Ray Sohl has been selected as the new Community Manager for Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA], President Bob Darr announced during the Wednesday, August 29 Open Meeting.
Sohl will report for duty after he finishes up his last week as the Assistant Community Manager of the Governor’s Club, a prestigious gated community in Chapel Hill that boasts a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.
And while he is new to town, Sohl will share duties in the Seven Lakes office with several more familiar faces, including Assistant Community Manager Stephanie Cook, who previously worked with Talis and has been hired to continue in that role by CAS, along with longtime front office staff members Alice McPheeters and Brenda Massimo, who will continue to provide assistance on an as-needed basis. Bianca Pratt, another new hire, rounds out the CAS team.
During the meeting, the SLLA Board also reconfirmed the recently signed contract with Community Association Services [CAS], which is effective as of this weekend. A Pinehurst-based firm, CAS, Inc. manages more than 200 communities in North Carolina, including McLendon Hills and Seven Lakes West.
Prancing Horse agreement tabled
A motion to ratify an agreement with Prancing Horse Center did not make it off the table, due to concerns over liability and insurance; however, the program is expected to commence soon, once the Board collects the additional information it needs. Prancing Horse provides equestrian opportunities for disabled adults and children and currently has a satellite site at McLendon Hills.
Director Bob Racine explained the contract included a requirement that Prancing Horse provide an "adequate liability policy," but the value of that policy had only been presented to him informally.
“They have been told that, without an adequate policy, there will be no program here," Racine said. "If we don’t feel comfortable with it, we won’t have it. They have been instructed that we must review the policy before we move forward.”
SLLA Treasurer Conrad Meyer also questioned a 90-day termination clause, recommending a shorter period initially in case either side has an immediate misgiving.
In response to Meyer’s request for overall information about the program, Darr said he had visited the satellite site location sponsored by McLendon Hills and had been extremely impressed -- but agreed it was imprudent to ratify the contract without having all the facts.
“It is a therapy for handicapped children and adults, and it is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” Darr said. “What I saw absolutely thrilled me.”
In particular, he recalled watching a severely handicapped child being placed on a horse and then led around the arena by volunteers.
“He was the happiest little kid you could imagine, giggling, and with a grin from ear to ear!” Darr exclaimed.
He noted that his visit also afforded him the opportunity to address liability concerns with a group leader, and said he was fairly confident it would not be an issue.
Darr explained that the agreement will generate a little income for SLLA, as Prancing Horse will pay a $70 fee to use the stables for one to two hours per week, plus $20 for each horse participating. They provide all of their own equipment, including horse blankets, reins, and other tack.
Prior to proposing an agreement with SLLA, the organization had previously evaluated the horses and facility, finding both to be exceptional. Prancing Horse also held an open house in Seven Lakes earlier this month for interested residents and potential volunteers; but the event was poorly attended, reported Racine.
Liability concerns at stables
Expressing concern about a few policies in place at the stables, former SLLA Treasurer John Paulson had some words of caution.
“I’m not here to gripe, blame or point fingers. I’m here to raise questions for the Board to consider,” he said. “I’m a supporter of the stables. I think we need to have them. They are good for kids, good for grandkids. My issue is liability.”
In particular Paulson recommended adding language to the legal release form that all riders must sign including the same warnings that are posted signs.
“Our rules say use the stables at your own risk; but, from a liability issue, that will get tossed out in a court of law,” he warned. “The Association got part of it right but not the other part; and if you don’t have both, it is null and void.”
Paulson also expressed concern that the new stables manager, Kate Pennington, prefers Thoroughbreds over Quarter Horses -- which he said have a calmer and stable temperament; that jumping stands are in the fenced arena ring, yet no jumping is allowed by SLLA rules; and that kids have been allowed to ride bareback [a supervised activity during pony camp]. In addition, he argued the newly posted Fall and Winter hours did not make sense, with riding hours potentially falling after sunset and a shortened schedule on Saturdays.
“Safety is my number one concern . . . Things happen unexpectedly, so it is important to have these liability issues addressed." He asked, "Why is a person with no financial risk involved making decisions that will impact our liability?”
Northside water main break
Casually mentioning that he had noticed low water pressure at his home, Treasurer Meyer asked whether the Association is typically notified when Moore County Public Utilities plans to work on the water system.
But it wasn’t a maintenance project that caused the disturbance for many residents on Wednesday afternoon; it was a water main break at Edgewater Drive in Seven Lakes North.
In an interview on Thursday, Public Works Director Randy Gould, told The Times that the break occurred on a six-inch water main, at a PVC coupling that has likely been in place since the community was originally developed.
