Community

Pender County, NC – Pender County Commissioner Wendy Fletcher-Hardee has tendered her resignation from the position of Pender County Board Commissioner effective Friday, May 17, 2024. In a heartfelt letter addressed to Chairman George, fellow commissioners, and the Republican Party, Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee cited her decision to prioritize her health and well-being.

Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee expressed gratitude for her time in office, stating, “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the residents of Pender County as a County Commissioner.” She highlighted the collaborative efforts undertaken during her tenure, acknowledging the dedication of colleagues and community members in addressing the county’s challenges and improving its quality of life.

Acknowledging the support she received, Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee emphasized, “I am grateful for the support and guidance provided by my fellow commissioners, county staff, and community stakeholders throughout my time in the office.” She affirmed her confidence in the continued success of the County Commissioner’s Office under the leadership of her esteemed colleagues.

Furthermore, Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee expressed her appreciation to the residents of Pender County, stating, “Serving the community has been a rewarding experience, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have made a positive impact on the lives of the members of our community.”

“Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee’s unwavering dedication and tireless advocacy for the betterment of Pender County and its residents have left an indelible mark on our community. Her leadership, compassion, and commitment have been exemplary. While saddened by her departure, we fully support her decision to prioritize her health. Pender County will forever be indebted to her leadership. We honor her service and send wishes for strength and healing.” – Pender County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Brad George.

Commissioner Fletcher-Hardee’s resignation will be effective as of Friday, May 17, 2024. Her term was set to continue until 2026. The process to fill the vacant seat will be selected by the Pender County Republican Party and announced in due course, ensuring the continuity of effective governance and representation for the residents of Pender County.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has ordered a statewide second primary for Republican candidates for Lieutenant Governor and State Auditor.

This upcoming second primary is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, 2024. On election day, polling stations will open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters are required to visit their designated precinct to cast their vote.

Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they vote. All voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters without ID can get one for free from the Pender County Board of Elections. Find out more at BringltNC.com.

Early voting will be held at the following location from Thursday, April 25, 2024, until Saturday, May 11, 2024:

Pender County Cooperative Extension Auditorium, located at 801 S. Walker Street Burgaw, NC 28425

Voters wishing to use absentee ballots must have their requests submitted by 5 p.m. on May 7, 2024, either through the official website at votebymail.ncsbe.gov or by completing a form available from the board of elections. Absentee ballots will be distributed to those who have requested them as soon as they become available.

Eligibility to vote in the second primary extends to all voters registered under the political party of the candidates appearing on the ballot. Additionally, unaffiliated voters who either abstained from voting in the first primary or who voted on a ballot from the party conducting the second primary are also eligible to vote. For instance, in a Republican second primary for the nomination of Lieutenant Governor, all registered Republicans, along with unaffiliated voters who either did not vote in the first primary or who voted on a Republican ballot, would be eligible to vote.

Questions? Call the Pender County Board of Elections Office at (910) 259 – 1220 or send an email to PenderBOE@pendercountync.gov.

Notice of Election

39 Local Communities to Receive Funding for Park Expansion and Restoration

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper announced today the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) will award over $17 million in grants to fund 39 local parks and recreation projects across the state. The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority (Authority) approved the grants at its meeting held on Aug. 26 at the Nature Research Center in Raleigh.

“Our parks and recreation areas are so valuable to our communities and they’ve become more popular than ever,” Governor Cooper said. “These projects we’re funding today will give people even more opportunities in North Carolina to build healthier and happier lives.”

Local communities applied for grants to fund land acquisition, development, and renovation of public park and recreation areas. Each year, the Authority is required to allocate 30% of PARTF’s total funding to local government projects.

The Authority considered 49 local grant applications requesting $20.9 million in total. The maximum grant awarded for a single project was $500,000. Awardees must match funds dollar-for-dollar for the awarded amount.

This year, $17.9 million was allocated to PARTF for local projects—an amount at least triple that of most years in the last decade. With these awards, PARTF has now made more than 1,000 grants to build parks in communities across the state.

“Congratulations to the local governments that received Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grants to invest in the health and quality of life of their communities,” said D. Reid Wilson, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “The historic increases in funding by the legislature and Governor Cooper will result in more North Carolina families having ready access to outdoor recreation.”

The Town of Burgaw will receive $443,408. Pender County Parks and Recreation will receive $500,000 for Central Pender Park Development and another $500,000 for Phase 4 of Hampstead Kiwanis Park.

