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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Fearrington Homeowners Association

JULY   2003  MINUTES

DATE:         7/1/03

PRESENT:    Richard Bird, Frank Chut, Jerry Gaudet, Mary Hammond, Cynthia Jones, Nancy Kern, Al Lebeau

ABSENT:     Joyce Berg, John Custer, Jay Olson

GUESTS:     Marilyn Band, Bill Kern, Tom Hauck, Larry Myers, Nancy And Bob Oram,

APPROVED:    9/2/03

President Kern called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.

1. Resident input - none

2. Approval of minutes -The minutes of the June 3 meeting were approved.

3. Treasurer Frank Chut reported that we were on budget for the year except for an increase in office expenses related to the computer committee. He also stated he had inventoried the safe deposit box with President Kern and located several deeds. His report (Appendix A) was approved.

4. Issues requiring immediate attention - none

5. Old Business - none

6. New Business - none

7. Committee Reports

1. Community affairs - nothing to report

2. Gathering Place - no report

3. Grounds and facilities - In John Custer's absence, Richard Bird and Jerry Gaudet presented a motion regarding resurfacing the Smokehouse Kiosk parking lot. Custer has obtained revised estimates for the process, which has been discussed at several recent FHA meetings.

The choices are: (1) to perform a major upgrade of the gravel structure by scraping, replacing and re-compacting the base and then placing a new top course of aggregate. This would cost $1,750. The contractor estimates that annual maintenance, at a cost of approximately $200, would keep the area in good shape or (2) pave the area (Fine grade the existing stone base; add 2" stone base; place and compact 2" asphalt surface course; and layout and paint pavement markings). The cost of this work would be $11,500.

He favors the upgrading of the gravel rather than paving. There is not a convincing groundswell for the paving, and the expense would reduce FHA reserves. He believes that future budgets should include a significant amount for work of this type.

Motion: move that the board approve the expenditure of up to $2,000 for the upgrading of the gravel driveway and parking area at the Smokehouse Kiosk.

Tom Hauck asked if John had obtained an estimate for partial paving as previously discussed. Richard Bird said that the gravel would be a good start and partial paving could be considered later. The motion was passed unanimously.

4. Gathering Place Office - nothing to report

5. County Liaison Director Al Lebeau reported that the County Commissioners unanimously adopted a FY 2003/04 budget which retains the current property assessment of 64.64 cents/$100. The public school system budget was increased by $745,727, but less than the $1,000,000 requested by school officials bringing the budget to $14,137,291. They approved $217,000 to fully fund a $100/year increase to the teacher's supplements. They also approved the Sheriff's Office budget, which includes the purchase of four new vehicles and not the eight requested.

The Commissioners recently refinanced the county's indebtedness by taking advantage of the current interest rates. This may save the county between $500,000 to $600,000 over the remaining 12-year life of the two school bonds.

Ron Singleton, the County's Public Works Commissioner who resigned earlier this year, prepared a report to the Commissioners citing the issues which prompted his resignation. Singleton's concern is over the relationship between the County Manager, Charlie Horne and the engineering firm of Hobbs, Upchurch and Associates, which has worked sole source on many county projects since 1990. After reviewing the report the Commissioners voted unanimously to send a copy of it to the NC Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers along with a letter from County Attorney Bob Gunn requesting "review and recommendation of any matter affecting professional standards of engineers."

The Pittsboro Commissioner's recently requested permission of the General Assembly to de-annex the Pittsboro Christian Village so Pittsboro could charge them outside water rates, which are roughly double the in town rates.

Village Administrator Dave Dewhurst, asked the Pittsboro Commissioners to reconsider their action since he believes the town would lose not only property tax revenue but also the Village's contribution to the town's total road mileage, which affects the amount of road money the town receives from the state. If the issue is not withdrawn it will wind its way through the legislative process. Some believe the state will not approve the request since it would set a precedent and create a ripple effect with communities through out the state.

Voters will be electing three new county commissioners in November.

A recent vote by the House Finance Committee favored Butner in Granville County as the site of the new mental health hospital. The Appropriations Committee and the full Senate also approved the site decision.

The Weyerhaeuser Company recently announced that in July it would sell 8,815 acres of land, at 23 sites, in the county. Of those sites 440 acres, on two parcels, are located north of Pittsboro while the remainder are south of route 64. The largest parcel lies south of Siler City. The 8,815 acres in Chatham County represents only a portion of more than 50,000 acres in NC that the company is selling. Sale of timberlands appears to be a trend in the forest product industry.

The NCDOT has received the Commissioners endorsement of their secondary road improvement projects, which anticipates spending $2,054,119 for secondary road improvements in the county during FY 2003/04.

(Appendix B)

Marilyn Brand asked if we had any secondary roads in the Village. Board members felt we have tertiary roads.

8. Financial Officer - nothing to report

9. Resident input - Bob Oram asked who was responsible for the streetlights. He was told the power company assesses individual residents. He reported that several were staying on all day. He said he would notify the power company.

10. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2, 2003 at 7 p.m.

11. The Meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,   
Mary Hammond, Secretary

Addendum: at the 6/23/03 work session the FHA Board determined that the FHA database was FHA property and absent adequate controls over privileged information, could not be shared with other Village groups.