Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

the May 11th, 2026 Town of Kill Double Hills Board of Commissioners meeting. I call this regularly scheduled meeting uh to order and invite everyone to please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance.

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Everybody would please join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. Right. Good evening, board. Nice to see everybody. Okay. Our next item of business this evening is our agenda. We have a an agenda before us.

Motion to approve the agenda as listed. I'll second. We have a motion, a second. Do we have any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I. Very good. We have an agenda.

Now is the time we set aside for public comments. Uh this is your opportunity for anyone in the audience to address the board in any topic of their choosing that pertains to the town. We do ask when you're called upon approach the podium speaking through the microphone and identify yourself by name and address. Uh please keep your comments limited to three minutes if you're speaking as an individual or five minutes if you are speaking on behalf of a group. And as friendly reminder there will be a second time for public comment again at the end of our meeting. And um the podium is open if anyone would like to speak at our first public comment period. Oh, I think there's move around for seats.

Melissa, go ahead.

Good evening. My name is Melissa Harrison and I'm at um 714 Idland and I just wanted to sincerely thank the board of commissioners for taking another look at the proposed lease agreement involving the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce property. The chamber has been an important part of our community, supporting local businesses, promoting tourism, and encouraging economic growth, and helping connect people across the Outer Banks. Their work benefits not just businesses, but residents and visitors alike. I especially appreciate the willingness shown after the April 22nd meeting to listen to public feedback and continue the conversation. that openness matters and it reflects the kind of community-minded leadership people value here in Kildova Hills. Thank you for your service, your professionalism, and for continuing to work towards a positive path forward for both our town and the chamber. So, thank you guys so much. That's all I have.

Thank you. Thank you. Would anybody else like to speak at our first public comment period? There's no age limit on public comments. Anyone can speak. We work for you, too. So, kids in the audience have a chance. Casey Ball, 11:02 Cardinal Street. I got a text message today that said it was a asking me about a Kill Devil Hills issues survey. Would you guys send out text messages? Okay. I thought it was a scam,

so I didn't click on the link, but since I was here, I figured I would ask so I didn't have to question. Okay, thank you for listening. Thank you for bringing that up. Thank you very much. That's a good question. Yeah.

Um, would anybody else like to speak at our first public comment period? All right, seeing no takers, we'll close this first period for public comment. In response, um Melissa, welcome back and um thank you for the warm message. Uh Casey, I'm so happy you brought this up because phone scams and Chief, where are you? Uh this is something that is an acute problem all over the United States, but here in Kill Hills as well. And for anybody out there, if you see a bizarre text from the town, from anybody, you don't recognize who it could be. I know DMV is having a huge problem with phony

uh ticket messages going out. Jury service. Juries. Yeah. If you don't know recognize the number of your questions about it, air on the side of caution. So, thank you very much. We would not poll. No. Yeah. I've gotten one before as well. It wasn't us. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. Um, any other responses to public comments?

All right. Hearing none, we will move on to introductions and presentations. Item number one, trash attack community cleanup event and poster contest recognitions. And Sandy, I will turn the floor over to you.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Sandy Markland. I live at 203 Hampton Street and I have the honor and privilege of being the chair for the 2026 trash attack event. We held it on Saturday, April 25th. Um, we had about 80 people, volunteers and staff this year, down from 135 last year. Unfortunately, we picked a Saturday which um we had a lot of things going on that day and people had other obligations. But even though it was a smaller crowd with less trash, there were only seven cubic yards total between all five zone sites. Um there is no listing um provided me for bulk trash, but I know for a fact that there was quite a bit of bulk trash um that was discovered and taken care of by our mayor John Windley and our commissioners uh Dylan Hikkins and Ron Sidman. And thank you for that. That's three years in a row that the mayor with his little spies has identified an abandoned encampment and we have they have gone and cleaned it all up. So, we really appreciate that. But even with lower numbers, there was a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of hard work and it was a good turnout and a beautiful day. So, we appreciate it. Um, and our poster contest drew only seven entries this year, but super high quality as you can see, some of the very best ever. Um, and we would like to recognize those poster people this evening. So, if you are here and I call your name, um, go ahead, come back and see me and then go and stand next to your poster. Okay, everybody got it? Can you do that? You're brave to do that. Okay. All right. So, first up is Lucy Garinger. All right.

