Town of Lake Lure, 

North Carolina

TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT

by H.M. "Chuck" Place III, AICP

Budget Time (repeated every year)

Just like the IRS, budget time comes around every year about now. It is a time to reflect on the cost of administering the town's business over the past year and attempt to project our needs for the following year. Just like your personal budget, this is a delicate balancing of needs with available income. The town's policy is to try to provide the best service possible utilizing all available sources of funds without increasing ad valorem taxes unless absolutely necessary.

Over the next two months, we will be developing the 2004/2005 fiscal budget. Starting in this month, we will begin holding budget workshops that are open to the public. The process will culminate with a public hearing in June to receive your input. I encourage you to attend these sessions so that you can be better informed about the decisions that go into adoption of the annual budget and to make your opinions known to your Town Council.

Council will also hold a hearing on the six year capital improvements program, or "CIP" in April with the intention of adopting the program as a guide for future capital spending. This is the fifth year that we have prepared a CIP which consists of a capital budget for the upcoming year and a capital plan for the five year period after that. Each year, we adopt a revised CIP, dropping the past year and adding a new sixth year. Capital projects are those major purchases and projects costing over $10,000. This important budgeting tool will allow us to plan for large expenditures well ahead of the time the funds are needed.

Finance Officer Sam Karr and I will always be available to answer questions about the process or the budget, itself.

Spring Time

Spring has sprung - that's not to say we might not be hit with at least one more nasty winter storm. But things are pretty nice right now. Grass is greening, trees are leafing and flowers are busting out all over. The lake is back up and boats will soon be cruising the lake again. I remarked the other weekend that you could tell spring was coming by the outbreak of birds, buds and bikes!

This is truly a wonderful time of year and we should all take advantage of the lesson given to us by Mother Nature. It's the time to clean up and spruce up before the lazy days of summer are up on us. Now if I can just get past spring fever........

TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES

by Town Clerk Mary Flack, MMC, CTC

REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, March 9, 2004, 7:00 p.m., in the meeting room of the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

Under the "consent agenda," Council:

* approved the minutes of February 10, 2004 (regular meeting and closed session);

* approved a request from the Hickory Nut Gorge Kiwanis Club to: (1) suspend the town's peddling ordinance for "Memorial Days Festival" being held on May 29-31, 2004 and the "Autumn Festival" held on October 16-17, 2004; (2) close a portion of town street temporarily during these events (contingent upon vendors not leaving their vehicles and trailers parked in the closed portion of the street); and (3) use of town property surrounding the Lake Lure Arcade Building including property along Pool Creek for selling crafts and food, fund raising, and music during these events;

* approved a request from Pastor Larry Sanders on behalf of the Chimney Rock Baptist Church to hold worship services at the Lakeside Chapel located on town property and permitting access to the right of the town's former boat landing in order to conduct lakeside services held on Sundays starting May 2, 2004 through October 10, 2004, from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.;

* approved a request from Lake Lure Fire Coordinator Ron Morgan to name an existing private drive off of Holmes road as recommended by the owner to be named after a book author Pat Conroy; Conroy Court was recommended for the name of this private drive;

* approved a permit for a fabric structure from Dennis Buckner on behalf of the Fairfield Mountains Property Owners Association to place a tent on the beach area of the Lake Lure golf and beach property;

* approved a request from the Dixie Rodder's to: (1) hold a 20th annual car show July 9-10, 2003 on town property; (2) rent the town community center along with the grassy area behind and adjacent to the building which extends toward the town marina; (3) suspend the town peddling ordinance to allow the club to sell t-shirts and other vendors to sell food and car parts; (4) use a P.A. system for playing music and making announcements and (5) suspend the town alcohol ordinance for participants to consume alcohol (beer and wine only) as stipulated with restrictions by the Lake Lure police department; and

* authorized Personnel Director Anita Taylor to co-sign checks for the town's payroll account and general account; remove former Personnel Director Betty Hinson's name from these bank accounts at the Lake Lure First Charter Bank.

