I
Page S-A?THE BRUNSWICK BEAC01
* ^
Ocean I
BY DOUG RUTTER
Ocean Isle Beach Commissioners
will take matters into their own
hands over the next month and personally
urge property owners along
five east-end canals to pay upfront
assessments for a proposed dredging
project.
After learning this week that property
owners had failed to come up
with enough voluntary payments to
! cover the project, commissioners
I decided to actively pursue property
owner support to keep the proposal
UUTC.
During Tuesday's regular monthly
meeting, Mayor Betty Williamson
. | told commissioners that only $102,000
l of the $250,000 estimated cost of the
project had been received as of MonI
day afternoon. The deadline for payment
was Sept. 1.
The town plans to send another letter
to those property owners who
have not paid, urging them to have
their money in no later than Oct. 10.
I The board earlier decided to refund
I all monies by Oct. 15 if the project
could not be pursued this year.
In addition to official letters to property
owners, commissioners will
secure from the town clerk lists of lot
owners who have not paid and call or
write those people urging their
cooperation.
Commissioner Terry Barbee said
officials at Sunset Beach did the
same thing and eventually got the
POA Prop
The Ocean Isle Beach Property
Owners Association wants to
establish a natural history museum
on the island if the town board of
commissioners approves the idea
and supplies the land.
Commissioners considered the pro- 1
posal Tuesday but made no commit- I
rnent one way or the other. The project
will be discussed in more detail <
at next month's meeting, when board <
members Terry Barbee and Bill Ben- f
ton are to report on the proposal from 1
the town's point of view.
During this week's meeting, Mayor
Betty Williamson said she had f
received a letter from Stuart In- ]
gram, president of the OIBPOA, i
stating that the group's board of
BCC Expectir
Enrollment E
While Brunswick Community Colleee
mav not roarh its "rirpnm onal"
of registering 1,000 students for fall
quarter, officials think the school will
enroll a record number of students.
"Our dream, our goal was 1,000,
but we're going to be pleased to have
the best enrollment we've ever had,"
said Dean of Student Services Beth
McLean. She said the school has
"every indication" that registration
will top the record 711 students who
signed up in Fall 1986.
In the wake of an SBI investigation
and a statewide trend toward
lowered enrollment in rural colleges,
enrollment at BCC dropped to 655 last
fall.
By Tuesday, the first day of
classes, BCC had already registered
509 students, the most ever by that
time, McLean noted. Nearly half of
those students signed up during the
school's first preregistration period.
The effect was obvious at
Monday's "registration day" as
students waited in lines for no more
than five or 10 minutes.
Late registration continues
through Monday, Sept. 19, and she
said, "Normally we pick up a lot of
students during late registration.
Everything is looking good."
Of the programs offered by the college,
she said, "the big one" in terms
of attractng students is the general
education program, in which courses
transfer to UNC-Wilmington and
other campuses. "I will be not at all
surprised if we double that (over a
year ago)."
"UNC-W is turning them away and
we can take them," she said.
Students are also attracted by BCC's
lower tuition charge and the
possibility of completing their first
two years at BCC without having to
take the SAT, then transferring to
another college as a junior.
BCC offers "express" registration
for those taking a light courseload,
AT SEASIDE
BRING HOME
THEftBEACON
On Sale At
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OASIS MART
k
k'
N, Thursday, September 15, 1988
Isle Beach E
monies they needed to pursue a
similar canal dredging project. "For
the small amount of money in
postage, I think it's worth another
try."
The voluntary payments are needed
because the town has a limited
amount of money to fund the project
upfront. Commissioners had asked
that property owners on the canals
come up with at least 90 percent of
the money in advance. As of this
week, however, the town had received
only 45 percent.
The proposed project includes the
first five canals east of the causeway
and was initiated at the request of
canal lot owners. The estimated
assessment is $650 for each 50-footwide
lot.
The lack of upfront payments is
nart.lv rlllP tn a 1nr?lr nf norfi^inofmn
from property owners who have not L
yet built homes on the canals. "The
ones with homes have done very u
well," said the mayor. I
According to Town Clerk Alberta c
Tatum, upfront assessments have t
been collected for only 10 of the 70 va- t
cant canal lots. c
The town can legally assess pro- t
perty owners benefiting from the project,
but only after the dredging is \
completed. Also, the payments can t
be spread out over a 10-year period. e
While the town had originally j
hoped to receive 90 percent of the r
estimated cost of the project through t
>oses Natun
directors would finance the building f
for the Ocean Isle Nature Center if 11
the town would purchase or lease
land somewhere near the center of n
town. a
The property owner organization J
has asked for a response from the d
nr\ A It
Luwii Hiuiui uu u ay a. w
The proposal is for construction of
\ 2,000-square-foot building which d
:ould be expanded to 5,000 square si
'eet. It would be situated on a tract of 1'
and about one-half acre in size. 11
ai
Although the town board gave no P
ormal support or approval of the
oroject, commissioners seemed ex- d
cited about the idea of a nature S
... ... l_
ceiuer. "u ceriaimy would be a tirst 11
ig Highest j
ver '
and is accepting charge cards this i
year for tuition and fees, which must c
be paid in full in advance. \
Late registration continues at BCC
through Monday, with an "absolute" i
deadline of 7 p.m. Monday. Hours are <
weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and i
also 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, l
Thursday and Monday. I
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Town Hall Open
House Planned
The Town of Ocean Isle Beach
will show off its new town hall
during a special open house program
scheduled for Saturday,
Oct. 15, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Mayor Betty Williamson said
state and county officials and
board members from other local
towns will be invited to attend the
ceremony, along with the general
public. Following several
speeches, visitors will be allowed
to tour thp rPnpntlv-pnmnlotoH
facility following several
speeches.