And if I say your name wrong, please tell me. Ever Garinger. Ezekiel Elder. Thank you so much. I have to shake my hands. Jesse Karns, Eerie, Elder. Is it Eerie? I am so sorry. That man over there, he told me the same.

Sorry. Malachi elder. Whoops. Sit down. We're not ready for you. I messed up. What did I do? I am short one.

All right. Um, sorry, Malachi. Come on up. Malachi was our second place entry and your gift card is in here. Okay. So, congratulations. Thank you, sir. Very cool. Andrew Ball. Andrew, did you enter last year? Did you win last year? First place. So, you have two trash trucks now. I don't know about that. Does that seem fair? It's fair. It's fair. You work very hard. Thank you, sir. Your gift card is in there.

Stand next to your poster, please. Should I leave it in the kitchen?

All right. Never mind.

Thank you. The commissioners have come around too. We'll let you continue. We were fortunate this year that all of our commissioners um participated in trash attack as well as what seems like half the town staff. So, we are blessed to have such a wonderful town and so much involvement.

I'm gonna stand next to me. Poor mom. Very nice. He's collecting drugs.

Well, uh, congratulations and thank you to everyone who, uh, entered a poster in this year's competition. is I do not envy the people who have to select a winner. And uh Andrew, I want to give you kudos for winning two years in a row. That's a much more impressive accomplishment than finding and cleaning up three homeless encas. So good job, sir.

All right. Very nice. and Sandy, thank you for your leadership through every every trash attack every year. You do a great job. It runs so smoothly and um I don't think we could do it without you. So, thank you.

All right, we will move on to ongoing business. Item one, leases of town property. Item A, uh, Chamber of Commerce at 101 right next door here on Town Hall Drive. Um, kind of picking up where we left off last month. Um, we do have a an updated uh, lease for a five-year term at $250 a month. Um, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank our our town staff. Uh this is a a lot of work and that went into kind of ironing this out. And then I want to thank my fellow board members as well for uh it seems like a simple thing but a lot more a lot of phone calls and and communication involved and getting getting through this and um thank you for that. And uh we we have this in front of us now. There's any comments or questions now is the time to bring it up. I'll make a motion to adopt the resolution on the renewal of lease agreement.

I'll second. We have a motion, a second. Do we have any further discussion? Uh hearing none. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I.

Nice have it. Back to business. Thank you all very much. All right. And moving on to new ongoing business 1B, uh the old town hall fire station lease that is will be planned to be on agenda at our next meeting on May 27th of this month. I don't believe we need to take any more action regarding that item at this time. Uh I guess we can move on to new business. Item number one, site plan review 1903 South Kanan Highway proposed mixed use building. Um, I'll handle it. Um, this is at 1903 South Carlton Highway. Um, like you said, there's proposed uh proposed mixeduse building. Uh, enclosed you'll find a site plan submitted by Silver Dune Holdings LLC. uh site plan calls for the construction of a 8,524 square foot mixeduse building. It has uh three twobedroom apartments on the top floor. Uh and the ground floor has a carry out uh facility restaurant and a additional uh retail space. Uh the site plan includes 20 proposed parking spaces, driveway connection to East Fresh Pond Drive and associated site improvements on um there's three lots there uh 21 20 21 and 22. Um there's currently a permit to demolish the existing retail building um and that portion of the access on the 158 on lot 22. um both multif family dwellings uh retail business and restaurant. It's a carry out facility. Our permitted uses in the commercial zone. Um included with this memorandum, you'll find the commercial site plan application, site

plan, architectural plan, and willingness to serve from KDH WWTP LLC. Planning board reviewed this proposal on April 21st, 2026 and forward it to the board recommending approval with several conditions that have been addressed by the applicant on the plans presented to the board of commissioners. Staff recommends approval of the site plan as presented and I can help with any staff questions and then the owner and the site designer here as well if you have any questions for them. Quick question this week. This will connect Will this connect with our uh sewer treatment plant or I have on site. It'll connect to the one that's back over here. Yeah.

