Tangier Town Council Minutes
The minutes below are APPROVED, as voted on at the meeting, on February 27th, 2026
Meeting Date: January 23rd, 2026
Meeting Location: Tangier Combined School
Council Members Present:
- Beth Thomas, Vice Mayor
- Tommy Eskridge
- Anna Parks
- Tracy Pruitt
- Kelly Wheatley
- Normand St. Pierre
- Mayor James Ooker Eskridge
Approximately twenty-five adult members of the community were in attendance.
Call To Order:
Vice Mayor Beth Thomas called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm and thanked everyone for coming and supporting the Town. She thanked Accomack Public Schools and Principal Charnock for allowing the Town to use the school auditorium. She explained that there wasn’t a meeting in December, due to the busyness of the season and stressed that work continued, even without a public meeting. She stated the meeting would be recorded.
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
The opening invocation was given by Jerry Pruitt, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Tracy Pruitt.
Opening Statement:
Mayor James Eskridge welcomed everyone. He thanked everyone for participating in the meeting. He encouraged residents to drip faucets during the upcoming low temperatures.
Motion: To adopt the agenda of January 23rd, 2026, was made by Beth Thomas and seconded by Anna Parks. Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
Motion: To approve the public meeting minutes of November 4th, 2025, was made by Anna Parks and Seconded by Tommy Eskridge. Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
FY26 Budget: Normand St. Pierre’
Normand St. Pierre presented an update on the status of the FY26 budget and needed revisions.
General Fund: (approximate)
- Revenue: $146,000.00
- Expenses: $142,000.00
- Net: $3,500.00
Fuel Dock: (approximate)
- Revenue: $630,000.00
- Expenses: $694,000.00
- Deficit: $66,000.00
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP): (approximate)
- Revenue: $196,000.00
- Expenses: $224,000.00
- Deficit: $28,000.00
Normand explained that the discrepancy between what he had reported in previous projected budget proposals (net: $5.00), and this report (deficit approximately $90,000.00 combined), was due to the required legal delays in collecting back taxes owed to the Town, a declining tax base of occupied homes, and property tax devaluation at the county level.
That revenue will most likely not be realized during this fiscal year. He expects a portion of that expected revenue to appear in the FY27 budget. The Town has also incurred expenses related to the clean-up of derelict properties – an expense that the Town should not be responsible for – therefore, those expenses will be assessed to the tax bills of the individual responsible property owners.
Motion: for a resolution to formalize the trash collection agreement with Mark Crockett for residential trash pickup, and to discontinue commercial trash pickup, was made by Normand St. Pierre and seconded by Tommy Eskridge.Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
Motion: To abolish the town meal tax, was made by Normand St. Pierre. Point of order by Anna Parks regarding the legality of this motion, as it pertains to the state bailout that is in progress. Motion TABLED
Motion: To retain the services of Attorney Jason Dunn, to collect delinquent property taxes from FY24 to present, was made by Normand St. Pierre and seconded by Tracy Pruitt. Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
Motion: To adopt a formal procedure to address derelict yards, and to assess fines and liens to responsible property owners, was made by Normand St. Pierre and seconded by Beth Thomas. Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
Motion: To formally request the assistance of County Supervisor Robert Crockett to effect bridge and road repairs, was made by Tommy Eskridge and seconded by Normand St. Pierre. Unanimous Aye. Motion Carried
Financial Reports:
- General Fund: Tracy Pruitt discussed the state of the Town’s General Fund. She said that the General Fund balance on November 4th, 2025, was $2,624.21. As of January 23rd, 2026, the balance is $53,793.54.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP): Kelly Wheatley began by stating that the WTP fund balance, on November 4th, 2025 was $6,547.86, and as of January 23rd, 2026 was $8,493.62.
- Tangier Gas:
- Fuel Dock and DEQ Update: Tommy Eskridge stated that the Tangier Gas Fund had an approximate balance of $3,500.00. Tommy stated that tank removal should be starting within the next two weeks, weather permitting.
Public Comments:
Rob Baechtel made a proposal to establish an emergency radio communication system, housed in currently unused space in the Town office, at no cost to the Town.
Grants Report:
Anna Parks talked about a December meeting with the Tangier Shoreline Protection and Resilience Working Group, headed by the Bayland group, and with cooperation from the Town, the Governor’s Office, the Chesapeake Bay Association, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and others. She said that the workgroup is moving ahead with a complex recovery plan and is making great strides.
She went on to describe an ongoing plan with the Nassawadox Creek Dredge Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) has received funding in the amount of $10,000,000.00 for the installation of geotubes at various locations around Tangier.
Negotiations are continuing with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District on the proposed plan to have them take over the responsibility of the operation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Report on Meeting with the Berkley Group
The Berkley Group has been tasked by the Governor’s Office, to work with the State Auditor of Accounts, to establish a financial recovery plan for distressed communities. Members of the Town Council have been meeting with representatives of the Berkley Group a number of times over the last several months, talking about their assistance with clearing up the Town’s finances. The Group has made it clear that Tangier is not the only jurisdiction in the Commonwealth that is facing difficulties and that they will stand by Tangier until all financial issues are resolved.
New Business:
Mayor Eskridge discussed efforts with the County Department of Emergency Management to establish procedures to access the assistance of the State of Maryland, to deal with situations where Tangier is iced in.
He went on to say that the channel is filling in with silt, and he expects the ACOE to come out to dredge in the spring.
Tommy Eskridge stated that he had received a message from Robert Crockett, the Accomack County Commissioner, saying that Commissioner Crockett spoke with the Director of the Accomack/Northampton District Planning Commission stressing the current difficulties experienced by the local watermen on Tangier, due to the collapse of the oyster market, combined with the late start of crabbing season. The Director of the Planning Commission assured Commissioner Crockett that his staff would seek grants to alleviate the financial distress of the watermen.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Beth Thomas at 7:07 p.m.
The next public meeting will be held on February 27th, 2026.
Tangier Island, Virginia 