by Joy Warren
The White Lake Board of Commissioners met Tuesday evening in regular session and heard an update on the Lake Water Project. To help share information on the project, Dr. Diane Lauritsen has designed a new web site www.whitelakewatch.com and email address info@whitelakewatch.com which is now available as a communication resource for the community. The website contains information on the work that has been done, the work in progress, lake monitoring updates, and lake management planning workshops. The next public workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19th at 6:00 p.m. All citizens interested are encouraged to attend. The Board also approved a Hydrilla Management Plan for 2019. This proposal for $12,000 will be a 50/50 cost-share arrangement between the Town and the State of NC. As of August 30th, no Hydrilla has been found so no herbicide treatments have been conducted and there are no immediate plans to stock the lake with grass carp. The professional services contract for Dr. Diane Lauritsen of LIMNOSCIENCES was also approved by the Board. She will be providing monitoring, reporting, project management, and posting updates to the website for the Lake Water Project. Mayor Womble noted that prior to this approved contract, Dr. Lauritsen provided these services to the Town at no cost.
Mayor Womble introduced Mrs. Terri Dennison, Town of Elizbethtown Director of Communications and Marketing. She will be providing administrative support to the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce as part of her duties.
In administrative matters, Council approved September and October Utility, Tax Releases, and Refunds; approved a Request for Extension for demolishing property at 6750 Hwy 701; accepted the full settlement of taxes for 2019 due to vacancy during tax collector’s term of office; extended the Tetra Tech, Inc. contract for professional services with no additional compensation; approved the Wooten Coimpany’s professional services contract for Phase II of the Multi-Use Path Project; approved the Safety Management Policy update; renewed the SECU Lease Agreement for a 3 year term for the ATM provided by SECU; aproved budget ordinance amendments for updating the Safety Policy and for FEMA reimbursements; and accepted the transfer of owernship of Camp Clearwater’s wastewater collection system.
The Board adopted a resolution designating the White Lake Multi-Use Path as an official off-road segment of the 100 miles of protected East Coast Greenway. Sarah Sanford, Coordinator with the East Coast Greenway Alliance indicated that until the multi-use path was built, there were no off-road greenway segmernts along this rural stretch from Fayetteville to Wilmington. A second resolution was adopted to request $200,000 in financial assistance from the State of NC for construction costs of Phase II of the Multi-Use Path. Phase II will continue the path from Turtle Cove to the White Lake Marina.
The Town offices and facilities will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28th-29th for the Thanksgiving holidays. The public works on-call person will be available in case of water/sewer emergencies.
The Board adjourned Tuesday’s meeting to Tuesday, November 19th at 6:00 p.m. for the purpose of holding the next public workshop for the Lake Water Management Plan.
Related Article:
https://bladencounty.org/bcc-board-of-trustee-meeting-scheduled/
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