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Emerald Tidings
Emerald Tidings, composed monthly by Town Manager Matt Zapp, is the official newsletter of the Town of Emerald Isle, NC.
January 2021 Edition
EMERALD TIDINGS- January 2021
Phase III Beach Nourishment- January through April 2021!
Phase III of the post-Florence beach nourishment program is scheduled to begin in late January and last through April 2021.
The near $32 million contract will be completed by the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) company, the same company that performed Phase I and Phase II of the nourishment along the Bogue Banks. The project is funded in part by FEMA, the State of North Carolina, and Carteret County Beach Nourishment Reserves.
Phase III will deliver an estimated 2,012,850 cubic yards of sand along 9.4 miles of Emerald Isle - the equivalent of roughly 168,000 dump trucks! For more detailed information: Click Here
Please reference the map above. Segments marked in YELLOW identify the Phase III areas scheduled to be nourished in the coming months.
REMINDER... 2020 Emerald Isle Property Tax Bills
The Town of Emerald Isle's property tax bills are consolidated with the Carteret County tax bills, beginning this tax year. Tax bills have been mailed and are available online at
What Changed on the 2020 Tax Bill?
Carteret County and Emerald Isle Taxes are itemized on a consolidated bill.
Revaluation:
Individual property values may have changed, due the recent market value revaluation process. Tax Rates: Carteret County includes a 33 cent tax rate as compared to 31 cent tax rate in 2019. Emerald Isle retained a 15.5 cent tax rate, identical to 2019. EI Solid Waste Fee: Developed residential properties in Emerald Isle include a $255/unit solid waste fee. The fee in 2019 was $240/ unit.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you see a green insert in your tax billing envelope, do not be alarmed. Residents within a city limit DO NOT have to pay the Carteret County $165 fee associated with bulk waste disposal.
If you are charged the Greenbox Fee of $165, and pay a curbside trash pickup service, please provide proof of service to the tax office. Upon proof of service, we will remove the fee from the bill. The deadline to have this fee removed is January 5, 2021.
The Town of Emerald Isle: A year in review!
Calendar year 2020 is certainly one for the record books. Despite pandemic challenges and disruptions, the Town of Emerald Isle persevered. Our community rallied beside one another to support local businesses and redefine itself.
For a community anchored in hospitality, the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard. In an unprecedented move, Carteret County and its local municipalities enacted a short-term rental ban during the months of March and April. As Governor Roy Cooper reduced the "Stay at Home Order" on May 8, 2020, travelers and second property owners returned to the island.
In a proactive step to support economic vitality, the Town of Emerald Isle developed the Emerald Isle 30 for 30 campaign. With assistance from local videographer Brandon Broome, area businesses were able to share their story with the world. A 30-second video was shared on social media each day during the month of June 2020. The campaign was provided at no cost to business owners and helped the local economy recover revenues lost during the shutdown period. https://www.emeraldisle-nc.org/ei30for30
The Town of Emerald Isle staff and local contractors worked diligently during the travel 45-day travel ban period, specifically on the Islander Drive project. In a joint effort, the roadway and associated utilities were completely rebuilt. Power lines were buried underground. New lighting and sidewalks were installed. Drainage systems were improved and a new asphalt roadway was laid.
In cooperation with Carteret Craven Electric Cooperative, an electrical vehicle charging station was installed along Islander Drive near the Lighthouse Inn & Suites. Simultaneously, the Emerald Isle Parks Department spearheaded a $100,000 redevelopment project at the Western Ocean Regional Access. With funding via a North Carolina economic development grant, a new 8-foot wooden beach access walkway, outdoor showers, decorative safety lighting, concrete sidewalks, and parking improvements were installed. With the warmth of summer came an influx of visitors. The enhanced Beach Safety program within the Emerald Isle Fire Department performed at record levels. New Lifeguard and EIPD Beach Patrol Jeeps enhanced the visual presence of safety personnel along the beach. A total of 20 certified USLA Lifeguards helped to guard the waters of Emerald Isle. To assist the guards and increase visual observation, new lifeguard stands were constructed as well.
As the summer progressed, so did long awaited construction projects. Enhancement projects included repairs at the Eastern Ocean Regional Access, Randy's Way, Channel Drive, Emerald Isle Woods, and Cedar Street areas. Following are photos of the finished products!
