Welcome to our monthly update - Message from Mayor Allen - Town of Belville
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Volume 17 | August 2021 revised
Welcome to our monthly update
Message from Mayor Allen
Greetings,
I am happy to share August's newsletter with you and I am proud of our
citizens and our Town. While our population is small in number, our
aspirations and goals for Belville are substantial. Without your dedication,
none of these changes would be possible. I humbly thank you for your support
and engagement. The Town is undergoing some exciting improvements at the
Brunswick Riverwalk, so be sure to stay up to date with the latest happenings
by visiting our website regularly.
After months of decline, North Carolina is experiencing a rapid increase in
COVID-19 spread. I encourage you to get vaccinated if you have not already.
Within this newsletter, you can find numerous resources to schedule a
vaccination appointment and to learn more about the current increase in
COVID-19 cases.
Also, don't forget that hurricane season is upon us. Please give consideration
to preparations for the safety of your family and those you love. It is my hope
that we continue to lead by example by protecting those we love not only in
the event of a storm, but also in our actions every day. Be kind to one
another; not just your family and friends, but also your neighbors and others
in the community.
Take care of each other!
Sincerely,
Mike Allen, Mayor
Town of Belville
Contents
Town Updates
COVID-19 Update
Vision 2030 Plan
Hurricane Season 2021
Road Repairs
Belville Parks and Recreation Board Vacancies
Board of Commissioners Meeting
Monthly Meetings Schedule
Other Town Updates
Parks & Recreation Month
Healthy Living Summerfest 2021
Brunswick Riverwalk Phase II Groundbreaking Ceremony
Registration for Lost Pets
New Mulch at Playground
Riverwalk Pier Fishing- New LED Light
Brunswick Riverwalk at Belville
Town Updates
COVID-19
Brunswick County Health Services is now scheduling appointments for all community
members aged 12 and older. Please note that those aged 12-17 are eligible for the Pfizer
version of the vaccine only. You can schedule a vaccination appointment online at
brunswickcountync.gov/vaccines or by calling the Public Health Line at 910.253.2339
Mondays through Fridays from 9am until 5pm, excluding holidays.
runswick County COVID-19 Case Counts
B
As of July 26, 2021, the Brunswick County Covid-19 Case counts are:
9,783 Total Positives (confirmed and probable)
270 Active (includes isolating at home and hospitalizations)
159 Deaths
9,354 Resolved
DC COVID-19 Symptom Checker
C
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided a great resource to
review whether or not your symptoms may be COVID-19. Click here to check your
symptoms and for further guidance.
North Carolina's key metrics show rapidly increasing levels of virus since the emergence
of the more infectious Delta variant. Areas with low vaccination rates have seen the
largest increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. People getting
vaccinated as quickly as possible is critically important to continue to slow the spread of
the virus. The COVID-19 County Alert System gives individuals, businesses and
community organizations, and public officials a tool to understand how their county is
faring and to make decisions about actions to take slow the spread of the virus. The
COVID-19 County Alert System uses metrics informed by North Carolina’s key metrics to
categorize counties into five tiers:
1. Green: Low Community Spread
2. Light Yellow: Moderate Community Spread
3. Yellow: Significant Community Spread
4. Orange: Substantial Community Spread
5. Red: Critical Community Spread
Currently, Brunswick County is in the yellow Significant Community Spread tier.
The above data is provided by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Additional information and updates can be found here and at the following links:
CDC COVID-19 Website
NCDHHS COVID-19 Website
Brunswick County Health Services COVID-19 Website
News from Brunswick County Government
Brunswick County Email Updates on Emergency Situations
Brunswick County Social Media
Code Red - Emergency Alert Notifications (phone calls, text and/or emails)
Vision 2030 Plan
The Town of Belville launched the Vision
2030 planning process in January 2021 by
working with the Steering and Stakeholder
Committees to identify priorities for future
development along the Brunswick River in
Belville. The first public input period took
place in April 2021. The Town received 752
public survey responses to help guide the
development of the Vision 2030 Plan.
The Vision 2030 Plan focuses on expanding
the Brunswick Riverwalk Park and
developing a future downtown Belville. The Brunswick River in Belville provides a unique
opportunity to expand the Riverwalk trail to the north to US 74/76 and integrate it with
other recreational components and a new riverfront mixed-use development to create the
new downtown Belville.
The Town of Belville incorporated the Steering and Stakeholder priorities and the public
input responses into the Draft Vision 2030 Plan. The Town now invites community
members to review the draft plan and provide any final comments to the recommended
amenities for the Brunswick Riverwalk Park and the future downtown Belville.
The Draft Vision 2030 Plan and proposed project maps can be found here –
www.townofbelville.com/vision2030. Any comments or suggestions can be submitted
by completing a two-question on-line survey here -
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Vision2030FinalInputSurvey. Comments and
suggestions need to be submitted by Sunday August 15, 2021.
