Town of Lake Lure, 

North Carolina

As I look back on the year 2001 I see a year that none of us will ever forget. Our nation has endured an extremely tragic event that has had an emotional response by not only America, but also the world as a whole. In history I can remember no event that has had such a unified world response as that of the last several months. In the face of the unknown our nation has replied with courage and pride that would make our founding fathers very proud. Indeed I am grateful to live in such a great nation.

As the New Year unfolds I certainly see all of us carrying on with our lives and goals. We are of course extremely lucky to live in one of the prettiest and friendliest places in the world, nestled in the mountains of the greatest nation on earth! Happy New Year!!

Sponsors for the 75^th anniversary needed

I thank all the folks that have donated to Lake Lure's Diamond Jubilee. The sale of bricks has gone very well and will continue throughout the year.

If any individual or business would like to be an official sponsor or patron please call me for more details.

The Schedule of events will be listed in our next town newsletter.

Well, it’s been quite a year. All of us on the town staff were affected by the events on September 11 and the resulting war on terrorism. Many of our folks have learned a lot about such things as "anthrax" and "bioterrorism," we have a heightened awareness of security and are watching the activities in Afghanistan every day. But our patriotism has also been strengthened and our good will to our fellow man (at least MOST of them) is demonstrated to a greater degree than in many years. This is the spirit of America and of the Christmas season.

Here at home within our Town Hall family, we have had our tragedies and triumphs. Both Receptionist Linda Ward and Utilities Director William Grimes lost their mothers and Commissioner Lea Hullender lost her father this year, and I was just informed, while writing this article, that Chief Mike Bustle’s father past away. Police Officers Bill Smith, Tabby Hill and Pro Shop Clerk Debra Hayes all resigned from town service, Mike Bustle suffered a heart attack, and Zoning Administrator Terri Potts has had multiple surgeries and is currently recovering from the most recent one. But it was by no means all bad news. Here are a few highlights:

Shauna Crater and Steven Kim came aboard to replace Tabby and Bill in the police department;

Charlie Greeson replaced Debra at the golf course Pro Shop;

Code Enforcement Clerk Monica Stofer is our newest full time employee, assisting Terri in zoning administration;

Pricilla Marso is our newest part time employee, helping Butch Kelly at the Youth Center;

Our intrepid biker cop, A. J. Fox, was promoted to Corporal;

William Grimes celebrated his 19^th anniversary as an employee of the town - he’s been here longer than any other full time employee, exceeded only by part-timer Devault Edgerton;

Three hard working men were awarded certificates: Donnie McCraw as a Grade I Water Pollution Control Operator, and Mark Pobanz and Chuck Ammacher as Water Treatment Facility Operators;

Mike Bustle distinguished himself and the town by being accepted to and graduating from the prestigious FBI Academy in Quantico, VA;

Customer Services Supervisor/Deputy Clerk Anita Taylor was elected to the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Municipal Clerk’s Association;

Tim Spittle won the Jack Powell "Top Gun" award for high score during police firearms qualifications;

Golf Course Manager Chris Shute and his crew, Steve Greenlee, Sheila Spicer and Charlie Greeson, have set records for revenue generated at the golf course all year long;

Truly public spirited Town Clerk Mary Flack was awarded both the George F. Hixson Medal and the Carl B. Hyatt Fellowship by Kiwanis International for her youth program fund raising activities and was named the Kiwanian of the Year by the Hickory Nut Gorge Chapter;

And last, but by no means least, our newest Lake Lure family member, Mason, was born to Utilities Operator Donnie McCraw and his wife Jennifer just before Christmas.

 

As I said, it’s been quite a year. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating - this is a great place to be and it is truly a privilege to work with each and every one of our loyal and hard working employees. They make my job the best in the world.

Gene Adair, Director of the Transit Administration of Rutherford County tells me that they are considering extension of a bus route to the Lake Lure area to connect to lines running to Rutherfordton, the hospital, Isothermal Community College and the shopping areas on US 74. The anticipated fare is $1.00. He is looking for input from folks in this area to see if there is a desire for transportation from Lake Lure/Chimney Rock to Rutherfordton and within the Lake Lure/Chimney Rock area. You can write to Rutherford County Transit, 174 Fairground Road, Spindale, NC 28160.

