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Chief Jeffrey Ackerman and Lieutenant Melissa Clark. Courtesy Town of Duck

Lieutenant Melissa Clark was sworn in accompanied by son Kolton and her father. Courtesy Town of Duck

Sergeant Knight was sworn in accompanied by girlfriend Katherine St. Pierre and daughters Addison and Ellery. Courtesy Town of Duck

Sergeant Garrett was sworn in accompanied by mother Diana Hassell. Courtesy Town of Duck

Kay Nickens being sworn in as deputy town clerk, accompanied by her husband Scott. Courtesy Town of Duck

If the September 2 Duck Town Council meeting had a theme, it might have been promotions and contracts.

In opening the regular session meeting, Mayor Don Kingston announced that Duck Fire Chief Donna Black had recently been elected and sworn in as the new second VP of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Soon after, Duck’s new police chief Jeffrey Ackerman who was sworn in to that position during the August 5 council meeting, was at the podium to oversee the swearing in of his department’s new leadership team.

Ackerman then announced that Dare County native Melissa Clark, with more than 18 years of law enforcement experience and 10 years with Duck Police, was being promoted from sergeant to the rank of lieutenant. Moving up into the two sergeant positions were Joe Knight and Jason Garrett.

Knight began his career in 2004 with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office and joined Duck Police in 2012. Garrett began his career in 2005 with the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office and joined Duck Police in 2008.

Next up was interim town manager Joe Heard, who explained that another promotion opportunity had been in the works for a while and that it was time for Kay Nickens to be named deputy town clerk. She will assist Lori Ackerman, who is the town clerk.

Much of the remainder of the meeting proved to be number crunching and contracts for lifeguard services, waste management, recycling and Duck Trail improvements work.

After a lengthy question and answer session, council authorized Heard to work out contract details with Duck Surf Rescue director Mirek Dabrowski for an extension of the current lifeguard services contract with SandSki, LLC.

With higher than normal vacation rental occupancies expected through September and into October, Dabrowski presented proposals for various levels of lifeguard coverage. After looking at the options, council elected to authorize four guards at a cost of $19,627 for September with a review later in September for a possible extension into October for an estimated $12,800.

With a five year waste management contract set to end September 30, council voted to exercise an option to extend the contract for another three years. According to permit coordinator Sandy Cross, there were minor adjustments of the contract for clarification with a three percent increase over last year’s rate.

Also at the end of a year period was the contract for residential recyclable materials with Tidewater Fiber Corporation. Heard explained that there was an option to renew, but there was no specific renewal time period. He went on to say he recommended a similar three year renewal in order to keep everything on the same schedule, which would allow bundle bids for similar services. After a presentation by assistant town manager Alyson Flynn, council authorized a contract estimated to be $169,139, which is about $1,400 less than the current contract amount.

The final contract discussion for the evening was approval of a $125,695 bid for northern Duck Trail improvements by Barnhill Contracting, Inc.

Although not a contract, Black presented an updated Duck Emergency Operation Plan along with the goals and priorities, hazards and concept operations involved.

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