Hatteras Island, NC (April 23, 2011) – Saltwater Connections, a regional economic development initiative, announced today that a community assessment resource team will visit Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, and Avon on May 2 – 4, 2011.
The Saltwater Connections Resource Team will be at the Rodanthe Harbor, Monday, May 2, 3:30-5:00, to talk with commercial fishermen and charter-boat captains from Rodanthe, Waves, or Salvo.
The Team will meet with Avon watermen at Avon Seafood in Avon on Tuesday, May 3, from 2 to 4:30 pm.
The team will include experts in fields such as sustainable tourism and community economic development, working waterfront preservation and local seafood industry development, historic preservation, and water quality protection.
During the visit, the team plans to talk with as many residents, business owners, and community leaders as possible to hear ideas for the villages’ future, and to learn about the strengths and assets of the villages and major challenges.
After its visit, the team will give the communities a written report with recommendations on how the villages might enhance their economic, social, and environmental well-being, while retaining the heritage, character, and quality of life that makes Hatteras Island a special place. The report will identify potential projects and ways to achieve those goals.
“This visit represents a great opportunity for Hatteras Island. Our villages are unique and our special opportunities and challenges will be addressed in the team’s report,” said Susan West, member of the Saltwater Connections Hatteras Island Task Force.
Saltwater Connections is a community-driven, comprehensive effort supporting innovative economic development in the unincorporated villages along the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway and is funded by the NC Rural Economic Development Center.
Residents are invited to stop by the following places to talk to the resource team:
Monday, May 2, 3:30-5 p.m., Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, Milepost 39.5, Rodanthe
Tuesday, May 3, 11a.m. to noon, Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Post Office
Tuesday, May 3, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Avon Post Office
Wednesday, May 4, 8:30-10 a.m., Village Grocery, Avon
The team will talk about their observations and preliminary recommendations at a public meeting at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 4, at the Avon Fire Station.
Resource team visits to other Hatteras Island villages, Ocracoke, and Down East, Carteret County will be scheduled for later this year.
More information about Saltwater Connections is available at http://saltwaterconnections.org , or by contacting Susan West at 252-995-4131 or ridgeroad@earthlink.net .
I think we here on the Outer Banks have had about all the research,studies,panels and analysis that we can handle.........that probaly is why we got the mess here that we got today
Posted by: Rick Caton | April 23, 2011 at 03:57 PM