OurTown

NEWSLETTER
Our T own
Published weekly by the Town of Burgaw | January 27-31, 2025
One (1) Tourism Development
Authority Member
One (1) Beautification Committee
Member
One (1) Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
(ETJ) Planning Board Member
Must reside within the town’s ETJ. Call the
Planning Department at 910-663-3451 for
additional information.
Please visit the town website at
burgawnc.gov for more information and to
download an application. Applications may
also be picked up at Town Hall, 109 N.
Walker Street. Completed applications
should be submitted to the Town Clerk at
109 N. Walker Street, Burgaw.
Now Accepting
Applications
PLANNING BOARD
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
The following items will be heard for
consideration at the Town of Burgaw Planning
Board Meeting on February 20, 2025 beginning
at 5:30 PM at the Burgaw Town Center, 108 E.
Wilmington Street, Burgaw. All interested
parties are invited to attend. Written and oral
comments welcome.
Item 1: Consideration of a Wellhead Protection
Overlay to the proposed new Unified
Development Ordinance (UDO), by Planning Staff
to review as part of the UDO rewrite process.
Assigned staff: Ron Meredith,
rmeredith@burgawnc.gov, 910.663.3451.
BURGAW, NC—The Town of Burgaw is
pleased to announce that Hans Kalwitz
has been hired as our new Finance
Officer. With an impressive track
record in public financial
administration and over a decade of
experience in municipal finance, Hans
brings a wealth of expertise to our
team.
Hans holds a Master of Public Affairs
with concentrations in Public Financial Administration, Economic
Development, and Policy Analysis, as well as a Bachelor of Science in
Public Affairs with a major in Financial Management and a minor in
Economics from Indiana University. In addition, he is a Certified Local
Government Finance Officer and has earned multiple other
certifications from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ’s
School of Government, including training in Local Government
Finance, Budgeting, Cash Management, and Governmental
Accounting, reinforcing his strong foundation in public sector financial
management.
Throughout his career, Hans has demonstrated exceptional leadership
and financial management skills earning multiple Government Finance
Officers Association (GFOA) Excellence in Financial Reporting Awards.
His extensive experience in managing complex municipal budgets,
implementing financial systems, and fostering transparency aligns
perfectly with the Town of Burgaw's commitment to financial integrity
and sustainable growth. His expertise in grants management, debt
refinancing, and process optimization will be instrumental in
strengthening the town's financial health and supporting long -term
planning initiatives.
Please join us in welcoming Hans to the Town of Burgaw. We look
forward to his leadership and contributions to our community ’s
financial success!
Hans Kalwitz joins the Town of
Burgaw as Finance Officer

The land that the residents of Burgaw live on today is full of history. The
Town was incorporated in 1879, but began prior to that time due to the
existence of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad that was completed in
1840 to connect the port of Wilmington to the Town of Weldon. In
March of 1875, Captain W. H. James, a civil engineer with the Wilmington
& Weldon Railroad, noted that the land at Burgaw Station, lying between
the railroad and Burgaw Creek was suitable for a town. He surveyed off
73 acres of land and divided it into lots and streets. Wilmington &
Weldon Railroad would donate these acres if the Pender County
Courthouse would be placed in Burgaw. It was decided that one -half of
the lots would be given to the County, one -fourth of the proceeds to be
given for improvements to the streets, and the remaining fourth for a
ticket office and other depot conveniences. Lots for churches would be
given outside of the platted 73
acres. All materials for county
buildings were required to be
shipped by rail. The land that
Captain James plotted was deeded
to the Pender County Board of
Commissioners on February 6, 1876,
and the courthouse was constructed
in 1885 on the southwest corner of
Fremont and Wright Streets.
February 6 | 8:30 AM
Tourism Development Authority Regular
Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
February 7 | 8:30 AM
Beautification Committee Regular Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
February 7 | 6:30 PM-8:30 PM
Daddy-Daughter Dance
Advance registration required
Burgaw Train Depot
February 8 | 6:30 PM-8:30 PM
Mother-Son Dance
Advance registration required
Burgaw Train Depot
February 10 | 5:30 PM
Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee
Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
February 11 | 4:30 PM
Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
February 18 & 19 | 9:00 AM
Board of Commissioners Special Meeting:
Strategic Planning Budget Retreat
Burgaw Town Center
February 20 | 5:30 PM
Planning Board Regular Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
March 6 | 8:30 AM
Tourism Development Authority Regular
Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
March 7 | 8:30 AM
Beautification Committee Regular Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
March 11 | 4:30 PM
Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Burgaw Town Center
Our Town | Page 2
UPCOMING
The Town of Burgaw is a sponsor of this event.
The Birth of a Town
Historical Feature of the Week
Old and New Courthouse of Pender County
Courtesy of the Pender County Public
Library Digital Archive

Our Town | Page 3
The Town of Burgaw invites you to participate in our Online Budget Priorities
Survey! This quick survey-taking less than 10 minutes to complete-gives you the
opportunity to share your input on the programs and services that matter
most to you.
Your feedback is essential and will be carefully reviewed as we develop this
year’s annual operating budget.
Help Shape
Burgaw
’
s
Future Budget!
Visit https://burgawnc.gov/493/Budget to take the survey and
make your voice heard. Survey closes February 15, 2025.

Mayor
Olivia Dawson
Mayor Pro Tem
James Malloy
Commissioners
Jan Dawson
Bill George
William Rivenbark
Michael Pearsall
Town Manager
James H. Gantt
Town Clerk
Kristin J. Wells
Town Attorney
Zachary Rivenbark
Town Hall
109 N. Walker St.
Burgaw, NC 28425
910-259-2151
mail@burgawnc.gov
www.burgawnc.gov
Office Hours
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday-Friday
PUBLIC WORKS
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
NUMBER
PHONE # 910-470-0457
This phone is only answered after
hours, between 4:30 PM - 7:30 AM,
and is for water and sewer
emergencies only . Unless Public
Works has been given prior notice
from Town Hall, Public Works
cannot turn your water on due to
non-payment shut off.
Utilities
663-3445
Parks & Town Events
300-6401
Human Resources
663-3444
Permitting & Inspections
663-3452
Public Works Department
259-2901
Police Department
Non-Emergency
259-4924
Fire Department
Non-Emergency
259-7494
Elected & Appointed
Officials
Board of Commissioners Meetings
Second Tuesday of every month at 4:30 PM
Public Forum/Public Hearings at 5:30 PM
Planning & Zoning Board Meetings
Third Thursday of every month at 5:30 PM
Tourism Development Authority Meetings
First Thursday of every month at 8:30 AM
Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee
Meetings
Second Monday of February, May, August,
November at 5:30 PM
Beautification Committee Meetings
First Friday of every month at 8:30 AM
All meetings listed above are open to
the public; oral and written
comments always welcome. The
meetings are held at the Burgaw
Town Center, located at 108 E.
Wilmington Street, Burgaw, unless
otherwise posted.
Meeting agendas can be found on the
town’s website at BurgawNC.gov.
Notices for cancelations and special
called meetings will be posted on the
town’s website and weekly
newsletter when necessary.
For questions or assistance, please
contact the Town Clerk at 910-663-
3441 or kwells@burgawnc.gov.
CURRENT MEETI NG
SCHED ULE
Connect with us!