Volume 18 | October 2026

Official Business from the September 2nd Council Meeting

Presentations:

The 2026 Citizen of the Year award was presented to Gary Tagtmeyer.

(See details below)

Mayor/Council/Staff Reports:

Event Center Expansion:

On August 28, 2026, staff met with architects Sherwood and Sawyer for a schematic design discussion regarding the event center expansion. The current design iteration includes small breakout rooms for activities such as card games, staff offices, and a new multipurpose room to increase flexibility in existing rooms. Notable improvements include enhanced accessibility and an additional restroom with comfort-height fixtures. The current project timeline anticipates bidding in Summer 2027, council selection of a construction firm, and a notice to proceed for construction in October 2027.

Water Pressure Improvement Project:

Mr. Repp reported continued progress on the Town’s water pressure improvement project. Work on the new pressure zone along NC 211 and NC 906 is expected to be completed in early October. The project is designed to increase water pressure system wide and specifically bring approximately 900 homes above 40 psi. Additional connections will improve water flow throughout the Town, while a final phase, recently cleared by the Army Corps of Engineers and NCDOT, will improve pressure on the west side of Town, including the Woodlands. Two additional fire hydrants have also been installed. The Town’s $1.9 million contribution was funded through American Rescue Plan funds, allowing the project to move forward years sooner than originally anticipated with the county funding the balance of the estimated $6 million project.

New Business:

The Town Council unanimously approved a proposal with McGill Associates for engineering and permitting services to develop a new storm debris laydown area on a 12-acre parcel off Committee Drive. The new site will replace the current area north of Town Hall and provide additional space to accommodate changes in Brunswick County’s debris disposal process. The costs associated with the contract will be reimbursed to the Town as part of the original development agreement with the developers at St. James North.

Inside the August 20th Town Council Work Session

NC 211 Update:

Steve Knowles and Joshua Pratt of NCDOT presented a progress status update on the NC 211 widening project. Mr. Knowles reported that the project is now 72% complete, with substantially all roadway work expected to be finished by July 2027 and the overall project scheduled for completion in January 2028.

Traffic was successfully shifted to the westbound lanes on July 17, and Regency Crossing reopened on time following milling work. Storm drain work at the St. James main entrance has been delayed, and NCDOT will provide at least two weeks’ notice before that work begins.

Construction continues throughout the project, including grading toward the St. James entrance, major underground storm drainage work near the canal and Dutchman Creek, and culvert improvements at several locations. Girder installation for the Midway Road bridge is targeted for around December 1, with a nighttime traffic detour expected during that work.

20-20 Town of St. James Council Chamber & Event Center Technology Proposal:

Council reviewed a proposal for a comprehensive audiovisual technology upgrade at Town Hall and the Wright Event Center. The base proposal is approximately $684,000, with an optional second Event Center LED wall bringing the total to approximately $748,000. Staff will address contract concerns raised by Council before the agreement is finalized. The project is expected to take 18–24 weeks.

August Zoning Report:

The Town issued seven (7) zoning permits in August, including two (2) for new construction. Staff continues to await a revised site plan for the St. James North shopping center and will seek an updated infrastructure timeline from the developer.

Wright Event Center Summary:

The Homer E. Wright Event Center hosted 1,903 events through August. Approximately 86% were resident events with no charge. Staff is exploring illuminated fountains for the adjacent retention pond to enhance the area’s appearance and visibility.

Finance

Finance Director Pauline Haran reported $388,956 in property tax collections and an unusually strong $361,951 in sales tax revenue. Total August collections were $848,160, with expenditures exceeding $1 million, which is typical early in the fiscal year. The Town also officially became debt-free on the Town Hall facility after the loan deed was recorded with the Registry of Deeds.

Other updates included a new Event Center podium being built by the St. James woodworkers, a new cleaning contract, and a deferral of the purchasing policy update to October. Council also discussed speaker honorariums and will continue providing gift baskets while staff reviews UNCW’s policies.

Public meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the Town Website.

St. James Planning Board Meeting

Tuesday, October 6th • 9:30 AM

The Town of St James Planning Board will hold a meeting on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 9:30AM in the Earl Dye Council Chamber at Town Hall, 4140 Southport-Supply Rd., St. James, North Carolina.

The Planning Board will meet on a monthly basis to update the Town's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month at 9:30AM for approximately six months.

