Residents praise county partnership, urge protections for immigrants and highlight Ocean City Jazz Festival

Public comment at the Onslow County Board of Commissioners meeting on Oct. 6 featured three speakers who addressed separate community topics: North Topsail Beach projects and a fire station, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI) and immigrant protections, and the Ocean City Jazz Festival.

Rick Grant, elderman for North Topsail Beach, thanked the board for its partnership and support, noting the town’s ongoing projects. “We are in the middle of building a fire station,” Grant said, and he described a beach project in permitting to rebuild about 60 percent of the town’s remaining beaches. Grant emphasized that the town was not asking the county for money on the beach project at this time and praised county outreach.

Ari Rakowitz used the public comment period to urge the board to consider policies that protect marginalized communities, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ residents. Rakowitz cited resources such as the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ilrc.org) and urged use of translated “know your rights” cards available through ILRC, and referenced local voter advocacy resources. Rakowitz also said decisions such as eliminating Sunday early voting can disproportionately affect poor and Black communities and encouraged the county to consider equitable impacts of policy changes.

Kip Malcolm, vice president of the Ocean City Beach Citizens Council, thanked the county for supporting the Ocean City Jazz Festival and described the event’s importance to community identity and the local economy. “Ocean City is the first Black‑owned oceanfront community in North Carolina,” Malcolm said, and he said the festival helps sustain that legacy while drawing visitors and supporting businesses.

Each speaker’s remarks were part of the board’s five‑minute public comment allowance. No formal board action was taken on the subjects presented during the public comment period.