Page 2 The Shoreline September 2004
Meet the Staff
By Bill White
The workings of municipal government were not a
complete mystery to Town Administrator Betty Jean
Carr when she joined the Pine Knoll Shores adminitrative
staff in 1988 as a part-time receptionist at Town Hall.
For ten years before that she had served as executive
director of the Clinton, N.C. Chamber of Commerce, a
position in which she was often called upon to interact
with government officials and agencies.
But it didn’t take Mrs. Carr long to realize there was
a distinct difference between the atmosphere in which
municipal affairs were conducted in Clinton as opposed
to Pine Knoll Shores, and that the difference was prin
cipally a matter of size. There was a small town flavor
in Clinton, but the community is substantially larger
than Pine Knoll Shores. The size difference, Mrs. Carr
notes, magnifies the small town flavor many times over.
In Pine Knoll Shores, she found, virtually everyone
knew everyone else and visitors to Town Hall were
almost universally greeted with smiles and a personal
word of greeting, not with a more business-like “May I
help you?” or some other standard phrase.
And that’s just the way Betty Jean likes it. A people
person, she bubbles with goodwill and enthusiasm.
When in motion, her friendly patter keeps pace with her
rapid progress toward her next goal. More often than
not her “May I help you?” is followed by “Honey”
rather than a more formal form of address.
Mrs. Carr has been dealing with people all her life.
Before joining the Clinton Chamber of Commerce she
was a customer service representative for Carolina
Telephone, forerunner of Sprint. And before taking up
her municipal duties, she worked for a time as a real
estate agent in Pine Knoll Shores.
Friends are important to Betty Jean, and family even
more so. It was family ties that brought her here. The
transition from Clinton to the shore began in the mid-
80’s when the health of her late husband, Pete, began to
decline. Since Pete was facing retirement from his
Betty Carr
long-time role as an educator in Clinton, Mrs. Carr
decided she would retire too. Pete liked to fish, so they
elected to head for the ocean, zeroing in on Bogue Banks
because Pete’s sister, “Captain” Farmie Christian, and
her husband Bill ran a marina there.
After touring the Bogue Banks communities with the
Christians, the Carrs cast their lot with Pine Knoll
Shores, “the highest point on the island”. They moved
into a condo at McGinnis Point in 1986.
Two years later, after her brief fling in real estate and
while Betty Jean was taking her daily constitutional, a
car pulled up and her predecessor as town clerk, Corinne
Geer, politely inquired as to whether Mrs. Carr would be
interested in a part-time job at Town Hall.
Mrs. Carr allowed as how she would be interested, and
her on-the-job training for her present position began.
She moved up from part-time receptionist to deputy
town clerk and then, in 1995 upon the retirement of Mrs.
Geer, Betty Jean became the fourth town clerk in the
history of Pine Knoll Shores. Three years ago Mrs. Carr
assumed the new position of town administrator.
Does Mrs. Carr have hobbies? She used to sing, but
hasn’t much time for that anymore. Her hobbies are her
work and her children. She has a special daughter,
Joanna, who is at the root of one of Betty Jean’s greatest
attributes, compassion.
Following in the footsteps of her late husband, who
championed programs for special needs children in the
Clinton school system, Betty Jean now serves on the
board of the Carteret County Area Transportation Sys
tem (CCATS) which provides mobility for those with
special needs.
Betty Jean’s son, Peter Michael Carr, an advertising
copywriter, is also special to her. He ’ s a “Real Pete”, she
muses. Although his father was “Pete” to everyone who
knew him, his real name was Joseph Bryan Carr. For
Betty Jean, having a “Real Pete” reinforces the memory
of the “Pete” who has gone before.
The way Betty Jean came by her given name is a story
in itself. Betty is not a diminutive for Elizabeth, as is
often the case. Although others in her family bear family
names, Betty Jean is an exception. Seems her mother,
while expecting, passed part of the time reading a novel
in which the heroine was named Betty Jean. Thoroughly
taken with the story, her mother decreed that if the baby
was a girl she would be named Betty Jean. And that was
the way it was.