“It is a thinner-walled material than we use now,” Gould explained, noting that the repair included a stainless steel repair clamp that was installed on the joint. “What we put in is much better than what was there before.”
Gould said the break took a few hours to repair, but was not considered an emergency-type of situation. Overall, he described the Seven Lakes [North, South and West] infrastructure as stable, with only three or four reported leaks each year.
Meyer said that he was unaware of the water main break, and that he would have appreciated an email from the Association office.
“Even if we don’t know how long it will take to fix it, it would be good to have information,” he said. “In the spirit of continuous improvement, I suggest in the future with such events that there be notification. We could have done a better job of communicating.”
During the Communications report, Director Dave Buckingham said he is still actively seeking volunteers for his committee. Twenty-eight percent of Association members are now registered on the new community website.
New boat permitting and slip policies approved
Approving a slightly tweaked set of policies related to boat permits and marina slips at Sequoia Point, the Board noted one of the biggest hurdles with revising the rules and regulations is in getting that information distributed back to residents.
Director Steve Ritter suggested an email blast should be sent, noting that new rules -- such as one prohibiting guest power boats from entering the gates without prior approval -- could create quite a commotion if they were enforced unexpectedly.
Treasurer Meyer agreed and noted the Board had spent a lot of time updating the rules. He recommended a list of changes should be included as part of the standard end-of-year report and ballot, which are mailed to all property owners prior to the Annual Meeting.
SLLA President Darr asked Communications Director Buckingham to meet with fellow board members to discuss any rules changes which should be included in the updated Green book of rules and regulation -- and then to develop a plan of how that information should be sent out to residents, including those who do not regularly use email or the community website.
Newly approved Rule 8.4 limits each lot owner or long-term renter to no more than two power boats, and requires that all boats, and trailers stored on common property, must be reregistered at the SLLA office on an annual basis. Boat permit stickers are issued using the same color-coded system as in place for windshield stickers.
In addition, Rule 8.5 requires that boat slip leases be executed on an annual basis; subletting is prohibited. Fees are $400 a year, payable on or before May 1. A waiting list is maintained; however, refusal to accept a slip when it is made available will forfeit the $40 deposit.
Road Paving
Phase one of the road paving project is nearly complete, reported George Temple.
He anticipated Riley Paving would be sweeping all of the areas where the triple-seal process was applied and that he was reviewing quotes for road striping.
“Striping will be done where there is new pavement and also the speed bumps," Temple said. "The plan is to also restripe the rest of the community where it is currently marked,” Temple said. “It needs refreshing, and I think we can afford it.”
Temple estimated that this first phase of road paving involved twenty percent of the community’s roads.
“Hopefully in three years, depending on what happens with dues and the budget, we will be able to do another chunk. This was just a beginning.”
SLLA President Darr commended Riley Paving, and singled out Temple for a job well done.
Finance
Praising Talis Management for the smooth transition process to CAS, the new SLLA management company, Treasurer Meyer said they have made impressive progress on the migration of data and the transfer of accounts.
Much work is still to be done, he noted, particularly related to sharing policies and procedures with CAS.
Meyer said that, rather than attempt any major shifts, since the Association is at the midpoint of the fiscal year, it made sense to use the same categories and budget numbers with the new system.
“We have mapped over existing accounts as they are,” he explained. “But, next year, we can make some more user-friendly changes.”
Reporting for the Finance Committee, Meyer said they have a preliminary audit in hand and expect the project will be complete at the end of the month. Work towards improving the annual registration process is on hold until CAS and Community Manager Ray Sohl are settled in.
“We are still hopeful that we will be able to streamline that process,” Meyer said, noting that there remain a few software technical hurdles to overcome to implement some of those improvements.
The Finance Committee also green-lighted several maintenance projects proposed by Director Chuck Leach, primarily related to new roofing work at the North Clubhouse, pool pump house, and pavilions.
Lastly, Meyer said the committee will be drafting a clear, written policy for pro-rating dues which, until now, has been calculated at the discretion of office staff.
SLLA President Darr noted the actual budget shows a decrease in expenses at the Yard Debris Site. “So far the new rearrangement seems to be working well," he said. "And with our new contractor, we seem to be saving some money, and I hope that will continue.”
Darr also said he was pleased to note a decrease in the cost of feed at the stables.
Overall expenses for the Association are running $12,000 under budget. Any funding still available at the end-of-the-year is automatically rolled into reserves.