Damaged during Hurricane Florence, the ADA Ramp at the EORA was completely reconstructed. Randy's Way ADA beach access was replaced and an enhanced viewing platform was built. Thank you to Randy and Kim Hebert for their generous donation of $9,000 for the ADA compliant platform. Over 300 feet of wooden walkway was removed and replaced at Channel Drive. A sloping ramp now serves this end of Emerald Isle with greater access to the beach. A series of work was performed at Emerald Isle Woods including pier access, kayak launch and much needed concrete work near the bathhouse.
The kayak launch at Emerald Isle Woods is now available for public use.
Once again, the pier at Cedar Street provides the public with exceptional access to the sound.
In addition to major construction projects, the Safety Service divisions of Emerald Isle saw the arrival of new life saving equipment. The EIFD received a new ladder truck and the EMS division placed a new ambulance into service.
Emerald Isle EMS received and placed into service on Feb 13,2020, a 2019 Braun Chief XL ambulance from Spartan Fire and Emergency Apparatus. This ambulance includes many new and start-of-the-art features that will serve the residents and guests of Emerald Isle for many years to come.
With respect to Beach Nourishment Phase II, a massive amount of work was performed in the early months of 2020. A total of 355,335 cubic yards of sand was placed along 1.6 miles of beach along western Emerald Isle. That's the equivalent of almost 30,000 dump trucks worth of sand! For more detailed information, visit here
A New Video: Emerald Isle EMS
During the months of October, November and December, the Town of Emerald Isle released a series of Safety and Service related videos. The latest video focuses on the Emerald Isle EMS department. Learn more about EMS by watching a short video: click here to watch the video
Improvements to Emerald Isle Bridge Scheduled to Resume
Improvements and repairs to a Carteret County bridge will resume and are expected to last for several months.
N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will close one of two lanes of the bridge to Emerald Isle, beginning sometime in January 2021. Contractors will use flaggers at the ends of the work zone to direct traffic.
Weekend closures can be expected between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., while weekday closures can be expected between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The lane closure will allow contractors to continue rehab work, which extends the life of the bridge. Drivers should expect a lane closure to last through March 2021.
Motorists should use caution while crews are working and allow themselves more time than normal to reach their destinations. For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.
CEC Offers Free Nest to Members Who Join Smart Thermostat Program Enrollees
Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative (CCEC) members who enroll in Connect to Save (CTS) will receive a free Google Nest thermostat as part of a limited-time promotion. CCEC will install the thermostat for free, and participants will receive a $50 incentive for each year they participate in the program. Connect to Save launched in July as a way for cooperative members to work together to lessen electric demand during high traffic times. CTS participants allow CCEC to minimally adjust thermostat settings during times of peak power demand, keeping energy use and costs lower while maintaining comfortable in-home temperatures.
This small action multiplied across hundreds, or even thousands of homes will create substantial savings on wholesale power costs.
"We hope our members will take advantage of this special promotion," said Cheryl Slater, vice president of customer services. "The Google Nest thermostat is an excellent way for members to better monitor their energy use and HVAC systems. At the same time, members who participate can help lower costs for our entire cooperative." CCEC members can further help by including their electric water heaters in Connect to Save. Taking this step turns the water heater into a smart device, allowing participants to monitor and manage its energy use. Those who add their water heaters to the program, get an additional $50 after successful installation.
Visit connecttosavenc.com to learn more about the program and enroll, or call 844-577.SAVE (7283).
Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative supplies power to 40,500 meters serving more than 32,500 members in Carteret, Craven, Jones and Onslow counties and is part of Touchstone Energy®, a nationwide family of co-ops exhibiting the core values of integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.
Happy Holidays from the Bogue Banks Water Corp. Happy New Year from Bogue Banks Water. What a year we finally finished up!
While we are thankful 2020 is over, we did have some positive things happen. We are almost finished with our meter upgrades. Our cellular endpoints have been a big hit - many of you have already signed up for them. Supply is limited at this low cost, so place your order if you want one.
We are thankful for each one of you. Make good memories with your loved ones, and be safe, healthy, and may 2021 be better than ever!
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Matt Zapp
Town Manager
Town of Emerald Isle
7500 Emerald Drive
Emerald Isle, NC 28594
252-354-3424
Nice Matters!
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