April 2011 LAKE LURE NEWS & VIEWSPage 1
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
by Bob Keith
What beautiful spring weather we’ve been having so far. I keep holding my breath that we don’t get that dreaded late March, early April cold wintry storm. Knock on wood!
Each morning I pass the Lake Lure Municipal Golf Course on my way to Town Hall. As I drove by today, what fleetingly crossed my mind was playing hooky, skipping the Parks and Recreation monthly meeting and getting in a quick nine holes. My golf clubs called out to me from the trunk of my car that they are ready for action. I spotted a grounds keeper mowing the third green and it looked fantastic and fast. A golfer’s delight! The fairways will soon be full and lush with new Bermuda grass. By now I’m on the turns by Larkin’s realizing that I better get to the office and stop day dreaming. I make a mental note to find time over the weekend to give the course a try.
After that commercial, why don’t you dust off your golf shoes and play a round at our local course some time soon. Phil Doncaster, pro-shop superintendent, reports that play has been good and golfer comments after play have been super. He adds that people come in to play nine but end up playing 18. That’s a real positive sign. And you’ll just love his British accent….almost makes you feel you’re on the old course at St. Andrews.
Happy Fox (yes that’s his name), the course manager and teaching pro, informs us that there is a senior tournament for two man teams over 50 years of age on March 30th. Get a partner and sign up today for
some competitive fun. Happy goes on to say that they plan to revitalize the Friday night scramble group and down the road establish more leagues at all levels of play. Stop by the pro shop and pick up a full schedule of 2011 season events.
One outing you won’t want to miss is the charity event to raise funds for the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach (formerly Shepherd’s Care). This is a men’s and women’s 18-hole contest on June 11th. The format is a two-person scramble with a continental breakfast and box lunch included for $50pp. Come out and support this wonderful organization and all the great work it does for our community.
Just two parting thoughts: when you come in to register your boats, you’ll need your current registration and proof of insurance. Having them with you will expedite the process. And secondly, the town is converting to a totally new phone system. So if we drop a line or lose you on a transfer, please understand and forgive us until we get fully trained and experienced.
TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT
by Chris Braund
Anyone that banks in town is now aware that we’ll soon be without a local branch. Mountain 1st has already closed and Carolina First has announced their intention to close their in June. This has a tremendous impact on local citizens and businesses, particularly those with daily cash needs. The prospect of LakeLure without a bank has galvanized the leaders in our community to take action. A task force of residents, business owners and town officials has been working to ensure that we will have a bank in town. They’re currently in discussions with Carolina First (now TD Bank) about the possibility of keeping a presence here, perhaps with modified hours or services. Our message is clear: the LakeLure community will work together to support a successful bank in this town, it’s only a question of which one will it be. Discussions have also commenced with several other banks…both big and small.
Carolina First has been acquired by TD Bank, one of the 10 largest banks in the US. While they would bring significant safety and stability, as well as expanded products and services, at the momentLake Lure does not meet their requirements to support their standard store. We’re working to change that perception by focusing on the positive growth that is underway with the State Park, our school, renewed health in the tourism business, our town center planning, etc.
We will provide more information as the situation develops. We recommend that you not make any changes to your banking relationships until we know more about what options we may have after June.
TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES
by Town Clerk Mary Flack, MMC, CTC
REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 7:00 p.m., in the meeting room of the LakeLureMunicipalCenter.
Under the “consent agenda,” Town Council approved:
* minutes of the January 18, 2011 (regular meeting & closed session), January 20, 2011 (special meeting & closed session), and January 31, 2011 (special meeting & closed session);
* a request as submitted by Mary Ann Ransom, 2011 Arts and Crafts Festival Committee Chair, regarding a Memorial Days Festival being held on May 28-30, 2011 and an Autumn Day Festival being held on October 15-16, 2011; and
* a budget amendment regarding a landfill assessment grant as submitted by Finance Director Sam Karr.
Town Council also:
* gave council liaison reports and comments;
* held a public hearing and adopted Ordinance No. 11-02-08 rezoning approximately 2.5 acres from the R-1A Residential Zoning District to the GU-Government Use Zoning District as requested by the Town of Lake Lure in Petition No. RZ2011001;
* held a public hearing and adopted Ordinance No. 11-02-08A amending the Zoning Regulations of the Town of Lake Lure pertaining to foundation surveys,specifically to require foundation surveys to be performed after the construction of the foundation;
* held a public hearing and adopted Ordinance No. 11-02-08B amending the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations of the Town of Lake Lure pertaining to lot standards and dimensional requirements for conservation design subdivisions;
* held a public hearing and adopted Ordinance No. 11-02-08C concerning tree protection; creating Chapter 65 of Title VI of the Code of Ordinances regulating tree services for compensation; amending Chapter 91 (Subdivision Regulations) of Title IX of the Code of Ordinances to replace the definition for clear cutting with a definition for the excessive removal of trees; amending the regulations in Section 92.120 pertaining to land clearing and grading not associated with an application for development authorization; and
* presented an award of appreciation to Bill Bush for notable contribution to the Town of Lake Lure and the Zoning and Planning Board from January, 1998 until December, 2010.
