What's inside this issue?

• Brunswick County Superior Court order filed.
• BHA's 2024 Annual Meeting, Online Voting and Smith Island Social — Smith Island Social RSVP deadline is January 18.
• Village of BHI's 2024 G.O. Bond Referendum — helpful links, important dates and voting information.
• 2024 proposed homeowners insurance increase — public comment period.
• BHA's 2024 assessment coupons mailing this week.
• BHA calling for volunteers.
• Don't miss — January Island Report.
• Events
• BHA quick links (ARC and BHA committees) and Board meetings.
• Handy Bald Head Island website links.

Brunswick County Superior Court Order Filed

The Brunswick County Superior Court filed an order "Denying the motion to dismiss the plaintiffs' fourth and fifth claims for relief" on January 8. Click HERE to read the order.

BHA's 2024 Annual Meeting, Online Voting

and Smith Island Social

BHA's Annual Meeting is coming soon — Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 9:00am in the Public Safety Complex multipurpose room (273 Edward Teach Ext.). Make plans to join us in-person or online. Your mailed copy of BHA's 2023 Annual Report packet is in a white, catalog envelope and contains your unique voter registration ID on the front cover, proxy, voting details and more.

Smith Island Social RSVP Deadline is Thursday, January 18

Join us for the annual Smith Island Social on Saturday, January 27, 6:00pm at the BHI Club. Contact the

BHI Club for reservations — use your Club App, call 910-477-5010 or email diningres@bhiclub.net. 

Annual Meeting Web Page and FAQs

For all Annual Meeting resources, such as the online voting link and tips, candidate biographies, the candidate forum recording and more, click on the button below. For answers to frequently asked questions, click on that button below.

Village of BHI's 2024 G.O. Bond Referendum

Vote on Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Brief Background

The Village of Bald Head Island is planning for a coastal storm damage reduction (CSDR) project in the winter of 2024-25. The full project as proposed will use Jay Bird Shoals to supply the project with approximately 1 million cubic yards of beach-quality sand. The sand will be placed east of the terminal groin along South Beach, down through the area where the sand tube groins are installed. It will restart east of Muscadine Wynd and will fill to the east end of the Shoals Club.

Read more about the background, with additional resources and quick links for the December Town Hall video and slides, an overview article, statements of disclosure and more on the Village's 2024 Bond Referendum web page HERE.

A Bond Referendum

A bond referendum is a voting process that gives voters the power to decide if a municipality should be authorized to raise funds through the sale of bonds, for specific purposes. A general obligation (G.O.) bond is long-term borrowing in which a municipality pledges its full faith and credit (taxing power) to repay the debt over a specified term. G.O. bonds are the least costly financing option available to the Village to finance major capital costs and offer significant savings to taxpayers over the repayment period. 

During the upcoming March 5, 2024, primary Bald Head Island voters will be able to vote YES or NO on two questions. To read the questions, click HERE.

Questions?

The Village is still taking questions. Please send them to GOBOND@villagebhi.org.

The questions and answers will be posted on the 2024 Bond Referendum web page (click on the button below) and will be updated as more questions are received. The questions are being separated by category (finance/tax, shoreline and bond referendum).

Important Dates:

January 15, 2024 – Absentee ballots for the bond referendum will be available.

February 3, 2024 — Residency deadline.

February 9, 2024 – Last day to register to vote in the referendum.*

February 15, 2024 – Early voting period starts.

February 27, 2024 – Absentee ballot request deadline (5:00pm).*

March 2, 2024 – Early voting period ends.

March 5, 2024 – The referendum will take place. Absentee ballot return deadline is 7:30pm.*

By March 15, 2024 – Canvass of returns by Board of Elections.

* Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

Voting and Residency

As of January 2, 2024, there are 381 people registered to vote in BHI elections. If you live on Bald Head Island full-time or part-time, you may want to review the voting requirements and determine WHERE you want to exercise your voting rights.

According to the Brunswick County Board of Elections, “The residency qualification to register to vote in a municipality or county is that the persons registering must have, by the time of the election, resided in that municipality or county for at least 30 days with the intent to make that county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district a permanent place of abode.” The residency deadline is Saturday, February 3, 2024. (Read Brunswick County's "Clarification on Voter Residency Requirements" HERE.) For the Brunswick County Board of Elections web page, click HERE.

2024 Proposed Homeowners Insurance Increase

In its January 5, 2024, press release, the NC Department of Insurance (NCDOI) stated, "Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced that the North Carolina Rate Bureau (NCRB) filed a rate filing with the North Carolina Department of Insurance on Wednesday asking for an average statewide increase in homeowners’ insurance rates of 42.2%. The Rate Bureau has asked for the rates to become effective August 1, 2024."

The NCRB's proposed increase is 99.4% for the territory including beach areas in Brunswick County, which would include Bald Head Island. Click HERE for the 2024 territories with the NCRB proposed rate increase.

Click HERE for the full NCDOI press release announcing the NCRB's rate filing and explaining the public comment period. There are four ways the public can provide comments:

• A public comment forum will be held to listen to public input on the NCRB’s rate increase request at the NCDOI’s Jim Long Hearing Room on January 22 from 10:00am to 4:30pm. The Jim Long Hearing Room is in the Albemarle Building, 325 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.
• A virtual public comment forum will be held simultaneously with the in-person forum on January 22 from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Click HERE for the link to this virtual forum.
• Emailed public comments should be sent by February 2 to: 2024Homeowners@ncdoi.gov.
• Written public comments must be received by Kimberly W. Pearce, Paralegal III, by February 2 and addressed to 1201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1201.

