During the Nags Head Board of Commissioners meeting held on Dec. 4, the town adopted a new name for the Septic Health Initiative in honor of a special resident that passed away this year.

Todd Davis Krafft was influential to the Town of Nags Head due to his passion for conserving the environment and working towards solving water quality issues within the town for over 20 years. Bob Muller, chairman of the Septic Health Initiative Commission, addressed the board with a proposal to rename the initiative in honor of Krafft.

Muller had approached commissioner Webb Fuller back in 2002 with the newly adopted program that allowed people to have their septic systems inspected. “Webb said he had the person he thought would be good at it, he had no idea how good that person would be,” Muller said. Krafft developed the standards for protocol and testing, convinced the local government to grant loans for this program and led the program to its success.

“Todd understood that this was a voluntary program,” Muller noted. Since 2003, there were 4500 septic tank inspections and 1200 septic repair loans (over $500,000 in loans). “What made Todd so special was that he really liked what he was doing,” Muller said. “It’s very difficult to separate the success of the program from the individual who ran it.”

After Mayor Ben Cahoon read the resolution to rename the Septic Health Initiative to the Todd D. Krafft Septic Health Initiative, Fuller made the motion to adopt it. With the board in favor, the resolution was renamed in honor of his work.

Kayleen Lauren Krafft, the daughter of Todd D. Krafft, came forward to receive the resolution and plaque honoring her father.

Once the resolution was adopted, the board announced the person they chose to receive the 2019 Earl Murray Jr. Employee of the Year Award. There were five nominees for the award: Deputy Fire Chief Shane Height, Police Officer J.C. Mitchell, Sanitation Superintendent Ricky Spencer, Code Compliance Officer Anne Schneider and Tax Collector Linda Bittner. “Each one of these employees are deserving, I’m very much appreciative of the work they do,” Cliff Ogburn, town manager, said.

“What an outstanding class of nominees this was,” Mayor Cahoon said. “Even then, someone does rise to the occasion, and we were able to find consensus to choose one of those.” Cahoon announced Spencer as the winner.

During the presentation portion of the agenda, two new employees were recognized: Sue Cummings, Public Works office assistant, and Skyla Lamberto Egan, the newest hire at the Nags Head Fire Department.

Following the presentations, former Mayor Pro Tem Susie Walters left the crowd with some final words as her term came to an end: “I may be biased, but I think we have the best beach community on the Outer Banks.” Walters left the town with a song, “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac, and a little video that read: “It’s all about which way you look.”

Every one of the board members shared their well wishes for the future to Walters. “You are a passionate leader,” Mayor Cahoon told Walters. “You feel things in your heart, whether it’s the best thing for the employees or for the citizens or for the beach or for us.”

Replacing Walters was newly elected commissioner Kevin Brinkley, who received a total of 584 votes, surpassing his two other competitors. Commissioner Renee Cahoon was reelected to take the second open spot on the board. She received 536 votes. Both took their oaths of office and sat with Mayor Cahoon, Fuller and commissioner Mike Siers.

Siers was then nominated by Mayor Cahoon to become mayor pro tem. All were in favor of this change.

The next Board of Commissioners meeting will be held on Jan. 1 at 9 a.m. at the Board of Commissioners Room in Nags Head.

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