Town of St. James Recognizes 2026 Citizen of the Year at September Regular Meeting

The St. James Town Council formally recognized Gary Tagtmeyer as the 2026 St. James Citizen of the Year at their Regular Meeting on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

Mayor Toner presented the 2026 Citizen of the Year award to Gary Tagtmeyer, recognizing his decades of foundational service to the St. James Community. Among his key contributions were service on multiple Property Owners Association (POA) committees and the POA Board (serving as President from 1997 to 1999), his role as a founder of the Alliance of Brunswick County Property Owners Associations (ABC POA), his leadership in consolidating four separate homeowners associations into one, his role in establishing the St. James Fire Department, and most notably, his chairmanship of the steering committee that successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly to incorporate the Town of St. James as a municipality on July 1, 1999. He also served on Town Council from 2005 to 2009.

Mayor Toner presented Mr. Tagtmeyer with a certificate and award recognizing his significant contributions and service to the Town of St. James. Mr. Tagtmeyer accepted the award on behalf of all St. James pioneers who worked diligently to make the community what it is today.

Former POA Board President Jerry Iverson, current POA Board President Bill Lendh, and Former Fire Chief Scott Boyer offered additional remarks, thanking Mr. Tagtmeyer for his contributions and service to the St. James community.

Last Call for Candidates

St. James Fire Department Board of Directors Election 2026

The Board is soliciting candidates to serve on the St. James Fire Department Board of Directors. Candidates must be 18 years of age and own property in the St. James Fire District.

There are two (2) open positions. The Board is seeking candidates with experience in finance, project management, recruitment, social media, IT and/or legal work. 

If you are interested in running for one of these positions, forward a resume outlining your experience and qualifications, no later than Friday, October 9, to Garren Foy bodvp@stjamesfire.org or hand deliver to SJFD Board of Election, St. James Fire Department, 3628 St. James Drive, Southport, NC 28461.

The election will be held on Friday, November 13 at the St. James Fire Department, Station #1, from 10AM-5PM. Questions? Lynn Dutney ldutney@gmail.com, Garren Foy bodvp@stjamesfire.org, or Rich Agar bodtreasurer@stjamesfire.org.

Flu Vaccine Clinic

Homer E. Wright Event Center

The Apothecary at St. James will be holding an open vaccine clinic at the Homer E. Wright Event Center on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 from 9:00AM to 12:30PM. Walk-ins are welcome! Please bring insurance cards.

For questions or additional information, please call the Apothecary at

(910) 946-7999.

2026 General Election Information

The Statewide General Election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Early Voting will be held Thursday, October 15 through Saturday, October 31. The Homer E. Wright Event Center, located at 4136 Southport-Supply Road, will serve as a satellite early voting location. Registered voters may vote at any early voting location in Brunswick County during the early voting period.

Early Voting Hours at Satellite Locations:

Monday-Saturday: 8:00AM-7:30PM

Saturday, October 31: 8:00AM-3:00PM

On Election Day, polls will be open from 6:30AM to 7:30PM. You can find the name, location, and address of your precinct by using the Voter Lookup Tool.

Voters can access their personalized sample ballot online using the Voter Search Tool. By searching for your voter registration record, you can view and print your specific ballot style. Sample ballots may be printed and marked in advance and brought with you to the polling place for reference.

Key Election Dates:

• September 4 - Absentee ballots available
• October 4 - Residency deadline
• October 9 - Voter Registration Deadline
• October 20 - Last day to request an absentee ballot
• November 3, 7:30PM - Absentee ballots due at the Board of Elections office

For additional information, including early voting locations, voter registration, absentee voting, precinct information, and sample ballots, visit the Brunswick County Board of Elections.

Town of St. James UNCW Speaker Series

Tuesday, October 27th - 7:00PM

Homer E. Wright Event Center

On Tuesday, October 27th please join Dr. Ryan Mieras, Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), for a discussion titled, "Beach Response before, during, and after Coastal Extreme Events."

Dr. Ryan Mieras is an Associate Professor in Coastal Engineering at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). His research encompasses nearshore sediment transport and hydrodynamic processes via field and laboratory studies, serving to improve our understanding of the physical processes driving coastal flooding and geomorphology in a changing climate. His research activities include basic small-scale sediment transport in the swash and surf-zones, applied instrumentation development, extreme event reconnaissance observation platforms, post-storm beach recovery, and affordable LiDAR and remote sensing coastal observation systems. Before joining academia, Dr. Mieras worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory-Stennis Space Center, where he developed technology to measure sediment concentration in the coastal swash zone.

Missed our September Speaker Series? The presentation is available to watch on the Town's website or by clicking here.