Bumping up the curfew to reduce evening hours at the community’s parks -- in an attempt to curb vandalism -- was one of several security recommendations discussed at length by the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA] Board of Directors during their monthly Open Meeting on Wednesday, October 24.
“We have had some graffiti that is primarily occurring after dark," Director Steven Ritter said, "and the Security Committee feels that having the parks open until 11:00 pm does not give the department as much maneuvering room to contact individuals that are out that late at night.”
However, his motion to close the parks at 10:00 pm died without a second -- not for lack of interest, but because the majority of the Board seems to be in favor of an even more restrictive policy.
“I think discussion in the past has been whether closing at 10:00 pm would make a difference,” cautioned SLLA President Bob Darr. “My position is we should close at sundown.”
Community Manager Ray Sohl noted that he has been scheduling monthly meetings with The Budd Group, the SLLA security contractor, with an eye toward tracking incidents and trends.
“We are identifying when and where things are happening, so we can tackle them more efficiently,” he explained.
Cutting off further discussion, Darr said the recommendation would be reconsidered at the next Work Session.
Roving patrol to discontinue house checks
Turning attention to Roving Patrol, Director Ritter won the Board's support for the elimination of Roving Patrol checks of vacant or empty houses.
Explaining that the Security Committee feels the practice places an undue burden on security force, because the checks are time-consuming, Ritter said that time could be better spent patrolling common areas and roads. In addition, Ritter argued the visits opened up the Association to unnecessary liability concerns.
Typically Roving Patrol will perform up to ten house checks per day, spending five to seven minutes at each property, Ritter estimated.
Speaking from the floor, Northsider Greg Lishawa also warned the Board that the house checks, which primarily occur during evening patrol hours, may be drawing unwanted attention to vacant homes.
Six-month visitor pass may be axed
A standing practice that allows established contractors and service providers to obtain a six-month entrance pass also raised concerns for the Security Committee, reported Ritter.
Currently, hang tag passes may be issued for one day, three days, two weeks, one month, or up to six months, with the longer-term passes primarily used by construction companies and home health care professionals.
“Once that pass is issued, that individual has six months to come and go as they please," Ritter cautioned. "And that pass is not fixed to a vehicle,” he added, though, during discussion it was noted the six month pass is issued to a specific person and vehicle.
Instead, Ritter said, the committee recommended a maximum length of one month for passes, which are to be issued and distributed by the SLLA office.
Responding to a question raised by Northsider Joan Cook about expired passes, Ritter said they are not collected.
“We don’t reclaim them. They just expire,” he said, “And they can come get another six month pass if it is needed. This would only change how frequently they have to come in for a pass.”
But Cook argued she has seen expired hang-tags in vehicles.
Director Ritter said that is plausible -- but does not necessarily mean the expired pass was used to get through the gates. However, he agreed that gate security should be collecting any expired hang-tags that they see displayed in vehicles.
He also explained that the current policy includes a color-coded pass system that varies for guests and types of contractor.
Northsider Al Anderson questioned how home healthcare nurses are tracked, since a contacted company may send out different staff on different days.
Ritter said it was an open-ended problem because, as written, the passes are distributed to an individual and their vehicle. He explained that it is the homeowner’s responsibility to call the gate to authorize clearance for the contractor.
However, it is just that responsibility that raised alarms for SLLA Treasurer Conrad Meyer.
He said, as a seven-year resident, he has never once had to call in his landscape contractor, further noting that the company has multiple work sites and trucks roving regularly through the community.
“So, if I am the one to call them in, what is my liability as landowner if that contractor violates a rule?” Meyer inquired.
Community Manager Ray Sohl said the contracted company would be penalized for an individual employee's violation, because the Association could refuse entry to any of the contractor's vehicles -- in effect, eliminating the company's ability to service any of their job sites within the Seven Lakes gates.
Ritter suggested that the request form for a monthly pass could include a signed agreement that admission to the community is strictly limited to official business purposes only.
Thanking the Security Committee for their efforts to tackle difficult issues, Darr tabled further discussion until the next Work Session.
“There are lapses and things that need to be improved," Darr said. "We do need to know who is in here, and we do need to make sure they are following the rules. But I think this will need additional discussion.”
Security granted authority over common areas
The Board unanimously approved another Security Committee request, granting security guards more authority over common areas.
“We have a problem when an individual or a group of non-residents is causing a disturbance," Ritter said.
"Roving Patrol arrives and makes contact, but what happens if the people refuse to cooperate?” he asked, noting that the problem is exacerbated if the violators are non-residents.
He successfully argued for a more comprehensive written policy granting The Budd Group -- or any security company hired by the Association -- the right to claim authority over common areas.
In essence, he explained, a homeowner can request police assistance to remove a trespasser from their own property. The new policy will grant similar authority for Roving Patrol to contact law enforcement and file a trespassing complaint against a non-resident.
Meyer cautioned Ritter that, not so long ago, a former security guard had overstepped his duties and placed the Association at risk.
