Departmental Summaries - June 2025
The following are the Town of Lake Lure Departmental Summaries for the past month.
Public Services Department Report
The Public Services Department continued routine maintenance and operations throughout the month. Regular tasks included meter reading and installations, water leak repairs, utility locates, bulk trash pickup, work order responses, facility upkeep, wastewater sampling, and maintenance at the Dam, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Hydro Plant. Additionally, staff played a vital role in supporting various storm recovery efforts.
Top Accomplishments & Project Updates
Mainline Sewer Repair: Addressed an ongoing issue with a mainline sewer segment, implementing necessary repairs to improve service.
Water Tank System Improvements: Successfully completed the replacement of 20 water tank system lid, improving system integrity and safety.
Road Stabilization Efforts: Repaired four road slopes across Town to enhance stability and prevent erosion-related damage.
Proctor Road Stabilization Project: Continued work on stabilizing Proctor Road. Progress remains steady as staff address long-term storm damage in this area.
West End Sewer Project: Made significant progress on the West End Sewer Project, which is now on track for completion by July 23rd.
Staff Certification Achievements: Congratulations to Cody McFalls and Seth Bailey for earning their Wastewater Collections Grade C Certifications—a notable professional achievement that strengthens our operational capabilities.
Community Development Department Report
Director Williams reports that the department continues to provide permitting services and guidance to residents navigating repairs and rebuilding efforts. A total of 20 permits were issued in June, including:
8 Zoning Permits
6 Lake Structure Permits
5 Land Disturbance Permits
1 Vacation Rental Operator Permit
5 Certificates of Completion were also issued
Top Accomplishments & Project Updates
Ordinance Review & Text Amendments:
The Zoning and Planning Board began reviewing the ordinance that prohibits the outdoor display of merchandise in the Commercial General district, with a recommendation to allow limited display.
Additional approved staff- recommended text amendments included:
o Limiting accessory structure size in Residential 1 districts
o Revising Sections 36-5 and 36-70 to clarify front yard setback measurements (from road
centerline)
o Eliminating outdated references to “markers” in the Lake Structures
Ordinance, aligning language with Marine Commission regulations
Storm Recovery Support: Continued assisting owners of Hurricane Helene–affected properties with floodplain regulations, permitting, and federal cleanup assistance. Worked with the Army Corps on the Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) program—40 damaged lake structures have been submitted for inclusion. As of June 28, the Corps announced only boathouses (not docks) with non-solid pilings will be eligible for removal.
Cell Tower Permitting: Progressed in reviewing permits for a new cell tower to serve Lake Lure. Due to shoreline erosion, the proposed site has been shifted approximately 90 feet north on the same parcel. Construction is still anticipated to begin by late July.
Staffing Efforts: Began interviewing candidates for a new Permit Review Specialist to focus on the Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program. One offer was declined due to salary requirements; the recruitment process is ongoing.
Fire / Emergency Management Department Report
The Fire / Emergency Management Department responded to 33 fire, medical, and rescue calls throughout June. Firefighters also completed 1,039 hours of training, reflecting the department's continued commitment to readiness and skill development.
Top Accomplishments & Project Highlights
Personnel & Training:
o Firefighters continued training in Fire Ground Operations 5.
o New firefighters attended orientation at Cleveland Community College.
o Gabe Karabelski successfully passed the State EMT certification exam.
o Worked on the NCSFA Pension Fund and maintained SCBA equipment.
Incident Response:
o Responded to various incidents including fire alarms, mulch fires, water leaks, a sewage leak at Station 2 (Rumbling Bald), and multiple medical emergencies (including chest pain and a fall with
head injury).
o Provided traffic control, tree and utility line clearing, and assisted with confined space entry and lockout responses.
Support & Coordination:
o Assisted Hydro staff with dam operations.
o Relocated the fire boat in response to lake level changes.
o Assisted Law Enforcement and EMS on joint calls.
Facilities & Equipment:
o Conducted cleanup and maintenance at Station 2.
