Effective September 1, Community Association Services [CAS] will take over management responsibilities for the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA].
President Bob Darr announced the selection of CAS during the SLLA Board's Monday, July 9 work session. Darr had announced that a management search was underway during the June 27 open meeting, saying he had asked seven companies for proposals and received four responses, two of which were too costly to consider. That left two finalists, one of which was clearly the current contractor, Talis Management, of Raleigh.
CAS, Inc. is a Pinehurst-based firm that manages more than 200 North Carolina Communities, including Seven Lakes West and McLendon Hills.
"There was a not insignificant difference in contract price," Darr said during Monday's meeting, explaining the decision to move the management contract. "But that was not the deciding factor in the Board's decision."
Darr told The Times that the savings from making the move to CAS "wasn't as large as we at first hoped it would be," but is "not insignificant." He declined to provide a dollar figure.
"The cost differential was not the deciding factor," he said. "As we got into it, we felt that CAS' approach and systems -- particularly when it comes to financial management -- was more in line with what we need."
Darr said he had spoken with several communities managed by CAS, though Seven Lakes West was not among those he contacted.
Another advantage offered by the company, Darr said during the work session, is that "they are here, right here in Pinehurst," enhancing "our ability to access them, their systems, and their personnel."
As a local company, CAS is familiar with local contractors, he said, which the Board felt would be an advantage as the community addresses the many needs identified in the Reserve Study. Darr told The Times that he felt using a local company for the landscaping contract, rather than Apex-based Davenport Landscaping, would have saved the Association money.
"We hope this transition goes well," he said, "and, under the ethical guidelines in the industry, the companies are pledged to cooperate with each other."
"Overall, we felt that the CAS program fit us better," Darr said. "We're excited about it."
Darr told The Times that CAS will identify three qualified candidates for SLLA Community Manager, and the Board will make the final selection. A similar process will be used for the assistant manager.
The office currently includes a manager; assistant manager; and three part-timers, who represent about one-and-one-half fulltime equivalents, Darr said. He indicated that there were no immediate plans to increase or decrease that complement.
Two other management companies that provided proposals indicated that they would impose a fee for transitioning financial and membership data to their systems, he said. CAS does not.
Darr said it should be possible to transfer the financial and membership information from Talis to CAS electronically. But, even if data must be rekeyed, no separate fee is attached to the transition.
