More an introduction than a traditional electoral debate, the Candidates’ Night hosted by the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA] on Wednesday, February 22 gave landowners an opportunity to learn more about the three candidates nominated for three open seats on the Board of Directors.
The forum provided an opportunity for the candidates to address key issues facing the community. Moderator Greg Hankins, publisher of The Times, was assisted by Brenda Massimo, Bill Yarish, and Laurie Werner.
Using a format developed by the Seven Lakes Civic Group, each candidate was offered six minutes to introduce themselves, share information about their background, explain what they see as the key challenges facing the community, and explain how their skills and experience would contribute to the work of the Board in addressing those challenges. In addition, each candidate was asked to prepare an answer to a question related to the Reserve Study and the role of Long Range Planning in decision-making. And, finally, they answered questions submitted in writing by audience members.
Steve Ritter
“I think it is critical for our community to stay in step with what is going on around us, said Steve Ritter, a resident of Seven Lakes South for a little more than two years. “People need to see a vibrant community.”
A college graduate with a business degree, Ritter was commissioned in the U.S. Army and continued his service with the Army National Guard, eventually retiring at the rank of Major. He worked briefly in wholesale distribution before changing careers to law enforcement. Over the course of thirty years in service, he worked in vice, narcotics, and also as a detective in the juvenile division.
Ritter retired to the Pinehurst area several years ago to take care of his elderly parents, he explained; and, during that time, he fell in love with Seven Lakes. He and his wife built a home on the 15th fairway of Seven Lakes Country Club; and he quickly became very active with the Club’s Board of Directors, serving two years as President.
“A lot of people come through our community to play golf,” Ritter said, explaining that appearances are very important in attracting potential new residents. “I would love to see more money put towards the paving project. I think our roads need updating — but because most of our residents are retirees, we need to do what we can do to keep our dues at the lowest possible level.”
“That may mean not doing everything we want to do. We need to gather input and have our committees meet to determine what are our priorities.”
Chuck Leach
“The current Board has done an excellent job of identifying capital infrastructure needs. We must now prioritize those needs,” said Chuck Leach, a full time resident of Seven Lakes South since 2005, though his history with the community dates back twenty-five years, with extended visits beginning in 1987.
“The new Board will find that the costs to address capital expenditures and operations will exceed revenue with our current dues structure,” Leach warned. “Finding a path will be a major challenge of the Board over the next two years.”
Leach has a Masters degree in school administration and spent the majority of his professional career in New Jersey, as a teacher, a principal, and assistant to superintendent. He was recognized for his service at the local, state, and national levels, and developed a model program to reduce drug and alcohol use by youth. Leach retired in 1998, after thirty-three years of service.
His experience in staff evaluations, grant-writing, and extensive work with budgets — including cutting budgets — will serve him well on the Board, Leach explained. He said the SLLA Board must continue to evaluate the management company and, at the same time, reassess how the Board functions within that management structure.
“Board members should not be involved in day–to–day operations,” Leach said. “The Board should establish policy and oversee the implementation — and should be involved in evaluating management to ensure the growth, success, and future of our community.”
Dave Buckingham
“From what I’ve heard and from what I’ve read, roads are the priority,” said Dave Buckingham, a resident of Seven Lakes North. “They are in poor repair and, I think, will take more than two years to repair or resurface. I don’t think we have the necessary funding to repair the roads, so I recommend an incremental approach with prioritized areas.”
Buckingham and his wife of forty years moved to North Carolina in 2006, and found their home in Seven Lakes in 2010.
A father of four, Buckingham served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. He retired from a thirty-four year career with Kodak, beginning as a machinist and rising through the ranks to programming, computer and software integration, research, and eventually heading up the internal information technology support department and operations management.
Reserve Study & LRP
Each of the three candidates was given up to four minutes to answer a lengthy question, prepared in advance, that asked how they see balancing the comprehensive Reserve Study recommendations with competing needs prioritized by committees; and what role will the Board and Long Range Planning Committee play in making those decisions. In addition, candidates were asked to address the very critical point that, at current revenue levels, meeting those recommendations will require a dues increase, cutting of services, or deferring projects.
Chuck Leach: “We have a general agreement that we have aging infrastructure,” said Leach. “We have made some progress, but most needs have been pushed down the road for others to solve.”
Leach said he would not support a dues increase until the community truly believes the Board has done everything possible to reduce operational costs.
“The Board should conduct a thorough analysis of expenditures, and that information should be presented to the community,” he said, adding that the Board should explore the opportunity for any grant funding. “Any dues increase — and how high an increase — can only be determined once these steps are completed and the Long Range Planning Committee has been given a chance for their input.”
Reducing services should only be considered once all other cost-cutting measures have been implemented and the community has rejected a dues increase, Leach said.
“This is not the time to determine what amenities should go, because we do not have enough information to make that decision,” he said. “And putting off maintenance of community assets is not an option.”
Leach commended the current Board for their openness, transparency, and willingness to listen to all points of view prior to making any decisions.
“This must continue,” he said. “However, once we have obtained all the input, the final decision rests with the Board.”
Dave Buckingham: “My main goal in joining the Board is to bring fiscal responsibility and to keep our dues reasonable,” Buckingham said. “But, we need to maintain a high standard to make people want to live here.”
He recommended looking at low cost alternatives as part of the regular decision-making process and said he was interested in getting involved in long term planning and the Reserve Study.
