By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Editor
The Seven Lakes West Landowners’ Association board presided over its annual community meeting on March 18.
The annual meeting, required by the North Carolina Planned Community Act (NCPCA), was attended by around 50 Seven Lakes West landowners.
Two open board seats were filled by nominated candidates Kevin Frost and James Winkley. Originally, four candidates were on the nominating slate, but two withdrew from the race before ballots were mailed.
Frost, appointed to the board in 2024, was elected for a three-year term with 458.5 votes. The .5 represents a vote from a half-lot landowner. Frost also serves as the race director of the Lake Auman 5K and has assisted with many community events.
Winkley was also elected to a three-year term with 414.5 votes. Winkley has been a landowner for three years and is building a home. An anesthesiologist, he has served in leadership roles in his church and as a youth sports coach.
The 2025-26 budget, which includes an $87 dues increase, received 535.5 votes cast: 266.5 voted in favor of the budget and 269 voted against the budget. Seven Lakes West follows NCPCA regulations for voting. Those rules specify that any budget vote is based on the amount of total landowners, not the amount of votes cast — so the budget is ratified as long as the majority of landowners do not vote “no.” Since less than half of landowners voted, the budget is approved.
The spending plan of $4.05 million includes an operating budget of $2.35 million and capital expenditures of $1.7 million.
The largest capital expenditure is designated for road and culvert improvements at $1.2 million. These funds are in addition to the $860,000 capital expense line item for the fiscal year 2024-2025.
Other projected capital spending includes $200,000 for a pickleball court; $30,000 for Johnson Point Marina bumper rails and pedestal; $30,000 for speed monitoring equipment; $80,000 for dam related projects and $150,000 for pond No. 3, dam 2.
The big picture of the work of the board and the 17 committees it oversees was presented by the board members, each speaking to their areas of oversight. Projects large and small have been planned, implemented or are in process. A few of the many initiatives are highlighted below.
The Lake and Dam committees oversaw various projects, including:
* establishing a boater assistance hotline program;
* completing a bathymetric survey of the ponds to explore sediment and vegetation control options;
* developing a Lake Auman Fishery Enhancement plan;
* maintaining the integrity of the dam through inspections and timely repairs;
* participating in a tabletop exercise with county emergency personnel;
* designing and installing an access bridge to the main spillway; and
* working to complete the main spillway protection project and repairs to the emergency spillway.
The Comprehensive Lake Study Ad-hoc Committee has been tasked with soliciting bids, selecting an institutional proposal and overseeing the research process and results. The two-phase study is underway.
In the fall of 2024, Water Environmental Consultants was hired to complete a wake study report to estimate the effects of boat wakes as compared to typical wind-generated waves on the wake. A preliminary report is in the process of review and will be communicated with the community when they are final. This second phase is a biology of the lake study. The proposal will be reviewed by the board at an upcoming meeting.
If the board elects to accept the bid, UNC Institute of Marine Sciences will collect monthly water samples from six areas of the lake for a period of year. These same areas were studied in 2002. The comparison of data between the two studies will provide additional information about any significant changes over the last two decades.
The Safety and Security Committee has prioritized front-gate entry and improving secure entry for over 1,000 residents and 750 guests and visitors daily. Improvements to the QR technology in which QR codes change every 15 seconds now make it harder for QR codes to be shared through screenshots. Large red signs were placed at the back gate to deter large trucks and delivery trucks trying to enter. Combined with a newly installed intercom system, there have been improvements in deterring unapproved entry.
Seeking to ensure safety at Johnson Point and to reduce unauthorized personnel, the committee tested a program on July 4, providing additional security to monitor boats and people. After a successful pilot, there will be additional security for eight hours on Saturdays and Sundays and an additional day of the week this summer. The Moore County Sheriff’s Office is also a partner in providing security in Seven Lakes West.
Other security initiatives involve making progress on securing the perimeter through fencing, speed monitoring and placing additional fire hydrants.
The Infrastructure Committee completed a mailhouse renovation and has several projects in the works, including Dam 2 renovations, RV/Boat Storage expansion, patchwork on roads and road construction storm drainage repairs. A renovation of the guard house to upgrade facilities including communication access is planned and with a small fire in the building in March, has become an even higher priority.
The growth of the community is reflected in the volume of work done by the Architectural Review Committee, which oversaw over 500 permit requests for both homeowner projects and new builds last year. The average turnover for owner projects was 3.78 days and the average turnover for new builds was three to four weeks. They anticipate about 45 new builds over the next year.
Following the annual meeting, the board met in executive session to appoint leadership roles: Frank Ingham, president; Jim Christner, vice president; Rita Wanser, secretary; Kevin Gustafson, treasurer; Kevin Frost, Director 1; Jim Winkley, Director 2; and Cathie Koppenhoefer, Director 3.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