In other activities, Town Council:

* held a public hearing regarding a request to change Tryon Bay Circle from a one-way street to a two-way street; Council members denied the request to make the entire Tryon Bay Circle a two-way street except for about 125' at the entrance of this street;

* held a hearing regarding an appeal from the decision of the Lake Structures Appeals Board (Case # LSA 03-06 Duffy for Grant); Council members reversed the decision of the Lake Lure Structures Appeals Board and granted a variance as requested by Don Duffy on behalf of James and Kathleen Grant;

* heard a presentation from Harold Harper, a resident of Harper Valley Lane in Lake Lure, who made an offer of $4,000 to purchase certain town property and asked Town Council to declare this property as surplus; Council members agreed to discuss this request further at the next regular town meeting being held on April 13, 2004;

* heard a report from Chuck Nance, Senior Planner of Isothermal Planning Development Commission, about the Rutherford County Comprehensive Recreation Plan. Mr. Nance offered Lake Lure the chance to become involved with the planning process, and to be a specific part of the Rutherford County Comprehensive Recreation Plan. The cost to each municipality participating would be less than $5,000; Mr. Nance will report back to Town Council with exact figures at a later date;

* approved a request from Gisela Hopke for the town to grant her an easement on town property for a driveway;

* received a request from Kim Hollifield on behalf of the Employees' Credit Union to lease town property for an ATM machine; Council authorized the town manager and the town attorney to draft a lease and publish a notice in the newspaper announcing that Town Council will consider a resolution at the next regular meeting on April 13, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. or thereafter, authorizing the lease of town property (a 20' by 40' portion of lot located adjacent to the parking lot within Morse Park);

* revised rental fees and policy for the use of the Lake Lure Community Center, Pavilion, use of grassy area adjacent to the Community Center referred to as Morse Park Meadows and the Community Hall in the Municipal Center;

* denied a request from Pat Buede on behalf of the GORGE-US Group of Hickory Nut Gorge for a continual monthly rental of the Community Hall in the Municipal Center at a reduced rate;

* adopted Resolution No. 04-03-09 supporting the Rutherford Realize Program;

* approved a budget amendment to transfer $40,000 from the water and sewer reserve equity fund to the water division capital outlay account (#308300.5550 wells) to cover the initial cost of the town's water system project;

* held a closed session meeting to discuss personnel matters in accordance with G. S. 143-318.11 (a)(5) & (6).

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LAKE LURE MARINE COMMISSION: The special meeting of the Lake Lure Marine Commission meeting was held on Tuesday, March 9, 2004, following the regular Town Council meeting held at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Meeting Room of the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

The Marine Commission:

* held a public hearing to consider the proposed Lake Regulations (which are substantially the same as the existing Chapter 85 of the Town of Lake Lure Code of Ordinance);

* adopted Resolution No. 04-03-09 (lake regulations pertaining to fishing, bathing, and boating on the waters of Lake Lure) as amended; and

* discussed lake issues.

PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING RENEWAL

OF CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT

Please take notice that the Town of Lake Lure Town Council will hold a public hearing on April 13, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. or thereafter, in the Council Meeting Room of the Lake Lure Municipal Center, for the purpose of receiving public comment on the renewal of the cable television franchise agreement between the Town and Northland Cable. The public is invited to offer their comments on the current performance of Northland, any additional future community cable-related needs and interests and any other topic concerning television. A copy of the current franchise agreement is available for public viewing in the town clerk's office from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC HEARING FOR STREET CLOSING

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 13, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. or thereafter in the Council Meeting Room of the Lake Lure Municipal Center to consider a resolution to close Gene Stratton Porter street.

PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING LEASE

OF TOWN PROPERTY

The public will take notice that the Town Council of the Town of Lake Lure will, at its regular meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m. or thereafter, in the Council Meeting Room of the Lake Lure Municipal Center, on the 13^th day of April, 2004, consider a resolution authorizing the lease of real property of the Town of Lake Lure described below:

A 20' by 40' portion of lot located adjacent to the parking lot within Morse Park. This property is identified on the Rutherford County Tax Map 518 as Lot 1E, Block 1, and recorded in the Rutherford Register of Deeds Office, Deed Book 606, Page 749.

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