Council has been exploring revisions to the lake regulations as recommended by the Lake Advisory Committee that would affect boat permits. Because this work is still under consideration, we have not printed the 2002 boat permits and council has extended the 2001 permits until further notice.

Steven Kim, employee of the month, began his employment with the Town of Lake Lure on April 27, 2001. Prior to employment with the town Steven was employed with the Haverty Furniture Company and served as a volunteer with the Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue Department of East Flat Rock, N.C.

Steven recently completed a class in Radar Training and holds a certification in Chemical Aerosols.

Steven is always willing to help whenever needed and we say a very special thank you for all your good work.

REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, December 11, 2001, 7:00 p.m., at the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

Under the "consent agenda," Council:

* approved the minutes of November 13, 2001 (regular & special meeting) and November 15, 2001 (special workshop meeting);

* approved a contract between the Town of Lake Lure and the Town Auditor for Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2001 & ending June 30, 2002;

In other activities, Town Council:

* adopted the Town Council meeting schedule for year 2002. Meetings will be held every second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 p. m., at the Town Council meeting room in the Lake Lure Municipal Center. The regular meeting for January 2002 will be held on Monday, January 14, 2002, at 6:00 p.m. instead of the second Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m.;

* adopted Resolution No. 01-12-11 authorizing the advertisement of an offer submitted to the town in the sum of $1,500 to purchase town property located at the corner of Cutaway Road and North Shore Road. This property is recorded in the Rutherford County Registry at the Rutherford County Register of Deeds Office in Deed Book 499 on page 523;

* presented an award to Police Officer Tim Spittle for the Mayor Jack Powell "Top Gun"award;

* received the auditor’s report for the town;

* tabled request from Pat Hyatt for after-the-fact approval to fill a portion of the lake and to waive fines assessed by the town;

* reappointed Edward Dittmer, Marcia Hardy, and E. Charles Watkins to serve on the Lake Advisory Committee. Appointed Ross Worden to serve on this committee;

* reappointed Beth Rose to serve on the Board of Adjustment/Lake Structures Appeals Board and reappointed Werner Maringer to serve as an alternate member on this board;

* reappointed Bill Bush and Bud Schichtel to serve on the Zoning/Planning Board;

* reappointed Woody Price and Jerry Wright to serve on the Golf Course Advisory Committee;

* reappointed Stuart W. Richardson to serve on the Lake Lure ABC Board;

* reappointed Hal Hermann to serve on the Parks and Recreation Board;

* approved a proposal from Bluestreak Wireless and a budget amendment to transfer $2,350.43 from the contingency fund to cover the cost for wireless internet service;

* approved a proposal from Highland Mapping, LLC and a budget amendment to transfer $1,450 from the contingency fund to cover the cost for mapping;

* scheduled a public hearing to be held at the next regular meeting on January 14, 2002, 6:00 p.m. or thereafter, at the Lake Lure Municipal Center Town Council meeting room. The purpose of the public hearing is to amend Chapter 40 (streets and sidewalks), and Chapter 92 (Subdivisions Regulations) of the Code of Ordinances for the Town of Lake Lure; regulating the construction of public and private streets outside of new subdivisions; establishing a definition for independent community water systems, and providing for water systems in new subdivision; and

* held closed session meeting: (1) discussion on matters involving attorney client privilege under G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3); (2) discussion on matters involving attorney client privilege under G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) regarding ongoing litigation between Fairfield Mountains POA, Rutherford County, and the Town of Lake Lure; and (3) discussion on a personnel matter under G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6).

