WINDSOR – Bertie County has closed on the real estate transaction to acquire 137 acres of waterfront property on the Albemarle Sound. The project, nicknamed ‘Tall Drink of Water’ will provide public water access for recreation and tourism, and now the final closing price has saved Bertie County’s taxpayers a quarter of a million dollars in the process.

Board of Commissioners chairman John Trent and vice-chairman Ernestine Byrd Bazemore successfully negotiated a $250,000 price reduction and executed an amendment to the original purchase agreement which dropped the price for the 137 acres to an even $1 million.

“This was a team effort with the Board of Commissioners fully engaged from the outset” noted County Manager Scott Sauer. “The Board set high expectations for this project and everyone performed in an exceptional manner.”

In late May, Bertie’s Commissioners authorized Trent and Bazemore to take formal steps to bring closure to the $1.25 million transaction originally approved by the Commissioners in November 2015. They were also authorized to seek a potential price reduction as a result of the protracted discussions with the broker for the seller.

“This was a business transaction, plain and simple,” said Trent, “and the Board has authorized staff to proceed now with grant applications to offset part of the investment for development of this recreational area.”

“This project is gaining momentum and we are seeking public input for the site development and planning efforts so that we can provide recreational opportunities for our residents,” noted Bazemore.

Currently, Bertie County is seeking project development support from the Center for Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) offered at East Carolina University, and led by Dr. Paige Viren.

Viren, who joined the ECU faculty in 2008, is no stranger to Bertie County, having worked with the Town of Windsor where she and her students assisted the town with grants to expand handicap accessible kayak launches and boat ramps on the Cashie River.

For the Windsor project, Viren and her students crafted marketing plans and supported grants to secure funding for the launch and boat ramp.

The latest project for the CST team is the construction of two treehouses and a ‘TreeZebo’, or observation deck connected by an elevated walkway on the banks of the Cashie and intended to provide additional accommodations in the county seat.

“A sense of place is important to sustainable tourism,” said Viren. “This connection to the river offers people a sense of belonging. The more people are connected to rural areas the more likely they are to protect them.”

Accepting the invitation to serve on the leadership team for eastern North Carolina’s Land of Water initiative, Viren provides expertise in sustainable tourism and coastal ecosystems to their mission of stimulating economic growth of the Inner and Outer Banks.

Viren and her team hope to develop master plans with strategies to increase recreational access for the Albemarle Sound project in the very near future.