The Westside Board of Directors wants additional input from the community before creating a four-way stop at the entrance to West Side Park Community Center, in order to slow traffic through the intersection, which sits atop a hill, making visibility tricky.
Safety & Security Director Jim McCarthy offered a motion during the Tuesday, July 26 Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Work Session to install a four-way stop at the intersection, which he said would reduce the likelihood of accidents, particularly if a new mail house is located behind the Community Center.
Saying “this is a big, big change,” Infrastructure Director John Goodman refused to vote on the motion until the community had an opportunity to weigh in. Other Board members agreed on the need for more input, leading McCarthy to withdraw his motion.
President Mick Herdrich said landowners can provide comments through the SLWLA website -- but there was plenty of comment during the Work Session.
Westsider Bill Price, speaking during member comments, said he did “not see a necessity” of having a four way stop at the Community Center entrance. “It is not stopping, not looking, and not being careful” that is causing any problems, Price said. Director Goodman agreed, suggesting that drivers should just stop and look both ways when exiting the WSPCC.
Legal Director Jack Stevens said “legislating good behavior and good judgement is awful hard to do -- the more stop signs we put up will not change that.”
McCarthy said putting the stop signs up now would help people to get used to the idea of stop signs being there. The NC Department of Transportation has given McCarthy the go-ahead for a four-way stop to be put at the intersection, as long as the Board approves the stop signs and residents are given thirty-days' notice.
Community Manager Joan Frost -- who has been working with McCarthy on the issue -- said that she has heard from “a lot” of people -- as many as thirty to forty -- coming into the CAS office saying that they tried to make the turn and were “almost hit” and a “fast thought” got them through it.
“[I] hope we never see an accident down there,” said Frost.
Secretary Jane Sessler expressed doubts about putting up the stops signs when the location for the mailhouse has yet to be determined. "Nothing on that [mail house] has been decided yet," she said. "It's a little premature to start revamping this intersection.”
But President Herdrich suggested that it might not be wise to tie the decision about stop signs to the mailhouse, if the issue is safety.
Westsider Charlie Flinchum suggested adding yield signs rather than stop signs to the intersection. Johanna Moran suggested positioning large round mirrors to afford drivers a better view of oncoming traffic, but both Frost and Goodman said this would not work.
Goodman was also not in favor of Moran’s suggestion to build up the road elevation to eliminate the blind spot caused by the hill. If you build up one such area, then every area similar to it in the community would have to be similarly altered, he said.
Currently, the community's only four-way stop is at the intersection of Morris Drive and James Drive.
The Board also tabled McCarthy's suggestion for additional stop signs at the intersections of Beacon Ridge Drive with Finchgate Court and with Paula Court.
Second Reading for Dock Extensions Approved
The Board during Tuesday's meeting unanimously approved the second reading of a change to Section 5.5.2, Section B of the SLWLA Rules and Regulations that will increase the maximum length of docks on Lake Auman from 20 feet to 23 feet. Legal Director Stevens presented the second reading in the absence of Architectural Review Director John Hoffmann.
A final reading and vote will take place at the SLWLA work session on Tuesday, August 9, which Director Stevens said will fulfill the requirement for community input and thirty-days' notice before rules changes.
Communications
Membership on the Seven Lakes West website is up to 580, reported Secretary Jane Sessler, who noted that the website's events calendar is now interactive, allowing community members and groups to post information about upcoming events. The calendar can also be printed out by website users.
Sessler said she is in the process of updating the “activity directory” on the website and is looking for contact information for community groups and event organizers. Members with contact information to share can reach Sessler via email.
Sessler thanked Community Manager Frost and the CAS staff for their timely posting of website updates on culvert repairs and the associated road conditions and detours.
Lake & Dam Report
President Herdrich reported that options for repairing the Johnson Point boat slips are still under review, adding that no repairs are likely before the Fall.
Herdrich reminded boat owners who received a $25 fine for not registering their boats or placing their new boat stickers on by the deadline that they need to pay their fine promptly. A fine left unpaid for 30 days will result in a $50 fine; after 60 days, a $75 fine; and after 90 days, it will be turned over to the judicial panel.
A summary of a new report by Dam Engineer Dr. Dan Marks analyzing data about the interior structure of the Lake Auman Dam can be viewed on the community website as well as in the community center, Herdrich said, adding that the report includes a lot of useful information about the construction of the dam. Copyright prevents duplication of the full engineering report.
The data for the report was gathered during the drilling of new piezometers, used to measure the water level in the interior of the dam. The new piezometers reportedly “work extremely effectively,” Herdrich said.
Community Manager Frost said she is working with Cagle Landscaping to gather information regarding a new swimming float for Johnson Point that is “more safety oriented.” The platform is unlikely to ready before Spring 2012, assuming it meets with the Board's approval.
Cagle Landscaping will also handle the installation of Johnson Point gates, once paving in that area is completed, Frost reported. She added that some minor dock repairs will likely be necessary as a result of damage that occurred when a boat sank while moored to one of the Johnson Point slips.
