Issue 014 Third Quarter 2024

The

VillageVIBE

Village of Bald Head Island Employee Newsletter

Third Quarter 2024 Issue 14

On the Cover BBQ King Davey Mintz spent another sleepless night preparing "all the meats" for the Village Employee End of the Season Cookout held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at the Department of Public Safety.

Employees, joined by Mayor Quinn and Mayor Pro Tem Gardner dined on pulled pork and barbeque chicken, prepared by Mintz. David Cox contributed to the smorgasbord with sides - - baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and desserts. Mr. McCall thanked employees for our hard work during the peak season and also for our response to PTC #8.

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Holiday Party at 801 Ocean on Oak Island on December 6, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Make sure you RSVP with Rick Parsons in HR.

Deductions for Ancillary Benefits Changing in 2025 Starting in January 2025, the Village is introducing a new approach to processing payroll deductions for ancillary benefits. This change aims to align deduction collection with payment timing to benefit providers, addressing a previous issue where the Village effectively extended credit to employees by paying bills in advance of collecting deductions.

Here’s what employees need to know: 1. New Deduction Calculation: Deductions will now be calculated based on 11 pay periods but applied across 13 pay periods (January to June), resulting in slightly higher deductions per pay period. This change will only affect deductions from January to June of 2025. In July 2025, deductions will be calculated as they are now (based on 13 pay periods) unless changes to this procedure are necessary.

2. Mid-Year Adjustment: The 13th payroll each half-year (covering July-December and January-June) will be used for deduction adjustments. This adjustment will correct any surplus or deficit, ensuring the 13th pay period generates adequate funds to cover the following month’s bill.

This change should enhance the Village’s cash flow management and ensure that deductions align more accurately with benefit payments.

Here’s an example of how deductions will be calculated beginning in January.

1. There are 13 pay periods between January 1 and June 30.

2. Usually, the deduction amounts would be equal to the monthly bill amounts multiplied by 6 months and then divided by 13 pay periods: Bill Amount x 6 Months 13 pay periods 3. However, to generate a prepaid balance for employees on June 30th, the Bill Amount multiplied by 6 months should be divided by 11 pay periods to then produce an amount to be deducted from 12 pay periods (with the 13th pay period to be used for adjustments): 4. For example:

Bill Amount x 6 Months 11 pay periods

a. If an employee’s monthly bill were equal to $50 per month, then their current pay period deduction amount across 13 pay periods would be $23.08 ($50 X 6 months / 13 pay periods). b. The employee’s new deduction amounts beginning in January would be $27.27 ($50 X 6 months / 11 pay periods); an increase of $4.19 per pay period. c. This would generate a total deduction amount collected through 12 pay periods of $327.24 (12 X $27.27). Over 6 months, the total bill amount paid would be $300 ($50 X 6 months); for a difference of $27.24 ($327.24 - $300). d. In the 13th pay period, the deduction amount would be adjusted such that the subsequent month’s billing amount would be covered.

In this case (assuming the billing amount is not scheduled to change in July): $50.00 – $27.24 = $22.76. This 13th deduction would result in a balance for the employee on hand on June 30th of $50.00 ($22.76 + $27.24) to cover July’s bill on July 1. If the bill amount were to go up or down, the 13th deduction’s amount would be adjusted accordingly.

If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Novak in Finance or Mishanda Mohundro in Human Resources.

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The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14

2024 VBHI Employee Holiday Party Join us for the annual Village Employee Holiday Party! We plan to have a wonderful celebration this year at the beautiful beachfront event venue, 801 Ocean, located in Oak Island next to the Oak Island Pier.

Other than the catered appetizers and meal we plan to have: Presentation of the Employee of the Year award.

Presentation of Employee Service awards.

Please RSVP to Rick Parsons - rparsons@villagebhi.org

Construction on 133 to Begin on December 2 The NCDOT is replacing the existing culverts carrying Sand Hill Creek under N.C. 133 with a new bridge. This work will require a road closure on N.C. 133 with an off-site detour route on N.C. 87 and U.S. 17 (see map - more info HERE project timeline was delayed due to PTC #8).

N.C. 133 and Funston Road will be closed to through traffic during construction. Approximately 1/2 mile of N.C. 133 will be closed and the road closure will be in place from north of Funston Road to south of Funston Road. Funston Road will be closed at the intersection of N.C. 133.

Through traffic from the south should follow N.C. 87 to U.S. 17 to N.C. 133 at Belville.

Through traffic from the north should follow U.S. 17 to N.C. 87 to N.C. 133 north of Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point.

The completion date is set for fall 2025, however there are incentives for the contractor to complete the project earlier.

Open Enrollment for 2025 Most Village employees likely received a renewal kit in the mail from BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina regarding open enrollment for 2025. The kit includes plan information, changes for next year, monthly payment, and temporary member ID card. A follow-up email with the same info was also sent to employees.

Village employees will receive an email from Rick Parsons for additional information such as the Village reimbursement rates and enrollment steps that must be taken for this benefit year. Please be on the lookout for this information.

