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Dominion Power is starting the planning process for a proposed 115kV electric transmission line from its Colington tap to the Nags Head substation. The new line would be 4.5 miles long.

Growth spurs the need for a transmission line. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of Dare County’s permanent residents grew by 9%. The housing units skyrocketed 144% and the Town of Nags Head population grew 6%, reports Dominion.

Surveying both sides of U.S. 158 for a route is the first step in preparing a feasibility study, due in April or May 2021. The work will evaluate overhead and underground line placement, but underground is four to five times the cost of overhead, said Robert Richardson, who made the Dominion Power presentation to the Dare County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 17.

Commissioner Rob Ross presented a Roadmap of Need, which is “a whole child needs assessment for North Carolina youth.” Produced annually by the Public School Forum of North Carolina’s Center for Afterschool Programs, the roadmap provides 20 indicators of wellness across four domains: health, youth behavior and safety, education and economic development.

“Dare County . . . has done extraordinarily well,” said Ross. Overall, Dare ranked No. 4 statewide.

In the health domain, Dare ranked No. 1. In behavior and safety domain, Dare ranked 19. In education, Dare was No. 2. The economic development domain is also 19.

Ross “drilled down” on the behavior domain because one number seems to be an anomaly.

Three separate grants totaling about $1 million in unbudgeted federal funds are available to the Albemarle Commission.

“We have neighbors not doing so well,” said Ross. In conclusion, Ross said, “This presentation is the first step – to bring awareness towards better regional collaboration and hopefully stronger outcomes for northeast North Carolina.”

On Aug. 17, Dare’s commissioners adopted a resolution recognizing and celebrating “the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote and the historic impact and citizen engagement and accomplishment for the civic life of the community, the state and the nation.”

In the consent agenda, the commissioners

– Added the towns of Kill Devil Hills, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Manteo and Duck to county’s June 17, 2020 contract with Thompson Consulting Services for Disaster Management, Recovery and Consulting Services.

– Approved Thomas Consulting Services for a comprehensive disaster recovery management services contract.

– Agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding with Kill Devil Hills about relocating the public water supply emergency interconnection from Colington Road to Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills.

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