President Danny Murphy packed a lot into the busy hour long meeting on Thursday, April 6th at the Brock Center. Thanks to District 9 City Councilman Joash Schulman for coming out to the meeting to give an update about the defunding of Western Shore Drive Improvements in the 2023-24 budget. Due to steeply rising costs, the city manager and the City Council want to concentrate available money on projects closest to completion-Phase 3 Eastern Shore Dr. Sadly we have heard this same rationale over and over: wait your turn, the last time in 2018. Councilman Schulman feels that we will be in a strong position in coming budget go arounds and pledges his strong advocacy to see this project through. City Staff Response to Mr. Schulman’s Question Regarding Reasoning behind Phase IV Defunding (provided by Mr. Schulman at the meeting).
In other business, a motion carried to ask the city to rethink truck hauling from the Lynnhaven Transfer Station as a method of sand placement given the considerable wear and tear on residential roads/ the new bridge and traffic congestion in the narrow residential streets where the transfer station is located. Other beaches like Croatan are replenished without truck hauling. In addition, the motion reflects our opposition to plans to extend truck haul activity over into the weekend time now that the project has had significant delays putting it in the high season not the quieter winter months. Another motion carried in support of the 10/1 voting district system that was in place for the 2022 election.
Update on Planting on Sand Dunes: “Please Stay Off the Dunes “ signs will be placed on the front slope of the dunes along the beach by May 5th. Sea oats planting should be done by April 21st.
Systems are go for 2023 July 1st Fireworks and upcoming social events: Pop Up Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8 at 10:30, the first of our two blockbuster events of the year: Spring Fling April 22 4-7 pm at Taste and a new event: Sunset Beach Picnic on Piling Day May 6th (rain date: May 13th).
Further details available in Meeting Minutes to be posted shortly. Here are the slides from the meeting with information about Phase IV etc.
Ocean Park Civic League 
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