Steve Ritter: “Fiscal res-ponsibility starts with the Board, and it is critical for them to continue what they have been doing,” said Ritter, explaining that he was in full agreement with Leach’s assessment.
“Long Range Planning is the place where work needs to be done — and gathering input from residents,” he added. “It is not for me to say we want to cut this or this. It is up to you [the residents] to decide what you want, and then it is up to the Board to prioritize and take that input from members.”
“If we [the Board] have to play hardball, then that is what we have bought in for: to make those kinds of decisions based on the good for the many,” he said.
Ritter said roads and keeping the dues level as low as possible are his priorities.
“We are working and competing to keep people moving here, but we are starting to show our age,” he said.
In addition, Ritter said the community website must be updated and revamped, as it is a critical marketing tool that can attract new residents.
“We need something out there on the Internet that sells us better than what we have.”
Audience questions
Moving into the less formal portion of the forum, each of the candidates responded to written questions from the audience.
Question 1: Do you feel the Seven Lakes Country Club is a vital part of the Seven Lakes community?
“SLCC is a very vital asset and runs step-in-step with what the entire community has to offer,” said Steve Ritter. “This year we had 28,000 rounds of golf and, of those, 18,000 were visitors.
“They are coming here to play golf, and they come back and bring back their friends to play,” he continued, noting that SLCC has received the Sandhills Course of the Year award for the last three consecutive years.
“It is a gem that brings a lot of people here. What is good for SLCC is good for the community,” Ritter said. We need to strengthen each other and work in conjunction to make the entire community a showplace.”
Dave Buckingham said he was impressed that SLCC has won the award for multiple years.
“SLCC is a vital asset especially because of our location to the golf mecca of the East Coast,” he said.
Chuck Leach said he was a member of SLCC for twenty-three years and said the course is both beautiful and increases the property values of homes in the community.
Question 2: As a candidate, how do you serve or how have you contributed to the community? Do you serve on any SLLA committees?
Dave Buckingham said he is not on any committees, but that he does attend Board meetings whenever he can.
“The more I find out the more I have wanted to get involved,” he said.
Steve Ritter has served on the SLCC Board of Directors for three years, including two years as President.
“At present I am spending a lot of time golfing and bowling, but I am looking forward to getting actively involved with the landowners,” he said.
Chuck Leach is also a former SLCC board member and said his personal time was limited because he was assisting his elderly mother, but that he is now looking forward to being actively involved with the Association.
Question 3: Should we be more proactive in terms of raising revenue?
“We really have a problem ahead of us in coming up with money for these projects,” said Chuck Leach.
He suggested looking to other communities for inspiration, such as Hilton Head, where road usage fees are charged to commercial vehicles.
“Some might think this is a terrible idea, but we do need to think of creative ways to raise revenue,” Leach said.
“I am amazed at how much prices have gone up,” said Steve Ritter. “I think it is hard for a potential Board member to say it is inevitable that dues will also go up; but, I think we have to do more with less.”
“Maybe we can’t be everything to everybody. We have to look at what we can do without,” Ritter said. “We need to have the community give us input to tell us what those things are. I do think we can trim some of our expenses and should lean towards that route before we say it is time to raise dues.”
Dave Buckingham said he does not want to raise dues.
“Incomes aren’t going up, but [the cost of] everything else is. I think we do have to look at other ways to cut where we can,” Buckingham said. “We may have to do without some projects and just work on high priority ones.”
Question 4: On grants, in most states, it is easier for a municipality than a gated private community to get grants. Should the Board consider the benefits of incorporation based on the availability of grants?
“Those who know me, know that I was not in favor of incorporation,” said Steve Ritter, though he agreed it is worth looking into whether the Association would be eligible for any grant funds.
“I believe the cost to incorporate would be astronomically high,” he said.
In direct opposition of that stance, Chuck Leach said he does support incorporation “if you look at our community, its age and what is happening with infrastructure. In the report on the roads, there are many things in there and a tremendous amount of money attached to them. I see we have a long road ahead.”
Dave Buckingham said he does not have enough background information on various issues related to incorporation to determine whether it is a good idea or not, but noted he was aware of the strong opposition mounted by some residents of Pinewild when the Village of Pinehurst forcibly annexed that gated community.
Question 5: Seven Lakes is an interesting town because it is composed of three gated communities and a small business district. Over the years, the community and its demographics have changed. It feels bigger, and it is bigger than it was, but it also feels less like one community now. Is that important? And is it important that we be one Seven Lakes community, recognizing that actions you take as Board members can affect that outcome?
“I always thought of this as one community when I moved here, but I have since found out that it is two communities,” said Dave Buckingham. “I am gaining knowledge, but I’m not sure if it is important [to be one]. North and South seem to have all the amenities we need, so maybe it really is not important.”
Steve Ritter said he had the chance to remain in Pinehurst after he relocated to North Carolina, but that he found the community too big.
“One of the reasons we came to Seven Lakes is it is quaint and small and you get to know your neighbors,” he said. “Yes, each community gravitates to its own and, yes, there is this flap about access, but I don’t see these as big issues.”
“They [Seven Lakes West] are who they are and we are who we are,” Ritter said. “It is important to work together, and it is good to be in step with them, and I would go that route every opportunity.”
Chuck Leach noted that Seven Lakes, as a single community, comprises a huge tax base within Moore County.
“If we were not pointing fingers at one another, and instead working as one unit we could have significant clout in ensuring services from the county would be effective here,” Leach said.
“It is very important that we work together as one community. It is important to resolve the gates [access issues] and continue working together as one community.”
