LAKE LURE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
February 1999
MAYORS COMMENTS
By Jack Powell
The Town of Lake Lure official government website was established on January 9, and can be reached at www.ci.lake-lure.nc.us/. The primary purpose of the website is to communicate information to the public and to provide a resource for rules and regulations, contacts, fees, forms, etc. Links to community websites and government resource sites are available. Links to specific lodging, restaurants, and other business sites can be found through community websites such as www.gorgenews.org and the Chimney Rock Guide. Jim Proctor's website www.lake-lure.com also provides general information about the area.
A Technical Advisory Committee of five members was appointed in January 1999. These members of the community have outstanding credentials (see website under "Boards/Committees"). Dick McCallum (Chairman), Al Howard, Clark Kessel, Stu Richardson and Jack Rose agreed to serve on this technical committee. Their initial undertaking is the analysis of Y2K potential problems that may affect the Town and the development of contingency plans in case of failure. You can track the committee's progress on Y2K at the Town website under "Year 2000 Status".
TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES
REGULAR MEETING: The regular Town Council meeting was held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 1999.
Under the "Consent Agenda", Council approved the minutes of December 15, 1999 (Regular Meeting), and December 22, 1998 (Special Town Meeting); and scheduled public hearing on Zoning Regulations Amendment to AM-98-5 (Creation of New Commercial and Government Districts).
In other activities, the Town Council:
* Approved request from the Pediatric Brain Tumor Association to hold an event (Ride for Kids) on June 26, 1999 to raise funds to be used to pay for research to find the cause and cure of childhood brain tumors;
* Received Annual Reports from the Board/Committee Chairmen of the Zoning/Planning Board, Board of Adjustment/Lake Structures Appeals Board, Lake Advisory Committee, Lake Lure Golf Course Advisory Committee, and Lake Lure ABC Board;
* Discussed Appeals from the action of the Lake Structures Appeals Board;
* Approved Ordinance No. 99-01-12A (amending section 85.100 of the Code of Ordinances Regarding Seaplanes);
* Approved the Mayor to Manage a Domain Name for the Town of Lake Lure's Website from US Domain Registration;
* Discussed snow/ice removal for the Town;
* Revised the 1999 Town Meeting Schedule to include Town Workshop Meetings to be held every third Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the Lake Lure Municipal Center; and
* Appointed a Technical Advisory Committee to review the administration and operation of the Town of Lake Lure. The purpose of the review is to develop recommendations regarding critical areas such as: Y2K issues, communications equipment, and computer hardware and software;
* Held a Closed Session Meeting for the purpose of evaluating candidates interviewed for Town Manager position (G.S. 143-318.11(a) 6).
SPECIAL TOWN WORKSHOP MEETING: The Town Council held a Special Town Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 1999. SPECIAL TOWN WORKSHOP MEETING: The Town Council held a Special Town Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 1999.
Activities included:
* The Mayor reviewed items on Work Program Schedule;
* The Finance Director reviewed current Financial Statement;
* Heard from Danny Bridges of McGill Associates on Water/Sewer Bond issues;
* Heard from Public Works Supervisor and Commissioner Beth Rose on gathering of data for road maintenance analysis;
* Heard from Public Works Supervisor and Acting Town Manager on the status of dredge operations;
* Heard from Hydro-Plant Operator on Duke Power Contract and Waste Water Treatment Plant issues;
* Heard from Zoning/Planning Adm. Dir. regarding judgements on Lake Structures Appeals;
* Heard from Commissioner Carolyn Cobb and Police Chief on police strengths, needs, and civil lake patrol;
* Heard from Commissioner Gene Sheffield about adopting a random drug testing policy; and
* Heard from Commissioner Carolyn Cobb updating status on Hickory Nut Gorge EMS.
COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS
By Police Chief Mike Bustle
As many of you probably observed, the Lake Lure Police Department has begun a rigorous training schedule during the off-season. With the assistance of the new branch of the North Carolina Justice Academy, the department was able to furnish your officers with an up-to-date curriculum of sixty (60) state certified hours of training in such areas of expertise as legal updates, officer safety (containing individual blocks on defensive tactics, vehicle stops, armed robbery responses, building searches, and domestic violence), and cover/concealment. Opening these courses to the surrounding departments has also provided a small economic infusion for several local businesses.
In the near future, individual officers will be assigned to your respective communities, as part of a new community policing concept, to serve as direct liaison between you and the department. In an attempt to provide better community service, these officers will assist you in problem solving, programs, and other required services.
FIRE NEWS
By Ron Morgan,
Lake Lure Fire Coordinator
It's that time of year again to remind everyone to remove the leaves and pine needles from your roof and around your house. As most of you have heard from me before, the accumulation of these on/or around your home can be disastrous in the event of a forest fire. Forest fires can be very hard to control but you can significantly improve the chances of your home being saved by removing such combustibles. Dead limbs, brush, firewood stacked against the house or under your deck, and excessive bushes growing near your home should also be removed.
The North Carolina State Forest Service has a new weapon to combat forest fires in our area. This new weapon is a firefighting airplane, a Canadair CL-215. This airplane can carry and drop up to 1400 gallons of water on a fire with great accuracy. It can refill from lakes by skimming the surface and yes, Lake Lure is large enough for them to refill. Some of you may remember when a plane like this filled water from Lake Lure in late 1980 for a large forest fire in the area. This plane is located in Hickory and is a great asset to our area. When boating, if you spot this large yellow airplane, or if the Lake Patrol Officer tells you it is coming, pull your boat near the shoreline and wait until clear. The pilots will continue refilling until they are sure they have a clear path. This aircraft will not refill on the lake after dark. If you would like more information on this aircraft, please call me at 828-625-9333.
Recently, one of the firefighters asked me to pass on a safety tip. The Firefighters, EMS personnel and Police Officers are often dispatched to emergencies including vehicle accidents and other incidents that require them to work in or near the road. To protect our emergency personnel, we will usually have a traffic director wearing reflective vest and equipped with a flashlight at night. Please pay close attention when approaching emergency scenes, keep your eyes on the road and move in an orderly fashion.
1999 BOAT PERMITS
The 1999 boat permits have arrived. You may obtain these boat permits at the Lake Lure Municipal Center on Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or at the Lake Lure Town Marina. Please contact the Lake Lure Town Marina at 828-625-4651 for their operating hours. In order to obtain a boat permit, you must present a current state registration card and your boat must not exceed the length limitations. The Town allows pleasure boats which do not exceed the maximum length of 20 feet/11 inches and a pontoon boat which does not exceed the maximum length of 28 feet. If you have any further questions regarding boating fees/regulations, you may contact Anita Taylor at 828-625-9983, extension 129.
LAKE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REPORTS ON THE VWIN PROGRAM
Since July, 1996 the VWIN (Volunteer Water Information Network) has been diligently at work monitoring ten selected stream sites. These volunteers are Lake Lure residents.
This program is in partnership with organizations such as RiverLink, Inc., the Environmental Conservation Organization of Henderson County (ECO) and the Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC).
In addition, the Lake Lure Lakefront Owners Association provide administrative support. The UNC-Asheville Environmental Quality Institute (EQI) provides technical assistance through laboratory analysis of water samples, stats of quality results and written interpretation. Volunteers collect water samples from their sites monthly.
An accurate and on-going database results in good environmental planning. This program offers valuable information in a variety of areas essential to the success of pollution control measures, and the current/future lake management actions. Moreover, citizen awareness is an integral benefit.
Buncombe County (pioneering in 1990) and six other area counties are busy monitoring waters to the tune of 160 sites. Information on water quality is provided for the French Broad River and Broad River Watersheds in North Carolina.
