Buxton Civic Association outlines accomplishments and upcoming challenges at first-ever annual meeting

Though established for less than a year, the Buxton Civic Association (BCA) had a long list of achievements to share with a crowd of roughly 20 attendees at their annual meeting on Wednesday, January 8.

The BCA formed in April 2024 to create a unified response to the accelerating environmental and public safety issues at Buxton Beach. At that time, petroleum smells and sheens were accelerating at a roughly .25-mile stretch of closed shoreline, and there were no immediate plans – by any agency connected with the former 50-acre military site – to respond to the evident problems.

But since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers launched a 60-day immediate response action at the site in September, removing notable amounts of petroleum-impacted soils and debris in the process, the BCA has been able to divert its attention from the issue that launched the organization to more positive community initiatives, as well as long-term goals.

One of the most noticeable achievements over the holidays was the installation of Christmas lights in Buxton, which spanned from the Cape Hatteras Motel to the heart of the village.

BCA Board Member Heather Jennette said that the BCA was initially going to hold a raffle or other fundraising event to raise the thousands of dollars needed for the lights.

“But then the [other BCA members] said ‘Why don’t we just ask?’ So that’s what we did,” said Jennette. “We sent out a letter and we said, ‘Look, we’re trying to do this, can you help?’ And it was well over $10,000 that folks put in to purchase the lights.”

Another accomplishment that took place miles away from Buxton Beach was a well-received presentation that was given to roughly 200 members of the North Carolina Beach, Inlet and Waterway Association (NCBIWA) Conference in November, where many conference attendees learned about Buxton’s issues for the first time, and new connections were made.

“It was really crazy to go to the southern part of our state, where we share the same laws, and the same Legislature, and the same problems… and they had no idea what was going on up here,” said Board Member Wendi Munden.

“The connections we made blew me away. The reaction to our presentation blew me away,” added Board Member Jeff Dawson. “And it wasn’t even [people] asking questions. They were offering to help.”

The BCA will be presenting a modified version of their NCBIWA presentation at the next Dare County Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting on Monday, February 3.

Board members Dawson and Munden spoke at the last monthly BOC meeting, held on Monday, January 6, and they encouraged all Hatteras Island residents to make a stronger presence at the Fessenden Center Annex where the meetings are live-streamed, and where the BOC can visibly see who attends and shows interest in the county’s decision-making processes.

This Fessenden Center Annex outlet has been in place for many years, and it’s where Hatteras Island residents can make public comments and watch the BOC meetings live every month.

The attendance and participation at the Buxton venue has steadily grown in recent months, and BCA board members believe that a strong but remote presence at the monthly meetings keeps the BOC’s focus on Hatteras Island.

The BCA particularly encouraged attendance at the upcoming February meeting where the BCA presentation will be a part of the meeting’s agenda.

“It would be great for some support from our hometown while we’re up there,” said Dawson.

In another imminent and proactive step, the BCA will partner with the Inn on Pamlico Sound to host a fundraising event on Saturday, February 22. Details will be announced soon.

An efficient election process was also held to determine the roles of the board members. Longtime Buxton Beach advocate Brett Barley was added as a new board member of the BCA, while Heather Jennette was elected president, Brian Harris and Jeff Dawson were elected co-vice presidents, and Wendi Munden was elected as secretary.

Future big endeavors were also touched on, which include the BCA’s recent push for the replacement or reinstatement of the Buxton jetties, as well a long-awaited Buxton pathway.

A proposed Frisco-Buxton pathway has been in the works for years, starting with a 2019 open house which provided detailed plans of a 7.6-mile pathway by engineering firm VHB.

The initial .27-mile stretch of the Frisco-Buxton pathway was completed in late 2023, and in November 2024, the BOC agreed to submit a National Scenic Byway Grant application, (at the request of the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway Committee), to fill in another piece of paved multi-use path for Frisco and Buxton.

“The Frisco-Buxton Pathway Committee has spent years trying to make the 7.6-mile pathway in Frisco a reality. Every other village has a pathway, and Frisco and Buxton, despite their population, has been left behind,” said Frisco-Buxton Pathway Committee Member Stacey Saunders. “We’re excited to hear that we potentially have another advocate to help us fulfill our long-term goal. This is a much-needed pathway for the villages that not only will provide a safe corridor for our residents but also for our visitors, which will keep our small businesses alive.”

There’s plenty of work for the BCA to do – both at the Buxton Beach site which is undergoing a comprehensive study for contaminants by the USACE, as well as the rest of the village that extends miles beyond the .25-mile shoreline closure. But the eight-month existence of the BCA, and its clear staying power, is a milestone in its own right for its five board members.

“We just got started, really, in April of 2024 in earnest [and] we’re still kind of winging it,” said Jennette. “But we’re really proud of what we have been able to do… [and] it’s been amazing to have support from the community”