Residents of Emerald Isle will be electing a new mayor and three town commissioners in the Tuesday, Nov. 2 municipal ballot. The current mayor, Eddie Barber, decided back in July that he needed some “Eddie” time after being a Methodist minister for 43 years and serving on the town’s planning board for 12 years before becoming its mayor for eight years. “It was a tough decision,” he said. “I agonized over it and prayed over it. It was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever made. It has been a pleasure to serve the town. It’s been the highlight of my career. The 75-year-old mayor said he and the residents and visitors have been through a lot together, including hurricanes and the coronavirus pandemic. He said that the town of Emerald Isle is in great shape and he will work as hard as he can for the town until his term ends on Dec. 14.
In a normal election cycle, voters select two town commissioners every two years. This year, residents will be voting to fill three seats. That’s because Mr. Jim Normile, who is also chairperson of the Carteret County Beach Commission, which advises the County Shore Protection Office has decided not to run for re-election. Mr. Normile was appointed a town commissioner on August 27, 2014 and was reelected for two additional terms. He has served on many board committees and operates the Emerald Isle Inn with his wife, Elaine. A major part of his decision not to run for reelection is that he and his wife, Elaine, have five grandchildren and he wants to spend more time on the water and on the road with all of them. Town commissioner Normile echoed Mayor Barber in saying that the town of Emerald Isle is in great shape, “positioned well with a project-based and well funded progressive road map for the future and a wonderful town manager in Matt Zapp. Normile has been honored to be a steward of the natural resources and the people who make Emerald Isle a very special place to live, work and play. Normile added that he believes the town has good candidates this year and he encourages our future leadership to seek appointments at the county and state levels to protect our interests and shape policy for the future. Let me add my voice to the chorus of thanks and appreciation to Eddie and Jim for their many years of service to the Town of Emerald Isle, its vacationers and permanent residents.
Two candidates have filed for the open mayoral seat, Jason Holland and Doug Starck. Both candidates are invested in l Emerald Isle businesses with Jason operating Movement Mortgage and Doug having been a co-owner of South Swell Surf Shop and Transportation Impact. Candidates in the race for the three town commissioner seats are incumbents Candice Dooley and Mark Taylor. They are joined by Travis Speight, Jamie Vogel, Jeff Ward and Josh Sawyer. The top two vote-getters in November will sit four-year terms on the panel, while the next highest wins a two-year term. Holdovers in this election cycle are commissioners Floyd Messer and Steve Finch.
I’m a longtime resident of Emerald Isle and we are fortunate to have so many well qualified and passionate individuals wanting to invest their time in making Emerald Isle the finest beach town on the Crystal Coast and Outer Banks. The Town faces some significant issues moving forward and it will take considerable leadership to effect a balance between the forces seeking growth and the forces seeking to preserve the family oriented beach town so many of us love. For example, the Town has limited parcels of land zoned for commercial business expansion. That worked well when the Town was primarily populated with second home owners. Some seventy years later, the rapid growth of permanent residents and vacationers is making demands for more food options, and more services. A family which can afford to pay $10,000 for a week on the beach can rent a home basically anywhere. How does the Town attract this family in the first place and how does the Town get this family to return year after year? What amenities is this family seeking? Golf? Sailing? Fine Dining? Fishing options?
Amenities can be an asset. Yet, if not handled correctly, they can become a liability. Some of the Town’s existing amenities need to be fine tuned. For example, the 11 mile Emerald Path currently does not allow motorized vehicles of any type. Yet, from my Flip Flops Donut store, I see electric bikes and electric skateboards utilyze the path on a daily basis. And, few cyclists have any regard for the stop signs at every intersection. Someday soon someone will be seriously injured or worse. Golf carts sharing the Town’s secondary roads with automobiles is another amenity that deserves study. How many golf carts are too many? How safe are they? And, how long will cart owners disobey traffic laws without consequences? Again, do we wait for someone to be seriously injured or worse before the Town looks at this matter?
The Town has several hiking trails and that is a good thing. But, from personal experience, some of these trails are laced with roots and sink holes that need serious repair and maintenance. Beach driving is another amenity we need to study. Emerald Isle is the only town on Bogue Banks where driving on the beach is permissible. That’s because it is difficult to police drivers and their beach vehicles. To keep this tradition alive for the next generation, the Town will need to hold drivers accountable for their transgressions. Lastly, the Town recently completed a beach renourishment and the beaches, our most valuable asset, look outstanding. These beaches are why people visit us year after year and the Town must remain ever vigilant that these beaches remain pristine.
Of course, for some residents, the simple answer to all these matters is to make Emerald Isle less attractive to tourists. But, it is because of these tourists who return year after year and who happily spend their money here that Emerald Isle residents enjoy one of the lowest tax rates along the Carolina Coast. And, it is for all these reasons that I urge every eligible voter to take the time to study the candidates and to vote on Tuesday November 2nd. And, if you show me your voting sticker on the 2nd or 3rd, I’ll give you a complimentary donut. To learn more about the upcoming elections go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com , and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com.
Comments