The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14

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GOOD STUFF WELCOME!

PHILIP HORNE started working in the Department of Public Safety as Deputy Chief for the Law Enforcement Division on August 8, 2024.

He was sworn in at the September 23 Village Council regular meeting (see photo).

CERTIFICATIONS DAVID MORALES earned his Biological Operators Grade 1 Certification.

e W e r e h W W o rk

CODY WALTERS earned his law enforcement certification.

POST FROM A CITIZEN: Public Safety Shout Out Today!

My 2 grandsons (8 & 5) and another family had the interacting experience of an educational tour of the BHI Fire Station this morning.

Thank you!

Note: photos with permission of parents and Public Safety Staff.

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The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14

EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES July

August

September

Cynthia Novak David LaPlante Gina Hinson Stephen Boyett Steven Barger Zachary Hewett

Finance Public Safety Finance Development Services Public Safety Finance

7/5/2023 7/6/2013 7/6/2016 7/12/2004 7/18/2018 7/22/2020

1 Year 11 Years 8 Years 20 Years 6 Years 4 Years

Carin Faulkner Eric Riley Junior Adkins Nick Hugh Charles Hylton Ian Carico

Administration Public Safety Utilities Public Works Public Safety Utilities

8/14/2019 8/15/2018 8/16/2017 8/16/2017 8/17/2011 8/28/2006

5 Years 6 Years 7 Years 7 Years 13 Years 18 Years

Jerry Waits Cody Walters Chris McCall Steven Williams Joe Forte Mark Johnston Judy Schofield

Public Works Public Safety Administration Public Safety Contractor Services Public Services Human Resources

9/3/2014 9/9/2022 9/13/2004 9/20/2023 9/21/2015 9/26/2022 9/27/2017

10 Years 2 Years 20 Years 1 Year 9 Years 2 Years 7 Years

Y PY PP AP HA H Y!!

AY DA HD TH RT BIIR B October Kenneth Ingram Joe Martino Jae Kim Lloyd Jackson Stephen Pevarnik David Mintz

9 11 12 13 26 31

The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14

November Jason Jacobs 4 Michelle Kesmodel 10 13 Cody Walters

December Peter Joyce Carin Faulkner Justin Wenig Mary Gates Paul Swanson

6 10 17 21 25

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MORE GOOD STUFF

PTC #8 brought historic rainfall to our area which caused significant flooding on the island and the

mainland. On BHI, the flooding greatly impacted the sewer system and roads. Public Safety personnel regularly provided reports of which roads were impassable or inaccessible. Village Utilities personnel, to protect the wastewater treatment plant, had to manually shut off almost 130 grinder pumps to prevent them from continuously pumping stormwater to the wastewater treatment plant. Public Works personnel operated the stormwater pumps to push the flood water off the island for weeks!

As the Island recovered, the mainland continued to deal with road closures, particularly on 17 and 133.

The City of Southport had only one way in and out of the city from September 19 through October 18, making what was typically a 30 minute commute home for many, a one to two-and-a-half-hour trip.

Islanders were very appreciative of the Village employees who worked throughout the event and who continued to deal with the impacts in their daily commutes for nearly a month!

Thank you note given to Chief Josh Gibson from Diane Mesaris.

Comments from Islanders who were grateful for the Village employees' hard work in response to PTC #8.

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The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter- Issue 14

CONTEST

Decode the message below. Each letter in the list of words has been replaced with a random letter or number. Email or text the correct answers to: cfaulkner@villagebhi.org or (910) 368-6338. If you have the correct answers, you will be chosen in a drawing of all of the correct answers received by Friday, December 13, 2024.

Here's a hint, "AMERICAN FOOTBALL"

1 5

2

5 6

3 7 4

And the winner is...

JacoB LEBer Jacob LeBer from Public Safety won the word puzzle contest from last issue.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14

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VILLAGE VILLAGE HOLIDA HOLIDAYS YS Veterans Day

Monday, November 11, 2024

Thanksgiving

Thursday & Friday, November 28 & 29, 2024

Christmas

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday December 24, 25, & 26, 2024

New Year's Day

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Don't forget to use your floating holiday! (You can pick an unobserved holiday, your birthday, or any other day off - with supervisor's approval - please mark "FH" on your timesheet for tracking). Make sure you get it on the calendar before December 31, 2024, if you don''t use it, you lose it!

OUR VISION

Our vision is nothing less than realizing our team's full potential in providing quality public service through mutual respect, trust, communication, and enhancement of community values.

OUR MISSION

To work together as a team providing exceptional customer service based on ethical and transparent practices while promoting personal employee growth.

We want to hear about you!

This is YOUR newsletter. Tell us about your hobbies! Do you compete in competitions outside of work? Is your family growing? New child/grandchild/pet/engagement? Is your child/grandchild about to graduate? Do you have some amazing recipes? Do you volunteer? Tell us about it!

Send information to: public.information@villagebhi.org or text (910) 368-6338

We need photos of your pets for future issues!

Send them to the email or phone number above!

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The Village Vibe VBHI Employee Newsletter - Issue 14