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Dare County will solicit proposals to address the county’s recycling and large item pick up programs.

On Oct. 18, county manager Robert L. Outten asked Dare’s commissioners to approve issuing a request for proposals from the private sector to haul recycling items, for example, from the now-closed Rodanthe Recycling Center on a more limited scale.

Outten also indicated that the Rodanthe recycling area had a dumping problem with people leaving non-recyclable items. He said if that happened, the Rodanthe center would be closed because the county does not have the staff to keep the area clean.

Another request for proposals also received unanimous support. This second request would ask private haulers to handle large item pick-up usually scheduled for springtime. The county’s staff for large-item pick-up was pulled from the seven-member crew of the recycling program. As of Oct. 18, Outten reported only two employees remain in recycling program. Outten asked the firm that usually handles the county’s hurricane debris what the cost might be. The estimate is between $150,000 and $250,000.

On Outten’s request, the commissioners authorized spending $47,000 to remodel and spruce up the county’s recreation facilities.

The commissioners turned down an offer of a three-quarter acre parcel adjacent to Roanoke Island’s Wescott Park, which the county leases from the Manteo Lions Club. Outten said the parcel had a value of $80,000 to $100,000.

During commissioner’s business, commissioner Danny Couch reported that the county’s Waterways Commission has struggled with Hatteras Inlet issues. He asked commissioner Jim Tobin, who heads the Oregon Inlet Task Force, to speak with the commission. Tobin agreed.

In the consent agenda, the commissioners approved:

– An amended designee certification for the county manager to execute and file with applications for transportation program grants the annual certifications and assurances and other documents the State of North Carolina requires before awarding a federal assistance grant or cooperative agreement.

– A resolution to establish an account with the NC State Treasurer’s Department to invest the Law Enforcement Officers’ Special Separation Allowance Trust that the board established on October 4, 2021. The second attachment is a deposit agreement with the state treasurer department which the resolution approves. The county’s finance director serves as the county’s plan administrator.

– A Bright Ideas grant from NC Division of Public Health to teach water and hurricane safety to students in first and second grades in Dare County Schools. The $16,068 grant will be used for a videographer to produce two videos, to purchase supplies for emergency kits for kids, to purchase supplies for presentations at school assemblies and for travel to the five schools.

– Additional $35,000 funding from Trillium Health Resources for Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs program. Funding will be used to raise community awareness about dangers of sharing medications and proper storage and disposal of expired medications.

– Receiving $18,065 from the North Carolina Department of Transportation to provide rides for county residents who need transportation to and from COVID vaccination locations. This transportation will be arranged through and provided by the county’s transportation office.

– Approved a budget amendment of $12,313 in additional Emergency Management Performance Grant funds authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

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