On Tuesday, November 28th the Seven Lakes West Board of Directors held a meeting at the Seven Lakes West Clubhouse.
Attending the meeting was Community Manager Jeanette Mendence, Board Vice President Duane Coppeler, Mercedes Herdrich, Bob Van Houten, and the new Legal Director, Renee Staley Friar.
Friar is from Alaska and recently moved to Seven Lakes West over a year ago.
“It’s a pleasure to be n the Board,” she said.
Coppeler announced that only four Board members were attending the meeting due to the resignations of Board President Will Carpenter and Legal Director Carol Anderson. Parks Cobb was out of town on business and unable to attend the meeting.
Coppeler – now acting as President – explained that Carpenter’s resignation was in due to time constraints.
“He’s employed full time and has a little boy…,” Coppeler explained.
With the Board now lacking a significant number of members, Coppeler wrote and presented a letter to the Seven Lakes West community.
Board Member Bob Van Houten
“The government of Seven Lakes West has reached a critical crisis point,” he stated.
During the next election, four new Board Members will need to be elected to fill the open positions.
Coppeler suggested the option of the community resorting to paid professionals to run the community. This option, however, will result in a significant increase in dues. Alternate solutions were also discussed.
“It’s not easy to come up with solutions,” he said. “Even if you’re just thinking about [becoming a Board Member,] give us a call.”
Names for Board Member candidates must be submitted by December 19th in preparation for the next vote.
Herdrich explained that the legal committee is working on a new annexation agreement for Clubhouse Commons. Herdrich also verified that progress is being made with the RFID bar codes.
A motion was passed to change the wording of ARC Standard 6.08, expressing that contractors who fail to receive “both a Certificate of Completion from ARC and a Certificate of Occupancy from the County” may be subject to being banned from building in Seven Lakes West for up to one year in addition to paying a fine.
Herdrich presented the Treasure’s Report and acknowledged that the community would “see a positive variance [in its income] throughout the rest of the year.”
She then noted that the Board had received a positive response from the Moore County tax office in regard to two properties that were recently purchased by the community. The land was declared to be “open land” and is now tax exempt.
Coppeler stated that Seven Lakes West currently has forty-four houses under construction.
Mendence is still in the process of getting the mailboxes re-keyed. For those who have not paid for the use of their mailboxes, please contact her as soon as possible.
One woman stood before the Board and commended Mendence and Herdrich for doing something community members had “begged” them to do.
“I hope everyone has noticed the very clean white posts that street signs are attached to…,” she said. “They look lovely. Thank you.”
Another resident commented on the RFID bar codes and how they need passwords to keep information private.
“[You] can be tracked wherever you go,” he said.
The same resident asked the Board why it was difficult to keep and find good Board Members.
“In all disclosure, this board is a lot more work than when I was on the city council…,” Friar said. “It’s a labor of love.”
Mendence agreed that a position on the Board can take twenty hours of one’s time per week.
“I think one of the reasons Carol left,” Herdrich explained, “is that she was working between forty and sixty hours per week… [People] tend to take on more and more, and it finally does get to you.”
In addition to outsourcing Board positions, Herdrich suggested increasing the number of Board Members to help lighten the load. She explained that the Board used to have a total of nine members before being reduced to seven members.
Board Members Duane Coppeler & Mercedes Herdrich
“I’m blessed with the best Financial Committee and Insurance Committee ever,” she said. “If anyone runs for Board, get yourself the best committee that you can – a group of knowledgeable committed people that can take some of the burden off your shoulders.”
Coppeler stated that the ideal system would be for residents to join the committees and committee members would join the Board.
“I think you should all be commended,” one resident said. “I think you guys are doing a fantastic job and are underappreciated.”
The resident continued to point out the deer situation in the community and asked if anything could be done about it.
Coppeler replied that if the deer population becomes too much of a problem, they will issue a controlled kill.
Another resident explained that in Chapel Hill he would come home to a driveway full of five or six deer that were acclimated to people.
“As bad as it is, you ain’t seen nothing yet,” he said.
The Board announced that there will be an Adult Semi-Formal Christmas Party on December 9th at the Community Center from 7:30PM until midnight. Tickets are available in the office at the cost of $15 per person or $25 per couple.
