The waterfront at Sound Park is undergoing a major repair project, including the boat ramp area. Due to this project, the entire waterfront (observation area, boardwalk, two gazebos, and boat access) will be closed off to public use from March 27 through July 31, 2023.

We apologize for this temporary closure, but the repairs are very necessary and will greatly improve this facility for future use by the public. During this timeframe, please do not use these areas and be cautious near the construction zone. All other areas of the park will remain open.

Sound Park is located at 8955 Caratoke Highway, in Point Harbor. If you have any questions, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 252-232-3007.

Currituck County has created a central email address so Medicaid applicants/beneficiaries have the ability to email documentation and/or verifications to the Currituck County Department of Social Services for renewals or pending applications.  The email is Medicaid@CurrituckCountyNC.gov.  All information received will be distributed to the appropriate caseworker.

Please note that this email is ONLY for submitting Medicaid related forms, documentation, and/or verifications. Please DO NOT use this email to submit questions or to make any type of report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. For those situations, you will need to call Social Services at 252-232-3083.

Medicaid recipients who are eligible for Medicaid in a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) program already have the ability to complete renewals and submit verifications via ePASS, if the recipient has an enhanced ePASS account.  For more information on ePass and enhanced ePass accounts, please review the fact sheet at  https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/media/12236/download?attachment .

The Medicaid categories which use the MAGI methodology for eligibility determinations are below:

• Infants and Children under 19
• Pregnant Women
• 19 and 20-Year-Olds
• Parents/ Caretaker Relatives
• Family Planning Program
• Former Foster Care Children up to age 26
• Foster Care (HSF)

If you have questions or need assistance, please call the Currituck County Department of Social Services at 252-232-3083

Currituck County residents will be able to dispose of household hazardous wastes and enjoy many other activities on Saturday, April 22, including free document shredding, the Home, Flower and Garden Show, plant sale, free rabies clinic, and prescription medication collection.

Household hazardous wastes –  Collection sites will be set up at two locations:

1. Community Park, in the NC Cooperative Extension parking lot at 120 Community Way, Barco, NC 27917; 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
2. Southern Outer Banks Water Plant parking lot at 734 Ocean Trail, Corolla, NC 27927; 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

• View a list of accepted items and unaccepted items here.

Free document shredding –  Available at the Community Park site from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.

Home, Flower & Garden Show –  Held inside the Cooperative Extension facility, along with a plant sale and demonstrations, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Find more information on the Home, Flower & Garden Show here.

Free rabies clinic and pet adoption specials – At the Currituck Animal Shelter in Community Park. The rabies shot clinic will be held from 8:00 am – 10:00 am. Also, the Animal Shelter will offer 50% off all adoption fees on April 22.

Prescription medicine collection – The Currituck County Sheriff’s Office will collect expired and unused prescription medicines. This collection will take place at the Public Safety Center in Community Park.

In addition to these activities, all participants at both sites may enter a raffle for a backyard composter. Food trucks will have products available for purchase at the Community Park site and the Corolla site will have information packets provided by Cooperative Extension.

This special event will be held rain or shine. If you have any questions, contact the Public Works Department at (252) 232-2504.

Currituck County was one of eight counties selected by the UNC School of Government to participate in an Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Team Workshop (MDT), held March 2-3, in Chapel Hill.

The purpose of the workshop was for participants to learn best practices for establishing a local MDT in the county. MDT’s are comprised of professionals from different disciplines who are committed to working together for the protection of vulnerable adults.  The MDT is tasked with reviewing specific, complex cases involving abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly and disabled adults with a focus on team collaboration to seek resolution.

The team will also work together to address systemic problems, service gaps and develop an internal education network for participating professionals. It will meet on a quarterly basis at the Department of Social Services in Currituck County and on an intermediate basis for emergent situations.

The mission, vision and values of the Currituck County MDT team are:

• Vision:  A collaborative community determined to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable and disabled adults.
• Mission:  Currituck County MDT exists to enhance the lives of vulnerable adults through services and education. We aim to stop abuse, neglect, and exploitation through proactive public action.
• Values:  Currituck County MDT comes together to enhance the quality of life for vulnerable and disabled adults. When MDT members interact everyone’s voice is heard respectfully.

Currituck County MDT members,  from left to right: Samantha Hurd, Social Services Director; Lori Langley, Social Work Program Manager: Jasmine Wilson, Albemarle Commission Area Agency on Aging; Stacy Joseph, Aging/Senior Services Director; Ray Matusko, Clerk of Superior Court; Virginia Spivey, Victim/Witness Legal Assistant-District Attorney’s Office; and Jeremiah Hunter, Currituck County Sheriff’s Office Detective.

The Currituck County Board of Commissioners received the conclusions of a three-year Shoreline Stability Study that analyzed the county’s 22 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. During the Board’s retreat on February 3, Ken Willson of Coastal Protection Engineering of North Carolina, Inc. presented the project’s final report. This study assessed the short-term shoreline and volumetric changes to the county’s shoreline in 2020, 2021, and 2022. It also provided long-term projections over 10-, 20-, and 30-year periods and a vulnerability analysis of existing structures located near the coast.

Highlights of the final report include predictions of no significant impacts in the Carova or Pine Island sections based on projected shoreline change rates over a 30-year period. The section with the greatest number of projected impacts to structures over the next 30 years is Corolla, from the 4WD beach access point south to the Ocean Lake community in Ocean Sands.