Curious all fit that there. They'll uh build a lift station there too. So, and the only property being removed is the that existing the hippie house. Yeah. That's going to demolish that and that access uh the driveway on the 158. They'll lose that. But they own the two properties. Yeah, there's two vacant lots beside there currently that they're all going to be combined into one parcel. Okay. So, that's where the access will be off of. So, no more uh entry from 158. Correct. Come around. That's

And hopefully a interconnectivity with um I think it's a sushi restaurant now. They're talking to them about the old RVs possibly about connecting so the drives go through, but that's it's up to that property, the adjacent one if they want to connect or not. All right. Well, um, we have a site plan in front of us. Does anybody have any questions or comments? I like the mixed use. Yeah, I think it's our first. It's the writing jam. Yeah. Very nice. We had a few remodels existing structure. Yeah. Potentials onto old existing commercial buildings. But

all right. Well, if there are no questions, I'll someone would like to make a motion and we'll certainly entertain it. I'll make the motion to approve site plan review 1903 South Croatan Highway proposed mixeduse building. Second. Uh we have a motion to second. Do we have any more discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I.

Thank you. All right. Moving on. Um, new business. Item number two, appointments and nominations. Uh, item A under this is board of adjustments. alternative alternative alternate member tongue tied here um with Andrew Carlton's promotion uh to the regular as a regular member of board of adjustments we have a seat available on as alternate um I'd like to make a motion to um appoint Becky Bri as an alternate we have a motion any

I'll second that and a second any discussion All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I. Thank you, Becky. All right. Uh, next is uh a position a spot on the dangerous animal appeals board. Uh, Sue Kelly has expressed interest in being reappointed. Out of curiosity, when's the last time that board met? I don't know. Don't jinx us. Right. It's not a good board. No, we don't. We don't like it. That's a good thing. They don't know. Yeah. Okay. Well, our animal control office I'm glad animals have been behaving themselves last four years. So, uh, and our animal control officers do an excellent job.

Yes, they do. Yes, they do. All right. Um, I'll open the floor up for any potential nominations. I nominate Sue Kelly. Second. Any further discussion? All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. Hi. Thank you, Sue. Thank you. All right. Um, new business item number three. All of our nice homework we have to do in the next two weeks. Yes, you have it there at your presentation of the town manager's recommended budget fiscal year 2026 2027.

Yes, sir. Thank you. But we're going to give it to you this evening and give you some time to go through it and review it. Um what we would like to do is the Wednesday, May 27th, um board of commissioners meeting is have our budget work session where we'll go through it page by page, address any issues or concerns that you might have, and then recommend that you hold a um public hearing on June 8th at 6:00 and a motion would be in order to schedule both the work session and um the public hearing. I will just point out a few things um quickly. There is no tax increase while preventing um continuing to provide the high quality of service, conservative revenue projections, proactive asset management and operational optimization. Um the total budget, the total um general fund budget is $30,23,250. Your property tax um one penny raised 535 um,500 um 53. um you'll find the little cheats sheet that I'm working from. And um please um if you have any questions between now and the 24th, call myself, Charlene, Angel, any of the department heads. Um the staff is very involved with their budget and can be able to address any questions or concerns. So with that, a motion would be in order. I'll make that motion that we schedule our budget workshop for May 27th, 2026 and also the uh budgetary public hearing on June 8th, 2026.

Second. Do we have any more discussion? All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. All right. Thank you. All right. Next item on the list is committee reports. None. No, no report here.

Um, if I get my password right. Uh, let's see. Well, do it off the cuff. The Dair County Tourism Board um held its um budget and finance committee meeting today. Um, all is well. We did authorize uh $325,000 to be transferred from the um general fund for marketing in the late spring and late summer periods. Target audiences Raleigh, Richmond, Hampton Roads, very targeted ads, unskippable YouTube things, stuff like that. So that um that's about what I have from today's meeting. It was actually a short one and um tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. personnel board keeping me very busy.

Commissioner Hawkins might assume that the tourism board is responsible for the unskippable YouTube ads that uh go after a little bit. But um they they are. Yes. And it turns out they're kind of expensive. I'm glad to see uh thank you for taking on all this work. appreciate that the update. Anybody else for committee report?

Um, we had a community appearance commission meeting last Thursday, I believe. I think the Thursday before um and uh the one major thing to report from that that we had decided to spend part of the budget on um which is which is exciting is to invest in a couple of the bins for reusable um beach toys. So if a family's leaving, instead of throwing them away, they'll go into a bin. Nags Head has been doing a pilot one. So we're going to try a couple at different places and then expand on that. So great. Yeah. Yeah. I think it'll be really cool.

