With only a few months left in his current term of office, Foxfire Village Councilman Vic Koos reluctantly announced his resignation during the Council's Tuesday, July 12 meeting, citing health reasons and changing demands on his family that made the decision necessary.
“It is impossible for me to find the time to do the job to the standard that it has been done in the past four years," read Mayor George Erickson from a statement issued by Koos, who was too choked up to make the announcement on his own behalf. "To say this has been a difficult decision is an understatement.”
Elected in November 2007, Koos has been an active and engaged leader, overseeing streets and parks for three years, and public safety concerns through the past year.
He thanked his fellow councilmen for their support and said he hoped that by resigning now, another candidate for the Foxfire Village Council would step forward.
Both Mayor George Erickson and Councilman John Eltschlager have filed with the Moore County Board of Elections as candidates in November's municipal elections, but, as of Noon on Thursday, no one had yet filed to run for Koos' seat. The filing deadline is this Friday, July 15, at Noon.
Legislation allows private wells
“Terrible legislation,” is how Mayor George Erickson and Councilman Ed Lauer describe recently passed NC Senate Bill 676, which prevents counties and local municipalities from banning private potable water wells.
“Potable water is what you use in your home. It is not irrigation water: it is drinking water,” explained Lauer, during the Tuesday's Council meeting. “This bill goes against all the previous legislation passed by the state.”
He continued, “I am sure they approached this from a property right point-of-view, rather than as a state that is often strapped for water. But they failed to take into account areas like the Sandhills, in which water is an extremely scarce resource.”
Lauer explained that the law takes water conservation control measures away from a county or enterprise system, such as Foxfire's Water Department.
“Once a property owner has a private well, we have no jurisdiction," Lauer said. "They can use it 24/7 and we can’t enforce water restrictions.”
He also expressed concern that additional holes in the aquifer also increase the risk of contamination to all wells, including radium contamination.
Currently, all residences within the Foxfire Village limits are served by the Foxfire Water Department, and there is an active and ongoing ban on irrigation wells.
Lauer said that requests for private potable water wells will be considered, but strongly cautioned Villagers against such action.
“We have no intention of standing in the way of any request, Lauer said. "But, should they elect to do so, we will enforce every state regulation — including that there can be no connectivity between a private well and the city system.”
In other words, any resident who opens a private well will be disconnected from the Foxfire Water Department.
“I don’t want private water flowing into our system, which must be maintained under very stringent regulations,” Lauer warned. “And, historically, wells in this area are a crap shoot. Most are failures, and you pay whether you get a dry well or the water comes in.”
He estimated that a successful private well in the Foxfire area may provide eight to ten gallons an hour, while larger municipal wells in the Village yield about forty-five gallons a minute.
“I want to clearly warn anyone that I think this would be an expensive alternative,” said Lauer, noting that he has already received one request for a private potable water well permit.
Any new-construction homes are required to pay a hook-up fee even if they choose not to connect to Foxfire water. Another question still under review is whether a municipal system, such as Foxfire, will be able to charge a minimum water bill even to well users.
Later in the meeting, Village attorney Michael Brough cautioned the Council that another NC bill under consideration, potentially as early as next year’s "short session," would preclude local governments from enforcing architectural standards for single family homes.
Land donation update
Mayor Erickson distributed a copy of the deed officially recorded for the 160 acre land donation offered by the McKean Brothers Trust in lieu of the $1.4 million assessment due on the property as a result of the Woodland Circle Extension project.
The $1.9 million, 1.5 mile roadway project was initiated five years ago by a petition of property owners. The cost was assessed to fourteen landowners using an equal rate per acre methodology -- a formula that placed the majority burden, approximately 75% of the total, on McKean’s land.
Originally described as 157 acres, the property was found by a recent appraisal to total 160 acres. Appraised at $1,563,000, the land will be actively marketed with a real estate agent.