Police Department Report
The Police Department continues to manage routine operations while actively supporting storm recovery efforts. As traffic increases and heavy machinery moves through town, officers have been monitoring roadway activity to ensure safety and order. Additionally, the Department will begin operating out of its new office at 920 Buffalo Creek Road in The Landings, effective July 1.
Top Accomplishments & Project Updates:
Lake Patrol & Public Compliance: Officers have been actively patrolling the lake bed to enforce the proclamation suspending lake access. Patrols are being conducted both on foot and via drone. Public cooperation has been outstanding—citizens have played a key role by reporting violations. The Department credits public awareness and outreach efforts for the increased understanding of the lake closure's importance.
Home Watch Program: The longstanding Home Watch Program continues to provide valuable assistance to residents who are away for extended periods. This trusted service remains a priority and a point of pride for the Department.
Flag Day Ceremony: The Town’s Flag Day celebration saw strong attendance. Corporal Tyler Dills was honored to carry the flag to the Gazebo, marking the official start of the program.
July 4th Event Preparations: Staff are actively preparing for the upcoming Independence Day celebration hosted by the new owners of the Lake Lure Inn & Spa. This marks the first major public event since Hurricane Helene. A combination of reserve and off- duty officers will be deployed throughout the town to assist with traffic management and ensure public safety during the festivities.
Parks, Recreation & Lake Department Report
The Parks, Recreation, and Lake Department remains focused on restoration and recovery of public spaces impacted by Hurricane Helene. In addition, the Department is leading regular water sampling efforts to monitor and protect the environmental health of the lake. Test results are being published on the Town of Lake Lure website for transparency and public awareness.
Top Accomplishments & Project Updates:
Volunteer Support: A total of 161 volunteer hours were logged, representing a value of $5,391.89 (at $33.49/hour), supporting park and lake restoration efforts.
Trail System Recovery: Landslide assessments at Buffalo Creek Park and Weed Patch Mountain concluded with positive results. Both areas have been deemed stable, allowing for safe rebuilding of trail connections.
Vessel Reunification & Auction: Staff successfully reunited 74 non-motorized vessels with their owners following displacement during the hurricane. Unclaimed vessels will be auctioned through Auctions International beginning July 1.
Finance Department Report
The Finance Department continues to manage daily financial operations, support ongoing FEMA and ICF coordination for Hurricane Helene funding, and is actively preparing the Town’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Top Accomplishments & Project Updates
FY 25–26 Budget Adoption: The FY 2025–2026 Budget Ordinance was formally adopted. Revenue and expenditure accounts have been established for the new fiscal year.
Financial Reporting: A Revenue and Expenditure Report with beginning balances is provided as a supplement to this monthly update.
Town Financial Position: The Town currently holds an unreconciled bank balance of approximately $8.1 million across all funds excluding special revenue (Dam Fund), which holds a separate balance of $8 million. The Town’s financial position remains
strong and will be further improved by pending State revenue replacement, FEMA reimbursements, and ARPA reimbursements.
FY 2024 Audit Preparation: The department remains fully engaged in the FY 2024 financial review. Initial sampling requests from the audit firm have been completed, with additional samples submitted. The team is working to
finalize the remaining items from the materials list within the next two weeks.
Spending Oversight: Finance staff are reviewing departmental purchasing requests following Town Manager approval. This early analysis helps identify spending trends and ensures that department budgets are properly
structured with reasonable and accurate line-item allocations.
Communications Department Report
Communications Director Laura Krejci continues to lead extensive community outreach efforts, which have significantly increased due to ongoing storm recovery operations. In the past month, she has published 43 articles and news updates across the Town’s website, Facebook, and via email hyperlink distribution. Director Krejci is also actively engaged in grant writing and funding coordination. She is managing FEMA and other agency-related reimbursement efforts and recently secured reimbursement from NCDEQ DSO for expenses tied to the ongoing field investigation project. Guidance indicates that future grant opportunities will become available upon completion of these investigations in the coming months. In addition, she submitted a grant application to Dogwood Trust to support workforce housing initiatives. Alongside these efforts, Director Krejci continues to lead the Town’s events
coordination team and ensures residents and stakeholders are kept well-informed of upcoming programs and updates.
Top Highlights & Project Updates:
National Media Engagement: Coordinated media coverage with a wide range of outlets, including Fox News, Reuters, and CBS 60 Minutes, arranging interviews with Town officials, key stakeholders, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and political representatives Paul Scott and Tim Moffitt.
Social Media Management: Managed a rapidly growing social media presence. The Town’s follower count has exceeded 38,000, with over 472,000 page views and 8,900 interactions this month alone. Public feedback remains mostly positive, and all inquiries are monitored and responded to daily.
Storm Recovery Communication: Maintained transparency with weekly storm recovery updates, posted to both the Town website and Facebook, reaching a peak audience of 138,000 this month.
Community Engagement & Responsiveness: Responded to a continuous stream of public inquiries received via the Town’s online platforms, email, and phone.
Event Coordination: Coordinated the 2025 Flag Day Ceremony held on June 13, 2025, in partnership with the Police Department.
Manager / Administration Department Report
June was a dynamic and productive month, marked by a high volume of staff, council, and board meetings, as well as ongoing efforts to navigate the evolving landscape of post-storm recovery and day-to-day operations.
Top Highlights & Project Updates
FEMA Coordination & Recovery Funding: Continued weekly coordination meetings with FEMA to advance public assistance projects. Partnered with disaster recovery firm ICF to secure funding and plan long-term recovery efforts through Public Assistance, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR).
Project Obligations & Reimbursements: Eight FEMA-funded projects have now been obligated. One large project requires a reimbursement request process, which has already begun. To date, the Town has received $2,303,666.17 for five projects. Two additional project reimbursements totaling $21,505.75 are pending. Several other projects are nearing obligation status.
Lago Vista Road Extension: Collaborated with Odom Engineering to solicit and review bids for the extension of Lago Vista Road, aimed at improving access to Chimney Rock State Park. The Town is currently working with our lobbyist and state agencies to explore partnership opportunities to support the project.
Chimney Rock State Park Bridge Planning: Attended a meeting with NCDOT and the State Historic Preservation Office to provide input on aesthetics and emergency access needs for the permanent bridge and turnaround at Chimney Rock State Park which is in the planning phase. Follow-up discussions are anticipated as this project progresses.
Employee Benefits Transition: Entered into a one-year agreement with Hilb Group for employee insurance benefits beginning July 1, 2025, following NCLM’s discontinuation of coverage. Human Resources and Finance staff were instrumental in soliciting and evaluating competitive bids to secure high-quality benefits at a favorable cost.
Tainter Gate Repairs: Schnabel Engineering conducted an inspection of the tainter gates. Based on their findings, the Town Council approved a work order for the design of necessary repairs.
Town Hall Relocation & Lease Agreement: Negotiated a month-to-month lease with The Landings to house temporary Town Hall and Police Department offices. This move addresses operational challenges due to limited space and is expected to boost morale, improve productivity, and provide dedicated meeting areas for council and boards.
Flowering Bridge Demolition: Expecting advanced funding through NCEM for demolition of the deteriorating Flowering Bridge after FEMA denied the Town's request for USACE assistance. Bids for the demolition are under review; however, a demolition schedule has not yet been finalized.
Storm Recovery Coordination: Continued weekly storm recovery briefings with Town Council to maintain momentum and alignment on key projects.
Sewer Replacement Project: Met with LaBella Engineering to review current task orders and progress on the sewer replacement project. Upcoming phases for the sewer project are under NC DEQ review. The Town is proactively preparing for easement needs as designs are finalized.
Comprehensive Plan Kickoff: Held a pre-kickoff meeting for the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. An 11-member Steering Committee—including Town staff, elected officials, business owners, residents, and community leaders—will begin meeting in July to guide the plan's development.
