Read the full stored bill text
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
SESSION LAW 2026-36
HOUSE BILL 1220
*H1220-v-5*
AN ACT TO REPEAL A PROVISION OF THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF S TEDMAN
CONCERNING SALE OF A LCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; TO ALLOW MADISON
COUNTY TO SIGN MEMOR ANDUMS OF UNDERSTAND ING WITH UNICOI,
GREENE, AND COCKE COUNTIES; TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF
STANLEY TO ALLOW THE TOWN MANA GER TO HIRE, SUSPEND , OR REMOVE
TOWN EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN THE TOWN ATTOR NEY; AND TO PROVIDE
THE TOWN OF PINE KNO LL SHORES WITH THE A UTHORITY TO PLACE AI DS
AND MARKERS TO NAVIGATION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
PART I. STEDMAN TOWN CHARTER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES
SECTION 1. Section 8 of Chapter 67 of the Private Laws of 1913 is repealed.
PART II. MADISON COUNTY INTERSTATE MOUS
SECTION 2.(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Madison
County S heriff's Office may enter into memorandums of understanding with the following
sheriffs' offices located in Tennessee: Unicoi County, Greene County, and Cocke County. These
memorandums of understanding shall permit the sheriffs' offices to engage across st ate lines in
law enforcement special operations missions and cooperative law enforcement actions.
SECTION 2.(b) Any memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to this
section shall specify the manner in which liability claims for damage to persons or property as a
result of law enforcement special operations missions and cooperative law enforcement actions
will be shared or assigned. While ensuring public safety, each memorandum of understanding
shall limit to the greatest extent possible the liabil ity of Madison County and the State of North
Carolina.
SECTION 2.(c) No later than November 1 of each year, any memorandum of
understanding entered into that year pursuant to this section shall be reported to the Department
of Justice.
SECTION 2.(d) This section applies only to Madison County.
PART III. STANLEY TOWN CHARTER MANAGER AUTHORITY
SECTION 3. Section 9 of the Charter of the Town of Stanley, being Chapter 233 of
the Private Laws of 1911, as amended by an ordinance adopted by the Town of Stanley on
November 3, 1986, an ordinance adopted by the Town of Stanley enacted on July 1, 1991, a
resolution adopted by the Town of Stanley on March 2, 1992, and Section 9 of S.L. 2024 -20,
reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 9. That on the second Monday in May, one thous and nine hundred and eleven, and
biennially thereafter, the Town Council, after having taken an oath before some justice of the
peace of Gaston County to support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of
the State of North Carolina, and to well, faithfully and truly perform the duties of the office of a
Town Council of the town of Stanley, to the best of their ability, which oath shall be subscribed
Page 2 Session Law 2026-36 House Bill 1220
to and entered upon the minutes of the corporation, and attested to by the individual administering
the oath, shall take their seats and remain in office for a period of four years and until a successor
is elected and qualified, except such as may be removed for cause or otherwise. They shall
organize by electing one member chair, who shall ac t as a mayor pro tempore, in case of a
vacancy, absence, or illness of the mayor. Notwithstanding G.S. 160A-63, vacancies on the Town
Council shall be filled by appointment of the remaining members of the Town Council for the
remainder of the unexpired term. A majority of the Town Council shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business. Said Town Council shall meet for the transaction of business at least
once a month, and shall meet on the call of the mayor, or a majority of the Town Council, as
often as may be necessary. The Town Council shall have the power, when deemed necessary, to
appoint or remove the Town Attorney.
Sub-Section A – Council-Manager Form of Government.
The Town of Stanley shall be governed by the Council -Manager form of government as
described in Part II, Article VII of Chapter 160A of the North Carolina General Statutes. The
Town Council shall appoint a Town Manager to serve at its pleasure. He The Town Manager
shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications and the
Town Manager need not be a resident of the City Town or the State at the time of his appointment.
He The Town Manager shall receive such compensation as the Council may from time -to-time
fix.
Sub-Section B – Duties of Town Manager.