Other activities:
* received staff report from the town manager.
REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:00 p.m., in the meeting room of the LakeLureMunicipalCenter.
Under the “consent agenda,” Town Council approved:
* minutes of the January 18, 2011 (regular meeting & closed session), January 20, 2011 (special meeting & closed session), and January 31, 2011 (special meeting & closed session);
* a request as submitted by Mary Ann Ransom, 2011 Arts and Crafts Festival Committee Chair, regarding a Memorial Days Festival being held on May 28-30, 2011 and an Autumn Day Festival being held on October 15-16, 2011; and
* a budget amendment regarding a landfill assessment grant as submitted by Finance Director Sam Karr.
Town Council also:
* presented an award of appreciation to Gary Hasenfus for notable contribution to the Town of Lake Lure, VWIN program, fish restoration program, and the Lake Advisory Board from December, 2003 until December, 2010;
* adopted Resolution No.11-03-08B retirement incentive program for eligible town employees;
* tabled the adoption of Resolution No. 11-03-08C (amending the personnel policy pertaining to work schedule and lunch hour) for further review by town staff and town council;
* approved a request from the Lake Lure Classical Academy PTO to hold a Spring carnival at town property on April 9, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. contingent upon certain stipulations ensuring that this event does not disrupt a previously scheduled evening wedding being held on this same day; suspended the town’s peddling ordinance for this event;
* adopted Ordinance No. 11-03-08 to demolish and remove the dilapidated dwelling at 147 Sidney Lanier Drive (Rutherford County Tax ID#: 226293, 226289, and 226292), Case # HC-11-01 as presented by John E. Ganus, Code Administrator; and
* appointed Vicki Smith to fill Werner Maringer’s regular position on the Board of Adjustment/Lake Structures Appeals Board with a term expiring December 31, 2011 and appointed Patricia Maringer to fill Vicki Smith’s position as alternate member on this board with a term expiring December 31, 2012.
Other activities:
* received staff report from the assistant town manager/finance director.
SPECIAL MEETING: The special town council meeting was held on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 9:00 a.m., offsite at Isothermal Community College, Business Sciences Building – Room 112, 286 ICC Loop Road, Spindale, North Carolina. Reviewed and discussed the 2011 goals and objectives for the town.
SPECIAL MEETING: The special town council meeting was held on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 6:00 p.m., offsite at the LakeLure “Remembrance Walkway” MorsePark.
Town Council:
* dedicated a brick in memory of William Bruce McNary and Werner Maringer for notable contribution to the Town of Lake Lure; and
* adopted Resolutions No. 11-03-08 honoring the memory of William Bruce McNary and No. 11-03-08A honoring the memory of Werner Maringer.
COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS
by Chief Eric Hester
Breaking and Enterings and criminal activity have been on the rise in LakeLure the past couple
of months!
We have had 14 Break and Enterings in the past couple of months mostly involving TV’s and computer equipment being stolen from residences. This criminal activity is being investigated but we need your help. We are currently working with several local law enforcement agencies on these residential burglaries. In the majority of these cases the suspects have pried open sliding glass doors or entered through windows by cutting the screens and gaining entry. I am asking everyone to please set your alarms while you are gone if you have one and to lock all your windows and doors. We haven’t had any break-ins or burglaries while people are at home; the break-ins have been while the home vacant just for even a day. If you have to travel out of town and you want your home put on our residential check program please call the police department and we will come by and check your home for you while you’re away. We have stepped up our patrols and vehicle stops in these neighborhoods and around town to try and locate these suspects. We are working diligently by tracking down any and all leads that we have to try our best to catch these criminals but we also need your eyes and ears to help us by reporting anything suspicious in your neighborhoods.
The last couple of days we’ve also had several credit card fraud cases where several subjects’ credit card numbers have been stolen. We are working on these cases with other law enforcement agencies as well as working with the SBI, it appears these card numbers are being used all over the United States and in some Foreign Countries. The SBI believes these card numbers are being sold possibly on the internet. If you find that your credit card has been compromised please contact your credit card company and then the Police Department to file a police report. Most major credit card companies will take the charges off of your account but you will need to file a police report with us if you live inside the town’s limits. If you don’t live within the town’s limits but do live in RutherfordCounty you would need to call the Rutherford County Sheriffs office to file your report.
YouthCenter
We love our new place! The cozy atmosphere offers us a home like feeling and really helps with our after-school care program.
To help us out with the cost of our program to the LakeLure youth, we will be participating in the Sale on the Trail which is a bunch of folks selling things throughout the gorge.
