Editor’s note: As part of our commitment to covering “The Business of the Greater Outer Banks”, WOBX has reached out to candidates running for state and local office this November in our coverage area to answer a series of questions focused on economic development and the visitor economy. We’ve included candidates who are running unopposed as a service to our readers. Some candidates did not respond to the questionnaire at the time of publication, and we will update this story when we get their answers.
Dare County Board of Commissioners, At-Large
Incumbent Ervin Bateman, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Heather Euler. Euler has not responded to our request to participate.
Ervin Bateman
Essential/worker housing continues to be one of the main challenges facing the overall business climate on the Outer Banks and in northeastern North Carolina. What steps will you take to address this housing shortage?
This past year, Dare County received a grant for $35 million from the State of North Carolina to support essential housing. The Dare County Board of Commissioners have contracted with a private partner to build 400 units in various locations throughout Dare County with completion hopefully by 2023/2024. Also, the Dare County Board of Commissioners have entered into a contract with a firm for 100 units located in Dare County. The last estimate was 1,400 units short in having places to live for our essential workers. Hopefully with the cooperation of other municipalities in relaxing zoning ordinances so they will allow accessory dwelling units will make an impact. We should also encourage private developers to create essential housing.
What do you see as the other challenges facing overall economic development in your area, and how will you address them?
Housing for our essential workers, stabilizing N.C. 12, our task force has targeted hot spots along N.C. 12. We need to implement and construct bridges and land bridges so our Hatteras families and visitors can have continuous access throughout the county. Beach nourishment, building and constructing of new Alligator River bridge and the Mid-Currituck bridge. I also support soccer fields, playgrounds and pickle-ball courts. Utilization of our new dredge that Hatteras Inlet and Oregon Inlet to keep the waterways open so our commercial and sportfishing industry can thrive.
What are you ideas and goals to boost overall economic development in the area?
I continuously support our billion-dollar tourist industry which supports every job on the Outer Banks such as restaurants, private management and real estate companies, construction, retail and wholesale businesses. We need to keep our inlets open. Commercial and sport fishing has been a way of life. Presently our boats cannot go through the inlets to fish. With the purchase of the new dredge and the partnership between Dare County and our private partner, we can keep the inlets open so this much needed industry can thrive and remain essential to the economy.
What other challenges does the area face in maintaining the current visitor economy, and how will you address it? What are your ideas and goals in helping support the current visitor economy and help it to grow in the area?
We need to maintain our user friendly southern hospitality to our visitors. We are a drive-in destination where young and senior visitors come to enjoy our beaches and vacation paradise. We need to stay affordable to all, in rentals, hotels, restaurant and all amenities we have to offer. We need to encourage development of family activities.
Board of Commissioners, District 2
Rob Ross, the incumbent and a Republican, is running unopposed for another four-year term.
Rob Ross
Essential/worker housing continues to be one of the main challenges facing the overall business climate on the Outer Banks and in northeastern North Carolina. What steps will you take to address this housing shortage?
We have finalized a contract with Woda Cooper for 100 new affordable rental apartments. These will be on two sites and should commence work shortly. Further, we have a signed pre-development contract with Coastal Affordable Housing for another 400 or so units. We must secure site locations for these to begin.
Our board has committed $44M of county and state money to these projects. Our developer partners will contribute another (approximately) $70M – $75M through low interest loans. This total commitment of roughly $115M is our promise to the citizens of Dare county to address the essential housing shortage we face. We are moving forward.
What do you see as the other challenges facing overall economic development in your area, and how will you address them?
Our next biggest economic challenge is finding capable employees for our local businesses to hire and employ. Worker shortages are everywhere. Affordable housing options will greatly help here. We have also greatly expanded the capacity and quality of the College of the Albemarle Dare campus. This effort by our board is to drive more trained and ready employees to become available for Dare county businesses.
But we still need more people willing to work and post-COVID government subsidies and payments have not helped.
What are you ideas and goals to boost overall economic development in the area?
Boosting economic development is not always clear cut. Local town governments have often been resistant to certain development as they work to preserve a desirable local community atmosphere.
However, our county is healthy and vibrant. We are a tourism based economy and we must ensure this is maintained. That means a trained workforce, affordable housing, great local schools, safety for visitors (meaning low crime or no violent crime), family friendly activities and great infrastructure (shopping, beaches, inlets, and highways). We work continuously everyday to ensure this is the case.
What are your ideas and goals in helping support the current visitor economy and help it to grow in the area?
I would add one more thing here. We are moving ahead with the tourism bureau to develop an event/conference center in Nags Head. This should help with the shoulder seasons by attracting professional associations, sporting events and small conferences to our area in the fall and spring.
On a macro level, we must all be concerned by current national events: record inflation, record gas prices, sky rocketing building costs, and supply chain shortages. These could have a very negative chain reaction to our economy if the US plunges into recession.
What other challenges does the area face in maintaining the current visitor economy, and how will you address it?
See number 3 above. These are the primary drivers of our visitor economy. We also must ensure enough rental housing availability but this is tough. We are out of open land to build on and many homes are being converted to full time occupancy as people come here to retire or live full time.
Board of Commissioners, District 1
Republican Jim Tobin is seeking another four year term, and is running unopposed. We have not received his answers to the survey.
