Pinehurst govt by the numbers

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There’s been  a lot of talk about village government finances during this year’s campaign for village government offices.  I thought it might be interesting to compare some of the political rhetoric to the reality of black-and-white, independent facts.

The village has an independent audit  of its finances from June 2010 posted on its web site.  Click on the link to check out some of the information in the report, which includes gems such as:

  • Harness Track (2006-2010):  Its facilities were reserved only 62 days in 2010, compared to 106 in 2006.  Stall leases were up to 280 in 2010 from 222 in 2008. 
  • Fair Barn (2006-2010):  Events were up to 67 in 2010 from 31 in 2008.  It was rented for 125 days in 2010, up from 39 in 2008.  
  • Police Department (2006-2010):   Arrests were  at 445 in 2010, up from 202 in 2006.  Officers responded to 14,495 calls in 2010, up from 9801 in 2006.  Traffic accidents in the village were down to 418 in 2010, from 432 in 2006.  There were 2970 citations issued in 2010, up from 1285 in 2006.  
  • Planning & Inspections (2006-2010):   The audit indicates that the number of building permits issued in the village for 2010 was 259, down from 378 in 2006.  There were 10,588 building inspections performed in 2006, but only 4281 in 2010.  Certificates of occupancy issued in 2010 were 156, which was down from the 271 issued in 2006.  Zoning violation investigations went from: 480 in 2006, 477 in 2007, 690 in 2008, 674 in 2009, and 475 in 2010. 
  • Government Debt: The audit found the village government had outstanding debt totaling $4,151,008 at the end of fiscal year 2010.  (This information is significant in light of the desire of council incumbents to purchase the Wagram water plant. )
  • Design & Construction:  According to the audit,  village government spent $40,000 on land acquisition and design for a proposed public services facility on Juniper Lake Road.  The village also spent $32,000 on design and construction of sewer services for Jackson Hamlet — which is not even inside village limits.  THIS is interesting given the number of water and sewer issues facing people who ACTUALLY LIVE IN PINEHURST and CAN VOTE IN VILLAGE ELECTIONS.  The village also spent $8,657 on the design of a “recreation center” to be built in Cannon Park — not far from FirstHealth’s Fitness Center.  

(I seem to remember some Pinehurst parents in — oh — 2003 or 2004, I think, who tried to build one with private money in Pinehurst.  They got fed up with the hassle from the Pinehurst planning and zoning office and moved their project to NC 211 in Hoke County between Aberdeen and Raeford.  Pure genius at work by the village — chase away people trying to do it with private funds, so you can sink taxpayer money into it.)