Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Currituck commissioners met for a regular meeting Tuesday, September 7 to approve several resolutions and to approve a text amendment about drainage easements.

During commissioners’ reports, Selina Jarvis urging residents to drive safely in school zones after the incident involving an 11-year-old middle school student. The student was struck by a vehicle and later died as a result. “I encourage people to slow down, pay attention because we do not want to have another tragedy like we started the school year with.”

Commissioner Kevin McCord agreed: “If you speed in a school zone in Currituck County . . . I don’t care who you are, you will get a ticket.”

McCord said speeding in a school zone is a $441 ticket. “Thirty people found that out in two days,” he said.

A representative from The African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina gave a presentation to the board about the initiative and how the county can help.  The African American Experience of Northeast NC is a six-county initiative encompassing Northeastern North Carolina and includes Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank and Perquimans.

“The African American Experience celebrates the contribution of African Americans and encourages a deeper understanding of the significance of the region’s cultural heritage,” said the resolution of support that commissioners approved.

A public hearing was held to amend the UDO to clarify that required maintenance access drainage easements shall be dedicated to the county to ensure access to maintain drainage infrastructure and to revise the required easement width from 50 feet to 25 feet along major drainage features.

Commissioner Owen Etheridge questioned the change from 50 to 25 feet but other commissioners spoke in support of a reduced width. The motion passed 6-1, with Owen Etheridge as the dissenting vote.

Next, commissioners approved a resolution opposing NC General Assembly Appropriations Act, because, according to the resolution, it “includes law that if enacted will reduce county authority to adopt policies that best represent the needs of communities within counties and reflect values of a county’s citizens as expressed through a county’s land use plan, land use regulations and actions of the duly elected county governing boards.”

In the second item of new business, commissioners approved an updated employment agreement for McRee, adding $3,000 a month to his salary while he serves as interim town manager.

Last, commissioners approved Liz Hodgis to fill a vacancy on the Jury Commission and discussed an appointment to the Recreation Board, as well as approved a time change from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the second monthly meeting, which occurs on the third Monday of each month.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.

RECENT HEADLINES:

North Carolina unemployment rate falls to 4.3% in August

DMF schedules estuarine striped bass plan advisory committee workshop