Great News from North Carolina!

The battle for Currituck Lighthouse has been won.

The Outer Banks Conservationists have the deed in their hands and are on their way to file it at the County Court House. The only thing now that may still stop it from finalization is some county official refusing to file the deed.

This is a great victory ---however, there are a number of drawbacks – Currituck was forced to put money into an escrow account – an action that could be detrimental to future lighthouse transfers.


The full story will appear later.


Many thanks to all that helped in this fight and Congratulations to the Outer Banks Conservationists who are now the new owners of the Currituck Lighthouse. They restored it, they worked for it, they fought for it, and now it’s theirs.


Tim Harrison

American Lighthouse Foundation

www.LighthouseFoundation.org

I was at Currituck Lighthouse today and discussed this story with Jenn Barr, Executive Director.

This is NOT quite a done deal and the terms forced upon OBC are unlike any other lighthouse turnover ever.

If you've been following this story, you know that OBC has been collecting $6 per head for climbing the lighthouse (no charge to visit the grounds). Half of this fee goes into a fund to maintain the lighthouse, half goes into a separate fund to maintain the buildings and grounds.

The 'deal' requires OBC to pay to the US Coast Guard the $180,000 currently in the special fund for maintenance of the lighthouse.

Rep Jones could still place roadblocks in the way before the deed is actually delivered and recorded.

Ms. Barr was optimistic, but it's been a roller-coaster ride to-date.

I discussed Rep Jones and his stalling and blocking actions with others here for the OBLHS's events this weekend and, as you might expect from lighthouse lovers, no one has a good thing to say about him.

This thing appears to be a Currituck Co. vs. Dare County issue. The lighthouse is located in Currituck Co. The OBC is based in Dare County (Manteo). Those nice folks in Currituck just can't see why someone outside their county should 'control' the lighthouse.

And that's the view from the OBC -- at last for today.

Be interesting to know why they are being forced to give the CG the money in the escrow account. Hopefully it is not a "permanent" transfer, just a hold on the funds. How does the CG expect the OBC to take care of the tower if all the funds are taken away from them?

Kind of makes you wonder if OBC could just find a way to move their main office to the lighthouse grounds would the flaming jackasses in public office (notice I did not say public service) get off their case?

Here is a story from the Daily Advance from this morning:


Nonprofit gets lighthouse deed

and here is one from the Outer Banks Sentinel:

Outer Banks Conservationists are given the deed to Currituck Lighthouse

This is great news. Thank God that the OBC prevailed. I just can't imagine what it would have been like to have the county win.

Bert

With the budgetary woes at the national level, and the Dept of Homeland Security trying to get its important components up to standards, it is such a shame that we are friviously #$%^ing away scarce funds to humor the blathering idiot that represents Currituck County. One has to hope that the decent residents of Currituck County will eventually pull their collective heads out of the sand (bet you thought I was going to say something else...) and send these sad excuses for public servants home. Its hard to believe that at the federal level as well as the local level there are no important or needed projects that could use the funds being wasted on this vendetta. Be nice to find one of their contemporaries who would initiate charges of official misconduct and abuse of position. I'm sure a law student could come up with a laundry list of applicable charges to be files agains the idiot congressman and county council bozos.

To the cheers of about 140 attending the Annual Keepers Dinner of the OBLHS tonight, it was announced that the Deed to Currituck Beach lighthouse had been filed with Currituck County at 3:40 PM Friday!

The deed is done; the good guys won!

Reporter Sandy Semans of the Outer Banks Sentinel was presented with a special award by the OBLHS in recognition of her reporting on Outer Banks Lighthouses.

YAY! YAY! YAY!

GO OBC!!!

This is great news, finally. Now, to battle the audit, and we know they won't find anything wrong, again. Shame, the OBC has to put monies into escrow.

Joyce

A deserved win for the good guys .... OBC, keep up the great work.

Dan

I had the pleasure of visiting the offices of the OBC, Monday afternoon, and shaking the hands of John Wilson, Melody Leckie, and Bill Palmer.

These folks have been put through something that never should have happened, and they fought a clean battle and held their heads high!

We know the battle isn't over yet, and we proudly stand a watchful guard with this great bunch of people at OBC,Inc.

How wonderful to have been able to celebrate the deed transfer this past weekend in North Carolina along with a terrific group of lighthouse friends from OBLHS, NELL, ALF, NJLHS, and the CLHS.

Judy

Here is an article from this mornings daily advance:

OBC had to pay $180K for beacon deed

It includes some new comments from Cong. Jones...

I'm getting caught up on the lighthouse news. As I mentioned before, although I think public sentiment (outside Currituck Co) favors the OBC, the officials of Currituck County appear to be poised to create future difficulties if that is the road they choose to travel. So for now, one hurdle is past and victory can be savored...but I expect we'll be hearing more. Thank for the update Tim!