03-23-08: N. Topsail board nixes beach plans

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH - North Topsail Beach aldermen made two decisions Wednesday evening that could suspend beach nourishment in the town.

The board voted against additional funding needed to complete its nourishment project and against participating with the county in its New River dredging project.

The board first heard a presentation on beach nourishment by Coastal Planning and Engineering, the firm hired to prepare a beach renourishment plan and draft environmental impact statement. Then it was asked to consider a request from CP&E for additional funds.

CP&E's North Carolina Project Manager Tom Jarrett explained to the board that additional funds would be needed to complete the project to the permitting phase after CP&E was instructed to alter its plan to limit the town's expense.

In April 2007, the town budgeted for and authorized CP&E's estimate of $311,400. However, due to a phased construction change, unanticipated events and the exclusion of the final designs of the offshore borrow area, more money would be needed, according to CP&E.

Alderman Dan Tuman made the motion to approve the additional $88,600 and Alderman Richard Peters seconded it.

Interim Town Manager Tom Taylor advised the board to approve the additional funding, suggesting if it was not approved, it would waste the $1.6 million of the town's money already spent on the project to date.

Aldermen Richard Farley and Robert Swantek and Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hardison voted against the additional funding.

The second nail in the renourishment coffin came after Mayor Don Martin brought up the Onslow County commissioners' request for the town to participate in the cost of dredging the New River. Onslow County asked North Topsail Beach to absorb $75,000 of the cost and, in return, would place the dredged sand on the public beach starting at Topsail Reef. He asked the board to approve the resolution contingent upon a commitment of $37,500 from Topsail Reef Homeowners Association.

Swantek suggested Topsail Reef homeowners foot the bill for the entire $75,000 since they would benefit by the sand, and pointed out that it would cost each homeowner approximately $312.

Hardison said he had a problem with the town setting precedent for other townspeople to feel they could come to the town and ask for the town to help care for their properties.

The resolution failed 3-2, with Hardison, Farley and Swantek voting against participation with the county.

Later in the meeting, Taylor informed the mayor that he was not at all sure that the commissioners agreed to commit the sand to North Topsail Beach if it did not help with funding.

"The county did agree to the dredging," Taylor said. "Now that we are not participating, I don't know if we will have any say on (where they will put the sand)."

During the public comment, which had been added to the agenda at Tuman's request, several townspeople asked board members find a way to get CP&E back and continue the project. Some called for townspeople to find alternatives and consider a compromise that could bring the town back together on the issue.

The Board of Aldermen voted 3-2 to dismiss all seven members of the beach nourishment committee at its March 6 town meeting, "to be replaced by a new, responsive and balanced membership."

At the end of Wednesday's meeting Taylor announced that Ed Doherty had agreed to head up a search for a new beach nourishment committee.

Contact Topsail area reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at sulbrich@freedomenc.com or 910-353-1171 Ext. 8466.