The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is offering free Riparian Tree Kits to property owners in the Upper Broad River Watershed. Our Watershed encompasses 94 square miles and reaches east to the Youngs Mountain Range in Rutherford County, extends north to the Continental Divide near the city of Black Mountain, reaches west to the edge of Henderson County at Little Pisgah Mountain, and goes south nearly to Edneyville in Henderson County. The term riparian is used to describe lands adjacent to streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands where plant species are determined by the presence of water. These areas contain flowers, native grasses, shrubs, and trees that thrive in wet terrain and are also called vegetated buffer zones. A healthy riparian area is a sign of wise land use management and the benefits are maintaining stable stream banks to prevent erosion and slowing down floodwaters for downstream properties. We have ordered the riparian trees through the North Carolina Forest Service seedling program. Each Riparian Tree Kit will include 40 tree seedlings for planting an area 35 feet wide by 100 feet adjacent to streams or other wet areas. Tree species include River Birch, Water Oak, Willow Oak, Sugarberry, Blackgum, Green Ash, Persimmon, and Sycamore. Please call to reserve your tree kits. You may pick up your tree kits on February 22^nd or 23^rd between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Town of Lake Lure Municipal Center. Don’t miss the opportunity to plant trees on stream banks and other wet areas. You will be improving air quality, water quality, and wildlife and aquatic habitat.

Please call Pamela Pyles at the Town of Lake Lure at (828) 625-9983, ext. 123. Come participate in our next Watershed Protection meeting on February 6^th at 9:00 a.m. at the Town of Lake Lure Municipal Center and meet other conservation minded folks. We welcome your suggestions and comments.

Since it has been some time since we have published the water and sewer policies we felt that it would be helpful to publish them with the revisions which took place at the November 13, 2001 Council meeting.

Water and sewer bills are sent out between the 15th and 20th of the billing month and are due and payable by the 10th of the following month. If payment is not received by the 10th, a delinquency notice is issued approximately ten days later. Inaccuracies may be challenged by mail or in person. The penalty for delinquencies is a $25.00 fee added to the past due balance. This penalty may be waived by the Town Manager not more than once per year upon finding that there were extenuating circumstances preventing the prompt payment of a utility bill. To receive a waiver, the customer must submit a request in writing within 30 days of the date the payment was due explaining the extenuating circumstances. Note: Payment by mail must be post-marked by the 10th of the month; direct payment must be in the town hall by closing time on the 10th. Weekends and holidays are allowed for. Example: when the 10th falls on a Saturday, payment will not be due until the following Monday and will be indicated on bill.

If payment is not made within ten days of a delinquency notice, service will be discontinued until past due charges are paid. At that time, an additional charge in the amount of $200 will be levied for turning the service back on. The town will place liens on the property involved if the delinquency persists beyond 90 days. In addition to paying all outstanding indebtedness, a $200 reconnection fee and all legal fees involved will be charged. Note: Property owners who received Lake Lure water and/or sewer and who rent to others are responsible for any payments due to the town.

When selling a home, water and sewer customers are responsible for notifying the town of the new owner’s name and address.

Users of the sewer system are reminded that it is unlawful to discharge surface water or roof drains into the sewer line. It is critical that this type of water flow cease since excess water in the system causes the filtration process to malfunction, threatening the need for expansion at great cost to the taxpayer.

The Town no longer places a utility account into a renter’s name. Therefore, bills for water shall be addressed to and shall be payable by property owners, regardless of tenancy.

by Monica Stofer, Codes Enforcement Clerk

Some of you may know that our Zoning Administrator, Terri Potts is convalescing after surgery. Terri is sorry she isn’t able to be here at this time but hopes to be back real soon. For zoning questions or permit forms call me at 625-9983 x 119.

Due to the good weather in December, revenues continue to soar. As of this writing, year-to-date income is at $118,000. We are $39,000 ahead of last year totals. New members continue to come in. We signed up six new members in December.

Don’t forget about our great winter rates, 18 holes of golf with a cart for $15.50. Also, we are still having a 20% off sale on all golf merchandise.

We have decided to hold off on any new projects on the golf course until spring. The new #1 blue tee is currently the only project started that has not been completed.

We would like to take this chance to formally welcome Charlie Greeson as newest employee at the golf course. Charlie replaced Deborah in the pro shop. Charlie has been a member of the golf course for many years, so he is probably a familiar face to everyone.

The Town of Lake Lure operates under a manager/council form of government with a vast area - both land and water - to manage and maintain. To assist the town with the challenges of managing the community’s prize asset - the lake, the Town Council created a Lake Advisory Committee in March of 1992. Committee members are appointed by council and meet monthly to review activities and situations that are lake related and make recommendations to council if actions are considered appropriate.

