Party like it's 1776

To the Henderson County commissioners from Ron Redmon:

Your handling of this matter is completely out of line with the principles of democracy won by our Founders and enshrined in our Constitution. Your secrecy and disregard for the rights of those most immediately impacted by your decision are outrageous and not worthy of your oath of office. If you truly care about serving the people of Henderson County in a respectful way -- rather than perpetrating a raid both on our rights and our treasury under cover of protecting the sellers(!) -- you will delay action on this purchase until the people can be heard and the appropriate studies are completed. Shame!

Soccer complex or park?

You decide. This is the current proposed plan for the Highland Lake Park/Soccer Complex. You can clearly see how close the houses are and how large the soccer fields are, plus notice the additional entrances and exits that will be needed for increased parking, emptying onto a rural, curving road.

Can this road handle 1,000 cars?

Can this road handle the additional traffic that a nine-field soccer complex will bring to the area, especially since plans are to host regional tournaments? I don't think so...

Thanks where thanks are due

A good idea from Jane and John Bilello: don't forget to thank politicians who do the right thing. Here is their letter to Commissioner Larry Young, the only commissioner to vote against exercising the option agreement for the county purchase of the Highland Lake Golf Club:

Dear Commissioner Young,

We would like to thank you for your vote to reject the Soccer Complex proposal. We own two properties at Highland Golf and this complex not only would devalue the property there, but would have negative environmental impact (traffic, noise, lighting, crime, litter, etc.). It is obvious that this was not a well thought out plan and a plan we cannot afford. The lack of transparency on the part of the Board is appalling and most disturbing.

Is there any possibility that this decision could be reconsidered by the Board for vote? Is there any possibility that you would consider meeting with a group of concerned citizens in Flat Rock? We would like to personally thank you and to ascertain how best we can support you in your position.

Thank you. We look forward to your reply.

Golf community speaks up

From Amanda Stewart, a letter to the editor from the golfing community on what it would mean to lose the Highland Lake Golf Club:

To the Editor: On the eve of the Henderson County commissioners meeting, I have been going over the letters, expressing concerns, for and against the proposed Soccer Complex being considered for the Highland Lakes Golf Course property. Let me say, our son has participated in team sports as well as individual sports. Where most schools encourage students to work together, play together, work well with others, be a “team player,” they do not prepare our children for “real life.”

Golf gave our son invaluable life lessons. To achieve success from one's own making. If you work hard, practice, concentrate, reach for a goal, with honesty and integrity, you will succeed. Golf showed him he could excel as an individual. Golf helped prepare him for college, where the discipline he learned from the game, enabled him to study by himself and rely on “himself” to succeed. He was not a star player and did not receive any special compensation in which to base these comments on his success! How many of our concerned citizens have asked the question, "How many young people utilize Highland Golf Course?" How has it benefited in so many young persons' lives? Would it not be cost effective to have a muninicipal golf course in Henderson County?

Parents should look at team sports in a different way. Is their enthusiasm FOR their children or FOR themselves? Is their “gung ho” attitude about a new complex (that will impact so many Flat Rock Residents) giving them an outlet so they can be “rabid parents” cheering on their children, screaming at officials, and in turn embarrassing their children with their actions? Not all children enjoy these embarrassing “public” moments. Not all children want to play soccer because Mom and Dad want them to. Parents, spend some quality one on one time with your child. Take them to the golf course or do something as a family! You will build a relationship with your children which most families are missing today!

How many members of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners and Henderson County Soccer Association actually know the value of honesty? It seems like they all need a good lesson in golf.

"Costs blamed for ending soccer plan"

From today's Times-News, a front-page story by Gary Glancy on the Fletcher debacle:

[Clement Riddle,] the president of the Henderson County Soccer Association said his organization backed out of a lease agreement with the town of Fletcher this summer because it couldn’t generate the kind of financial support for a new soccer complex it has received for a Flat Rock site the county is close to purchasing. [my comment. - Too bad Clement Riddle forgot to tell the town of Fletcher that the Soccer Association was backing out of their deal.]

In August, the county entered into an optionto- buy agreement with the owners of Highland Lake Golf Course at a price of $1.15 million for the 65-acre property. The county wants to convert the course into a soccer complex and public park....

