The Northside Pool will be open later in the evening and for an extended period this season, Community Manager Alina Cochran announced at the Wednesday, August 25 Open Meeting of the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA] Board of Directors.
With school back in session, scheduled hours were adjusted and the pool is now open from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday, and from Noon to 8:00 pm on weekends. The pool will remain open through Sunday, September 19, in part due to the delayed opening at the beginning of the season, while legally-required grates were installed over two drains.
The SLLA swim season will conclude with ‘A Dog Day of Summer’ on Saturday, September 25 from Noon to 5:00 pm at the Northside Pool. A new special event introduced this year by Cochran, the pool will be open for all family dogs -- dogs only, please. Owners will be responsible for picking up any doggy messes.
In related news, Cochran reported the pool was vandalized last week with deck furniture thrown in, causing some minor physical damage. The incident was reported to the Moore County Sheriff’s Office and patrols have been stepped up in the area.
“This is not the first time this has happened, and it costs people money,” said Director Bud Shaver. “Don’t tell me the kids don’t know who did it. Parents should be looking to their kids, because this is costing all of us!”
During her management report, Cochran announced that, in addition to Roving Security patrols, the Association is employing an off-duty Sheriff’s officer to enforce all applicable North Carolina laws, including speeding and driving under the influence.
Seven Lakes Country Club Agreement update
Two key documents relating to the July 2007 agreement between SLLA and the Seven Lakes Country Club, regarding future development of the old driving range, were delivered to the Club in August, announced President Randy Zielsdorf. Specifically, those documents included approved mark-ups by the Association’s attorney of covenants written by the Club and an easement that prohibits access to the property from Seven Lakes Drive. The 10’ easement maintains a consistent green space from the Southside gates to the townhouse area on Devonshire Avenue.
“The Association and Seven Lakes Country Club are now cooperatively working with their attorneys to finalize these documents as soon as possible,” Zielsdorf read from a prepared statement.
Responding to former SLLA Director Donna Stephan, who thanked the Board for pursuing the agreement, Zielsdorf said he hoped to have good news by the end of the month and also said he was pleased that the Club had entered negotiations to lease their Tennis Facility.
“I hope this venture is successful, because this would be a big asset to the area and also the Club,” Zielsdorf said.
Buoys and boats
A handful of new boats on Lake Sequoia are wreaking havoc on many lakefront property owners' bulkheads and docks.
“It’s not the horsepower that is the problem, but the type of boats," said Northsider Phil Thingstad. "Boats that get up and plane don’t create wakes, but these new boats, which are meant for open water, are creating two and three foot waves. They plow the water.”
He reported his bulkhead and those of neighbors were washing out and that many of the new, white buoys installed this year were sinking and are less visible, which increased the damage, with boats weaving in and out from the shoreline.
Director Melinda Scott and several other lakefront property owners present at the meeting agreed with Thingstad’s assessment.
“This is the first Summer we’ve seen this style of boat and, also, the new boat operators are not complying with existing rules,” Scott said. “The boats come in too close. Security in itself is not sufficient. All of us on the lake fear the same issue: that someone will be injured.”
Cochran said the old, orange buoys were removed because they were unsightly and that twelve white buoys were purchased this year and positioned in accordance with Board-approved sites. However, Thingstad reminded her that the same buoy color and design issue had been discussed several years ago. At that time, the Board approved of the orange buoys, which are both less expensive and safer because of better visibility.
For the upcoming holiday weekend, Director Bruce Keyser, Jr. said the Association was looking to hire a police patrol for the lake, noting that the Roving Patrol pontoon boat is slow and cannot catch the faster violators.
However, Keyser said he was apprehensive to open any doors that could allow North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officers onto the lake for patrols. He described such a decision as a one-way choice that, once in place, could not be altered.
Finance
Under action items, the Board approved a new investment policy which formalizes in writing the Board’s power to direct investments as well as requirements for fund management and regular review schedules. In addition, the Board unanimously approved the revised Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget, which was revamped to correspond to the accrual method of accounting.