We have many items that we were unable to move and/or use at the new center that we will be selling on April 16th from 8am-2pm during the Sale on the Trail. We will be selling the items in our old location, which is right next to the VisitorsCenter. Items consist of desks, couches, tables, restaurant dry storage boxes, a stove, a double door refrigerator, cabinets and more. Whatever you purchase, please remember you’ll need to take it with you that day. Be sure to come out and help us with the cost for new play equipment and the continuation of the program! We definitely appreciate it.
While we love our new location and the immense amount of land we have to run about on, we are in need of things like tire swings, soccer goal post and other miscellaneous equipment. If you or your organization could help us with these needs, please see Chief Hester at the Lake Lure Police Department.
Summer is coming and we’re looking forward to another fantastic and successful Summer Program Series. Plans are forth coming!
If your child is a resident of the Lake Lure/Hickory Nut Gorge area and is between the ages of 6-14 please call us at 828-625-5220 to register them for this summer. You will need to complete a registration form. Those that come regularly to the After-School Program need not re-register for this summer.
POLICE REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2011
ALARM CALLS RECEIVED...... 14
ACCIDENTS...... 3
ARRESTS...... 3
BANK ALARMS...... 0
BREAKING AND ENTERINGS...... 5
BUSINESS CHECKS...... 6,026
CITATIONS ISSUED...... 15
COMMUNITY CONTACTS...... 1,316
EXTRA PATROLS...... 109
LARCENY REPORTS...... 2
REQUESTED RESIDENTIAL CHECKS...... 201
ROAD CHECKS...... 1,806
VANDALISM REPORTS...... 0
WARNINGS ISSUED...... 51
CASES CLEARED...... 1
CASES CLEARED BY ARREST...... 0
LAKEACTIVITIES
COVE CHECKS...... 223
CUSTOMER SERVICES
by Linda Ward
Michelle Jolley is our new receptionist taking over Andi Calvert’s position at the front desk. To make things easier on her, this in turn makes your permit processing quicker and easier on you; please have all required information with you when you come in for your boat permits. That would include both your state registration and proof of $300,000 liability insurance for all motorized boats.
COMMUNITY FIRE NEWS
by Ron Morgan
Free Home Fire Safety Inspections
Last year the Town started inspections in vacation rental homes as part of their rental process and part of this process includes an inspection by the fire department. This has been successful as we have been able to give some good home safety advice to owners who renttheir homes.
We feel this would be beneficial to every homeowner in Town and would like to offer this home inspection free of charge to anyone in LakeLure. This inspection would be to provide advice only, as there are no requirements for fire inspections for single family homes. Items we check for include: smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors in working order, misuse of extension cords, doors and windows operate easily with no special knowledge so you can get out quickly in the event of a fire, fire extinguishers, your address posted visible from the roadway, provide information concerning fire drills in the home, and a few other items. As I mentioned this is offered as a free service with no fees, or penalties. Our recommendations are simply that, recommendations.
If you are interested in this program please give us a call at Lake Lure Fire Department and we will be glad to schedule a visit.
LAKEOPERATIONS
by Clint Calhoun, Environ. Mgmt. Officer
It is now spring and the flowers are blooming. Everyone is looking forward to getting back out on the lake now that the weather is warming up. If you didn’t know already, we’ve completed a full renovation of the former damkeeper’s house, a structure that was over 50 years old and had no insulation. The structure is now more energy efficient and useful as town offices and meeting space. It serves as the headquarters for LakeOperations, Environmental Management, and Dam/Hydro and Sewer Operations. We are often out in the field, but if you see our Town vehicles there, please feel free to stop in and tour the renovations. In the future, the exterior will be renovated to match the Mediterranean stucco of the Town Hall and the historic buildings from the 1920’s.
As mentioned last month, some changes are coming with respect to our tree protection regulations. Beginning April 1st, individual property owners will no longer have to get permission to remove or prune trees, BUT if a property owner hires someone to do the work such as a tree service or a contractor (anyone who receives compensation for performing tree services), that person must be licensed by the Town as a tree services provider. The licensing process will begin as soon as the regulations go into effect. In order for tree services providers to be licensed, they must fill out an application; agree to the terms of the license; take an open-book, 50-question exam to test the applicant’s knowledge and understanding of proper tree maintenance and the Town of Lake Lure’s tree regulations; and pay a nominal licensing fee. The exam questions come directly from the Tree Management Handbook, a document created specifically for tree service providers. This document is available upon request. Once a tree services provider has been licensed they will be able to perform any type of tree service work so long as that work is allowed in the regulations. The license does not require renewal and doesn’t expire. It can be suspended or revoked however if a tree services provider fails to abide by the license agreement or the regulations. Letters will be sent out to local contractors that do tree work to remind them of the necessity to get a license prior to doing work. If someone fails to get licensed and cuts trees on someone else’s behalf for compensation, they could face some pretty stiff civil fines and not be allowed to conduct tree work in the Town of Lake Lure, so it is very important to get that license. We will also be conducting periodic workshops to provide educational information to tree services providers as well as opportunities to take the exam. If anyone has any questions about this please contact Clint.