Still, Fletcher officials are unhappy that Riddle’s organization bailed out of a 25-year lease agreement — with an option for an additional 25 years — that took effect May 1 after two years of negotiations and planning.

Fletcher was to lease about half of a 100-acre piece of land donated by truck axle manufacturer ArvinMeritor, as part of an incentives deal with the town, for a sevenfield complex.

The town agreed not to charge the soccer association any rent for the first two years of the contract, and then would charge $10,000 per year for the next three years, with a percentage escalator taking effect thereafter....

“Understandably, our (town) council was a bit taken aback, that we had an arrangement with the Henderson County Soccer Association to do this on a property that’s a pretty good property to do this,” [Mark] Bieberdorf [Fletcher town manager] said. “It certainly fits. And then this (Highland Lake purchase) came up in one commissioners’ meeting and they took action on it. We were a little surprised to see it come about that quickly.”...

“The contract was approved by both parties and we were just waiting for them to break ground, and then we found out that the county apparently offered them another piece of property in a different part of the county,” [Town Councilman Bob] Davy said. “That golf course is costing the county a lot of money to begin with. If the county wanted to help put in soccer fields, they could have done it at a much cheaper price on the property out here in Fletcher, and, personally, I think it would have served the county better.”...

Graham Fields, assistant to the president at Park Ridge — which has pledged a $100,000 title sponsorship for the soccer complex — said the donation is an investment in the community and its future health, and that Park Ridge is leaving it to county leaders where the facility will be located....

Still, many residents who currently live near, or on top of, the golf course strongly oppose a soccer complex, fearing increased traffic, parking issues, noise and light pollution and decreased property values. They also are upset they were never consulted about the county’s plans and didn’t learn about it until after commissioners already approved it....

[County Commissioner Larry] Young [the only commissioner to vote against exercising the option agreement] also thinks the county and soccer association are underestimating the cost of renovating the golf course, and that when all is said and done, the county will have to raise taxes to pay for the project....

Read it all, and don't forget, negotiations by the County were over August 26, when they signed the option agreement--no more need for secrecy then. It should have been made public at that date, not two months later under deadlines.

And interesting how Park Ridge Health is backing off somewhat, saying they are just interested in creating places for healthy activity and are not committed to any one location.

For more on the Fletcher situation, see earlier posts on Fletcher Mayor Moore's letter to county board chairman Edney and the lease agreement the town of Fletcher has with the Henderson County Soccer Association. 

More letters about the soccer complex

Today's Times-News had several good letters to the editor on the soccer complex and surrounding issues. Go check them out!

Here's one that hasn't made it into the paper yet, from Beverly Stoney Johnson:

As a property owner in close proximity of the proposed soccer complex on Highland Lake, my main question is:

Why are most of the Henderson County Commissioners so determined to rush and build a large multi-field soccer complex off a narrow and winding road in the Village of Flat Rock???

It just seems in today's economic times, elected officials should be careful when committing tax dollars, even when private funding will off-set cost. A "park" serving the needs of golfers, children, handicapped visitors, tennis players, volleyball players, joggers and walkers, etc. should have the same amount of "good, high" land as alloted for soccer fields.

The HL Golf Course consists of a large percentage of "low" land in a flood plain. I appreciated the opportunity to speak to Dr. John Strickland (soccer board member) and Clement Riddle (HCSA) last week to address my concerns on the 9 proposed soccer fields ... but ... surprised to hear the soccer league expects to need more fields in the future. With so much land for sale at depressed values in Henderson County, the soccer league could/should purchase a larger land tract for their 9 fields and plan for future growth.

With all due respect to some supporters of the soccer plan, I HAVE attended many sports events in my life including soccer, and proudly cheered for my child or favorite team, being quite aware of noise volumes from excited players and spectators.

The noise and traffic generated from spectators and players on 9 soccer fields is not needed in close proximity to two churches holding Sunday worship services, historic homes around Highland Lake, or bordering quiet residential neighborhoods such as Statonwoods, Highland Lake Village, or Highland Golf Villas.

Have you written your elected officials yet?

