Currituck County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Currituck County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Sponsorship of Residents for Changing Tides Treatment
The board will consider spending opioid funds to sponsor one or two Currituck residents seeking treatment at Changing Tides. It's a question of how far county opioid settlement money goes toward direct treatment access.
Medication Lock Boxes for Families
Social Services wants the board to fund medication lock boxes for clients with children. The idea is to keep prescription drugs safely stored and out of kids' reach, reducing accidental exposure and misuse.
Firearms ordinance amendment
The board considered changing Section 10-135 of the county code, which deals with firearms. The published agenda did not detail the substance of the change.
15-passenger Bus for Senior Transportation
The board was scheduled to discuss a 15-passenger bus, which affects how seniors get to programs and trips.
Kratom sales regulation
Chairman O'Neal warned that Kratom — legal but addictive and unregulated — is sold in local stores and worries him because kids may use it. He wants staff to research a Dare County-style ban by ordinance.
Volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention crisis
Volunteer rosters have fallen more than 40% in ten years while Currituck's population and call volume keep growing. The Board may create a county Fire Marshal position — and losing volunteer service could hit taxpayers.
Leadership transition at the Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Matt Beickert is retiring, and Chief Deputy Jeff Walker was appointed to succeed him October 1. Two commissioners sat out the vote because of ties to the Sheriff's Office.
Bus incident and video retention
A parent says young children were dropped off an hour early with no adult present, and the bus video he requested to review was recorded over. He's still waiting to hear what corrective action was taken.
School bus driver shortage
The district is short eight drivers, running 43 routes with 35 drivers, forcing double runs and delayed pickups. Board members are weighing a pay increase, college partnerships, and pressuring the state to fix slow driver certification.
Mobile water supply no longer primary fire protection
A text amendment clarifies that tanker-based mobile water supply can't count as a primary fire protection source for new development — meaning future projects need real water infrastructure.
Opioid settlement participation
The board directed opioid settlement spending, dropping a school-prevention education strategy on legal advice. The program coordinator recommended adding re-entry services, and Judge Trivette asked for continued Recovery Court support.
Opioid advisory appointments
Brenda Thacker and Dr. Dan Bergey joined the Opioid Advisory Board, guiding how the county uses opioid settlement funds.
Public safety staffing and services
The Board asked staff to study whether a Fire Marshal position is needed, agreed to explore scholarships for students headed into law enforcement at College of the Albemarle, and discussed funding a mobile medical unit for the county.
Student Mental Health Services Awareness
Student surveys found 44% of students didn't know what mental health services exist and 55% weren't likely to use them. The board is pushing a 'where to get help' campaign, anonymous reporting options, and an April 30 wellness fair at Shawboro Elementary.
Adequate fire service for Moyock area
A Moyock resident again urged the county to fix the lack of adequate fire service in his area — an issue he's raised with the board repeatedly. Chairman O'Neal said the county has identified a few potential station sites.
Election day school closings and building access
Parents raised concerns about schools staying open during elections. The board agreed future calendars will close schools on election days, and flagged a bigger conversation about how wide-open school buildings are during the day.
Code enforcement practices
Violations are up, including people living in campers. Staff will act on clear violations they see, but the county keeps a complaint-driven approach focused on getting compliance rather than expanding proactive sweeps.
Demolition of derelict Caratoke Highway structures
The county authorized tearing down two run-down buildings at 2088 and 2090 Caratoke Highway — a cleanup move for the corridor.
Corolla fire station traffic signal
Corolla's fire chief asked for a traffic light at the fire station so trucks aren't stuck in beach-season traffic. The county can't force NCDOT to install one but agreed to lobby for it.