Discussion was held concerning the need to have support from our local delegation for this initiative to be successful. N.C. Senator Thom Goolsby has introduced Senate Bill 318, which is an act to repeal the ban on plastic bags in certain coastal areas and the Bill has been referred to the Senate Rules and Operations Committee for review. Since there does not appear to be support for the ban, discussion centered around educating the community and local businesses on the negative impact of plastic bags on the environment. • Expansion of Hours of Operation for the New Hanover County Library — Carolina Beach Location: Discussion was held concerning the request to expand the hours of operation for the Carolina Beach branch with direction to county staff to review the request. • Assistance from the County to Remove Dow Chemical Intake Structure: Kure Beach Mayor Dean Lambeth reported that grant fiording in the amount of $50,000 has been received to remove rusty and jagged remnants of an intake structure located on the beach strand that is a hazard to beach goers. The grant fianding requires a 50% match from "road fiords." Discussion was held that since the County does not have road fiording, perhaps the City of Wilmington would be willing to seine as the pass through agency for the match. • Non Agenda Item-Funding for Pier Project: Discussion was held concerning the need for a pier in Carolina Beach with the request for fiording assistance from the County, possibly from Parks Bonds. County Manager Chris Coudriet reported that Battle Park bond fiords have not been earmarked and could possibly be used for a different project and asked that the specific request be put in writing and submitted for Board consideration. ADJOURNMENT There being no further discussion, Chairman Davis, Mayor Rothrock and Mayor Lambeth offered comments on the need for continued communication and the benefits that are realized from that effort and adjourned the Special Meeting at 10:40 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sheila L. Schult Clerk to the Board