With a limited agenda and only three councilmen present, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Lauer presided over a short meeting of the Foxfire Village Council on Tuesday, December 14.
Taking another step towards completing the Woodland Circle Extension project, the Council unanimously approved a resolution to assess 100 percent of the cost of the improvement to the fourteen affected property owners.
Prior to the project’s commencement, ten of the fourteen owners, representing 67 percent of the linear frontage of the proposed road, signed a petition approving construction. Assessed property owners may elect to pay in full without interest within thirty days of notification, or over a five year period at a five percent rate of interest.
A Public Hearing on the Woodland Circle Extension will be held Thursday, January 13 at 7:00 pm in the Village Hall.
Real Property taxes
Sixty-eight percent of total tax billings and 75 percent of budgeted taxes have been collected, reported Finance Director Leslie Frusco, adding that reminder notices have been sent out.
“We send these as a courtesy," she explained, "to give property owners a heads up before we start assessing fees and interest as of January 5.”
Foxfire resident Lydia Conard questioned the expense of sending the reminder notices, but Frusco replied that she wanted to ensure that property owners were given adequate and proper notice prior to the due date when penalties begin to accumulate.
“I’d rather give them advance warning just in case they forgot,” said Frusco.
Finance
Foxfire Village received a clean opinion on the annual audit of its financial reports, Frusco reported.
Looking ahead, after nearly twenty years of service by the same auditor, she recommended that it was prudent to seek additional bids for the project. Four were received, including a bid submitted by the longstanding auditor, and after a comprehensive review of pricing structures, she recommended a contract with Anderson Smith for a proposed fee of $8,500, not to exceed $9,500, plus the option of annual renewal.
Deputy Village Clerk Sharon Sanchez was thanked for assisting with the thorough review of the audit bid proposals.
In other action, the Council approved a $1,640 budget amendment to the water fund for boring work.
Frusco reported the General Fund cash balance at $696,210, of which $608,531 is unrestricted, $50,000 is set aside in a capital reserve fund, and nearly $21,000 is in the Stonehill Pines restricted account. The Water Fund stands at $284,263, not including $135,419 in a restricted escrow account for a new well.
The Woodland Circle Extension project was completed in December and came in under budget. Frusco reported that all unspent proceeds from the project’s loan had been returned to the bank. The first payment of $199,869 from the General Fund and $14,813 from the Water Fund towards the Woodland Circle loan is due in April 2011.
Public Safety
Foxfire’s new police K9 officer is so good at his job that word is spreading around the county, reported Councilman Vic Koos.
“Several days ago we were asked by another municipality to send ‘Ruger’ to check a suspect,” he said. "Ruger found 30 grams of marijuana on him! This is not the first time he has found drugs, and that is great news for Foxfire. If word gets around that we have this dog and he is very good, they’ll [the bad guys] quit coming through here — and I’m extremely happy with that.”
Continuing his report, Koos said a new snow plow blade would be installed on the Village truck, adding that Officer Scott Patterson would drive the vehicle if and when it was needed.
Responding to questions he has received concerning the Foxfire Fire Department, Koos said that no, they were not out joy riding. He explained that first responders are required to stay within 20 feet of the fire truck at all times. If the crew on duty goes out in the Village to check fire hydrants or inspect properties for fire hazards, the truck goes with them. The fuel is paid for through state taxes.
“I agree they shouldn’t be out riding around for no good reason; and they don’t,” said Koos.
PARTF grant
The old axiom, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again,” was called to mind as the Foxfire Village Council approved a resolution to resubmit a $375,000 grant application to the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund — for a fourth time.
If accepted, the Village would be required to match the grant and funding would be used for a major revitalization project to renovate the outdoor swimming pool, construct a new pool house, pool arbor, and deck extension, add a children’s play area and walking trail, renovate the tennis courts, and add lighting and landscaping.
Other business
In other business on Tuesday, December 14, the Foxfire Village Council:
• Appointed Mayor George Erickson as delegate, and Councilman Lauer as the alternate delegate to the Triangle J Council of Governments. Erickson was not present at Tuesday's Council meeting because he was attending a two-day workshop sponsored by the group.
• Approved a request by Kurt Pahner to continue to organize the DOT litter sweep program on Foxfire Road between the Village and Linden Road.
• Approved the Water Shortage Response Plan, as required by North Carolina.
• Heard that one Certificate of Occupancy had been issues for a home on S. Shamrock and the Appearance Committee approved a new home in Grande Pines.
• Heard from Lauer that water tank maintenance work had been completed and that a heater had gone out at one of the Village’s well houses. A repair bill is anticipated.
