The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen gave instructions for the town manager to build a team of volunteers to help with hurricane preparation.
“They can help serve as a bridge. It can be a bridge between the hurricane bureaus and the folks who live here,” Wrightsville Beach Fire Chief Glen Rogers told the board during its May 11, 2017 meeting.
Rogers said the town would advertise for help in an effort to build a pool of 20-30 volunteers who would be called into service during a severe weather emergency. Rogers said the volunteers would help with damage assessment, logistics, bottle water and food distribution, public relations and other tasks that can stretch town officials thin during hurricanes and weather emergencies. The volunteers would be unpaid.
Rogers said Carolina Beach has successfully implemented a similar program.
Town to sell lifeguard stands
During the meeting, the board of aldermen also approved selling surplus lifeguard stands, after 13 have been replaced over the past few years. The town will have available to sell 12 of the lifeguard stand bases and 9 of the lifeguard stand tops, at $300 each. Lifeguard stands cost the town approximately $3,500 and last 6-7 years, town manager Tim Owens said.
Action delayed
The board of aldermen also delayed action on some items during the May 11 meeting.
After a question from an audience member, the board wanted more information from town about whether proposed changes to the town ordinance regulating massage and bodywork therapy would allow for tattoo and body piercing.
The board of aldermen also wanted more information from the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau before approving the 2017-2018 Wrightsville Beach Marketing Advisory Committee budget of $575,920 budget is a 12 percent increase over the prior budget.