Anybody else? Seeing none, we will move on to commissioner's agenda. No, no agenda here. Keep looking at Ron. Ron, you're on the end. You start. I look down here. The um the cell phone service thing. I know. I drive everybody crazy with this. Anybody else noticed at the the north border of the town, right when you're approaching Kittyhawk, if you're on the phone, and I'm on the phone all day long, your call will drop and you cannot get it back until you've driven another a few minutes or so and it comes back.

It actually just happened to me today and it's it's every day in that time. It didn't drop, but I was actually trying to call town hall and it went to SOS right then. SOS. Yes. And I have two phones and they're both just out of commission. You can't call anybody if you want. Right. When I was crossing into Kitty Hall, I've never noticed it before, but it it did just happen to me today. Does issue one carrier specific or universal? I do think it might be Verizon. here cuz yeah cuz I have I have a friend that has AT&T to you cuz you've been there all the time and I'm on going home say I think it might be a Verizon thing. I know I brought this up like several times but anyway it just drives me crazy weird with AT&T.

Yeah kind of switch. Yeah, I'm just joking. And we did contact our I remember Yeah. And I can't remember if that last time was more of the slowness of things in the season, which that makes sense to me. It's it's overloaded, but the SOS thing is just bizarre to me. Anyway, it is bizarre. Is that on the beach ride as well? Yes, actually it is because I noticed that in the afternoons and I come back on the beach ride. It's just like a block if you are. Yeah. Um, strangest thing. Interesting. Anyway, all for me.

Commissioner Hikens made me think of something else. uh general inquiry I wanted to ask uh I mean I've heard different things and uh I'm curious because I didn't know uh the um roadside parking on on streets uh in the rightway so to speak if it's someone's property but it's in so to speak the rightway maybe the east east west roads you see some basketball hoops you're seeing some I mean we're seeing basketball hoops leaning sort of over the road almost we're seeing I've seen boats, you know, that are sort of parked in that right away and it seems like it's it's kind of becoming a problem on some of the busier roads on on the side streets. Um, what's do you know what's what the rule is on that?

Chief, would you parking in the rightway? I mean, is it a per per case basis? Someone complains and then and then you have to approach their house or how does that work? It's more on a complaint uh driven okay thing because um it it's technically it's in violation uh if they're impeding traffic, right? Um if they're impeding a stop sign u or or you know getting out onto the street safely or whatever, it's in violation, but it's complaint.

Okay. Because yeah, some of those roads are narrow. Yeah, some of those roads are narrow and I'm sure you've seen it yourself where like uh someone will park even a car but even a but a boat and it's really close to the road and you know like two cars come and they basically almost can't go by together and then I've seen that I've heard from a couple truck drivers when making deliveries and whatnot the basketball hoops particularly are kind of a lot of them are sort of like in the road and I have nothing against basketball or basketball hoops. As a matter of fact, I don't know why you don't see kids playing basketball anymore, but but uh you know how they set them up on the road these days uh instead of in the driveway. And um uh I just they asked me and I was curious and I've experienced it myself a couple times with the with the you know people parking their personal boats really close to the road.

Some of these smaller side streets in West Kill Double Hills maybe. Yeah. And if you see something like that and it's looks dangerous, then just give us a call and we'll address it. Because there is a space in the rightway that they're really not supposed to be parked. Correct. There's like a number of feet. Do do we know off the road? The width the width of the right of way varies throughout town. So, and the right of way pavement also is not always dead center depending on drainage and utilities. Mhm. So, one side of the road there may be 10 ft of right of way that's grass. Mhm.

And the other side might be 25 ft of right away that's grass because typically our roads are between 20 and 22 foot wide. Oh god. With two foot shoulders. So you can't take the middle and say it's a 50ft ride ofway. So this much is right of way because they're not always centered based on our utility. So we have Steve has incredible maps of our existing rightways and where they're located in the roads since we've repaved. Chances are portion of them in the past 20 years that we have as built for them. Okay. But chances are if you're like basically touching the road, you're probably in the rightway. I assume that's fair to say. Unless you're on sportsman. Yes. Okay. Okay. West sportsman, you're not.