Each member of the committee has an area of responsibility, which they assume at the January meeting of each year. Emergency Preparedness, Fish and Ecosystem, Dam and Sewer System, Dredging, Recreation, Law Enforcement and Lake Structures are the seven areas of responsibility that we, as members, concentrate on during the year. The committee has a chairperson, vice-chair and secretary who are elected by committee at the January meeting as well.

We have actively promoted establishing a holistic approach to Lake Management that encompasses all of the areas of responsibility listed above. Some of our past projects assigned to us by council and completed for the Town’s people are:

Creating a Lake Structures Ordinance (Zoning and structural requirements for all docks, seawalls, boathouses, and cluster mooring facilities)

Developing a Lake Management Plan (giving some continuity for the local government in managing a multimillion dollar facility)

Writing a SOP for the facilities at the dam (power station and sewer treatment plant)

Performing a Lake Use Study to establish boating carrying capacity and activity preferences based on permit sales data, gas sales and an in-depth citizen survey (over 30% responded).

In addition to these projects the committee has been involved in:

The monumental cleanup in the wake of two major floods in 1994 and 1996.

Establishing a partnership between the Town and Environmental Quality Institute at UNCA to be a part of VWIN (volunteer water monitoring network) to monthly take water samples from the lake and it tributaries to establish baseline data and monitor fluctuations in conditions.

The creation of the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Committee. This task force of individuals from local, state and federal agencies along with citizens of the 95 square mile watershed at the headwaters of the Broad River applied for and received a grant from the NC Clean waters Management Trust Fund. These monies have been used to hire an erosion control specialist, acquire riparian buffers and to assist residents implement BMPs in the watershed. A true partnership for the protection of all of the waterways in the region.

Touring the shoreline of the lake annually to establish placement of regulatory buoys.

Reviewing activity data, getting feedback from state and local enforcement officers and recommending adjustments to the Town’s local boating ordinances.

Organizing two well attended workshops on Lake Management held by the NC Lake Management Society with the support and financial assistance from the local business community.

A eight-year fish stocking program that has improved the game fishing.

Committee members have attended meetings and worked with NC DEHNR on the Broad River Basin-wide Plan.

Establishing a ten-year dredging plan and acquiring a dredge to maintain the navigable waterways. (Currently out of use due to the fact that no one wants to operate it.)

The Committee has had a history of being comprised of a broad-based group of citizens with varied backgrounds and interests. While some have readily admitted that they applied for consideration for appointment to the committee with their own agenda, they spent their two year terms becoming engaged in the wide spectrum of concerns and conveyed how much they enjoyed performing a service to the community.

While some are critical of committees and their activities, I am extremely honored to have been a part of this group that has committed so much time and energy to accomplishing goals in the many varied fields of Lake Management.

Lake Lure Newcomers invite those who are new residents in Lake Lure (24 months or less) to join them in various activities which include: potluck, gourmet, out’n about, theater, bridge/poker, book club, and hiking. Anyone interested in becoming a member, call Fred or Jeanine Noble at 828-625-8706.

Lake Lure Tours is open! Since the weather has been so beautiful, they will continue to operate hourly tours from the Lake Lure Marina on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00, 2:00, and 3;00 p.m. Boat rentals are available, too.

The Resort Marina will have hourly tours and boat rentals by reservation on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For more information and to confirm operating hours, please call 828-625-1373.

The Town Council has mandated delayed harvest (catch and release) for all fishing within Lake Lure from December 1, 2001, through March 1, 2001. This means that no fish may be kept during these three months. Individuals fishing must use single hook artificial lures only, and all hooks must be barbless. No fishing with live bait, natural, or prepared bait will be permitted during this period. This will help to ensure that fish will be released nearly unharmed.

(Note: violators will, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor as provided in G.S. Section 14-4).

For further information, contact Town Hall at 828-625-9983.

Ordinance 01-11-13D,

Adopted November 13, 2001

For comments about the operations of the Lake Lure Tours, call 828-625-0077.

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