“The security guard will not be required to enforce that person leaving?” Meter asked.
Ritter agreed and said security would not detain or arrest any violators.
“This just gives them some teeth," he explained. "We employ them to enforce the rules we enact as far as they are allowed to. This just gives them the last step of authority to call the cops. And the police have to know that the guard has the legal authority to order the removal of a person from the property.”
He clarified that this would apply only such to non-residents. A resident, or their dependent children, found in violation of a community rule would continue to fall under the Association’s already established Judicial Committee protocols.
Nominating Committee seeks members and candidates
Seated by a vote of acclamation, Director Steve Ritter reported for the Nominating Committee that he will be distributing information fliers to draw attention to the need for committee volunteers and Board candidates. In addition, he is seeking volunteers to assist him on the Nominating Committee.
Four seats will be decided in the Annual Election next March -- and the Board is still understaffed, with former Director Dave Buckingham’s seat still vacant.
Earlier this month, Director Bob Racine announced he will seek re-election; but, thus far, Directors Darr, Meyer, and Don Fentzlaff have said they have not decided whether to seek another term of office.
"We all know people we would like to run," President Darr said. "I suggest we need to get those names together, so we, as a Board, can make contact to encourage those residents to run.”
Speed bumps proposed
An unintended consequence of the freshly paved roads in Seven Lakes has been an increase in speeding. Expressing concern over the high possibility that a pedestrian or bicyclist could be at the losing end of a collision, President Darr sternly advised residents to slow down behind the wheel.
In response, Fentzlaff suggested the Association should renew a request to the Moore County Sheriff’s Office to borrow the speeding alert sign; but, Meyer upped the ante by arguing in favor of temporary speed bumps at problem areas.
“About 20% of cars are going real fast, and the other eighty precent are going at or close to the speed limit," he said. "I don’t want speed bumps any more than anyone else, but I would hate to see someone hit and injured."
Director Racine reminded pedestrians to walk against traffic and motorists that vehicles may cross a solid yellow line to avoid pedestrians.
Golf and lakefront real estate signs proposed
During public comment, a Southside resident suggested that golf front and lakefront homes should be allowed to install real estate signs, if desired.
“The housing market is grim across the United States -- as it is here in Seven Lakes," the resident noted. "This year is worse than the previous year, but the market is starting to come back in pockets,” he claimed, noting that home sales have picked up in the Pinehurst and Southern Pines areas.
“Our rules and regulations prohibit real estate signs. I get that, it is a gated community,” he continued. “I am not asking the Board to change the rules carte blanche to allow any sign; but I suggest we start out small and allow signs on the lakes and golf course.”
Noting the community gets a lot of visitor traffic, especially on weekends, he said in his own experience, that he often looks at real estate information when he is on vacation.
Darr thanked him for the suggestion and said the Board would take up the issue at a future work session.
Bylaw amendment restricts presidential authority to dissolve committees
“A lot more can be accomplished by a group of people putting their heads together than by a single individual,” Director Racine said, in introducing his successful motion to amend the Bylaws restricting the authority to dissolve advisory committees to a Board majority vote.
In prior years, committees have been created and disbanded at the pleasure of the SLLA President, which Racine said was not appropriate because it provided too much power to one individual.
Three new policies and documents approved
Based on recommendations by Community Manager Sohl, the Board approved a new request for proposal [RFP] template and a similar contract template, both developed to ensure key information is included on any future projects.
In addition, the Board approved a new retention policy for SLLA documents that clearly defines various categories of paperwork and storage schedules.
“This defines what records are to be kept permanently, and others, for what period,” he explained.
Open records will continue to be made available to members, with a photocopying charge of twenty cents per page.
In addition, Sohl said it was important to identify all permanent records so he could ensure they are stored digitally off-site.
“They are kept on a remote system, which is safer, more efficient, and allows for easier access,” Sohl said.
Finance
Describing the recent Finance Committee meeting agenda as “jam packed,” Treasurer Meyer said they are working diligently on collections and are making good progress, thanks to Sohl’s assistance.
Meyer also reported the Association’s audit is complete and said it marks an important point, “Because it puts a stake in the sand when Talis ended and CAS picked it up from there. It puts us all on the same page.”
In related news, he said October financial statements are the first with the new CAS system in place, but that there would not be any major changes anticipated in formatting before the start of the next fiscal year.
The Finance Committee has also started preliminary budget discussions and said they are looking for input from committees, particularly for capital projects requests.
Maintenance and proposed projects
During the Community Manager’s report, Sohl presented a laundry list of projects currently in the bidding process, including repair work at the Southside gate house, barn repairs, road striping work, and security gates, cameras and associated software.
Reroofing work at the North Clubhouse, pool pump house, and Sequoia Point shelter is anticipated to begin in January, Sohl reported.
Director Chuck Leach said the Maintenance Committee had met and prioritized several new proposed items that were forwarded to Sohl for action, and also announced that he was seeking an additional committee member.