In addition to the local grants program, the Authority allocated $5.7 million to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation for land acquisitions at Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County and Lake James State Park in Burke and McDowell Counties. It will also fund several capital projects at Hammock’s Beach State Park (Onslow County), Morrow Mountain State Park (Stanly County) and William B. Umstead State Park (Wake County).

The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is administered through the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, which is part of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Local grants are awarded annually by the Authority at their quarterly meeting in August.
Grant recipients and award amounts are as follows:

Three family-friendly hikes are planned in Pender County

BURGAW- The Mountains to Sea Trail, which stretches 1,175 miles from Clingman’s Dome to Jockeys Ridge, is 45 years young in September and Pender County partners are joining in the birthday celebration.

“The trail travels the length of Pender County, through two trail towns, Burgaw and Surf City, as well as Moores Creek National Battlefield,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County Tourism Director.

To celebrate the birthday of this beautiful trail, Burgaw Parks and Recreation, Surf City Parks and Recreation, Moores Creek National Battlefield, and Pender County Tourism are hosting family-friendly hikes.

“The hikes range from 1-to-2-mile hikes,” said Proctor.

The MST Birthday Hikes kick off in Pender County with the Surf City Bridge Hike. Hikers will meet in Soundside Park at 9 a.m. on Sept. 8 to cross the Surf City Bridge. The hike will be led by a volunteer from the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail. The hike will feature a “Kodak moment” at the peak of the bridge for a beautiful view of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Herrings Outdoor Sports has donated an Ice Mule Cooler, valued at $80, which will be raffled off to a lucky winner.

On Sept. 9, the Town of Burgaw will host a birthday hike along the beautiful Osgood Canal Greenway. Hikes will meet at Hankins Park for a 9 a.m. step-off. And what’s a birthday celebration without cake? Cupcakes will be given away by Pender County Tourism staff.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, Moores Creek National Battlefield will host a 1.5 mile walk-and-talk that will be dog-friendly. This will entail a walk of the History Trail, Tar Heel Trail, Woodpecker Trail, and Black River Road, all in the park. This is not a guided tour, but rather an informal walk with Jason Howell. Hikers will meet at the park’s Visitor Center by 9 a.m. The planned timeframe is approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour and visitors can walk the loop as many times as they would like.

“All hikes are free to participate,” said Proctor. “We just ask that all hikers register with the tourism office so we can plan appropriately.”

To register, call 910-259-1278.

PENDER COUNTY – Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.

The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award has been bestowed on thousands of North Carolinians who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.

Each county selects up to 10 individuals, businesses, groups/teams and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. One of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, which is awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state. A local committee evaluates the nominations.

Nomination forms are available in Pender County at the following locations:

• Pender County Tourism office, 106 E. Wilmington St. in Burgaw
• Pender County Annex, Suite 116 and in the brochure rack.
• Online at the NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service website at www.volunteernc.org under the “Volunteer Awards” tab

Last year, Share the Table volunteers were honored with the esteemed Medallion Award for Volunteer Service. Honored 2021 Pender County volunteers were Diane Cavanaugh, Wayne Jeno, and Marge Ulcickas.

The deadline for nominations is Jan. 31, 2022. Award winners will be honored during National Volunteer Week, April 17-23 in a virtual ceremony.

Please return the completed forms to Tammy Proctor via email at tproctor@pendercountync.gov or the rism office, 106 E. Wilmington St. in Burgaw.

Here is the link to the downloadable form.

Do you know the seven principles of taking care of the great outdoors?  Pender County is a partner with Outdoor NC, a division of Visit NC, that provides instruction to visitors who may not understand the complexities of our ecosystem.

Here are the seven principles. Feel free to download this poster and share it.

Pender County residents, your opinion is important to us. Pender County leadership recognized the need for access to broadband as a priority for the county and, through collaboration with community leaders, worked to form a Broadband Committee to develop a Digital Inclusion Plan to help guide the county to a more connected future.

The Digital Inclusion Plan will make Pender County eligible for the maximum amount of broadband expansion funding – funding that could pay for construction to bring internet access to practically every citizen of the County without access.

This is probably the last chance to ever see funding on this scale made available for broadband expansion.

We need your input now.

Please read the Digital Inclusion Plan and provide us with your feedback via email to CMO@pendercountync.gov.

Thank you for your participation.