The Northumberland County Economic Development Commission (EDC) will meet this Tuesday, November 18 at 6:00 PM. This is a key moment for our community to ensure they understand how the severe shoaling at the Little Wicomico River Jetty is affecting local jobs, businesses, tourism, and access to the Chesapeake Bay.
The EDC’s mission is to support heritage industries, tourism, watermen, marinas, and local economic growth — all of which depend on a safe, passable entrance channel. Your presence helps show that restoring this federally authorized navigation channel is not just a safety issue, but a critical economic priority for our county.
(Mission source: EDC Goals & Objectives – link below.)
📍 Meeting Information
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Sheriff’s Office Conference Room
195 Judicial Place, Heathsville, VA 22473
(Northumberland County Courts Building)
🔗 Zoom Option:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87398671574?pwd=ejXnkoItiVSbu7YdOehWTJbfWb0sEB.1
Meeting ID: 873 9867 1574
Passcode: 155943
EDC Members
Economic Development Commission Board Members | Northumberland Virginia
District 1: Dan Corder (Secretary)
District 2: Vacant
District 3: Melissa Bunns-Carter (Vice Chair)
District 4: Karen A. Pica, PhD (Chair)
District 5: Maurice E. Johnson
Executive Director: Robert Bullard rbullard@co.northumberland.va.us
Staff Liaison: Drew Basye
The Little Wicomico River abuts Districts 3 and 5, but economic development is a county-wide issue!
If you attend, here’s what you can respectfully ask the EDC to do:
1️⃣ Issue a formal EDC letter of support
Ask the Commission to recognize the Little Wicomico River Jetty as critical economic infrastructure for watermen, oyster growers, marinas, charter captains, seafood businesses, and tourism — and to provide a formal written letter of support to accompany state and federal funding requests.
2️⃣ Place the jetty project on an upcoming EDC agenda
Request that the Commission schedule a brief presentation or discussion so they can hear directly from affected businesses, marinas, captains, rescue personnel, and residents.
3️⃣ Highlight the project in the EDC’s heritage-industry & tourism priorities
Their goals already include:
Supporting heritage industries (fishing, crabbing, oystering)
Promoting maritime tourism
Strengthening waterside businesses
Fostering working waterfronts
Ask them to explicitly link jetty dredging and repair to these existing priorities so the economic justification is clear at the state and federal level.
If you can attend, your voice truly matters.
Even a brief statement about how the shoaling affects your boating, business, charter trips, seafood work, or family access helps the Commission understand the real-world impact.
Please join us if you’re able — community participation is what moves projects like this forward.
#DTLW #NorthumberlandCounty #WorkingWaterfronts #ChesapeakeAccess
EDC Goals & Mission:
https://www.co.northumberland.va.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/economic_development_commission/meeting/4536/noco_ed_goals.pdf?utm_source