Town of Lake Lure,
North
Carolina
Town of Lake Lure, North
Carolina
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TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT by H.M. "Chuck" Place III, AICP WINTER ON YOUNGS MOUNTAIN As I write this, the sun is reflecting brightly into my office window off the ice covered snow behind the Community Center and a heavy layer of the white stuff is still frozen on top of my Jeep, even after a 15 mile ride into town. It took 2 ˝ days for the ice to melt enough for me to get my 4WD SUV down my steep driveway without sliding into the Green River valley below my ridge. And once I hit the state road below my house, I had a very slow 7 mile drive on steep and twisty roads to US 64, the nearest place a snow plow or chat spreader had visited. I thought of complaining, but realized that the DOT was doing the best job they could, under the circumstances. Besides I didn't want some overworked and underappreciated road maintenance guy telling me that if I didn't want to be snowed in, in January - in the mountains, I should have stayed in Florida!! I know I wasn't alone in being snowed in. Many of you had the same experience. This happens one or twice just about every year and most of us take it for granted and live with it - so long as it doesn't last very long. Usually every road in town is scraped and sanded withing 24 hours or less, so no one is inconvenienced too badly. The difference this year was that within hours of the snow event, both pieces of town snow removal equipment went out of service. Our public works team really prides itself in maintaining their equipment and is ready long before winter sets in to handle snow removal. In addition, we bought a new plow and spreader equipped truck last year to speed up operations and have a backup in case something happened to the one truck we had been using for years. Even with all our precautions, the vehicle gremlins conspired to make the power brakes fail in the new truck and the clutch and throw out bearing burn out in the old truck on the same day. We had gotten around to most of the roads in town before this happened, but Youngs Mountain Road had not been touched. You have to drive Youngs Mountain to really appreciate the problem this caused. It is probably the longest and steepest twisty road in town and is scary to drive down on dry summer days, much less after an ice storm. After the second day of snow and ice with no snow plow in sight, folks on the mountain started calling town hall, wanting to know when we were going to take care of their road. The best we could say was that we were working like crazy to get our equipment back in operation and the we had contracted with a third party to plow as soon as he could get up there. The call that struck me was the one asking what we would do in case of a fire or other emergency. So, I called Fire Coordinator Ron Morgan and Police Chief Mike Bustle. Ron told me that the local fire departments and County EMS were ready for all eventualities. The fire trucks are equipped with chains and winches and can go just about anywhere under almost any conditions. The County has a 4WD EMS vehicle with studded snow tires and can likewise go almost anywhere. Mike said that he was ready for bad weather, too. His officers have several 4WD vehicles and an off-road utility vehicle at their disposal. Between the police, fire and EMS agencies, we can all have a high degree of comfort knowing that we will be taken good care of during emergencies, regardless of the weather. We also have a resourceful public works department that will work to make sure we aren't caught short in the future! A FAREWELL TO BETTY It's always tough to say good bye to folks you've worked with for a while, but it will really be hard for all of us at town hall to see Betty Hinson depart when she retires at the end of February. Betty has been a member of the family here for 20 years, not only as the personnel officer and tax collector, but as our counselor, good friend, conscience, fashion consultant, pharmacist, doctor, candy supplier, seamstress, heart mender, and all around mother figure to each and everyone of us at any given time. We wish her all the very best in her retirement.
TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES by Town Clerk Mary Flack, MMC, CTC REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 7:00 p.m., at the Lake Lure Municipal Center. Under the "consent agenda," Council: * approved the minutes of December 9, 2004 (regular meeting); * approved the Town Council meeting schedule for year 2004; and * approved a budget amendment transferring $25,100 from the electric fund to the police department - capital outlay line item to pay for a police car. In other activities, Town Council: * heard a report from the town auditor Robert C. Koone on the town's audit for fiscal year July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003; * approved a request from Jerry McCall to change the existing lake boundary at 117 Tryon Bay Circle; * heard a progress report from Russell Pitts on the maintenance program for the town's dredge; * approved a budget amendment of $13,000 to fund the merit pay increase for town employees as requested by the town manager; * scheduled a public hearing to be held at the next regular town council meeting to receive public comments regarding a request to change the Tryon Bay Circle road from a one-way street to a two-way street; (Editor's Note this public hearing will be held at the March 9, 2004 town council meeting instead of the February 10, 2004 town council meeting previously announced.) and * held a closed session meeting to: (1) discuss legal matters involving attorney client privilege in accordance with G.S. 143-318.11 (a)(1) and G.S. 143-318.11 (a)(3) and (2) discuss personnel matters in accordance with G.S. 143-318 (a)(6).
COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS by Chief Mike Bustle I am sorry to report to you the stepping down to reserve status of one of our fine officers, Shauna Crater. Officer Crater decided to spend more time at home with her family. This creates an opening at the police department, a condition which requires a sophisticated and involved process. I think it's important to tell you just what happens when a position at the police department is open. The North Carolina state requirement for one to be an officer is successful completion of the 608 hour Basic Law Enforcement Training block, offered by most community colleges, the North Carolina Justice Academy and many certified police or sheriff departments. The Lake Lure Police Department has been fortunate to have a sufficient number of applicants who have already completed this level of training. Our department, however, has many additional requirements. We conduct at least 200 hours of field training during which new officers train with experienced officers. Each aspect of the job is covered before the new officer is released on his/her own. We rival any department in North Carolina in the amount of training we offer our officers. Our most current hiring process is quite intensive. Each officer being considered has already completed the Basic Law Enforcement training of 608 hours and passed the state exam. An evaluation process has been conducted to create a repository of qualified applicants. Each applicant was required to take a 120 question exam, complete with English composition segment. Each applicant then competed in an oral interview in front of a board consisting of a Lake Lure P.D. supervisory officer, a Lake Lure officer, a town administrator, and the head of the Blue Ridge Technical College Basic Law Enforcement Training course. Each applicant then participated in a basic physical agility test which was timed. These three examinations formed a pool of applicants from which we will choose future officers including Shauna's replacement. As you can see there is a lot that a prospective Lake Lure officer must go through. Even, so we have many applicants. As a result, we are fortunate to have a cadre of well trained and experienced officers, all of whom enjoy serving you in this little piece of heaven on earth!
by Charlie Greeson, Pro Shop Clerk Well, still no aliens; however, we do have a lot of stuff in the pro shop that will be alien to a lot of our previous customers. Now, due to a brand new vendor that Chris found, we have some really cool BRAND NAME golf equipment. We have some Nike golf bags that are just like the ones the pros carry. (Excuse me, just like the pro's caddies carry.) The price is almost too good to be true. Almost. We have complete sets, men's and lady's both. You ought to see these Wilson clubs. They are sweet. We also have some of those woods endorsed by John Daly. They go by the name of "Hippo". This set of ladies woods look like they will make a winner out of their owner. I don't want to quit telling about our new stuff without mentioning the bags by Ogio. They are, hmmm...well, beyond my description. You'll just have to come take a look for yourself. As well as all this, we still have a good selection of putters, both right hand and left hand. Another thing to mention, that will be of interest to some, is that we have cigars available again. So, y'all come on out. We've got beautiful sunny days, low winter rates, great brand name pro shop merchandise and free coffee on those frosty mornings too. I betchya can't wait. We are open at 9:00 a.m. See you soon.
PROTECTION PROGRAM by Clint Calhoun The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is going strong. On December 31st, we came to the end of our first grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Our grant from the North Carolina EPA Section 319(h) NPS program came to an end in September of 2003. Since our program began in 1999, we have had some huge successes and have made some astounding efforts to protect water quality in the Upper Broad River Watershed. Our program began when a committee of concerned citizens, town representatives, business owners, and agencies got together to address the concerns of excessive sediment going into the Broad River and Lake Lure as a result of major storms and floods (particularly the Flood of '96). This committee, known as the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Committee, was able to acquire the two grants mentioned above through the help of Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council. The money from those grants would be used to implement erosion control measures throughout the watershed through volunteer landowner participation, to acquire conservation easements in order to protect the riparian buffers, and to inform and assist the citizens of our watershed. Pam Pyles was hired in 1999 to tackle the goals of our program. As Erosion Control Specialist, she began making contact with landowners and finding people in the watershed that were interested in not only protecting water quality but also in protecting their own property. Pam began the long process of establishing contacts and lining up projects in the watershed to fix some of the erosion problems that are so prevalent in our area. This program owes a lot to Pam for all of her efforts. Because of the efforts that have been made, the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program has written 118 conservation plans for interested landowners, 56 of which have been implemented. Under those 56 conservation plans, erosion control measures were established over approximately 50 acres, the smallest of these being about .01 acres and the largest being around 5 acres. Our program, thanks to the help of participating landowners, has so far protected 63.33 acres of riparian buffer along major tributaries in the watershed (Cane Creek, Wolf Creek, and Pool Creek). Our program provided riparian tree kits for citizens living in the watershed. We also have a watershed video for use in presentations and a new Watershed Protector's Handbook which is available for anyone who is interested. The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is now operating on two new grants from Clean Water and EPA 319(h). If you have an existing erosion problem that predates 2003, we can help you. Our cost share program is designed to help landowners fix problems that they may not be able to afford to fix on their own. Remember, erosion affects everyone. If you have questions or would like to find out more about our program, please call me at 828-625-9983, ext. 123 or e-mail me at clintcalhoun@blueridge.net.
LAKE LURE YOUTH CENTER'S HAPPENINGS by The Kids At The Lake Lure Youth Center Good news for the youth center! We are now receiving healthy food items from the Community Assistance Program of Western North Carolina Operation: Feed A Child. These food items and drinks are free. They only ask for our support and to shop at their warehouse in Spindale. They are located at 413 West Main St. We would also like to thank our contributors for our new side by side refrigerator. It has been nice. Also just to remind everyone, we can always use volunteers. Give Sharon a call at 828-625-2299 or 828-625-5220.
NEWS AROUND LAKE LURE 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 Hugh or Nancy Pinney at 828-625-0867. New Physician - There is a new physician in the Valley Family Health Center in Bat Cave. Internist Dr. Susan Holman, is joining Dr. Sloss to provide medical service for the gorge. You can reach the center at 828-625-2322. Prom Again - donate your old gowns! Prom Again donations afford many students the opportunity to select a gown for their high school prom. For more information and the locations to donate, please call 828-287-3304.
The special called meeting of the Lake Lure Marine Commission scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. For comments about the operations of the Lake Lure Tours, call 828-625-0077.
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