Don't forget to write the Flat Rock mayor and village council and the members of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners to let them know how you feel about the proposed soccer complex and financial arrangement with the Henderson County Soccer Association.

Here's a letter sent that presents valid concerns with a suggested course of action--excellent!

Commissioners:

Flat Rock has been a peaceful quite [sic] village for more than 200 years; a refuge from illness, heat, and the stress of city life along the coast. It still attracts people for rest, relaxation, and recovery. The curving road along the Highland Lake Golf course is one of the main 'gateways' to Flat Rock. It is inviting because of its beauty and quietude.

A raucous noisy chaotic sports complex will ruin the historic ambiance and beauty of that 'gateway' into Flat Rock and will change the first impression of the village forever. That alone should cause pause to installation of the sports complex that it being forced into the quite [sic] neighborhoods bordering it.

Below are some of the flaws of the project:

• This sports complex installation is the wrong time in a severe economic down turn
• The wrong place because of proximity to existing quiet neighborhoods
• The wrong place because a better location is in Fletcher which the Soccer Association leased in 2009
• The wrong way because the legally required public hearings, have not to this day, been conducted
• The wrong way because there is the appearance of granting contracts without competitive bids
• The wrong way because the planning appears to have been hurried or non-existent - no traffic study for example
• The traffic, light, noise, trash, and confusion will surely lower the real estate values of the neighboring communities

I respectively ask you to reconsider this project and cancel it. If the land is such a good bargain maybe the county should buy it and run it as a golf course. As far as the quality of life and property values there is nothing worse than a major sports complex shoehorned into the established neighborhoods.

Sincerely,

Ronald Macklem

"Golf course"

From the November 4 Times-News, a letter to the editor from Glenn Dudas of Hendersonville:

To the editor: I don’t understand how buying a golf course and turning it into soccer fields is going to generate revenue for the county.

First off, nobody said anything about the cost of changing the shape of the land and redesigning the course into soccer fields. It’s not free.

Secondly, do you really think these soccer fields are going to bring this money back to the county anytime soon? Don’t count on it.

For a county that has no money, we sure seem to spend it freely. We can’t hire teachers, police and other personnel we need to keep the county going. What about all the people you just laid off? Maybe they can sell ice cream at the new soccer fields.

Keeping it as a golf course would be more beneficial, and it would be used all the time. Soccer fields generating funds for the county is a joke; we have plenty of space that the county owns that could be made into soccer fields. Nobody I have talked to thinks it’s such a wonderful idea. Sounds fishy to me, but what do I know. I just live here.

** Breaking ** HCSA lease agreement with the Town of Fletcher

If you would like a copy of the Henderson County Soccer Association (HCSA) lease agreement with the Town of Fletcher on the soccer fields, send an email to friendsofhighlandlake@gmail.com.

A response to Bill O'Connor

A response from Tom Aho, Hendersonville resident, to Commissioner Bill O'Connor's email (sent to T. Wilson as Mr. O'Connor requested):

I received a e-mail from Bill O'Connor urging me to support the purchase of Highland Lake Golf course to be used as a "county park". While I could heartily support it's use as a public county park, I cannot support this purchase for the use intended. This is not in the best interests of the entire county, and in fact impacts a residential area with added traffic, reduced property values and many added future expenses such as road widening, traffic signals, parking areas, maintenance, lighting,etc. I could and would support this project if it contained one or two soccer fields, or baseball diamonds or tennis courts so it could be used for the greater good of the entire county however this seems to be a soccer complex with a couple of picnic tables....all done in a flood plain. While the price may be favorable, I don't see that this is a bargain for the entire populace, especially given the fact that Arvin Meritor and the city of Fletcher already have a signed lease agreement with the soccer community.

Please understand that I live on the other side of the county, so this development does not affect me personally. That said, I still think it is a bad idea, poorly thought out and certainly not done in the sunshine. I also find it ironic that the people who currently own the property are to be the ones to develop the property and maintain it. What a sweetheart deal that is.