Finance Committee
Treasurer Don Freiert reported that the Association is "on track" financially. The Association has $4.4 million in total assets, which includes cash and investments at $1.7 million and net fixed assets such as Westside Park and other amenities at $2.7 million.
Current liabilities total $700,000, with $680,000 of that accounted for by the Westside Park mortgage. The reserve funds stand at $1.3 million, and the Association's equity is $2.4 million.
Net income for the first two months of the fiscal year was $128,000 -- mainly from dues being paid in an annual lump sum instead of monthly. Expenses are currently running within budget, Freiert reported.
The one investment issue for the month was the maturing of a $50,000 CD, proceeds from which were placed in the checking account to be used for culvert replacement expenses.
The finance committee has signed an engagement letter for the Association audit by Busby and Company, which should take place later this Summer.
Community Manager’s Report
Community Manager Joan Frost reported during Tuesday's work session that seventy-five compliance letters had been sent out in the prior two weeks, including thirty-five for boat and trailer violations, twenty-nine for yard issues, five for parking vehicles or boats on the right aways and driveways without approval, one pool violation, one unauthorized dog house, three HVAC units needing to be screened, and one deck built without the appropriate permit.
“Most people have responded quite well,” to the compliance letters, said Frost; however, one person is being referred to the Judicial Panel.
The Association and Moore County are working together in an attempt to trap beavers that have built a dam in one of the culverts in Morgan Wood -- something that has happened before, Frost reported. There is also an ongoing effort to trap a fox that is living under a homeowner’s front porch.
There have been “major repairs” to the irrigation system at Johnson Point, Frost said, to repair leaks and damage caused by tree roots growing into the water lines. Irrigation at the Pinnacles has also had to be replaced because of damage from lightning strikes.
Frost said she had spent almost thirty hours with one homeowner in the last two weeks, because their lot looked “really bad,” but discovered that the lot's appearance was the result of another person or persons dumping debris and cutting down trees on the lot. The matter has been handed over to an attorney for evaluation.
Recent storms have caused damage to “quite a few” homes, Frost reported, noting that she is investigating whether the Association has any liability in the matter and is trying to help those affected find a solution to their problems.
Community Manager Frost also reported that:
• Over 200 decals for entrance into the North and South side have been sold.
• Three stop signs were stolen in one night, leaving the Association to “rush around” and find three signs to replace them before an accident occurred.
• The two small ponds on Longleaf are still being treated with herbicide -- one in particular has an algae in it that is very hard to kill.
• Emergency exit signs have been placed off of Bainbridge and at Westside Park.
• Streets signs throughout the community will be painted this Fall to prevent any further deterioration.
Events Committee
Events Director Jim Ferguson reminded everyone of the Johnson Point concert by the Fog Blues Band on August 5 at 7:00 pm.
The Board appointed a new member, Rosemary Weber, to the Events Committee.
Although details of the event have not been finalized, Ferguson reported that a possible back to school pool party may take place on Saturday, August 27.
Culvert Repairs are Complete
All of the culverts on Longleaf Drive have been repaired, reported Infrastructure Director Goodman, who said that everyone should “rest easy” in knowing that the community will not have a road collapse or flood.
Road patching on Longleaf Drive is still underway but nearly complete. One more round of repairs will have to take place at the first pond dam and in about eight to ten other areas throughout the community.
Goodman said he is awaiting design by Dr. Dan Marks for replacement of the overflow pipes for the lower pond at Lakeway Mall. The repairs may involve boring under the road, temporarily draining the lower pond, and widening the dam slightly to allow for pedestrian safety access. Since the lower pond furnishes irrigation for common areas, the project may not get underway until October of this year, if approved by the Board.
Legal Committee Report
Seven Lakes West is in compliance with the current North Carolina law for foreclosures, which requires a notice to parties involved and a waiting period, reported Legal Director Stevens, who said he had confirmed compliance with outside counsel Steven Later.
The Legal Committee is still working on a way to archive historic documents in the community. Stevens said that as the legal committee was archiving “legal” documents it became apparent that there may be other documents in the community that need to be archived as well. The archiving committee met and set first objectives, the first being to contact all former association presidents and others who may have historic Association documents in their personal files.
“It’s a fairly large effort,” said Stevens, who urged anyone in the community that has an expertise in the matter to contact the legal committee.
Westside Park Report
Community Manager Joan Frost reported that West Side Park Community Center may be getting a new contract for trash removal, because the current bi-weekly pick up is not sufficient.
Pool operations have run smoothly this year, reported Frost, who reminded members to bring their membership cards and ID to the pool for entrance -- and to not get upset with the gatekeeper for checking proper identification.
Frost has ordered additional linens for the Community Center -- now there are two sets of linens for all the tables. Six dozen replacement wine glasses have been ordered. The facility has service available for 250 people.
Other West Side Park items reported by Frost during Tuesday's meeting included:
• New American flags were purchased.
• Tennis nets will be repaired and a new one was purchased.
• After lightning struck the Community Center, a computer monitor had to be replaced.
• The HVAC system had a major problem, but repairs have been made.
• A drinking fountain leak was repaired.
• Carpets have been cleaned and tile in the kitchen and other areas are scheduled for cleaning.