Town hall is located on West
Third Street.
ipfront payments, Town Attorney
Siva Jess said Tuesday that 80 per:ent
should be enough, adding that
he town budget can "withstand"
laving to cover as much as 20 perent
of the upfront money and collecing
it later in assessments.
Ocean Isle developer Odell
Villiamson, who earlier agreed to let
he town use some of his land at the
ast end as a spoil site, said the town
ilso has to consider the cost of
emoving the spoil, which must be
aken care of within three years of
b Center
or Brunswick County," said the
nayor.
According to the POA proposal, the
luseuin would be owned by the town
nd open seven days a week during
une, July and August and weekends
uring May and September. It would
e operated by volunteers.
The nature center would have
isnlavs of the native surf and off
lore fish, shells, mounted shore and
ind birds, minerals, historical
laterials such as Indian artifacts
nd archaeological materials such as
etrified shark teeth.
The town would be assisted in
eveloping the museum by the
cience Museum of Charlotte, which
as agreed to help collect display
naterials.
While he wasn't opposed to the
nuseum, island developer Odell
Villiamson said it will be a difficult
jroject to complete and urged the
>oard to take a long look at the plans
jefore committing itself.
"You got to give them credit for the
dea," said Williamson, who later adled
that the POA may not realize
vhat it's up against.
"It's just about impossible for any
ndividual to compete with the tax
Jollar," he said, referring to the N.C.
\quariums at Fort Fisher, Morehead
Sity and Manteo. "It's rough to do
Ihese things with private capital."
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the dredging. According to Williamson,
spoil removal costs about $3 per
cubic yard.
He said he was not sure the town
would be able to get the upfront
monies it needs, but added that it
would be a nice project if it can be accomplished.
Commissioners Debbie Fox, who
has spearheaded the canal dredging
project for the town, and Virginia
Gibson were absent from Tuesday's
two-hour meeting.
Personnel Discussed
In other business this week, com
missioners discussed a personnel
matter in executive session for about
30 minutes.
Mayor Williamson said following
the meeting that the discussion included
an evaluation of police officers.
Police Chief Curt Pritchard
was present for the closed session.
Bikes Cause Debate
For some time Tuesday, commissioners
hashed out differences in an
amendment to the town code dealing
with parking and traffic which was
eventually approved by a 2-1 vote.
The main purpose of the amendment
was to prohibit parking on town
sidewalks, something which was not
previously included in the town code
and therefore could not be enforced
by the police.
The amendment also included a
provision that prohibits golf carts
from driving on the strand. Also included
in that section, however, was
the prohibition of bicycles from the
strand, which caught the attention of
Mayor Pro Tern Bill Benton.
Although the town has prohibited
KilrStld nn fKn pfrnnrl f/*n nkr?<^
uinmg uu Hit an anu iui dUUUl Ull CC
years, Benton said he and many
other island residents enjoy riding
bikes on the beach and urged the
board to allow it during the offseason.
After a lengthy discussion, commissioners
agreed to permit bikes on
the strand between Oct. 1 and April
I END OF
Summer's goii
Isupersavi*
|<?)- 19BB THE BRUNSWICK BEACON
SOUTHERN NATIONAL
is pleased to anno
the appointment
Gwen W. Sr
as Assistant Branch K
/\i i r- I ? I C
KJl UUI ULCUI I I5IC L
branch opening
October
So
MAIN STREET
SHALLOTTE
754 7080
? I9BB 1HE BRUNSWICK BEACON
)redging Pa1
30 of each year. The same schedule is I
followed for allowing dogs on the i
beach.
Ed Steele, who opposed the ordinance
amendment, was upset with <
the fact that it allows permanent
residents to ride bikes on the beach in 1
the off-season but prohibits summer- I
time visitors from enjoying the same 1
tning. 1
"Let's not restrict the tourists then 1
turn us loose when the tourists are
gone," he said to the board.
Mayor Williamson and the two
other commissioners, however, said
the seasonal restriction is needed to
keep the beach from being overrun
with bicycles.
Building Inspector Druid Roberson
said the prohibition of bikes was added
to town code because of a bike rental
operation near the p?er. He said
people would rent bikes and cause
problems when they went out in the
most congested area. f
'No Wake' Sought t
In another matter relating to island (
canals, commissioners agreed to t
purchase signs which they hope will i
reduce the damaue caused bv boat
wake. t
The signs will be used to inform >
A TOUCH OF ELEGANCi
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nith jaHjl
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uthern National Ba
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/ments
boaters that they are responsible for
any damage caused by their wake.
The town plans to sell the signs to
:anal lot owners at cost, and hopes to
lave them as soon as possible. Comnissioner
Barbee will work on the
aroject with Roberson, who recommended
that the signs be used after
esearching various law enforcement
angles.
The matter was brought to the attention
of the board by Mayor
Williamson, who said she had received
several letters over the past few
months requesting "No Wake" signs
in the canals. Most of the problems
Have been near the mouths or the
canals, where they intersect with the
waterway.
Roberson added that most of the
equests have come from the concrete
canals, where he said it is dificult
to find places to erect "No
Wake" signs. If they are placed at
he bottom of the canal walls, they inerrupt
boat traffic and if they are at
he top of the walls, they are not
eadily visible.
"It's fishing season coming up so
he sooner we have this the better off
ve'll be," said Mayor Williamson.
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