Bill O'Connor tries to shore up support

From Henderson County Commissioner Bill O'Connor to his email list:

Patriots,
You may or may not be aware of the current controversy over plans for a Highland Lakes Park to serve the south end of our county off of Upward Road.  This park is just one part of the development of a revitalized park system (a Chain of Emeralds), exemplified by the recent redesign and upgrading of the anchor of our park system, Jackson Park, for our county as opportunities present themselves and as resources permit. 
 
This proposed new park will also add regulation sized soccer fields for the first time in our county, providing for the many older children and adults who now have to travel to Buncombe and Greeville County South Carolina, for the chosen recreation - not incidentaly spending on food and supplies while out of our county.

 I completely support the new park as a citizen and as your Commissioner.  If you agree or not with me on the issue I urge you to turn out at the Commission meeting at the Old Courthouse at 1st and Main 5:30 Monday, Nov. 7th.  You need not speak but your presence will show your interest in the park.

This a local issue, and the concerns of the residents living around the new park are, and will be be addressed in the context of responsible development of the park, but this lucky chance to aquire 65 acres of mostly park-ready land so close to our population center, and convenient to I-26, at just $17,000 per acre will not likely come again.

 Whether or not you can come I implore you to take a moment to express your stand tonight to TWilson@hendersoncountync.org and ask her to distribute your comments to all the Commisioners.  This is important civic action - take it, please.

  Respect and Affection

Bill O'Connor

Henderson County TEA Party 

This seems counter to every Tea Party principle I've heard of: limited government, governmental transparency, etc.

The other side

A letter to the editor from the Oct 30 Times-News:

To the editor: I want to express my gratitude to the county commissioners for their support and approval of the purchase of land in Flat Rock for a soccer complex and park.

The need for dedicated soccer fields has been increasing over the years, and I am glad that the commissioners have recognized that need and enabled the construction of a recreation facility that will benefit not only those who play soccer, but every member of the community through health and fitness opportunities as well as increased county revenue and visibility.

Laura M. Rice
Hendersonville

And received from Cam Boyd:

"I am very much in favor of the park, walking trails, playgrounds as proposed, I think it will add value to the property near by and a new demention [sic] to Flat Rock."

Because of how this has been handled by the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, it seems appears as though two groups are opposed to each other--homeowners/residents vs soccer/park enthusiasts. This is not the case, and this contention did not need to happen.

Most homeowners/residents are upset at the lack of governmental transparency and the spending of taxpayer dollars without due diligence. Most soccer supporters want adequate soccer fields for play. These goals are not mutually exclusive. If the county board had held public hearings on all available options, including fixing existing fields and looking at property farther away from residential houses, then everyone would have had an opportunity to express their opinions and the county would have had time to consider public safety issues, like traffic access, etc.

As for the park issue, there is a vast difference between a park with walking trails, playgrounds, etc., and a soccer complex with a few picnic tables and perimeter path. What the county has proposed is not a park, it is a soccer complex with a veneer in an attempt to make it more acceptable.

** Breaking ** Fletcher Mayor Moore writes County Chairman Edney

From Fletcher Mayor William Moore (I have highlighted certain sections):

October 27, 2011


Mr. J. Michael Edney, Chairman
Henderson County Board of Commissioners
1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite 1
Hendersonville, NC 28792

Dear Chairman Edney:

I am writing to voice some concerns regarding the recent decision by the Board of Commissioners to purchase the Highland Lake Golf Course. It is our understanding that this purchase is being made in order to convert the golf course into soccer fields. It is also our understanding that the Henderson County Soccer Association (HCSA) will be an active partner in developing and utilizing the soccer fields.

Our concern over this is that the HCSA will be helping to develop and use your facility, while it currently has a lease with the Town of Fletcher to do essentially the same thing. Two years ago, the HCSA negotiated a 50 year lease with the Town to use over 48 acres of property near the ArvinMeritor plant on Rockwell Road. Per the terms of this lease, HCSA was to officially take possession of the property by May 1, 2011.

Our other concern is that the County will be expending over a million dollars in funding to purchase and develop a park when the HCSA had a known location where it could utilize public land for a similar purpose at a significantly lesser cost. Per the terms of our lease with the HCSA, they would be making lease payments to the Town two years after taking possession of the property. The lease payments would initially be $10,000 a year.

