TOWN REPORT

town report COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK

What’s happening in your town? Here’s a report from all over the Outer Banks.

Currituck

After serving in the post for just over two years, Currituck County Manager Ben Stikeleather submitted a letter of resignation on July 27 to the board of commissioners. Stikeleather served as county manager since July 1, 2019, after the retirement of former County Manager Dan Scanlon. He was fi rst hired as Currituck’s assistant county manager in October 2018.

In other news, the Currituck Board of Commissioners voted on June 21 to approve a two-year agreement with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to take over the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, which is located in Historic Corolla Park. As part of the agreement, the county will assume ownership of the 15,000-square-foot building, and both entities will determine programming during the transition.

Southern Shores

The struggle to mitigate seasonal traffi c to the northern part of the Outer Banks that cuts through residential neighborhoods in Southern Shores has continued with some mixed success during this year’s summer season.

On July 15, the town announced changes to restrictions on roads with a history of heavy usage by visitors. In response to residents’ outcries about the traffi c issues in their neighborhoods, the town has tried diff erent ways to divert the vehicles, including local-traffi c-only barricades and signs banning left turns. The town has also been working with travel apps in order to mark key roads as closed in their routing.

Duck

In response to public concerns about traffi c issues, the town of Duck has contracted with engineering consultants from the company VHB in order to conduct a traffi c study. The study will evaluate the causes of traffi c congestion and identify measures that can be taken to improve traffi c fl ow and safety for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Initial data gathering for the study will begin during the week of August 23rd with involvement from the N.C. Department of Transportation, VHB, the town of Duck staff members and local volunteers.

Kitty Hawk

A ceremony was held on July 15 to mark the offi cial opening of a new trail off West Kitty Hawk Road that provides access to the Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve.

The connector trail, which was dedicated with a plaque in honor of outgoing Kitty Hawk Mayor Gary Perry, provides access to the 1.8-mile Birch Lane Trail in the reserve, according to a town newsletter. Constructed by LSI Marine Construction, the project was 100% funded with grants received through the state of North Carolina and the Dare County Tourism Board.

Kill Devil Hills

This past July, the town of Kill Devil Hills launched its own farmers’ market for the local community. The First Flight Market kicked off its inaugural season on July 20, with town staff grilling complimentary hamburgers and hotdogs to celebrate the grand-opening. Held at Aviation Park, the town park across from the First Flight High School, more than 35 vendors participated, and the market will continue to be held every Tuesday through August 17.

Seasonal farmers’ markets have been a big hit in several other towns for a while now, including Nags Head’s Dowdy Park market which continues to be held every Thursday until September 9, and Manteo’s downtown Saturday markets at George Washington Creef Park, which will run until September 18.

Nags Head

In the wake of the resignation of former Town Manager Cliff Ogburn last year, followed by his subsequent appointment to the same post in Southern Shores, Nags Head is still working on fi nding a replacement for the town manger position. Interim Manager Greg Sparks was appointed shortly after Ogburn’s departure to fi ll the position while a search was conducted for a permanent replacement. Several months later, Michael Silverman’s selection as the new town manager was announced at the Nags Head Board of Commissioners meeting on May 5, 2021.

On May 19, the town announced in a press release that Silverman had withdrawn his appointment without further explanation. He had been expected to start the job on July 1.

With interim Town Manager Greg Sparks’ term ending on May 31, Deputy Town Manager Andy Garman was appointed the new interim town manager. Mayor Cahoon also stated at a June 2 board meeting that the Chapel Hill search company, Developmental Associates, Inc., has been re-engaged at no additional cost to fi nd another town manager candidate.

Manteo

Return visitors to the Manteo waterfront this summer were greeted with a newly landscaped area in which to stroll, rest or gather. In mid-May, the Manteo Town Common on Budleigh Street and Lord Essex Avenue replaced a n aging building that once housed the Fort Raleigh Hotel with a green recreational space that’s open to the public.

The $732,000 project – of which the Dare County Tourism Board granted $222,000 – added 60 much-needed parking spaces to downtown Manteo. Other amenities, including restroom facilities, are part of the projected additions during the second phase of the project.

Dare County

After deciding that the county operation wasn’t able to adequately meet the needs of the community, Dare County commissioners agreed to sell Dare Home Health and Hospice to Adoration Home Health Care Virginia LLC for $2.9 million on July 21.

The agreement includes protections for Dare County’s current employees and requires the new agency to continue to provide the same level of health services as the Dare County provider. As part of this change, essential services cannot be denied because of fi nancial policies, and any benefi ciary of federal programs such as Medicare will be held to government anti-discrimination standards. If the terms of this agreement are not met going forward, the agency will revert back to Dare County.