Okay. Other than that, it's a good it's a good chance. Haymon is a 100 foot ride ofway, but the road's only 22. So, keep that in mind. But why is Haymon such a bit bigger rightway than others? It was house platted when it was subdivided in the 50s under the park. It's just the way the subdivider put a 100 foot rightway. They wanted a corridor from the ocean to the sound. It was done in the 50s. Interesting. Thank you for that. All right. Any more commissioner agenda items? No.

All right. Moving on uh to the mayor's agenda. I have a few things to share. First is um under resolutions and proclamations. uh longtime National Park Service storyteller and Dair County native Daryl Collins made a long lasting impact on our community and nation throughout his career by sharing the important stories of Wilbur and Overwrite their pioneering achievements to generations of Americans who visited the Wright brothers National Memorial. The town owns of Kild Devil Hills and Kittyhawk are working with the Collins family to support the designation of approximate 4.1 mile portion of Highway 158 from Collington Road to the intersection north of West Kittyhawk Road intersection uh by the North Carolina Department of Transportation in honor of Daryl McNary Collins. I recommend approval of this ro of this resolution and I make a motion for its adoption. I second that motion.

Uh, any discussion? All right. Hearing none, I hope everybody at some point had a chance to hear Daryl speak. Yes, he was. Uh, the hype was legit. He really was a tremendous orator and and did a lot for this community and and for Dar County. Uh, we have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. I. Very good. All right. Next, a few more things. Uh, uh, Chief, uh, happy police week, sir, and thank you and thank your entire department for everything you do for our town. I know, uh, the calls come in at all times, and you got good folks working for us. So, thank you and all and everyone in our police department.

Yes. Um, Mary's Paul's Park Celebration. Mark your calendars for our annual Mary's Paul. That's a tongue twister. It never was one. Mary's Paws Park Celebration, which will be held on Thursday, June 4th from 1 to 4:00 p.m. at Aviation Park. It's a great way to celebrate our dog park, and there will be giveaways, educational information, and treats for the pups and their humans. For more info, please visit our town's website, kdhnc.com. I think every day is a celebration of the dog park. It's a very uh fun, happy place to be, well utilized, and uh it's always nice to see

furry friends and their humans having a good old time over there. Um next is animal shelter drive as part of our pause park celebration. The town is conducting a supply drive for local animal shelters. Subjected items to include are sturdy dog and cat toys, dog treats, non-clumping kitty litter, durable leashes and collars, and adult dog and cat food, both wet and dry, and items can be dropped off right here at town hall through Friday, June 5th. Okay, that's all I have for mayor's agenda. Uh, town manager's agenda.

No, sir. Nothing this evening. Attorney's the same. All right. Uh we'll move on to our consent agenda.

Yes, sir. Um the minutes from April 22nd, 2026, the March 2026 monthly report budget amendment to um appropriate the remaining funds from the 22 beach nourishment project um fund to the capital um reserve fund partnership reports. Um, this one is from the Outer Banks Y Family YMCA, the North Carolina Land and Water Grant. Just an update to the board. Um, we did receive notification that um the town was granted um the was awarded the grant. Um this results in the permanent conservation of the town's area around the Nag Woods and the Fresh Pond, which is currently being um managed by the conservancy. The town um has recognizes this is a multi-stage process which will in will involve for the state to release funding in exchange for the conservation of the designated properties. Approval of consent agenda will just record the board's continuing support and authorization for the manager and staff to finalize the remaining phase and to update the board um at future meetings for the um to the progress. So this evening we recommend approval of the consent agenda as presented and a motion would be in order.

I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. I'll second. We have a motion a second. Um I have one quick question. Item number five is the state's lack of a budget. You want to slow this process down at all? I don't think so. It's it's a very um multi-stage. It's a pretty slow process. I don't I don't see where it would this would be any different than any of the other items with the with the state as to where the money is um allocated and it is something they're very interested in doing. So I I don't see that as a problem. Thank you.

And then of course as we discussed just to follow up on that those funds we would hold to use on our improvements to the bomb track area. Great. All right. So, we have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda. Any more questions? No. All right. I hear none. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. All right. We have a consent agenda. Um, now is our second opportunity for public comment. Anybody would like All right. I see people getting their bags and jackets, so I'll take that.

Thank you. Uh we will uh close our second opportunity public comment. Nothing to respond to. So I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. I. We are journ. Thanks everybody. Remember to bring your budgets next month. I got mine less than