Finance
During a Special Meeting called on Tuesday, June 28, the Foxfire Village Council adopted the 2011-2012 Budget on a 3-1 split vote, with Finance Director Leslie Frusco opposed. Councilman John Eltshlager was not in attendance, and there was no discussion noted in the meeting minutes.
As of June 30, the General Fund cash balance was $762,090, including $4,826 in Powell Bill funds, $20,985 in the Stonehill Pines account, $50,042 in capital reserves, and $8,369 held in the Woodland Circle fund. The Water Fund balance was reported at $292,765, including $591 in the Woodland Circle fund, and $135,518 held in a restricted account for a new well.
Annual bank payments due in July include $27,740 from the General Fund towards the Village Green Park loan; and $41,144 from the Water Fund. The Woodland Circle loan payment is due April 2012, with $75,810 to come from the General Fund and $5,357 from the Water Fund.
Deputy Finance Officer Sharon Sanchez reported that 99 percent of property taxes for 2010 have been collected, with $6,192 still outstanding. Nearly $2,000 remains outstanding from 2009.
Village Green Park
Councilman Koos thanked Gilbert Brown for making sure the Village Green Park and picnic grounds were in good shape for the Fourth of July holiday.
“It was his number one project, and he did a great job,” said Koos.
Koos mentioned several housekeeping-type concerns and made a few recommendations, including that cars parking on the grass for special events should limit themselves to two deep lines to protect water sprinkler heads in that area.
In addition, Koos said, a restroom toilet at the park was found to be flushing repeatedly. He said the electronic eye on the automatic flush feature was to blame and said a simple push of the manual button on top would fix the problem.
On park trash, Koos asked park users to spill out their beverage cups before placing them in the large, trash receptacles.
“Folks are putting cups in half-full and they leak down to the bottom of the bag and make a mess,” said Koos.
Yard waste site
The yard waste site is open and supervised by a group of volunteers. Koos thanked them for their service, but asked that residents be vigilant about keeping the hours they signed up for.
“If the gate isn’t open on time, we get a long line of cars waiting, if the volunteer doesn’t show,” said Koos.
In addition, he reminded those volunteers that there is a "gentlemen’s agreement" to assist residents, especially the elderly, with depositing their yard waste materials.
European adventure
Foxfire resident and rising eighth grader, Amalia Harsany, presented the Council with photographs and a vivid description of her recent travels to Europe as a People to People Student Ambassador.
During her tour, she visited Amsterdam, Belgium, France, England, and Ireland with approximately forty other students over a nineteen-day period. The group toured battlegrounds, museums, farms, and other sites of cultural or historical significance.
Last year Harsany traveled to Australia with the group and, next year, she hopes to see China. Her goal is to visit all seven continents before graduating from high school.
A difficult time
Councilman John Eltschlager thanked the Council and the residents of Foxfire for their support and thoughts during this difficult time as his family grieves the unexpected loss of his wife, Meredith.
Other Business
In other business on Tuesday, July 12, the Foxfire Village Council:
• Heard from Erickson that the Triangle J Council of Governments will sponsor a grant writing workshop on July 26.
• Heard from Erickson that, in the Fall, Foxfire Village will receive a donated tree from the Keep Moore County Beautiful organization.
• Heard from Erickson that he met with Ed Spaulding to discuss forming a committee to provide a standards review of the appearance of homes and lots in the community. This committee will be modeled on a similar group called to action by former council member, the late Carl Munro, several years ago. Craig Ramey served on that committee and has volunteered his service again.
• Heard from Lauer that he declined a request from a property owner to place a rental unit water bill under the renter’s name. Lauer said the Town of Durham adopted such a policy and lost a quarter of their revenue to uncollected bills.
• Heard from Chris Harsany a request to mow at the corner areas of the four condo units fronted by Village property. “Over the past seven years, the only time it is ever mowed is after I make a complaint.”
• Unanimously reappointed Lydia Conard to the Planning & Zoning Board, effective until January 2015.