An "in a nutshell" description of the Methodology: Samples are collected on the fourth Saturday of each month in specified bottles, labeled with site number and parameter, etc. Samples are refrigerated and a volunteer takes them to EQI for analysis on the following Monday morning. These results are recorded, compared and studied in depth.
Six families and seven back-up families keep this program efficiently operating. For questions or suggestions, contact Chuck Watkins at 828-625-2122.
NEWS AROUND LAKE LURE
The Town Potluck Dinner will be held Thursday, February 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Hall of the Lake Lure Municipal Center. Don't forget to invite a friend and/or neighbor. Bring a dish to share and your wedding pictures. Join us for a Valentine's party at the Community Hall (enter the rear of the building). There will be prizes, good food, and lots of fun.
The 9th Annual Dogwood Festival will be held on April 17 and 18. There will be a parade, crafts, and food. For more information, contact Joyce Schmitt at 828-625-2784 (Lake View Store) or Sharon Theiss at 828-625-0204.
Mark February 22, and 23 on your calendar. The North Carolina Lake Management Society is coming to Lake Lure to hold their annual meeting at the newly remodeled Conference Center in the Arcade Building. All of the presentations will be relevant to our watershed and lake. If you are interested in these issues, be there! The registration cost of $30.00 includes dinner on Monday and lunch on Tuesday plus refreshments in-between. Registration forms will be at the Municipal Center and ll of the local Post Offices. For more information, look at the special events page on www.gorgenews.org or call Barbara Wiggins at 828-254-5644 or Bob Washburn at 828-625-9315.
The Lake Lure Lions Club recently made contributions totalling $4,200 to several of the organizations in the Lake Lure area. It has been a tradition to show appreciation to the community for its support of Lions Club activities during the year. While the majority of Lions Club projects benefit the blind and visually impaired, support of other community organizations and services is recognized to be equally important. Guests accepting the contributions on behalf of their respective organizations from Lions Club President Richard Hornaday were Bettina Wolff for the Friends of the Library, and David Toney for the Hickory Nut Gorge EMS. Contributions to the four local Volunteer Fire Departments that provide protection to Lake Lure and the surrounding areas were accepted by Chief Buck Meliski of the Chimney Rock VFD, by Chief Jim Howell of the Bill's Creek VFD, and for Chief Gary Wilson of the Lake Lure VFD and Fairfield Mountains VFD.
The Church of the Transfiguration, Bat Cave, is sponsoring a public awareness program. All Churches, civic organizations and community residents are invited. Learn more about the opportunity to help others. Come to Lake Lure's Convention Center in the Arcade Building across from the Lake Lure beach on Tuesday, February 16, at 6:30 p.m. Bring a covered dish. The program will begin at 7:15 p.m. Program speakers include: JoAnne Okpych, Chimney Rock, who is the recent recipient of a new heart and is the owner of "up-from-ashes" Esmeralda Inn; Janelle English, Bat Cave, who is the recipient "in waiting" of a new lung; and Melissa Parker from Memorial Mission's Life Share Program, who will answer questions about organ donation. Contact Veryle Lynn Cox at 828-625-1256 for more information.
The Lake Lure Republicans will not be meeting in February. The next meeting is scheduled for March 4, 6:30 p.m., at the Lodge on Lake Lure.
Fairfield Mountains Women of the Church will have a Fundraiser Fashion Show and Luncheon at Lakeview Restaurant, March 3, 11:30 a.m. (Social Hour). Betty Sturgis of Tryon will present an informal modeling during lunch. The cost is $15.00 per person and all proceeds will go to the WOC charities in our county. Call Carolyn Cobb at 828-625-1831 or Binney Miller at 828-625-5100 for details. Please join us.
Century 21 Valley Real Estate will be opening in Lake Lure (located at Suite 5, Arcade Blvd., Hwy 64/74-A) on February 1, 1999. Century 21 Valley Real Estate is owned by real estate broker Dutch Beukema, who may be reached at 828-625-1717.
Note: The deadline for newsletter articles to be received at Town Hall for the March issue is February 17, 1999.