In case you haven’t heard by now, Town Council authorized lowering the lake this winter. It will be dropped 4½ feet starting December 11 and will be down for eight weeks. This will provide a time for us to do some maintenance dredging and also allow lake front owners to do repairs to their seawalls and docks.

Three years ago, council, on the recommendation of the Lake Advisory Committee, decided to lower the lake every three years. Previously, the lake level had been dropped just about every year, but this was causing the underwater vegetation in the shallower waters to die out. As plant life rarely grows at depths of more than about six feet, this meant that the majority of plants were being killed off and it is those plants that generate the oxygen necessary to sustain fish. In essence, we were destroying most of the life, both plant and animal, in the lake. The recommendation of the Lake Advisory Committee was intended to be a compromise between the needs of the town and lake shore owners and the ecology of the lake.

We plan to dredge the river below the bridge to create a series of settling basins in the bottom to collect silt that would otherwise be carried into the lake. We also hope to dredge a channel into the town marina and to the police boathouse at the same time. These projects will probably be done under contract, but we plan to resurrect our little dredge (that green object on Memorial Point that some people think is a piece of modern art) to continue maintenance dredging on the river bottom in the off-years. Our long term plan is to dredge another area every third year when the lake is down so that all the coves that need it are dredged about every 9 to 12 years. This effort will be funded by the revenues generated at the power plant, so implementation of the plan is greatly dependant on the amount of rainfall we have each year.

Remember, the lake will be down for two months, starting on December 11. This is a good time to repair your lake front property and haul your boat for maintenance.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

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by Betty Hinson, Personnel Director

Mary A. Flack, employee of the month, has been employed with the Town of Lake Lure since April 1987. She currently serves the town as Town Clerk, Deputy Tax Collector, Assistant Finance Director, Lake Lure Newsletter Coordinator, and Data Systems Manager, as well as other duties.

Mary is a certified Municipal Clerk by the Institute of International Municipal Clerks and a certified Tax Collector by the North Carolina Tax Collectors' Certification Board. She was the first in the state of North Carolina and 5th internationally to receive her Master Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks which is the highest clerk's certification level. She continues her training through the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and takes other courses related to her job.

Mary received her Master of Arts Degree in Higher Education, Administration and Bachelor Degree in Technology, Business from Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. She received Associate Degrees of Applied Science in Data Processing, General Office Technology, Business Administration, and Secretarial Science from Isothermal Community College, Spindale, North Carolina.

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TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES

REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, October 10, 2000, at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

Under the "consent agenda," Council:

* approved the minutes of September 12, 2000 (regular meeting and closed session);

* approved a request from Lynn Bueno to suspend the town peddling ordinance on October 21 and 22, 2000, for the purpose of an indoor yard sale at the town community center;

* approved a request from the Hickory Nut Gorge Kiwanis Club to suspend the town peddling ordinance on October 27 and 28, 2000 for the purpose of selling concessions and holding events for children at the Lake Lure Arcade Building; and

* adopted resolution no. 00-10-10 (zoning fees schedule) and resolution no. 00-10-10A (lake structures fees schedule).

In other activities, Town Council:

* Bill Bush donated to the town a video tape titled "Hanging of the Mayors" made in 1993 of the ceremony honoring former mayors of the town of Lake Lure. This video tape is available at town hall to the public for viewing;

* authorized the town manager to proceed with the bid process for proposed dredging program of Lake Lure as soon as the bid documents are ready;

* heard a progress report from Erosion Control Specialist Pamela Pyles on the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program;

* approved a request from the Rutherford County Economic Development Commission for the Town of Lake Lure to contribute $200 toward "Industry Appreciation Day"; and

* approved a request from the personnel director to implement a Dental Plan II (effective July 1, 2000) including orthodontia for town employees. There is no additional cost to the town for this plan.

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COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS

by Police Chief Mike Bustle

It’s the Halloween season again and we must consider the following safety tips to make this Halloween a safe and enjoyable one:

Costume Safety

* Use make-up or face paint instead of masks, but if masks are used, make sure they fit properly and have holes large enough for the mouth and eyes.

* Choose costumes that are marked "flame retardant."

* Wear light-colored clothing at night, short enough to prevent tripping. Add reflective tape or reflectors to dark colored costumes.

* Make props such as magic wands and swords out of cardboard, rather than metal or wood.

Trick-or-Treat Safety

* Give and accept wrapped or packaged candy only.

* Have children bring treats home for adult inspection before they are eaten.

* Accompany small and elementary school age children when they are trick-or-treating and send older children in groups.

* Go out in daylight and carry a flashlight in case of delay.

* Have children stay within the neighborhood; only visit homes you know.

The Lake Lure Police Department maintains contact with the International Association of Chiefs of Police Halloween candy hotline which offers technical assistance and expertise in determining whether a candy tampering incident is a real problem or a result of manufacturer and/or shipment. This service can often clear up confusion and avoid unnecessary public alarm in our community. Please contact any of your community police officers for assistance if you have any questions or need assistance.

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Congratulations to Community Police Officer Shane Ramsey who investigated four residential break-ins in the Seaton Road area, arrested the perpetrator and is currently recovering the stolen items and returning them to their owners.