The study also assessed the volumetric changes of sand from the dune line to a minimum depth of 6’ under water.  Some areas experienced gains in sand volume, including Carova, Reserve/Wildlife Refuge, and Corolla.  However, the section at Pine Island experienced a loss in volume.

With the final report in hand, Currituck County will take important steps in the near future to ensure the well-being of the coastline: (1) The county will continue to monitor the beach profile, particularly in areas of high projected impacts to structures and sections that experienced a loss in volumetric change; and (2) The county will develop a Beach Management Plan, which may include options for beach nourishment projects in certain areas.

Commissioners have established one key factor in the Beach Management Plan:  That no tax payments from any property owner on mainland Currituck will be used to pay for beach nourishment projects. Any potential beach nourishment projects would be funded by occupancy tax, federal or state grants, or a possible service district tax for owners of property in Corolla and the 4WD area.

For many years, Currituck County has taken steps to protect the beaches and coastline. Steps include local laws protecting dune structures, traffic regulations on the 4WD beach, limiting the number of vehicles allowed on the 4WD beach in the peak tourist season, storm mitigation and recovery practices, and a dune vegetation and sand fencing grant program available to property owners.

The beaches and coastal areas are important to Currituck County’s heritage, environment, tourism industry, and quality of life for residents. The Board of Commissioners is committed to protecting the coastline and ensuring healthy beaches. To view the Shoreline Stability Study, please visit https://currituckcountync.gov/shoreline-stability-study/.

The Currituck County Board of Commissioners annual retreat was a productive meeting in which topics related to the county budget and capital needs over the next five years were discussed.

A main capital need for Currituck County is a new elementary school to serve Moyock. The county has purchased land on Tulls Creek Road as a site for a new school and during the Board’s discussion, it was noted that project would cost approximately $50 million. Commissioners and county staff discussed options to fund the new school, including loans and possibly a property tax increase.

Among other capital items discussed by the Board were new fire engines requested by multiple fire departments and the need for a second Fire-Emergency Medical Services station in Moyock. The Board also discussed the need to expand the Moyock convenience center or build a second center in Moyock, construction of the Corolla ABC store, construction of a Public Works building, ongoing replacement of public beach access walkovers in the Whalehead subdivision, replacement of the Carova Beach bulkhead, replacement of the Walnut Island playground, and HVAC replacement at Historic Whalehead.

Commissioners received a financial presentation from staff on the county budget, revenues, and expenditures. The data included projected revenues from the collection of property, sales, and occupancy taxes. Currituck County is fortunate to have very little current debt, which positions it well for future school construction and other capital needs.

The Currituck County budget and annual financial reports are available at https://currituckcountync.gov/finance/.

Currituck County families enrolled in Food Nutrition Services (FNS) will see a change in their benefits beginning in March 2023. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that supplemental benefits received by clients during the COVID pandemic will end in February. Beginning in March, all clients enrolled in FNS will receive only their regular monthly allotment amounts.

Families enrolled in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) have gotten extra benefits each month since March 2020 or after due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but February 2023 is the last month that these extra benefits, called “emergency allotments” or “maximum supplements” will be included. This is due to a federal decision that will end emergency allotments for all states as of March 2023. During the pandemic, FNS households have received at least $95 extra per month through the emergency allotments.

Visit the NCDHHS website to learn more about Changes for Food and Nutrition Services. In Currituck County, you may also contact the Department of Social Services at (252) 232-3083 if you have any questions not answered on the NCDHHS website or other links provided.

Notice of Changes to Beneficiaries in English and Spanish

NC Food and Nutrition Resources Programs that help provide food and nutrition assistance in North Carolina

NC 211 United Way of NC Information and Referral Service

Currituck County citizens can receive free help in preparing their tax returns through a program sponsored by the Currituck Senior Center. The AARP Tax Prep assistance period will run from February 2 to April 6, 2023.

This program is available for all county residents regardless of age and is geared towards low to moderate income levels. Certain filing restrictions may apply.

Tax preparation assistance is available on Thursdays by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, contact the Currituck Senior Center at (252) 232-3505.

Currituck County is in the process of mailing to all property owners the new Currituck County Access Permit, which will be valid for 2023-2024. Each property owner will receive two (2) permits.

These permits are to be displayed on the user’s vehicle windshield in order to:

• Utilize the trash and recycling convenience centers
• Park on the 4WD beach in Corolla
• Re-enter designated areas following an emergency evacuation.

Anyone who does not receive their permits in the mail by February 28, 2023 should contact the County Manager’s office at 252-232-2075. Citizens may continue to use their 2022 solid waste permit decal until they receive their new Access Permits.

Citizens who are long-term renters in the county may submit an online application to receive their permits. The online application, along with additional permit information, may be found at https://currituckcountync.gov/access-permits/.

The Currituck County Water Department is in the process of flushing the system’s pipes and hydrants.  This operation has begun at the mainland water plant in Maple and will gradually extend throughout the community. Flushing of the entire system should be completed by March. During this time, citizens who notice a hydrant that is open and flowing water should not be alarmed.

The flushing of pipes and hydrants is performed by the Water Department’s Distribution Operators in order to remove any silt or sediment that has collected in the pipes. Flushing keeps the distribution system refreshed and helps with hydrant maintenance. This process may cause some temporary discoloration of water for customers, but this is normal and harmless, and the flushing operation will clear up any discoloration that occurs. Citizens will not have to boil water before usage unless a boil water advisory is announced for a specific area.

If you have any concerns with your water service during the flushing period, contact the Water Department at (252) 232-2769.