Posted on August 5, 2026
During his opening remarks, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard provided an update on the Buxton beach nourishment project, announcing that the dredge Liberty Island officially began pumping sand onto the beach in Buxton on Friday, July 31, 2026. Chairman Woodard praised the county’s contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, for the project’s rapid progress and noted that the project will consist of placing approximately 2 million cubic yards of sand along 2.9 miles of shoreline between the Haulover Day Use Area and the end of Old Lighthouse Road.
Chairman Woodard also shared details about the project’s construction process, explaining that sand is being dredged from an offshore borrow area approximately two to three miles from the shoreline and that work typically affects individual oceanfront properties for only two to three days as crews advance roughly 200 to 300 feet each day. Once construction moves beyond a section of beach, it generally reopens within 24 hours. He added that a second Great Lakes dredge is expected to arrive in mid-August to help keep the project on schedule, with completion currently anticipated by September 30, 2026, weather and ocean conditions permitting.*
Chairman Woodard concluded his remarks expressing his appreciation to Great Lakes for its partnership and commended the company’s efficiency in advancing this critical beach nourishment effort: “It’s just incredible the amount of work Great Lakes is doing, and we’re grateful to have them as a partner to do the nourishment projects for us.”
For more information about the Buxton beach nourishment project, visit MoreBeachToLove.com.
*Please note that information regarding the timeline for this project is subject to change due to a variety of factors, including weather and ocean conditions, equipment issues and required maintenance, as well as other unforeseen circumstances.
Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Matt Kellam, who has served as an equipment operator at the C&D Landfill in Manns Harbor since May 26, 2026, in recognition of his heroic actions while off duty at the beach in Nags Head on July 11, 2026.
Chairman Woodard explained that the recognition stemmed from an email he received from Dare County resident Kenny Meekins, who witnessed Kellam’s selfless response after three children became caught in a rip current. According to Meekins, Kellam, with assistance from his wife, Haley, immediately entered the water and safely rescued all three children, demonstrating exceptional courage and quick thinking in an emergency.
During the presentation, Chairman Woodard noted that Kellam has been employed with Dare County for only two months, adding that his actions reflect the character and dedication of the people who serve the county and its residents. “This is incredible, folks,” said Woodard as he presented Kellam with the Certificate of Appreciation. “This is the kind of human beings and people that we hire to work for us in Dare County. I could not be more grateful and thankful to you, Matt, for what you did.”
