08/18/2026
How on earth does one properly start to tell the tale of Harris Brian? I tend to be pretty good with words most of the time, but I've been struggling for a bit with this one. Brian was, without a doubt, the catalyst of Buxton Civic Association's long overdue formation, and we've said as much out loud on many occasions. But maybe we should have explained that it was because, as we have learned to be his MO over the past couple years, he saw something that needed to be done, did it, and decided to figure out the rest later. Basically, Brian filed the necessary paperwork, put out the word, and the rest of us who are here are those who stuck around from the jump. Now, was it perfect? Maybe not. Did I have to go back a few times and try to figure out what the hell he did? 100%. But would we have been able to accomplish those things that we are so proud of without it? Unlikely. We thought about trying to list the accomplishments, the meetings, or just the acronyms (USACE, RAB, CRC, DOI, NCBIWA, ASBPA, ATSDR) but it would be exhausting . . . he knew no bounds in the pursuit of getting Buxton the attention it needed from county, state, and federal levels. Brian shows up and kicks in doors at conferences and meetings and myriad other places where we might not have ever been invited to begin with. In doing that, he has secured a seat for not just Buxton but all of Hatteras Island at tables where we need to have a voice. He is often a bull in the proverbial china shop - but sometimes it takes a bull to get things moving.
Brian is pursuing some endeavors that preclude him from remaining a board member of the Buxton Civic Association and has officially stepped down as a board member. We are grateful for everything he has down to show up for our Village - so much of which has been done on his own dime, at the expense of time with his family or his business. We promise to do our best to keep that drive, energy, and passion present in every future project.
The remaining board members have gone through the process of seeking a replacement for those shoes. They're big ones to fill, and we think we found just the person for the job. Stay tuned for that announcement.
Brian - we'd say keep in touch but it's not like the group texts have stopped. We fully expect the heckling from the other side of meeting tables that you've promised. Go spend some time with Jess and Sawyer, sling some poke bowls, and dive into your next projects full send.
