Kitty Hawk Town Council honors Willie Midgett honored for 15 years of service

Published 12:49 pm Saturday, September 18, 2021

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Delayed one day due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, Kitty Hawk Town Council opened its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, September 7, with a special recognition presentation for Public Works director Willie Midgett who completed 15 years of service with the town. Midgett started with Kitty Hawk in 2006 after 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard where he retired as a chief boatswain mate.

Also making a presentation to council was Dr. Jack Bagwell, College of The Albemarle president, with updated information on local college activities. According to Bagwell COA recently opened a new Currituck facility and a new Manteo campus building currently under construction is expected to open at the end of winter. COA serves seven counties at four locations offering several transfer degrees and trade programs at Manteo in Dare County, Barco in Currituck County, Edenton in Chowan County and Elizabeth City in Pasquotank County.

The most in-depth presentation of the night came from David Woodward, representing Manns Woodward Studios Architecture and Master Planning in Baltimore, MD.

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According to Woodward, construction as planned of a new Police/Fire/EMS Station will run in the neighborhood of $9.8 million, almost twice the $5.5 million budgeted for the project. Woodward said in order to stay within the budgeted amount it may be necessary to cut back on the square footage, or eliminate the fire and/or EMS presence.

“Another reduction method,” explained Woodward, “is to reduce a little space from each program.”

Woodward went on to say that doing so would reduce the building size by 44 percent. However, while that was the only plan that would fit the current budget, it would result in a non-functional building.

Woodward ended his presentation saying that he needed to know where council wanted to go in order to move on to the next step.

When asked what was the hold up, Woodward replies: “The budget.”

In other action for the night by council, three unrelated public hearings were set for October 4: a request to rezone a portion of 3722 North Croatan Highway to correct an existing split-zoning error, code amendments to allow tattoo studios as a special use, and a Sec. 42-1 accessory living structure amendment. Council also approved a Coronavirus Paid Sick Leave Policy for employees who receive a positive test result.

Items approved in the consent agenda include August 2 council meeting minutes, a $100,300.00 budget amendment to purchase two 8-inch dewatering pumps as approved in July, recognition of a $1,408,247 grant from the NC Department of Environmental Quality for the 2022 beach renourishment project, a resolution directing the finance officer to submit an application to the Local Government Commission for approval of a special obligation bond estimated not to exceed $5,400,000, a request to hire a police officer with 23 years of Virginia law enforcement experience at $60,975, and a town code amendment restricting parking in Sandy Run Park to vehicles using the park or facilities with unauthorized vehicles parked there to be towed and subject to civil penalties.

Council ended the evening with a closed session to review closed session minutes and discuss several legal matters of concern with the town attorney.

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