Judicial Committee
By a vote of acclamation, former SLLA Director Donna Stephan and Harold “Sam” Halpin, were appointed to the Judicial Committee. The Board also accepted the resignations of outgoing members Dick Weber, Dean Charles, and Chairman Ed Chapman.
“We are still seeking one more full time member and an alternate member,” said Director Bob Racine, who serves as the Board liaison for the group. “This is an important committee and we need it be at full strength.”
Reporting on recent action, Racine said fines were issued to residents for a variety of violations including speeding on the lake, failure to receive ARB approval, and storing commercial vehicles on the premises. Three warning letters were also issued regarding activities at Sequoia Point.
More hearings were anticipated for other violations, including a charge of dog running at large, driving a vehicle in the stables area, abusive conduct to an Association employee, and failure to maintain a yard.
“Do you notice a theme here? We’re tired of hearing that nothing gets done,” said Racine. “We will enforce our rules.”
Grounds & Maintenance
With the blessing of both the Finance Committee and ARB, Director Leach said work will commence on reroofing the North Clubhouse and vinyl-wrapping of the window facings and all exterior wood trim.
New metal roofs will be installed on the pool pump house and the nearby shelter pavilions, he said, noting the material was selected for its durability.
“Damage to the pavilions is being done by young people skating off the roof, according to the contractor," Leach explained. "Shingles are damaged and torn off, but not by wind."
Repair work is also anticipated at the South gatehouse in the next few weeks.
Lakes & Dams
During public comment, Northsider June Kirkland asked the Board to delay lowering the water level in Lake Echo until October.
As part of a necessary valve replacement project, the lake must be lowered by approximately three feet, an action expected to take eighteen days commencing after Labor Day.
“September is a warm month," Kirkland argued. "We still have children swimming and people out boating. Also, there are a lot of houses for sale on Echo. One more month of warm weather would be better for them, than looking at a lake that is going down."
However, Lakes & Dams Director Don Fentzlaff expressed concern that postponing the project would also delay the refilling process -- which is expected to take several months.
“The lake is being lowered, not drained," he said. "And all of the other lakes will be open for swimming and boating. We recognize this is an inconvenience for those on Echo, but we have the contractor signed up and the engineer to oversee the replacement . . . We had to consider many options, and this was best that we could come up with.”
Continuing the Lakes & Dams report, Fentzlaff said water tests had been conducted and the numbers were a bit high, though not at a dangerous level -- and those results were not unexpected since the tests were completed after heavy rains. A beach area near Lake Ramapo with a resident goose population also showed higher levels. A report of foul-smelling water was investigated on Sequoia near Firetree Lane, but two tests of water in the area provided normal readings.
The Emergency Action Plans [EAP] have been updated and will be reviewed.
Community Standards
Director Bob Racine reported an increase in Community Standards inspections and notices.
He offered a few recommendations, including removing pine needles from roofs, which are not only unsightly but also cause damage. Racine also said the committee will be targeting basketball goals in the right-of-way, and boats and trailers parked in front yards.
The Community Standards Committee meets the first Tuesday of the month and they are seeking at least one additional volunteer member.
Under action items, the Board amended the rules to create a faster track system of correcting violations, eliminated approximately four weeks from the judicial process.
Recreation
There will be fun for all ages at the annual S’Mores Party, to be held Sunday, September 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Sequoia Point. All the fixings for s’mores will be provided, and lifeguards will be on hand to keep little swimmers safe.
Volunteers are needed to help with refreshments; please contact the SLLA office or Director Racine for information.
Other business
In other business conducted by the SLLA Board on Wednesday, August 29:
• Director Fentzlaff reported that Architectural Review Board [ARB] approvals included two concrete pads, the removal of trees from a lot; a rebuilt front porch; addition of split rail fencing; a decorative fence; a boat lift; and one new home. Two applications were denied for failure to provide enough information, and two others for not meeting ARB standards.
• Director Ritter reported he has met with representatives for The Budd Group on three occasions to discuss personnel issues. He was pleased to report a new supervisor will start work in September, and also that they have established a critical checklist of areas that security should be aware of in the community.
• The Board approved a new two year contact for fireworks, issued to the same vendor for the same fee for a repeat of the 2012 display. Concerns were raised about the delay in getting the show off the ground this year; Leach noted that humidity had been a problem with the fuses becoming damp.
• The Board approved re-numbering several rules adopted in June 2012, related to a restriction on non-factory ballasting of boats. “We inadvertently put them in a place where we already had a rule . . . There is no change to either rule, just in the numbering,” explained Fentzlaff.