“The Town of Belville is excited to present the draft Vision 2030 Plan to the public. We feel
this plan captures the desires and priorities of the community members. This is a great
opportunity for the residents and visitors of the Town of Belville to describe how they
would like to see the Brunswick River developed. This plan proposes a Riverwalk
extension, an amphitheater, shopping, a community center, a marina, restaurants with
outdoor seating space overlooking the Brunswick River, office space, and many other
amenities. We look forward to receiving feedback from the public about the development
of this plan thus far and we are excited to start implementing these recommendations.”
Adrienne Harrington, Founder/Owner of Smart Moves Consulting and the Vision 2030
Project Consultant. For additional information, please visit the project website at
www.townofbelville.com/vision2030 or contact Athina Williams, Town Manager, at
townmanager@townofbelville.com or 910-371-2456 or Adrienne Harrington, Project
Consultant, at adrienne@smartmovesconsulting.net or 910-431-0949.
Hurricane Season 2021
Hurricane season has officially begun. Do you have a plan for your pets? According to the
Brunswick County Hurricane Preparedness Informational site, only domestic cats
and dogs are permitted in public shelters. You are responsible for finding
accommodations for other types of pets in the event of a hurricane.
Pets are only allowed in specific, designated public shelters for health and space
reasons, and are housed in separate locations at those shelters.
In the event of a disaster, if you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do
for your pets is to evacuate them too. Pets are not allowed at most hotels and motels
in North Carolina, so emergency arrangements for them may require careful
planning.
Keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date. Pet shelters may require proof of
vaccines.
Keep your pet on a leash with proper identification.
Have a properly-sized pet carrier for each animal, large enough for the animal
to stand an turn around.
Animals brought to a pet shelter are required to have:
Proper identification, including collar and rabies tag
Proper identification on all belongings
A carrier
A leash
An ample supply of food, water and food bowls
Any necessary medications
Specific care instructions
Newspapers or trash bags for clean-up
If you must leave your pet behind, prepare an appropriate area for it. Put the pet in a
carrier in an interior closet or bathroom with plenty of water, food, toys and blankets.
All pets in Belville should be registered with the Town by emailing
parksandrec@townofbelville.com. Additionally information about the registration
process can be found in the "Other Town Updates" section within this newsletter.
If you haven't already, please take the appropriate steps to prepare for the season.
Click on the links below for information about what supplies you should have on
hand before a storm and steps to create an emergency plan for your family.
Town Emergency Information Website
We are excited to announce that the Town has launched an emergency information
page on our website. While still a work in progress, this page currently provides
valuable information about hurricane preparations, response and recovery. You can
access our new emergency information page by clicking here or visiting us at
townofbelville.com/emergency-information/.
Recognize Warnings and Alerts
Have several ways to receive alerts. Download the FEMA app and receive real-
time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
Brunswick County Emergency Services Access & Functional Needs (AFN)
The Brunswick County Emergency Services department oversees the Access &
Functional Needs (AFN) Program. The main component of the AFN Program is
the AFN Registry. Formally called the ‘Special Needs Registry’, the AFN Registry is
a HIPAA compliant data base of residents who may have additional needs before,
during and after an emergency event (e.g. a hurricane) in areas of maintaining
independence, communication, transportation, safety, support and healthcare. The
AFN Program/Registry is completely voluntary; residents can opt-out at any time.
You can sign up for the AFN Registry by clicking here.
To learn more about hurricane safety, visit Hurricanes | Ready.gov or Ready NC.
Road Repairs
North Olde Town Wynd Squire Court
Road Repairs Completed Road Repairs Completed
Parks and recreation board vacancies
The Town of Belville is now accepting applications from citizens and residents who are
interested in appointments to the Belville Parks and Recreation Board. The Alternate
appointees will serve a two-year term that begins in September of 2021.
Applications are available online at www.townofbelville.com under the Town Forms tab
or at the Belville Town Hall, located at 63 River Road, Belville, North Carolina. Office hours
are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The deadline for submission is
Monday, August 23, 2021, at 4pm.
For additional information regarding the vacancies, please contact Brenda Hewlett,
Secretary, at (910) 371-2456.
Board of Commissioners Meeting
On Monday July 26th, at our monthly Belville Board of Commissioners Meeting, the Mayor
discussed the groundbreaking ceremony for the extension of the Brunswick Riverwalk,
held on July 16th. The land for this expansion was donated by NCDOT. The Mayor
expressed his pleasure with the attendance at the ceremony and his excitement about
advancing this project.
The Board passed three resolutions: R21-15 A Resolution Designating July as Parks and
Recreation Month, R21-16 A Resolution Authorizing the Town of Belville to Submit an
Application to the North Carolina State Parks – Division of Parks and Recreation for the
Recreational Trails Program (RTP) To Construct the Riverwalk Park Extension, and
R21-17 A Resolution Authorizing the Town of Belville to Submit An Application to the
Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization for Coronavirus Response and Recovery
Supplemental Appropriations ACT (CRSAA) Grant Funds for the Construction of a Multi-
Use Path on NC 133.