The Town Manager shall be the chief administrator of the Town. He The Town Manager
shall be responsible to the Town Council for administering all municipal affairs placed in his the
Town Manager's charge and shall have the following powers and duties:
i. He The Town Manager shall hire, suspend suspend, or remove all City employees,
Town employees except the City Attorney, the City Tax Collector, and the
City Clerk, Town Attorney in accordance with such General Personnel Rules,
regulations and policies, or ordinances as the Council may adopt.
ii. He The Town Manager shall direct and supervise the administration of all
departments, offices and agencies of the Town subject to the general direction
and control of the Council, except as otherwise provided by law.
iii. He The Town Manager shall attend all meetings of the Town Council and
recommend any measures that he the Town Manager deems expedient.
iv. He The Town Manager shall see that all laws of the State, the Charter and the
Ordinances, Resolutions and Regulations of the Town Council are faithfully
executed within the Town.
v. He The Town Manager shall prepare and submit the annual budget and capital
program to the Town Council.
vi. He The Town Manager shall annually submit to the Town Council and make
available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative
activities of the City Town as of the end of the fiscal year.
vii. He The Town Manager shall make any other reports that the Town Council may
require concerning the operations of city Town departments, offices offices,
and agencies subject to his the Town Manager's direction and control.
viii. He The Town Manager shall be a proper party to receive and accept service of
all complaints, notices, legal process and other documents of a judicial nature
on behalf of the City.Town.
ix. He The Town Manager shall perform any other duties that may be required or
authorized by the Town Council.
Sub-Section C – Acting City Town Manager.
By letter filed with the City Town Clerk, the Town Manager may designate, subject to the
approval of the Council, a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the Town
House Bill 1220 Session Law 2026-36 Page 3
Manager's duties of Manager during his temporary absence or disability. During this absence or
disability, the Council may revoke that designation at any time and appoint another to serve until
the Town Manager returns or his the disability ceases.
Sub-Section D – Interim City Town Manager.
When the position of City Town Manager is vacant, the council shall designate a qualified
person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of Manager until the vacancy is filled.
Sub-Section E – Mayor and Councilmen Ineligible to Act As Manager.
Neither the Mayor nor any member of the Town Council shall be eligible for appointment as
Town Manager or Interim Town Manager."
PART IV. PINE KNOLL SHORES NAVIGATIONAL MARKERS
SECTION 4.(a) The Town of Pine Knoll Shores (Town) is empowered to make,
adopt, and enforce ordinances for the navigable waters of canals and Bogue Sound within the
corporate limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction of the Town concerning the following:
(1) Placement and maintenance of channel aids and markers, anchoring aids and
markers, and navigational aids and markers in conformity with the United
States Aids to Navigation System and the rules of the Wildlife Resources
Commission as adopted for use on the waters of North Carolina pursuant to
G.S. 75A-15(c). Before placing channel aids and markers, anchoring aids and
markers, and navigational aids and markers, the Town Board of
Commissioners, by ordinance, shall identify the location of the aids and
markers by use of Global Positioning System coordinates and notify both the
U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in writing of the
intent to place the aids and markers. The notice shall be at least six weeks prior
to the placement of any channel aids and markers, anchoring aids and markers,
or navigational aids and markers under the authority granted by this section.
(2) The enforcement of ordinances adopted under the authority of this section in
accordance with G.S. 160A-175.
SECTION 4.(b) This section is intended to supersede G.S. 75A-15(a)(3) for the
navigable waters of canals and Bogue Sound within the corporate limits and extraterritorial
jurisdiction of the Town of Pine Knoll Shores. In the event of conflict between any local
ordinance adopted under the authority of this section and any other statutes, rules, or regulations
of the Wildlife Resources Commission, the Department of Environmental Quality, the United
States Coast Guard, or the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the State or federal rule or
regulation shall supersede and prevail over the local ordinance to the extent of the conflict.
SECTION 4.(c) Duly sworn law enforcement officers of the Town of Pine Knoll
Shores, the Carteret County Sheriff's Office, and the Wildlife Resources Commission shall have
the authority to enforce any local ordinances adopted under the authority of this section.
SECTION 4.(d) This section applies only to the Town of Pine Knoll Shores.
Page 4 Session Law 2026-36 House Bill 1220
PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this ac t is effective when it becomes
law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 2nd day of July, 2026.
s/ Phil Berger
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
s/ John R. Bell, IV
Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives