Acquisition of private property along Hwy 211 is underway and the long-awaited road widening project is anticipated to commence in June or July 2011, with completion expected in 2012.
    Reporting for the NC-Department of Transportation, John ‘JT’ Blade, laid out this timetable during an informational presentation to the Moore County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, January 13.
    Tate provided maps of the $31 million dollar project and a broad overview; however, as a right-of-way agent rather than an engineer, he was unable to answer many of the questions presented.
    The seven-plus mile stretch of roadway from NC Hwy 73 West in West End to the Pinehurst traffic circle will be expanded to a divided four-lane highway with landscaped medians and cross-over points.
    “Our top down view — how it will look at the end of the day — is two lanes each way spanning twenty-four feet, with a one to three foot median,” said Tate.
    The plan calls for two lanes to enter the traffic circle, but with one lane remaining dedicated to Hwy 2 East traffic — a less traveled option — there should be little improvement to the existing traffic snag at that location.
    “From my observation, probably ninety-five percent or more of traffic on 211 entering the circle is headed for 15-501 or Hwy 2 towards the airport. I’m wondering what will be done to avoid a backup of cars — backups that now extend to Page Road,” said Bill Price, a Seven Lakes West resident present at the meeting.
    Tate’s response, that concerns such as Price’s would be taken back to the engineers in the NC-DOT office in Aberdeen for review, drew frustration from the small public assembly.
    “It boggles my mind that this has not been taken into consideration,” said Pinewild resident Ralph Redmond. “That circle has been a problem for I don’t know how long.”
    Price also questioned Tate on the proposed road design at West End.
    “How will you handle traffic flow on 211 from four lanes to two lanes? Why stop at 73 and not extend [four lanes] to Seven Lakes? A lot of traffic coming east and south originates there,” said Price.
    Representing the Save Our Sandhills [SOS] organization, West End resident Ruth Stolting expressed concern that future projects must be considered in road planning.
    “Pine Forest Development, Stonehill Pines, and Dormie Club — all will have a tremendous impact,” said Stolting, estimating that the three new major subdivisions total combined traffic flow could add approximately 21,000 cars per day onto NC Hwy 211 headed towards the circle.
    “I don’t know whether the answer to the problem is in the double lanes presented. I’m concerned you’ll get people on these four lanes stuck at either end,” said Stolting. “Maybe instead it should be looked at how to get the traffic around. Maybe we need a different kind of connector — maybe this is not really solving the problem.”
    Tate said the proposed plan was not set in stone and that ideas, recommendations, or inquiries should be directed to NCDOT’s Division 8 office in Aberdeen, at 944-2344.

    Talis Management Group has been selected to manage the Seven Lakes Landowners Association [SLLA] and a formal three-year contract was signed before a packed room of residents during a Special Meeting held Thursday, January 14.
    On a roll call vote, the Board approved the contract with Talis 5-0. Director Bud Shaver was unable to attend the meeting and did not vote; however, President Randy Zielsdorf said that in Board discussions, Shaver had recommended approval for Talis. Director Gary Caulk also did not vote — choosing to abstain to avoid any potential conflict of interest because his wife, Debbie Caulk, is an employee of SLLA.
    New SLLA Community Manager Alina Cochran will take the helm on February 1, and was on hand at the meeting to greet landowners and answer questions, along with Talis President Vince Matal and John McInerney, a vice president and regional manager for the firm.
    Founded in 1991 by a merger of Ross Taylor Management and Southlantic Management, Talis is a full service property management firm based in Raleigh, providing services to 140 associations throughout the Triangle area of North Carolina.
    If at any time either Talis or SLLA decide they do not want to continue the relationship, the contract includes the option to cancel with sixty days notice.
    
Why Talis?
    Director Kent Droppers presented an overview of the management search and selection process, aptly titled “The Long and Winding Road.” He explained how the Board had explored a dual-path process over the past year, looking at individual manager candidates to lead the community, as well as at management companies. Droppers said, during the decision-making process, there had been Board support for each option; however, the majority leaned towards hiring a company.
    He explained that the Board has identified many things that must be accomplished over the next two years to take the community to the next level — and a competitive position with new area subdivisions.
    Talis was selected because they were “the best fit with Seven Lakes,” said Droppers. “They had a willingness to work with us and be flexible to structure management. They listened real hard to what we had to say.”

    Meeting in Work Session on Monday, January 11, the SLLA Board clarified their expectations of new management including a lengthy discussion on whether the new manager should be required to participate in community activities ‘outside the gates.’
    “As their time opens up and is available, I think we should give them a list of activities they should be aware of,” Director Sally Kindsvatter said.
    Treasurer Denny Galford agreed, noting that it is important for the Community Manager to understand the area so that Seven Lakes will remain competitive, especially as new subdivision developments come on-line.
    Director Kent Droppers suggested the new manager, as well as other community managers, should be encouraged to attend meetings of the Greater Seven Lakes Community Council, “To build those bridges. They’ll have interface and get to know each other.”
    Droppers also recommended forming a Board subgroup that would meet monthly with the new Community Manager to provide feedback and performance evaluation.
    Galford concurred, “The most important factor for the Board of Directors is to process — to evaluate the new Community Manager. This has been our shortcoming over all the years.”
    In a related conversation, the Board continued a discussion on improving committee continuity from year to year, director to director.
    Zielsdorf said he sees continuity in committees as a task for both directors and the manager.
    “If management is doing their job, they should provide the bulk of continuity between one board to the next,” he said.

Monday, January 18
•    Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday, January 19
•    Moore County Literacy Council – Orientation 1- 2 pm, workshops for volunteers who would like to become adult tutors. .Volunteers are required to attend Orientation required prior to a training session. Tutor Training sessions continues on January 26, 27 (Tues & Wed) 9 am - 4 pm. Donations will be accepted to defray the cost of materials. Bring a lunch. Register one week prior to session. All sessions held at Emmanuel Youth House, 385 E Indiana, Southern Pines. Registrations may be made by phone, (910)692-5954 or e-mail, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
•    Moore County Board of Commissioners – 6 pm, at Historic Courthouse, downtown, Carthage.
•    WEPC and Chapel in the Pines Alzheimer and Dementia Program – 7 pm, Sangeeta Varanasi, M. D. will conduct a program on dementia, dealing with Alzheimer’s and other debilitating forms of dementia. Dr. Varanasi is in charge of Pinehurst Medical Clinic’s Geriatric and Memory Disorders Clinic, where her consultant-only practice is dedicated to the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of memory related issues. Sponsored by the Adult Academy of West End Presbyterian Church and Seven Lakes Chapel in the Pines. The program will be held at the Seven Lakes Chapel in the Pines. The public is invited to attend and there is no charge.

Wednesday, January 20
•    H1N1 Flu Vaccinations  – 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, at Sandhills Community College.  Moore County Health Department will be conducting an H1N1 flu vaccination clinic at Sandhills Community College at 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst.  In the Dempsey Student Center. The H1N1 flu vaccination is available for anyone who wants to receive it.  There is no charge and insurance cards are not needed. For more information, call the Moore County Health Department at 910-947-3300 or visit the website at www.moorecountync.gov/health.
•    Standard First Aid – 6 - 9 pm,  Red Cross Introductory Certification Course. Certification Fee $35.  115 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Fees must be paid in advance. Class size is limited. Fees are nonrefundable, but they may be applied to another course. 692-8571

Thursday, January 21
•    CPR/AED for the Healthcare Provider  –  9 am - 4 pm, Red Cross Introductory Certification Course.  Certification Fee $60. 115 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Fees must be paid in advance. Class size is limited. Fees are nonrefundable, but they may be applied to another course. 692-8571
•    First Health Fitness Center – 10 am -2:30 pm, American Red Cross Blood  Donation Site. 170 Memorial Dr., Pinehurst. Appt call 715-1800.
•    Seven Lakes Forum – 4 pm,  Contemporary research in genetics and molecular biology has indicated that there are many possibilities for modifying the physical characteristics of human beings, including the elimination of some of the currently incurable diseases which severely affect the quality of human life. Dr. Lynn Elwell, a nationally-recognized biotechnology researcher, consultant and prolific author in the field will present the topic entitled Human Gene Therapy:  Promises and Risks. Held on the upper level of the West Side Park Community Center. All women and men from Seven Lakes, and their guests, are invited to attend. For more information, contact Bill Mamel (673-8970). Next Forum: Thursday, February 18, 4 pm. Tentative title:   Continuing Care Retirement Communities: Industry Trends for the New Generation of Consumers
•    Wine Tasting – at Sandhills Winery 5 to 8 pm. Located in Seven Lakes Plaza next to Peking Wok.
•    Blues Concert – 6 pm, The O’Neal School is delighted to have former student and local music instructor, Baxter Clement, to host a Blues Concert in the theater of O’Neal’s new Activities Center. The concert will be celebrating the history of the American Blues. Actors will help tell the Blues story along with musical performances by several area students. The public is invited to attend this event Free of charge.
•    Adult/Infant/Child CPR/AED Review – 6 - 8:30 pm, *Prerequisite: Participant should hold current or recently expired certification in the review subject. Certification fee $25. 115 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Fees must be paid in advance. Class size is limited. Fees are nonrefundable, but they may be applied to another course. 692-8571
•    Moore County Amateur Radio Society (MOCARS) – 7 pm, monthly meeting at Moore County Emergency Operations Center (lower level), 105 Saunders Street, Carthage. Meeting will focus on planning for 2010 activities including a technician and general class licensing courses, VEC examinations and other activities and staffing support for the Uwharrie Mountain Run Saturday, February 6. Next VEC examination is Saturday January 23,  10 am at Moore County Library, Carthage.  Exam fee $12 (cash only) and a copy of a photo ID plus copy of FCC license, if any, are required. Contact Charles Wackerman 910.947.2707 for testing details. Anyone with an interest in amateur radio is welcome to attend the monthly meetings, classes and examinations. Contact James Johnson, PIO, 910.400.3019.

Friday, January 22
•    Moore Co. Red Cross – 10 am - 2:30 pm, American Red Cross Blood  Donation Site,  Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Appt call 692-8571.

Saturday, January 23
•    Drop-In Wine Tasting – 1 - 5 pm at Sandhills Winery. At least five types or varietals to educate your palate. Located in Seven Lakes Plaza, next to Peking Wok.
•    Super Bowl Party and Other Hearty Dishes for the Season – at 1 pm, with Carmela Chase and Marjorie Nurnberg at Seven Lakes West Side Park Community Center. A sample of the featured recipes include: Hearty Potato and Cheddar with Bacon Soup, Spicy Hot Wings with Blue Cheese Sauce, Jambalaya, and other dishes and desserts that can be made ahead, easily and quickly. Everyone will partake in tasting of all the dishes and receive copies of the recipes. Program sponsored by West Side Community Activities Committee. Cost $12.50 per person. For information and to register for the program, call 673-5314.

Sunday, January 24
•    Mary Wayne Watson, PhD. – 2 pm, Dr. Watson is a lecturer, writer, and English professor at Nash Community College. She will present a program on the Scottish culture and customs of the Sandhills. Watson is a native of Scotland County, the niece of a legendary North Carolina poet Charles McNeill. This program is free and open to the public. Held at First Baptist Church, 200 E. New York Ave., Southern Pines. Project is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is sponsored by the non-profit Moore County Historical Association. For details, call (910) 692-2051, weekdays between 1 and 4 pm.

   Controversy and questions over a proposed annexation agreement with Pinehurst drew a standing room only crowd to the Foxfire Village Council meeting on Tuesday, January 12. Following a heated discussion period that resulted in one resident being escorted from the room, the Council approved the agreement in a 3-2 split vote.
   However, without a fourth nod -- a super majority vote, if you will -- the Council will follow the recommendation of Village Attorney Michael Brough and conduct a second vote on the annexation agreement at a Special Meeting on Thursday, January 14 at 3:00 pm at Foxfire's Village Hall. If the vote remains 3-2 or better in favor of the agreement, that will secure its approval.
   The large crowd -- and controversy -- was in marked contrast to the relatively benign previous Council discussions on the agreement. A special work session called in November to go over details was sparsely attended, and only a handful of residents spoke at two public hearings on the proposal held in December.
   The opposition is mainly focused on two points: that Foxfire is giving up too much prime commercial property along NC Highway 211, and that rural residents between the two villages have not been given notice or enough opportunity for input.
   Councilwomen Page Coker and Leslie Frusco both oppose the agreement, along with Tom Collins, chair of the Foxfire Quality Assurance Team, and Parks Committee Chair Jack Olsen. Voting in favor of the agreement -- a document they say is a necessary planning tool for both villages -- are Mayor George Erickson, and Councilmen Ed Lauer and Vic Koos.
   
Agreement in the works for eight months
   Negotiations on the twenty-year annexation agreement began eight months ago, with Erickson and Lauer representing Foxfire, and were first reported by The Times in our June 12, 2009 issue; however, several residents of the outlying affected areas have only just recently become aware of the discussion.
   As proposed, the agreement sets aside land that would be off-limits to each village for future annexation. The map was recently revised to move the Lake Diamond subdivision -- a rurally located, thirty-home lake community -- into the area open to annexation by Foxfire rather than Pinehurst.
   That change was the result of an appeal by Richard Shearer and Chris Nelsen, a resident of Lake Diamond and the president of the community's property owner’s association. In December, the Lake Diamond representatives approached the Foxfire Council and asked that Lake Diamond be brought into the potential Foxfire annexation area -- a request that was supported by Pinehurst -- and the map was duly amended.
   The revised map now extends the Foxfire reserved area north from the Foxfire Village center to Hwy 211 and then west to NC Hwy 73W; east beyond the Stonehill Pines development to encompass Lake Diamond, and south beyond Roseland Road. The area reserved for Pinehurst heads north from Roseland Road, skirting east of Lake Diamond, Stonehill Pines, and the existing Foxfire Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction [ETJ], and ultimately crosses over NC Hwy 211 from near Ellis Road all the way to NC Hwy 73E in West End: an area that includes nearly all of the 1,800 acre Pine Forest Development — a major subdivision and resort complex currently under review by the Moore County Planning Board.

    Looking to rebuild its reserve funds after spending more than $500,000 on repairs to the Lake Auman dam, the Westside Board on Friday approved a dues increase of thirty-six percent on improved lots and sixty-nine percent on unimproved lots.
    Homeowners will see their annual dues increase from $705 to $960, while the dues for lot owners will jump from $425 to $720. Members of the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] will be asked to ratify the increases by voting to approve the Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget at the annual meeting in March.
    The West Side last increased dues in FY 2007-2008, by roughly five percent.
    "We have advanced our dues significantly," Director John Hoffmann said after the Board's vote to approve the new Fee Schedule, "under the overarching premise of building reserves. I don't think anyone can fault us for that. We just spent a half million dollars on the dam, and we have the schedules for road paving and so forth that show we need the money to be out there at X date. So everything we are doing is very fiscally sound."
    Board members acknowledged that, because previous boards had deferred dues increases in order to allow all Westside neighborhoods to reach dues parity, they were faced with asking the landowners to approve an unusually large increase this year.
    "We're establishing the baseline from which future increases are going to be, percentage-wise, significantly smaller than this," Secretary Ed Tuton noted.
    Still, Community Manager Joan Frost said, Westside dues are a bargain. "Of all the communities we manage, you have tremendous amenities, beautiful amenities, for a very, very low rate," Frost said.
    Dues parity became an issue for the Association when the Westside neighborhoods were merged into a single Association in 2004. Beacon Ridge and Pinnacle landowners were paying dues significantly lower than those paid by landowners in Seven Lakes West proper. A schedule of regular increases for Beacon Ridge and The Pinnacle was negotiated as part of the merger agreement. Last year, all communities reached the point at which their dues were equal.
    The Board's approval of the dues increase was made contingent on a review of the Association's legal documents by Director Ed Silberhorn. Silberhorn and other Board members recalled being told, at some point, that the ratio of homeowner's vs. lot owner's dues was stipulated in the Association's legal documents. Though that seemed likely to turn out to be an urban legend, Silberhorn planned to review all of the documents to make sure — including all six sets of covenants for the various neighborhoods that make up Seven Lakes West.
    A presentation on the FY 2010-2011 budget is planned for the January 26 evening Board Meeting. Annual meeting packets will be mailed out shortly thereafter, including a ballot that will allow landowners to vote on the budget approved by the Board on Friday.

    The nearly 1,800-acre Pine Forest Development got a green light from the Moore County Planning Board Thursday night, December 10, despite strong opposition from conservation-minded citizens.
    Continuing a hearing that began in November, the Planning Board heard from area residents who spoke both for and against the subdivision and golf resort that will spread north of NC Hwy 211 from near Hoffman Road to West Pine Middle School. In the end, Board members voted unanimously to recommend approval — subject to conditions — of the Planned Unit Development - Hamlet [PUD-H] rezoning requested by Pinehurst developer Bob Hansen, of MHK Ventures, Inc. The rezoning request will now come before the Board of Commissioners for final approval.
    As presented, Pine Forest will include two gated communities with a combined maximum of 890 residential units, including up to 300 hotel rooms; two eighteen-hole golf courses each with its own clubhouse, plus a nine-hole course; a conference center; a commercial center near the main entrance on Hwy 211; and a small "farmer’s market" retail area at a secondary entrance to be located on NC Hwy 73. The main Pine Forest entrance would be at a new intersection, with traffic signals, approximately a quarter mile west of Archie Road.
    
Moore County’s Last, Best Longleaf Forest
    Developer Hansen had previously estimated the cost of Pine Forest at $60 to $80 million “just to get started.” In Thursday's public hearing, local and state conservationists were more concerned about the ecological value of the undeveloped tract, which they characterized as one of the last — and perhaps the largest — intact Longleaf pine forest ecosystems remaining in Moore County. [Read one state botanist’s assessment here.]
    Rob Evans of the NC Department of Agriculture testified that the tract includes a section of the Nick’s Creek headwaters and meets criteria necessary to qualify as a plant conservation preserve.
    Several members of the Save Our Sandhills [SOS] organization expressed concern over Pine Forest's impact on water and natural resources. Calling the plan "precedent-setting" and "flawed," they argued that approval of such a massive subdivision failed to meet one of the key goals of the county's Land Use Plan: "to preserve the agricultural, rural, and small town environment of Moore County.”
    
Water from Montgomery County; Wastewater for Irrigation
    The county zoning ordinance requires that developers obtain from Moore County Public Utilities a certification that water is available to meet the needs of a proposed subdivision. Hansen is working with Public Utilities on a plan that will bring up to 300,000 gallons of water per day from neighboring Montgomery County via a new $3 million water line from Candor to Seven Lakes — to be funded by the developer.
    However, MHK's first step, if the project is approved by the Board of Commissioners, will be the construction of an on-site tertiary wastewater treatment plant. Described as a cast-in-place structure, rather than a "package plant," this facility will serve Pine Forest's homes, hotels, and commercial establishments, eliminating the need for individual septic systems. It will also provide treated wastewater to irrigate the golf courses and community landscaping — a water-conservation technique common in some parts of the country, but as yet rare in Moore County.
    Because Pine Forest will need the treated wastewater for irrigation before it has the residents, golfers, and hotel guests to provide the necessary untreated waste, MHK will accept 350,000 to 500,000 gallons per day of wastewater from the county’s existing sewer system, treat it, and use it for irrigation at both Pine Forest and the Dormie Club — another nearby golf community under development by Hansen.

[CORRECTION: Westside Community Manager Joan Frost tells The Times that the transfer fee discussed toward the end of this article is a processing charge that will NOT pay for stickers and barcodes. The board has voted to eliminate windshield stickers next year; barcodes will cost $20 per vehicle and are good as long as the vehicle is owned by the landowner.]

    Five Westsiders will compete for three open seats on the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board of Directors in elections that will be finalized at the Annual Meeting in March.
    Secretary Ed Tuton presented and won approval for the nominating committee's slate of candidates during the Tuesday, December 8 Board meeting. Those who have thrown their hats in to the ring are:
    •    Incumbent Director Mick Herdrich, a former Navy helicopter pilot with substantial career experience in Human Resources management, including stints with Pfizer and Fidelity Investments.
    •    Tom DiBella, a programmer and software analyst whose career includes business and financial systems design both at a large telecom firm and in his own consulting practice.
    •    Don Freiert, Jr., a CPA who served as VP - Corporate Real Estate for Nationwide Insurance, and held similar positions with Cardinal Health and Bank One.
    •    Jane Sessler, a doctor of dentistry who managed her own practice for 26 years, taught at the Columbia School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and currently works with FirstHealth's Children's Dental Centers.
    •    Joseph Sikes, a former Foreign Service Officer with the US State Department, who served in Ivory Coast, Rwanda, England, Senegal, and Sudan.
    The candidates will be introduced to the membership during the January 26 evening Board meeting.