The Town of Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Get on our Email list!

Today is <%=monthname(month(now)) & " " & day(now) & ", " & year(now)%>

NC Aquarium Pier
at Emerald Isle

Email Town Manager

View current conditions at
Emerald Isle Fire Stations 1 and 2

Bogue Inlet Pier Live Webcam

Payment Info!

~~ Emerald Tidings ~~
Island Review Magazine

In This Issue

First Grant Approved for New Public Boat Launching Facility

Coast Guard Road Bike Path Extension To Be Constructed

Cat Island / Wood Island Munitions Investigation Continues

Emerald Isle EMS Offers EMT-Basic Training

Did You Know?

PRICE REDUCED! - Old EMS Station Building

Join Our List

March 18, 2009 Print Edition

Emerald Tidings, composed monthly by Town Manager Frank Rush, is the official newsletter of the Town of Emerald Isle.

First Grant Approved for New Public Boat Launching Facility

NC Wildlife Resources Commission Awards $500,000 Toward Land Acquisition Cost

The Town received good news in February when the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) approved a $500,000 funding request for land acquisition for a proposed new public boat launching facility.

The $500,000 NC WRC award, combined with $375,000 previously committed by the Town, results in the availability of $875,000 of the total $4.25 million needed for the land purchase. The NC WRC decision was the first of several funding decisions expected from Federal, State, and local sources in the next several months. The Town hopes to receive favorable funding decisions from all requested sources by May 31, 2009.

Upon completion of the land purchase by the Town, the NC WRC will construct and maintain the new facility. The Town hopes to have the new facility open to the public by summer 2010.

Coast Guard Road Bike Path Extension To Be Constructed

The Town's contractor will soon begin construction of a .2 mile bike path extension along Coast Guard Road, and the path should be open for public use in April. The project will extend the bike path from its terminus at Pebble Beach condominium complex to Deer Horn Drive, and will improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety in this area and provide a connection to the Deer Horn Dunes, Sea Dunes, and Ocean Oaks neighborhoods.

The $29,000 project is funded primarily by private donations and proceeds from the Town's annual triathlon, both of which are earmarked for bicycle and sidewalk projects upon request of the contributors. The remaining cost of the project will be funded by restricted State revenues that may only be used for street, drainage, bike path, and sidewalk projects.

This project was requested by the Town's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and is another incremental step toward the Town's eventual goal of extending the bike path all along Coast Guard Road to The Point.

Cat Island / Wood Island Munitions Investigation Continues

Helicopter Mapping Activities in Bogue Sound

MCAS Cherry Point continues to investigate the former Cat Island (aka Wood Island) bomb target range located in Bogue Sound off of the 24th Street area. The island was last used as a practice range in 1955. Depending on the results of the investigation, clean up activities may be undertaken in the future.

This investigation began in summer 2008, and will continue with digital aerial mapping of metallic objects to be performed by a specially-equipped, low flying helicopter in March 2009. For approximately 15 days in early / mid-March, and during daylight hours only, the helicopter will make repeated passes over Bogue Sound between Archer's Point and Salter Path.

For more information about the munitions investigation and the mapping activities, please visit http://www.emeraldisle-nc.org/PressRelease-NavyFactSheet-AerialMapping.htm .

Emerald Isle EMS Offers EMT-Basic Training

Emerald Isle EMS, in partnership with Carteret Community College, will offer an Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B) training class later this spring. The class will prepare students for the EMT-B state certification exam, and is part of Emerald Isle EMS' continuing efforts to recruit new volunteers. The class is also open to anyone who desires to enter the EMS field, regardless of intent to volunteer with Emerald Isle EMS in the future.

For more information, please contact Emerald Isle EMS at 252-354-2249 or visit the new station at 7604 Emerald Drive.

Did You Know?

Emerald Isle property owners pay the 2nd lowest General Fund property tax rate of the 21 NC beach towns. Tax rates for the 21 NC beach towns range from 6.9 cents to 31 cents. Emerald Isle's General Fund tax rate for FY 08-09 is 7 cents.
Adjusting for the 2007 revaluation, the Town's General Fund property tax rate in FY 08-09 is essentially the same as it was in FY 01-02. The average-value property owner paid approximately the same General Fund tax bill in FY 01-02 as in FY 08-09.
The Town's adjusted General Fund balance (undesignated plus receivables) has increased from $1.53 million in 2001 to $2.06 million in 2008.

PRICE REDUCED! - Old EMS Station Building - 218 Cedar Street

The Town is currently offering the old EMS station property for sale as a residential dwelling, and the asking price has been reduced to $397,500. A detailed property listing, including photos, is available for viewing at http://www.emeraldisle-nc.org/forsale.htm .

The Town has recently completed several interior renovations to improve the interior appearance and functionality of the building.

For more information, please contact Town Manager Frank Rush at 252-354-3424 or frush@emeraldisle-nc.org.

Emerald Isle, NC 28594

252-354-3424

frush@emeraldisle-nc.org

Email Town Manager

Emerald Isle, North Carolina ~ Incorporated July 1957
7500 Emerald Drive. Emerald Isle, NC 28594
Phone (252) 354-3424, Fax (252) 354-5068