Our point in voicing these concerns is to make sure you were aware of the current arrangement that the Town had with the Henderson County Soccer Association. It is not our intention to dictate where the Board of Commissioners invests resources for public services. We understand how challenging that process is. We do, however, feel that this situation merits better understanding of what has happened and possibly further public discussion.

If you would like to discuss this issue further, I would be more than happy to meet with you.

Sincerely,


William B. Moore, Mayor

WBM/meb

Cc: Fletcher Town Council

Bob Ferguson writes the Henderson County Commissioners

From Flat Rock resident Bob Ferguson:

During a time when highly transparent, grass roots, participatory government are essential – the actions of our County to convert HLGC to a (largely) soccer park are surprising, - and the recent 4 to 1 vote to exercise the $1.15 million Option to Purchase the golf course by year end, is alarming.

Prior to October 20th, no FR residents, save Les Boyd, were aware of or participated in this secret initiative, -- including the Mayor and Village Council of FR. How could this happen ?

Does the County hold the authority to make the purchase, change the use of the property, satisfy or ignore the remediation of negative impacts --- noise and light pollution, traffic and parking issues, hard surface run-off, flooding, sanitary concerns, and security -- ? All of this, not to mention the concern of a “drastic” reduction in residential property values, per Commissioner Larry Young. Should there not be a comparative Cost/Benefit analysis of HLGC (perhaps with some modifications) to our quality of life in the County and FR, -- up against – the proposed soccer park? Did the County study other locations to accommodate a new soccer park, outside of in the middle of three established residential communities? Why can existing Jackson Park soccer fields not be upgraded, as more viable option? The $1.15M purchase price (by the way, where is the source of funding/debt obligations for this purchase?) is only a part of the capital/operating cost exposure for the County taxpayers.

If this is such a good idea, a “no brainer” as Mike Edney was quoted, -- why has it not seen the light of day until now – when it appears as a “fait accompli”? The announcement was accompanied with a troubling, limited range of support, and specifically excluded any participation from those residents in FR who will most certainly be impacted. Questionable representation, at the very least.

The FR Village Council, I would suggest, should step forward, forcefully, to protest their non involvement to date, and protect this special historic place, and its visual appeal. Before it is too late, our County Commissioners should dramatically slow this process and provide time for substantive resident participation - and perhaps revisit their taxpayer priorities.

"County residents divided on soccer complex"

From the Times-News this morning:

Ed Foster, right, president of the Highland Golf Villas Homeowners Association, speaks at his home with Anne Coletta, who lives near Highland Lake Golf Club, about their concerns of a proposed soccer complex planned to be built at the golf club. Many of the villas are built on the edge of the course.
Buy Photo Mike Dirks/Times-News

Seats at the Henderson County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday might be hard to come by.

Residents near Highland Lake Golf Course in Flat Rock plan to show up in full force for the 5:30 p.m. meeting to express their opposition to the commissioners' plan to build a soccer complex on the golf course. At the same time, the local soccer community is rallying players to show support for the commissioners' vote two weeks ago to buy the 65-acre property.

Residents who oppose the project might be too late. At its last meeting, the board voted to exercise its option to buy the property and a closing date is expected sometime before the end of December, “but I would bet on sooner rather than later,” County Attorney Russ Burrell said. “That's where they are right now.”

The county has already committed a $5,000 option fee, a sum it would lose if the purchase fell through.

At Monday's meeting, commissioners are expected to vote on whether to pay cash for the $1.15 million sale or to finance — a necessary next step in the legal proceedings of the deal, County Manager Steve Wyatt said....

Read it all.

Business plan analysis

From Bo Oscarsson, a good analysis of the Henderson County "Business Plan for the Proposed Highland Lake Park" draft document:

1. County Assessor statement ”the highest and best use of the property to be a non-golf course recreational area”. This has been put out in the draft business plan as a statement with no back-up. What other uses has been considered? No supporting documentation of the valuation has been done. I find this incomplete and containing “conflict of interest”. How can the buying party in a transaction also be the independent appraiser. An official appraising of an independent evaluator need to be done and other uses need to be considered, including continued operation as a golf course by another entity than Course Doctors, since they obviously has decided to close the course.