“This brings us from a cash basis to an accrual basis budget," said Treasurer Denny Galford. "It is a much more realistic budget in terms of expense categories.”
He reported that major repairs were further broken down into capital and non-capital projects and that the unidentified category fund has increased for items less than $2,500.
“There are a number of small items that need repair, but we haven’t identified all the projects we need to get done. We’re waiting for the Reserve Study report,” explained Galford.
He thanked the Finance Committee for their dedicated work, including three meetings in August, each lasting four hours. Minutes of all Finance Committee meetings are available on the Association website.
Galford reported that Association investments are secured in FDIC-insured institutions, with two months of cash flow held in operating accounts, a small amount in money market accounts that can be easily pulled out if necessary, a portion invested in certificates of deposit for staggered terms throughout the year that can be emptied and replenished, and the balance in other certificate of deposit accounts which pay a higher interest rate. In addition, the Association received a clean opinion certified audit report for last fiscal year with no deficiencies in management control identified.
Recreation
A bus trip to the North Carolina State Fair is being organized for this Fall, Community Manager Cochran reported. More information will be available soon.
The ten-week SLLA Summer Camp ended on Friday, August 20. While interest and enrollment were considerably lower than anticipated, Cochran thanked Camp Director Ginger McQueen and her staff for organizing such an excellent program.
“The kids who did attend had a good time,” reported Director Keyser. “Next year we’ll have to take a serious look at running the camp longer in the day. That was part of the problem this year -- and also we were not early enough with information.”
The Recreation Committee next meets on Wednesday, September 8, and any interested residents are welcome to participate. Committee Member Bob Racine is compiling a list of all past recreational programs and events for review and discussion.
Community Standards
An amendment and an addition to the Association’s rules and regulations related to Community Standards both received a unanimous nod of support from the Board.
Rule 5.1.11 was amended to clarify that any vehicle without current registration and tags must be garaged, and language was added to 5.1.8 stating that vehicles may only be parked in driveways or approved parking areas.
Director Kent Droppers reported that the Community Standards Committee has made good progress using the Talis Management database and that the vast majority of concerns were quickly corrected. A few less responsive cases will be heard by Judicial Committee.
Droppers said he was continuing work at Sequoia Point to develop a plan that would prohibit parking along Firetree Lane in favor of accessible but safer parking areas in the boat storage area and along Association-owned lots at Primrose Court.
Architectural Review Board
Director Scott thanked Don Fentzlaff for stepping in to chair the Architectural Review Board [ARB] during August while she was called out of town. Several projects were approved during this period, including three fences, one home painting, one beach renovation, three roofs, a garage and breezeway, and one dock.
Responding to a question about metal roofs, Scott said they were originally discouraged because of limited color selection and high cost, that materials available today are more attractive and desirable because of competitive costs, energy efficiency, and durability.
Capital Infrastructure
A contract for the Reserve Study is signed but a commencement date has not been set, reported Director Shaver. The Study is a long-range planning tool and will include a physical and financial analysis of Association assets.
Shaver said once the Study is complete, a large share of residents will be needed to fill the ranks of seven subcommittees to review results.
“My view is that anybody who wants to run for the Board and has not been a committee member is not qualified," Shaver said. "You need to have a feeling for what goes on here. I am offering an open invitation to every member to join one of these committees.”
Subcommittees will include Roads, Recreation, Security, Community Standards, Lakes & Dams, Maintenance, and ARB.
Other Business
In other business on Wednesday, August 25, the SLLA Board:
- Reappointed Dennis Roberts as the alternate member to the Greater Seven Lakes Community Council. Roberts, a former president of SLLA and the Seven Lakes Civic Club, was thanked for his service to the community and received a hearty round of applause.
- Heard from Cochran that Debbie Caulk, a longtime SLLA administrative employee, submitted her resignation on August 3. She said the Association wished Caulk well and thanked her for many years of service. Jenny Herring has been hired as the new operations administrator and will be working in the office four days a week.
- Heard from Northsider Mary Pagano that the intersection of Cardinal and Firetree Lanes is extremely hazardous. She recommended installing a four-way stop or cutting back overgrown foliage.