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The Lake Lure Regional Youth Center will officially open Friday, October 27th 2000, in conjunction with the National Make a Difference Day. An open house will be conducted from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be available. Come have a look!

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UPPER BROAD RIVER WATERSHED

By Pamela Pyles, Erosion Control Specialist

Our Vision Statement is: Protecting Soil and Water Resources through Watershed Education and Program Participation. This is accomplished through a partnership with the Town of Lake Lure, Village of Chimney Rock, citizens living in our watershed, and government conservation officials. This partnership is developed through our watershed meetings that include guest presentations, water quality reports, and progress report on UBRWP Programs.

Our watershed consists of 94 square miles and reaches East to the Youngs Mountain Range in Rutherford County, it goes North to the Continental Divide near Black Mountain, reaches West to the edge of Henderson County at Little Pisgah Mountain, and goes South nearly to Edneyville in Henderson County. Our watershed drains from the highest points; our mountain peaks and ridge tops to our lowest point to Lake Lure via surface and ground water.

We have an addition to our Upper Broad River Cost Share Program that is for slope stabilization using ground covers such as English Ivy and Periwinkle. This practice is for eroded areas that were existing prior to October 1999 and have been unsuccessfully hydroseeded. If you have questions concerning this program or any other programs we offer please call me at the Town of Lake Lure 828- 625-9983 ext. 123.

Our next Watershed Protection meeting is November 15 at 9:00 a.m., at the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

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The Hickory Nut Gorge Kiwanis Club will be selling concessions and holding fun activities for children in front of the Lake Lure Arcade building, Memorial Highway 64/74-A, on October 27 and 28, 2000 (Friday and Saturday) from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Proceeds from this event will be used to help build a Neonatal Intensive Care Center at the Ruth and Billy Graham Children's Health Center at Mission St. Joseph's Healthcare System.

Halloween activities in the Hickory Nut Gorge area on October 27 and 28, 2000 (Friday and Saturday), 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., include a haunted boat ride at the Lake Lure Marina, haunted house at the Lake Lure Conference Center, and haunted trolley ride at the Arcade building and the Bottomless Pools. There will be trick or treating on Tuesday, October 31, 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Chimney Rock Village. For more information contact Vicki Smith at 828-625-4121, Judy Beeson at 828-625-2725, or Meg Penny at 828-625-1373.

Friends of the Mountains Branch Library will celebrate their fifth birthday of the Library with a special event on November 5th from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m.! The noted author Jerry Bledsoe will speak. Bledsoe probably is best known for his gripping chronicles of true crimes. His first true-crime book, Bitter Blood, evolved from a case that he covered as a reporter. It spent six months on The New York Times best seller list, half of that as #1. This kicks off "Library Week in Lake Lure" as proclaimed by the mayor and council of Lake Lure. The community is invited and refreshments will be served. If you have not visited the library recently, this would be a great time to come out and see all the new media resources which are now available. We have many new videos, an ever changing collection of "books on tape", learning CD Roms, and internet access! Continuing with this celebration will be a Special Story Hour on November 8th at 10:30 a.m. The weekly story hour event has become a very popular gathering of our young readers. Please mark your calendars and bring your friends to both events.

Dear Supporter of United Way: It is that time of year when, once again, we launch our United Way Campaign for Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge for 2001. Our goal this year for the Gorge is $10,000. The overall goal for the country is one million dollars. We ask you to send your tax deductible contribution to our office: United Way of Rutherford County, Inc., P.O. Box 823, Spindale, NC 28160. Many of you will be receiving your pledge cards in the mail within the next few weeks and also we will be making personal visits. Your contribution will go to help here at home. United Way of Rutherford County funds over 36 agencies in our county. Agencies such as Meals on Wheels, Hickory Nut Gorge EMS, Hospice Care, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army just to name a few. So won't you please send your contribution to help assure the continued growth and support of these programs in Rutherford County? If you have any questions, please call me at 828-625-8338 or email me at mransom@blueridge.net. Thank you!

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 Noble or Jeanine Noble at 828-625-8706.

A reminder to boat owners from Beth Rose, Chairman of the Lake Lure Boat Parade. It is time to plan on decorating your boat and joining the 6th annual Lake Lure Boat Parade this December 2. I hope boat owners will support this event as it is quite spectacular. The parade is being held ten days before the lake is lowered, so you have time to remove your boat after the parade. If you have not received a letter about the parade, please call me at 828-625-4493 and I will see that you get one ASAP. There will be three prizes in three categories (Homeowner, Business, Group) and a prize for those boats under 17 feet. So, dress up your boat as a Christmas song and join the fun. There will be a party at the Lake Lure Inn afterwards and Santa will be there to hand out mementoes to all captains. Concurrent activities on the Town beach include Christmas carol singing by the Chimney Rock Baptist choir, selling of food from local vendors and a bonfire. Fireworks off Memorial Point will be the finale after the boat parade. "Cruise Along as a Christmas Song", and let the thousands of spectators (over 2,000 last year) enjoy your holiday spirit as we wind our way to the Town Marina. I hope you will participate and call me if you want to rent a generator.

The fourth and final concert of the Music on the Point series has been changed from October 27 to November 3 to eliminate conflicts with Halloween activities. Phil and Gaye Johnson will be performing on November 3rd at the Lake Lure Pavillion on the Point from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

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