Some members of the Moore County Board of Commissioners are still not happy with the $1.3 million increase in spending in the $131 million budget County Manager Cary McSwain has proposed for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

During a Thursday, May 17 Work Session, the three Commissioners in attendance looked for ways to close the gap. Commissioners Jimmy Melton and Craig Kennedy did not attend the session.

One money-saving option may be to avoid filling some of the twenty-seven vacant positions in the County's workforce of more than 600 employees.

“I’m not looking to fire people. I’m not looking to lay people off,” said Commissioner Nick Picerno. “I am looking at positions that are vacant . . . There are only 'X' amount of dollars.”

Defending his proposed budget, McSwain told the Board, “I would like the Board to have some appreciation about how lean this County is.”

“If I just go and start cutting things, it would be like a blind surgeon," he said, "and that’s no way to wield a scalpel. You look at parts you can cut while having a responsible budget, and that’s what we are trying to do.”

This year’s budget reflects the addition of ten full time employees and providing existing employees with a 1.5 percent Cost of Living Allowance [COLA] -- an increase that has already drawn criticism from Commissioner Tim Lea in this budget cycle.

Citizens urged the Board of Commissioners to fully fund the $26 million Moore County Schools [MCS] local funding request during a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 15 meeting -- and the Commissioners appeared ready to do just that.

The hearing was aimed at gathering public input on County Manager Cary McSwain's $131 million FY2012-2013 County Budget, but public input was focused on the schools.

Military families, which make up a large portion of MCS students, were represented by two parents: Army Major Frank Rodriguez and Laura Kermsey.

“Although we could have chose anywhere to live, we chose Moore County,” said Rodriguez, who explained that education is the foundation for any democracy.

“As elected officials, it is your responsibility to show the community that educating the children of Moore County is a top priority,” said Kermsey, who asked that the Board fully fund MCS for the upcoming school year.

School Board Chairwoman Kathy Farren thanked the Commissioners for the “wonderful working relationship” between the two Boards.

Barcodes are the most efficient method of identifying members of the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA] and moving them through the community's gates; but not everyone seems to be getting that message.

The newly-formed SLLA Security Committee is recommending that the Association move toward making barcodes mandatory; Security Director Steve Ritter shared that recommendation with the Board of Directors during their Monday, May 14 Work Session.

“Approximately one-third of our membership are without barcodes -- and that is a fairly substantial number,” Ritter explained. “I don’t understand why people are willing to sit behind two or three cars in the guest lane, when they can look to their right and see cars buzzing by in the barcode lane.”

Moving toward mandatory barcodes topped the list of recommendations from the Security Committee, which includes four retired law enforcement officers -- Ritter, former SLLA Director Chuck Mims, Mike Vasillo, and Don Harkey -- along with Southsider Brenda Massimo.

“We as a committee have looked at how these policies would fit in with our rules," Ritter said, "and whether we are doing what is right for our community and protecting all of our residents at the same time.”

“We are looking at access as how it pertains now as well as we grow. We are thinking forward to attack issues before they become issues,” he said.

It's nearly 1,000 boats on Lake Auman -- not nearly 2,000.

A story in this Friday's edition of The Times on a recent Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board Work Session reports that nearly 2,000 boats have been registered for use on Lake Auman this year.

During the Work Session, Lake & Dam Director Bruce Keyser reported the registration of 1,430 power boats and over 500 unpowered craft.

Thursday morning, after Friday's edition of The Times had gone to press, Keyser informed The Times via email that the number of power boats registered was actually 429. Keyser said he "forgot we start with 1000," referring to sticker numbers.

So, the total number of boats, power and non-power, is less than 1,000, rather than the nearly 2,000 that we reported.

The story below has been updated with the correct information. The Times regrets the error.

April 30 was the last day to register boats or trailers without paying a $25 fine, reported Lake and Dam Director Bruce Keyser during the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board Work Session on Tuesday, May 8.

This year more than 500 non-power boats and 429 power boats have been registered. Those who have not registered their boats will be sent a reminder letter.

Lake patrol will begin on May 19, with boating rules being “strictly” enforced, said Keyser. Multiple violations of Lake rules may result in a fine, with the possibility of that boat being banned from use on the Lake.

Keyser reported that a fish and lake assessment study was completed on Friday, May 4 by Foster Lake and Dam Management. The results of that study should be back within the next few weeks.

It's nearly 1,000 boats on Lake Auman -- not nearly 2,000.

A story in this Friday's edition of The Times on a recent Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board Work Session reports that nearly 2,000 boats have been registered for use on Lake Auman this year.

During the Work Session, Lake & Dam Director Bruce Keyser reported the registration of 1,430 power boats and over 500 unpowered craft.

Thursday morning, after Friday's edition of The Times had gone to press, Keyser informed The Times via email that the number of power boats registered was actually 429. Keyser said he "forgot we start with 1000," referring to sticker numbers.

So, the total number of boats, power and non-power, is less than 1,000, rather than the nearly 2,000 that we reported.

The story below has been updated with the correct information. The Times regrets the error.

April 30 was the last day to register boats or trailers without paying a $25 fine, reported Lake and Dam Director Bruce Keyser during the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board Work Session on Tuesday, May 8.

This year more than 500 non-power boats and 429 power boats have been registered. Those who have not registered their boats will be sent a reminder letter.

Lake patrol will begin on May 19, with boating rules being “strictly” enforced, said Keyser. Multiple violations of Lake rules may result in a fine, with the possibility of that boat being banned from use on the Lake.

Keyser reported that a fish and lake assessment study was completed on Friday, May 4 by Foster Lake and Dam Management. The results of that study should be back within the next few weeks.