2. The soccer complex is not a profitable operation. It has a projected operating loss of $62,731 – $269,938 depending on use of the fields and ability to bill. See the Draft Business plan. Thus the county is entering into an obligation to continue an enterprise that from day one is a loss operation. This is not in line with current plans for overall county economy.

3. The built-in contract of contracting Course Doctors (the seller) to perform the modification from golf course to soccer field seems to me like a “conflict of interest”. The modification activity has in this way been taken out of competitive bidding for public works contract. Still public funds is going to be used for the investment.

4. I question the right of the county to make such a substantial change of use of the land without more detailed scrutiny and a public hearing process. Concerns of traffic, safety, crime prevention, environmental impact due to increased use of fertilizer and lawn chemicals of various kinds, and impact on water usage for irrigation. The soccer field is from these aspects a major departure from the impacts caused by the golf course.

5. The zoning is R-20, this means residential use (not recreational use) with 20 units per acre. It does not automatically include an athletic field. A golf field is not an athletic field. An attorney with land use and real estate as specialty should be engaged in this and review the plans. I think a public hearing process is required from this aspect as well.

6. Barrier zone. Inspecting aerial photography (Google Map and Mapquest can be used to easy review aerial photos of the Park) of Jackson Park and based on a trip through Jackson Park showed me that the housing at Jackson Park is much better shielded with open forest and nature. Only some units at the intersection of Glover Street and Jackson Park Road are more direct exposed to the park. I was astonished by the unsightly 8 ft tall chain link fences that surrounds each field. There was no additional physical barrier installed. Spectators are free to roam the area with no possibility to control. I saw one sheriff’s patrol car (empty) parked at one of the parking lots....

8. A comment in the original article was that the local business will benefit from this soccer field complex addition. Unless other business is than existing (if so what kind of business) is forecasted I do not see the existing business in the vicinity of Highland Lake Road to be of the type that a soccer field audience would be interested of....

At the Village meeting Monday, both Mr. Edney and Mr. Riddle tried to emphasize that this document is just a draft, but at this point, it's the only thing in writing that we have so we have to assume that this is their actual business proposal. I have a pdf of this document, so email me at friendsofhighlandlake@gmail.com if you would like a copy.

"Flat Rock residents protest soccer complex at meeting"

Another Times-News article by Gary Glancy:

What would typically have been a routine agenda meeting of Flat Rock Village Council turned into a heated public forum Monday as residents of three communities voiced their concerns about Henderson County’s plans to purchase Highland Lake Golf Course and convert it into a soccer complex and public park.

A standing-room-only crowd packed the assembly room at Flat Rock Village Hall to hear presentations by Clement Riddle, president of the Henderson County Soccer Association, Sheriff Rick Davis and Mike Edney, chairman of the county Board of Commissioners. Afterward, residents seized their chance to ask questions.

More than 90 minutes after the meeting began, Flat Rock Mayor Bob Staton had to halt the sometimes contentious Q&A so the council could finally begin its regularly scheduled meeting to set the agenda for its monthly meeting next Thursday.

“We don’t think a facility like this belongs in Flat Rock,” Ed Foster, president of the Highland Golf Villas Homeowners Association, said minutes later. “Flat Rock is a community that is proud of its historic heritage and a community that doesn’t need a soccer complex coming here that’s just totally out of place with the rest of the community.”...

“Why would you disrupt three neighborhoods with a soccer complex?” asked Mark Stewart, a resident of the Villas, which overlooks the current golf course and shares an entrance with the club. “When everybody else in the country tries to move them away from the population, we’re sticking it in between three communities.”...

Meanwhile, those associated with the project reiterated the support they and several Flat Rock and Hendersonville residents expressed during an Oct. 19 commissioners meeting, when the board voted 4-1 to purchase the 65-acre golf course from Course Doctors Inc. for $1.15 million....

Addressing concerns about park lighting, Riddle said there are currently no plans to light the fields because of the huge cost, and that there is “lots of room for negotiation with homeowners” if and when lighting is pursued years down the road.

Staton, who confirmed that lighting is not in the initial plan submitted by the soccer association — though it is in the county’s draft business plan, he said — was adamantly opposed to the idea....

Read it all.