In addition, the Board authorized an Eagle Scout project presented by Noland Savard,
Troop 26. Nolan discussed his project in partnership with the New Hanover County
Sheriff's Department. The project will provide gifts for officers to give to children who are
present at their parent's arrest, in an effort to mitigate the trauma that the child/ children
witness. (Nolan is pictured below).
Also discussed at the meeting were park improvements and upcoming events including a
"Healthy Living's" Summerfest (privately sponsored) to be held on August 28th, as well as
a Fall Festival scheduled for October 2nd with food, entertainment and vendors.
Thank you for your service!
The Town also recognized the 15 year work
anniversary of Athina Williams (pictured at
right). Athina started with the Town of
Belville in 2006. The Town honors her for
her years of exemplary service and
dedication, and her vital contributions to the
Town of Belville.
Eagle Scout Project
Pictured at right is Nolan Savard from
Troop 26. Nolan presented his Eagle Scout
project to the Board of Commissioners on
July 26th. Great job, Nolan!
Monthly Meetings Schedule
Monthly Meetings Schedule
1. Planning Board Meeting - August 16th at 6:30 PM
2. Parks and Recreation Board Meeting - August 12th at 6:00 PM
3. ABC Board Meeting - August 17th at 6:30 PM
4. Board of Commissioners Meeting - August 23rd at 6:30 PM
Please check with the Town or follow press releases and notifications for meeting
cancellations and changes.
Other Town Updates
(1) June was Parks and Recreation month – The Town would like to recognize the
commitment and dedication of our Parks and Recreation Director, Jim Bucher, Greg
Devone, Maintenance Engineer, and Alex Long, intern. We appreciate each of you!
Pictured at left is Jim Bucher and
on the right is Greg Devone.
(2) Healthy Living's SummerFest 2021–
SummerFest '21 will be a FREE EVENT to
the public, with Yoga, Fitness, MMA,
Demonstrations, Community Based Local
Vendors, Health and Wellness, Food
vendors, Free Running, Family activities
for all ages, including The Shrimp and Slaw Street Food Challenge, People’s Choice
Singer Songwriter Showcase. We will have kids activities such as bounce houses, face
painting, craft activities, water fun and more. For adults, we will have the Shrimp and Slaw
Chef Street Food Challenge, People’s Choice Singer/ Songwriter Showcase, and much
more! The event will be held on Saturday, August 28th, from 9:30am until 4:30pm at the
Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville.
(3) Brunswick Riverwalk Project Phase II Groundbreaking Ceremony – The Town
held a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase II of the Brunswick Riverwalk project that is
included in our Vision 2030 Plan on July 16th. Mayor Mike Allen commented that the
Town's "alliance with the North Carolina Department of Transportation launches our work
to turn the Vision 2030 Plan into reality. We thank NCDOT for recognizing how important
their land was to our efforts and for enabling us to begin fulfilling our dream of creating
toward a new downtown Belville."
Mayor Mike Allen addressing the
crowd at the July 16th Brunswick
Riverwalk Phase II Groundbreaking
Ceremony; photo courtesy of the
North Brunswick Chamber of
Commerce. Photos courtesy of the North
Brunswick Chamber of Commerce.
(4) Registration for lost pets – All pets within Town limits should be registered with our
Parks and Recreation Department. To register your pet, email Jim Bucher at
parksandrec@townofbelville.com. Please provide your name, address, collar number,
and a description of the animal. If they are chipped, provide this information as well. This
registration will help if your animal should get lost.
(5) New Mulch at the Playground – New mulch has been added at the Brunswick
Riverwalk Park at Belville playground area. We would like to thank our Parks and
Recreation Director, Jim Bucher, as well as Greg DeVone and Willie Taylor for doing such
a wonderful job on this project! Thank you, Jim, Greg and Willie! We appreciate your hard
work and dedication to the Town.
(6) Riverwalk Pier Fishing – A new LED has been added at the fishing
pier. If you would like to purchase a card key for the park's gate, please
visit our website homepage and click on the button underneath "Let's Go
Fishing" or click here for more information.
Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville
For updates and information about our Park,
please visit our Riverwalk Facebook Page.
Duke Energy Educational Pavilion
The Duke Energy Educational Pavilion is located along the Park's boardwalk. Use of the
pavilion may be restricted due to COVID-19. Please contact Town Hall at (910) 371-2456
for information and reservations.
Riverwalk Farmers' Market
Little Boys Produce and Seaview Crab Company will be at the Farmer's Market on
Thursdays from 2pm-6pm, Fridays from 11am-6:30pm, Saturdays 10am-6:30pm and
Sunday 10am-4pm.Riverwalk Veterans' Memorial
Visit our Veteran's Memorial located in the
back of our Town Park. For more
information about adding a name to the
memorial, please contact Jim Bucher or go
directly to Polar Engraving to place your
order online.
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