■ COMMUNICATION AND OPEN RECORDS
If you review my "Town Hall" page, you'll see one of the issues that was the major catalyst for my campaign. Yes, the absolute letter of the "Sunshine Law" was followed when the Town Hall project financing was considered, but the intent and spirit of the law was skirted when the full cost of the Town Hall project was never mentioned. Only those who know how to ask for and find the information could discover the full extent of the ambiguities in this particular action.In June of 2007, a memo from the Town Manager was considered at the regular Council Meeting. The memo was not released to the public before the meeting; it was given to Council just before the meeting began. That memo outlined a list of Capital items for which 'staff' wanted permission from Council to pursue financing. During the meeting, when that agenda item was considered, the Town Manager mentioned the memo, asked for approval, Council moved and voted to allow 'staff's' wishes. THAT MEMO CONTAINED A LIST OF CAPITAL ITEMS TOTALLING $16,000,000.00 !! Was the absolute 'letter' of the law followed? Yes. Was the intent of the "Sunshine Law" followed. Absolutely not. EVERY ISSUE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL SHOULD BE DISCLOSED FULLY AND COMPLETELY TO THE PUBLIC WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING IN WHICH IT IS CONSIDERED ! IT IS THE DUTY OF THE MAYOR TO PRESIDE OVER COUNCIL MEETINGS AND INTRODUCE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.When I am elected, I will make sure every item considered by Council is disclosed fully to the public. If not, I will state fully to the public that the one introducing the item has chosen not to provide full and complete information.■ PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS
One member of the public submitted a public records request almost a year ago. He has not received the information he requested. For any of you who are unaware of the issue, in September of 2007, the Town Manager approved the destruction of 7,000 lbs. of public documents without recording the items to be destroyed, as he should have according to State laws and regulations. If a member of the public submits a public records request, how can that person know one way or the other if the items requested were or were not part of the documents destroyed?EVERY REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC RECORDS SHOULD BE ANSWERED AS SOON AS IS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. NO EXCUSES !! THE RECORDS DON'T BELONG TO THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL OR THE STAFF. THEY BELONG TO YOU, AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO VIEW ANY RECORD COVERED BY THE SUNSHINE LAWS WHENEVER YOU WISH !■ MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT REFERENDUMS
I strongly believe we should have voter referendums on major capital projects. The voters and taxpayers, after all, are the ones who pay for all these new buildings, parks and projects. We have municipal elections every 2 years. That is more than sufficient time to pre-plan any major projects.During the last election, every candidate that was voted into office stated they would be in favor of referendums, but no one in the past two years since the election has introduced the issue for consideration.Though as Mayor I would not have a vote on such an issue, I will work with the Council to have that issue introduced and seriously considered.■ TREE AND VEGETATION ORDINANCE
I will work with the Tree City USA Committee and the Town Council to try to put together an ordinance that is uncomplicated, enforceable and is strong enough to actually help save our heritage trees without violating the rights of private property owners. I fail to understand why builders need to clear anything other than the footprint of the structure they wish to build with a minor buffer around it, and an ingress/egress driveway during construction.The penalties for violating a strong Tree and Vegetation Ordinance should be strong enough to be a deterrent, not merely a pittance that can be added to the costs of building.■ COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT
The Public Information Officer position was originally created as a position to help develop ways to improve our commercial district, but the results for that goal have been minimal at best. The Council recently formed the Business and Tourism Committee, to work on ways to improve not only our Commercial District, but to benefit all businesses in the Town of Oak Island. There are many ways we can assist our businesses without adding additional expense to either the businesses or the taxpayers. I would like to see a link added to the Town's web site that lists our businesses, by category, with all of their contact information, so that anyone considering vacationing on Oak Island will be able to see what we have available to make their visit more enjoyable. A coalition of all business owners in the Commercial District should be able to work voluntarily to improve the aesthetics of the businesses through painting, improved signage and landscaping where possible. I promise to be there, front and center, to help paint and landscape if they need me!■ YAUPON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Yaupon Beach Volunteer Fire Department has 'lived' in the Yaupon Beach section of Oak Island for decades. They have a dedicated group of volunteers that are passionate about their ability and professionalism in providing fire protection to Caswell Beach, the Baptist Assembly, the unincorporated areas of Long Beach Road, and after the consolidation of Long Beach and Yaupon Beach, their cooperative service to the Yaupon area of Oak Island.Several years ago, the County set up fire coverage areas for the existing fire departments in the county. The fire fees you pay every year on your property tax bills are forwarded to the department that covers the area assigned by the County.After the incorporation of the towns of Long Beach and Yaupon Beach in 1999, the Yaupon Volunteer Fire Department property itself was located in the Town of Oak Island, but they received after that date none of the fire fees from the town. Their fire fees came from the areas mentioned above.In 2007, the Town of Oak Island included constructed a new building to house the Yaupon Volunteer Fire Department, owned by and paid for by the taxpayers of Oak Island, with the agreement that one of the ladder trucks owned by the Town of Oak Island, plus the County ambulance that serves Oak Island under an agreement by the county.In 2005, the Town of Oak Island entered into an agreement to pay to the YBVFD for their assistance in coverage of portions of the Yaupon Beach section of Oak Island.It's no secret that I was then, and am still opposed to the building of such large fire stations as has been done in Yaupon Beach and South Harbour. I believe we could have provided great buildings without constructing so much excess as was done.It's also no secret that I believe the Town of Oak Island, before we built a $3 million dollar fire station. should have requested assistance from Caswell Beach and the areas covered on Long Beach in the total cost of what is now Oak Island Fire Station #2. Mayor Harry Simmons of Caswell Beach wrote the Guest Column in the State Port Pilot's October 14th edition concerning my stand that the other areas that the Yaupon Beach Fire Department covers should share in the cost of the new fire station building. He wrote as an advocate for his town and the taxpayers, as well he should. I only wish our administration the past few years had been as much of an advocate of assisting in keeping our budget and taxes more reasonable as Mayor Simmons has been for his taxpayers ! What Mayor Simmons seems to have missed in my statements about the YBVFD concerns NOT the volunteer fire department itself. They are truly an example of what a volunteer organization is all about. My concerns are that the citizens of the Town of Oak Island are bearing the total debt burden of a $3 million dollar building to help provide the towns of Oak Island and Caswell Beach with the best insurance rating possible to residential structures. We are, therefore, SAVING the residents of Caswell Beach on their annual costs of living by helping to ensure they have adequate fire coverage. The fire fees are paid by ALL property owners of the areas covered, however, not just by the permanent residents. I don't know the percentage of residents in Caswell Beach to properties there, but that number of property owners should be considered in calculating the burden on each homeowner for fire fees.Mayor Simmons pointed out that Caswell Beach provides $97,000.00 in fees to the YBVFD. I can only assume he is correct with that statement. What he failed to mention is that the Town of Oak Island's budgeted fire fees paid by its taxpayers for fire district fees include $933,000.00.In addition to the total fire fees paid by the taxpayers, a bit over $123,000.00 from the Town of Oak Island is paid to the YBVFD for their Service Contract in covering certain areas of Yaupon Beach, (a well deserved amount ! ), plus the annual debt service for the financing of Station 2 in the '09-'10 budget of a bit over $408,000.00. So, the total cost to the taxpayers of Oak Island for YBVFD's coverage and the cost of Station 2 all told is a bit over $531,000.00 in addition to the fire fees paid by the property owners of Oak Island.