Click HERE to read the CBS17 article "Detailed list of NC home rate increase plan by cities, counties from insurance companies."

BHA News

BHA's 2024 Assessment Coupons Mailing This Week

BHA's 2024 assessment coupons will be mailed this week, so be on the lookout. Payment is due by February 15, 2024. For any questions, contact Leigh Ann Fink, bookkeeper, at LeighAnn@BaldHeadAssociation.com.

BHA Calling for Volunteers!

Much of what Bald Head Association accomplishes is a direct result of the contribution of its volunteers. BHA has a consistent need for new energy to be fused into its six committees — Architectural Review (ARC), Finance, Resource Conservation and Beautification (RCB), Education and Recreation (ER), Long-Range Planning (LRP) and Community Wide Standards (CWS). The time commitment for individuals who volunteer on these committees for three-year terms varies widely and ranges from an occasional meeting to plan an event to regular, monthly meetings to review construction and landscaping submittals. BHA’s property owners’ time, talents, experience and desire to make a difference is what makes our committees work!

New property owners can find volunteering with BHA a fun way to get involved with and learn more about the BHI community, as well as meet fellow property owners. New and seasoned property owners — whether they live on BHI full-time or are part-time residents who aren’t on-Island as much as they’d like to be — can get involved since BHA holds its meetings in person and utilizing Zoom.

With new volunteer terms of service beginning in late January, we hope you’ll consider volunteering with BHA. You just might make new friends, have some fun and impact the quality of life found on BHI for generations to come. Click the button below for BHA's online committee volunteer application. Thank you!

Don't miss!

• Dive into your community — volunteer!
• BHA's 2023 Annual Report Packets, Annual Meeting, Voting and Smith Island Social.
• ARC — Design Guidelines 27th edition and decorative items in harmony with nature.
• Monthly ARC Quiz.
• President's Letter.
• BHI native plant series feature — sea oats.
• Letter to the editor — all property owners need to vote.
• 2024 BHA annual assessments.
• ARC improvement ad hoc committee update.
• Monthly contributors — the Village of BHI, Old Baldy Foundation and the BHI Conservancy.
• Plus much more!

Due to flooding in BHA's Association Center,

all activities are being temporarily relocated during renovations. For the latest updates, check our online event calendar for location information.

BHA Office Closed Monday, January 15

for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday

BHA's office will be closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday, January 15. The office will reopen with its regular hours of 9:00am-4:00pm on Tuesday, January 16.

Flower Arranging Class

Wednesday, January 24

2:00-3:30pm

Delphina Coastal Cuisine

Sign up by January 17!

Join us for a flower arranging class taught by BHI homeowner Jenny Elliott on Wednesday, January 24, from 2:00-3:30pm. The cost is $125, and participants need to prepay by January 17 (VENMO or check accepted). There are six open spaces. Click on the poster for additional details. Click HERE to visit Jenny's site. For questions, contact Betsi Stephen at BetsiStephen@gmail.com.

Public Service Auxiliary (PSA) Annual Meeting

Sunday, January 28, 1:00-2:00pm

Public Safety Complex

The annual meeting of the Public Service Auxiliary (PSA) will be on Sunday, January 28, from 1:00-2:00pm at the Public Safety Complex (273 Edward Teach Ext.). Current members of PSA are encouraged to attend, and anyone interested in volunteering for the PSA are welcome to attend. Many opportunities exist for all property owners. You do not need to be a full-time resident to volunteer for PSA. For questions, contact Cam McIntyre at cammacnc@gmail.com.

Yoga Classes

Re-starting in 2024

Relocated to BHI Bottle Shop

Re-starting in 2024, yoga classes are taught by Pam Moulin on Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:45am-1:00pm. The new location is BHI Bottle Shop (2 Maritime Way). Thank you to Jordyn Matthews for donating space in the Bottle Shop for yoga classes!

Pam has 36 years of experience as a fitness instructor and 19 years of experience as a yoga instructor, and she's been teaching yoga on Bald Head Island for 13 years. All levels are welcome. Classes are $20, and participants must bring their own yoga mat. Pam requires that all participants show proof of vaccination against Covid-19. For all new participants, it's strongly suggested to email Pam beforehand (and let her know of any physical limitations) at pammoulin@ec.rr.com.

BHI Community Care

Do you need assistance?

Your Island Friends are here to help!

BHI Community Care is in association with Project Longevity. For help or to volunteer, email Joan Maggio at JoanMaggio.BHIcare@gmail.com.

BHI Transportation

Announces Deadline of March 31, 2024,

for 2-part ("Old") Paper Ferry Tickets

According to BHI Transportation's announcement:

Bald Head Island Transportation will STOP accepting two-part (“old”) paper tickets after March 31, 2024. "Old" Bulk 40 tickets (only) may be exchanged for a coupon code through March 31, 2024.

Starting April 1, 2024, only QR-coded “new” tickets and transferred or newly issued passes will be valid for ferry boarding.

Click HERE for the announcement. Click HERE for BHI Transportation's website.

BHA's Board of Directors invites property owners and others to join its monthly public meetings in person or remotely via Zoom. Board meetings are typically held the second Friday of each month beginning at 11:00am EDT. Agendas, approved minutes of previous meetings and a link to the current monthly Zoom meeting can be found on the meeting information web page. Click on the link below to learn more.

(NOTE: change of venue — the Chandler Building in the BHI Harbour.) The next BHA Board meeting public session is scheduled for Friday, January 26, 2024, at 11:00am.

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