Comment from Dennis Justice

A little more history here from Dennis Justice, as posted in the comments:

Let's not forget the lost property tax revenue from the sale of the golf course. Funny how it was reported as though this is done, when it's far from done. This can be stopped and must be.

Fletcher almost chased away ArvinMeritor and cost hundreds of jobs to get that and since they exchanged 90 acres in exchange for delayed annexation. The soccer community was all for it then, got a sweetheart rent deal, and now it's not good enough?

No, Commissioners need to back out of this deal just like the soccer community backed out of the Fletcher deal.

If they want that course that bad, let THEM pay for it, go to a bank, get a loan privately and run it privately. They don't want that because they know it'll bleed money and want county taxpayers to cover the losses.

Artificial turf is overall the better value by far, and can be built at our four existing high schools, with lights, parking, bathrooms, concessions, etc. We're going to end up doing it anyway, so why not rent those fields out on weekends and summer? We would save a fortune in maintenence costs compared to grass fields, no water, no pesticides, fix things like the track at H'ville High, etc.

Unneeded fiefdom building, that is what this is. The soccer complex is exactly one mile from East Flat Rock Park.

Even if you didn't go with turf, the Fletcher site would not have been opposed like the Flat Rock property was. Just GIVE the soccer community the land, let them get a private loan and run it themselves, and wash our hands of this.

Village agenda meeting recap

Here is my write-up of yesterday's Village agenda meeting:

The Village of Flat Rock town council met this morning for their regularly scheduled agenda meeting. Because of the feedback from the community on the golf club purchase, and because several residents planned to be at the agenda meeting to make sure this issue got on the agenda for the November 10 regular council meeting, the village council invited Mike Edney, chairman of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners (and the District 1—Flat Rock—representative), Clement Riddle, president of the HCSA, and Sheriff Rick Davis to speak.

Mr. Riddle began by giving a truncated version of the presentation the HCSA gave the county board on Oct. 19 (see link here to that presentation). The emphasis seemed to be that living next to a park only helped property values and upgraded a neighborhood. Of course, it was pointed out that none of his stats had anything to do with living next to a soccer complex.

Sheriff Davis then spoke to the crime issue, explaining how the county patrolled the other county parks since Highland Lake Park (HLP) would be under county law enforcement. Henderson County has three officers to patrol all the county-owned parks. There is the possibility that they could hire an additional officer part-time to help patrol HLP on busy soccer/tournament days. Of course, this is more county money being spent. I thought Sheriff Davis gave a very good, balanced perspective on the crime issue. He could not answer any questions on the traffic public safety issues and said that NCDOT would have to be contacted to get answers for those questions.

Mr. Edney then spoke as to how the deal for the golf course came about. He said the commissioners were approached several months ago when the HCSA alerted them that the golf course was for sale. They have completed no studies on traffic, environment, etc.  The county entered into a written option agreement with the owners on August 26, but did not announce this publicly by advice of lawyers and the owners (??). At the October 19 meeting, when this first was publicly announced, he said the commissioners at that time voted to exercise the option. I am still somewhat confused by what the actual legal status is. At first, Mr. Edney said the county had the option, then he said they had voted to exercise the option, then he said it was a done deal and they actually had exercised the option but they hadn’t closed—very unclear. The bottom line is he considers this a done deal, whether it’s because of legal action or because he wants it to be so, I’m not sure. (If anyone has a clearer picture, please let me know.)

During the questions, several people asked if it were possible to slow down the process, to ask for an extension of the option (the current option agreement says the county must purchase the property prior to December 31, 2011) to give all residents of Henderson County as well as the most affected homeowners time to work on viable plans. Mr. Edney categorically denied any possibility of extending the option, that it was not necessary and wasn’t going to happen. He also dismissed any idea of the county looking at other available property, including working with the town of Fletcher to develop the ArvinMeritor property which was donated expressly for recreation and which has yet to be developed.

The Village Council seemed to imply that they, too, considered this a done deal and didn’t seem too bothered by the fact that they had found out basically along with everyone else that the county had plans for a soccer complex inside the village municipal lines. The next regular Village Council meeting is Thursday, November 10, at 9:30 a.m.