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Dare County commissioners adopted new social media guidelines and policy at its March 15 meeting. The current policy was adopted in 2012.

For Dare County, social media is used to send out emergency information quickly, promote county-sponsored events and activities and refer users to the county’s main online platform, its website at darenc.com.

The new policy speaks to employees about representing Dare County and personal use of social media. Publishing guidelines, monitoring and consent requirements are all part of the policy.

Dare County will now set up its own government page on Facebook. Currently, 10 Dare organizations have pages: Health and Human Services, Baum Center, Dare County Center, three Parks and Rec pages – one for each division, libraries, airport, Current TV and the Sheriff’s Office.

Three accounts are on Twitter: Dare County government, emergency management and Sheriff’s Office. YouTube has two channels: Dare County and Current TV. The county will establish an Instagram account and join Current TV on Instagram.

Dare’s commissioners delved into broadband for unserved areas of the county. Derek Kelly of Lumen Technologies delivered extensive information with questioning by board Vice Chairman Wally Overman and commissioners Rob Ross and Ervin Bateman.

The board adopted two proclamations:

– Designating April 2021 as “North Carolina 811 Safe Digging Month.” The proclamation encourages all excavators and homeowners of Dare County to contact 8-1-1 either by dialing 8-1-1 or contacting NC811 via the webpage of NC811.org at least three working days prior to digging in order to “Know What’s Below.”

– Proclaimed April 1, 2021 as Take Down Tobacco Day in Dare County, focusing attention on e-cigarette use by young people.

The commissioners awarded fiscal year 2020-21 equipment financing to Banc of America Public Capital Corp. with the lowest cost proposal of seven submitted. Dare is financing $2,199,721 with a three-year term at an interest rate of 0.6734%.

In the consent agenda, Dare’s commissioners:

– Allocated state additional Emergency Management Performance Grant funds of $4,377.80 to Hurricane Preparedness, which was not funded in this fiscal year “due to the uncertainty of budget conditions due to COVID.”

– Approved a budget amendment adding funding from the state’s Division of Public Health, Immunization Branch to be used for the cost of nurses and providers in administering vaccinations, to purchase supplies, personal protective equipment, office supplies and printing and other costs associated with vaccination clinics. Additional COVID-19 funding totaled $133,686.

– Authorized purchase of 64 dumpsters at a cost of $77,321. Public Works reports “dumpster sales are up this fiscal year due to heavy tourist season.” The new dumpsters are expected to be sold by the end of June 2021.

The commissioners appointed Cheryl Blankenship to serve the remainder of Joey O’Neal’s term on the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building board. O’Neal resigned.

The board reappointed Cyndy Holda, Ladd Bayliss, Jonathan Oglesby and Jessie “Troy” Outland Jr. to the Manns Harbor Marina Commission.

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