The name of the novel didn’t stick with Betty Jean.
But the name of the heroine sure has.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of
background sketches on town employees who keep the
Town of Pine Knoll Shores humming.
Aquarium
Continued from page 1
woodshop facility is almost complete, and founda
tions are being poured for the new maintenance build
ing, which will house mechanical, electrical, and life-
support components. Meanwhile, subcontractors in
volved in the project are busy developing fiberglass
aquariums and backgrounds, while graphic designers
and interpretive writers are working with the staff to
create dazzling and educational graphic displays. The
project remains on schedule for completion in spring
2006. Because of construction and heavy equipment,
the site and surrounding property are closed to visitors.
Check back here for frequent updates.
The Aquarium’s fall/winter calendar of events is
shaping up. Canoe trips, beach walks, river cruises,
collecting trips and island jaunts are all on the agenda.
The annual Surf Fishing Workshop weekend is set for
Oct. 15-17, and the popular Sea Squirts series for
youngsters is scheduled through December. We’ll be
cooking again this fall and winter with our Guest Chef’s
Succulent Seafood series. This favorite winter program
features area chefs who demonstrate their culinary sea
food skills, and participants get to sample the finished
fare.
Also don’t forget that the Aquariums’ annual Under
water Photography Competition for amateur and non
professional photographers is under way. Cash prizes
are awarded in three categories, and all winning photos
will be published in the Summer 2005 edition of
“Aquarium News,” the magazine of the North Carolina
Aquarium Society. For complete contest rules and entry
application, or for more information about the Aquarium
and its programs, visit www.ncaquariums.com.
Around Town
By Bob Ruggiero
Sharon Tjelmeland and Marine first Lt. Marcello
Castro tied the wedding knot on the Ocean Park “sittem”
recently. Sharon had always dreamed of a beach wedding.
Her dream came true when new hubby received orders to go
to Afghanistan on August 1. Hasty plans ruled out a church
ceremony, so Sharon suggested the sittem as a suitable site
for nuptuals. The happy couple are family friends of resi
dents Vicki and Bud Daniels. And we thought the sittem was
only for staring at the ocean.
Local residents Bill and Lois Strube's granddaughter Katie
Strube competed August 6 through 8 at the Junior Olympic
competition held in Lincoln, Nebraska. Katie received a
third place medal in the Figure Skating event at the United
States Artistic Roller Skating trials. Way to go Katie and big
congrats to grandparents Bill and Lois.
Long time residents Walt and Elsa Wentzel celebrated
theu- sixtieth wedding anniversary this summer. Happy
sixtieth and many more of the same.
The ROMEO’S are coming! No It’s not another HBO
program. The ROMEO stands for “Retired old men eating
out” The group has no officers, no dues, and no bylaws.
This is a club that might even accept me as a member!
They are planning an October 4 meeting at the Hancock
Lodge on the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point. For
details call George Cribb at 637-6932. Last months meeting
at the Sanitary Restaurant was attended by 105 members.
-- -- -
Editorial Board
Managing Editor
Bill White 240-1599
Feature Editor
Sue Christman 240-2556
Production Editors
Diane Donavan 247-6409
Carolyn Rife 727-5034
Editors at Large
Dick Reeves 247-2947
Bob Ruggiero 247-7208
Contributing Reporters
Yvette Bannen 240-1528
Marge Green 726-9966
E-mail: shoreline@townofpks.com
Published by CD
:5 Shopper
1423 South Glenbumie Rd., New Bern, 633-1153
Bulkhead Inspection Reveals Deterioration
The Town’s Inspection Department has conducted an inspection of the Pine Knoll Waterway. The inspection
revealed numerous deteriorated docks and bulkheads. Deteriorated bulkheads cause soil to erode into the canal.
This erosion will fill the channel and prevent the safe passage of boat traffic. Property owners who have
deteriorated docks and bulkheads will be required to make the necessary repairs. '
Coastal Management permits for repairs must be obtained from the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management in Morehead City. You may contact them at (252) 808-2808. Local permits must be obtained through
Pine Knoll Shores Inspections Department at Town Hall prior to commencing work.