Newsletter about the City Council meeting of February 17, 2009

This newsletter is about the Hickory City Council meeting that I attended this past week. City council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.

At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory's Local Government link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.

At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, you will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.

Here is a summary of the agenda of the 2/17/2009 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.

Invocation by Susan Smith of the Exodus Outreach Church.

Special Presentations:
A. Presentation of Proclamation Declaring the Week of February 15 – 21, 2009 as “National Engineer's Week” in the City of Hickory -- Chuck Hanson received the award from the Mayor.

B. Presentation By Community Groups Requesting Appropriations from the City Council During the Next Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2009. The Council will not take action tonight. Action in May or June.

United Arts Council of Catawba County -- Scott Anderson -- $40,412.00
The amount of money is based on $1 per capita. The city has funded the UAC since 1984. This funding is important, because of trouble with the state funding. For every dollar granted by Hickory, a minimum of $4 is spent on arts, science, and history projects in this community by the UAC.

Hickory Downtown Development Association -- Connie Kincaid -- $50,000.00
Tracy Nestor, President spoke. Purchased banners and developed landscaping to create a sense of place along well lit areas. Increased lighting in Trade Alley. Worked towards the wayfinding system, addressing vandalism, and renovation of the depot. Addressed special events, the Farmer's Market, and Art crawls. Netted three new businesses this year.

Catawba County Economic Development Corporation -- Scott Millar -- $138,924.65 for the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation and $50,000 for the Greater Hickory Golf Classic - Talked about alternative energy and "Green Manufacturing" and possible manufacturing industries. Can we expose our existing industries to those types of industries. Trying to revitalize existing industries and create new jobs in the alternative energy sector. Froze wages and reduced marketing and research. The requested increase is .08%. The Greater Hickory Classic was used to try to lure Data Center Industry's to this area.

The Mayor stated that we have had great success in the area of economic development, but we have not had success with the local economy. Mr. Millar says that the City has been aggressive and it has shown. The Mayor says that we have listened to every reasonable and unreasonable deal. Our success rate, when we make the finals, is very good.

Habitat for Humanity -- Mitzi Gellman -- $18,792.00
18 qualified applicants are currently on their list. 128 houses have been completed so far in Catawba County (most in Hickory). The money requested will be used to fund, along with Neighborhood Stabilization money, water-sewer taps. The request will be withdrawn, if other funds fall through that they are trying to qualify for. Donations from sells in their home store has brought in an excellent stream of funding. All donations are down by 20%. Will reduce the number of houses that they are looking to build in the upcoming year. Demand is up during the bad economy.

The Salt Block Foundation -- Steve Mull, Vice Chair -- $100,000.00
Operates three buildings on the SALT block campus. Provides a home for the Museum of Art, Science Center, The Choral Society, the Western Piedmont Symphony, and the United Arts Council. Pays building and Capital expenses. Along with the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, these entities povide economically invaluable cultural resources for the entire Hickory region. Auditorium is used over 200 times per year. More money is requested for this year, because the endowment is suffering from the economy, and increased expenditures.

Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau -- Bebe Leitch -- $20,000.00
Support and stimulate the local economy by tourism, business conferences, and meetings. Network by attending meetings, advertising, and the internet. Generated $7 million in revenue from 5,600 room nights, the Hickory-Conover hotel occupancy tax generated $451,000 in revenue. Our Convention center is accessible and affordable, which gives us an advantage over larger centers in other areas of this state. Updated the Hickory Map.


Consent Agenda
Approve Community Appearance Commission’s (CAC) Request for $3,000.00 to Fund Graffiti Removal Initiated by the Hickory Downtown Development Association (HDDA). Pulled from the agenda for discussion. The Mayor asked for more information about this request. City Manager Berry said the CAC has the funds, but they would like a costiary program of a 50% matching funds up to $250 to pay for the removal of graffiti. Mayor Wright asked if this was only for Downtown. Asst. City Manager Surratt said that it was decided during CAC discussions that it was best for this to be citywide. Alderlady Hoyle asked about requirements. Ms. Surratt stated that a police report would have to be filed, it would have to be photographically documented, and obtain the cost for removal. Alderman Seaver asked if they would apply to the CAC for the grant. Ms. Surratt said they would and the staff would review it.

The Mayor asked if only graffiti would be included and not vandalism. Ms. Surratt said it would just be graffiti. The Mayor said that he thought insurance would cover this after deductibles. The Mayor asked if the CAC used up all of its grants for beautification projects. The Mayor said he didn't want to get involved in what deductibles businesses were paying on their insurance. He said that this program would only reward businesses with high deductibles and businesses with first dollar deductibles would receive nothing. Mayor Wright wants to push for a victim's fund that will be built by true work by the perpetraitors. He understands the good intentions of the HDDA and the CAC, but he isn't certain any buildings will be cleaned, because they qualify for $250. They will either clean it or not clean it. The Mayor motioned that the issue be tabled until some of the issues that he brought up can be explored and worked through. Motion carried unanimously.

The Hound Says kudos to the Mayor for shelving this. His questions were spot on and addressed the core of this issue. Thank You for doing the right thing.


Social Interest -- Downtown Appearance Grant to Hickory Community $267.50. Request by Charity Chase Committee to Use Union Square for the Charity Chase Event 6/6/2009 from 4am to 12pm. Transfer of Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery from Linda Lewis Helms to James Nelson Sherrill, Jr. and Pat Gragg Sherrill.

Approval of Assistance Through the City’s Housing Programs - First Time Home Buyer - Telessa S. Williams 3275 Blue Sky Court, SE - $5,000

Approve Revisions to the Hickory Police Officer Home buyer’s Program and Approve Assistance to Master Police Officer Shana D. Hudson 2222 15th Avenue NE, unit 506, for $10,000 through the Police Officer Homebuyer’s Program.

Approval of Three Resolutions For Applications to the North Carolina Drinking Water State Revolving Fund For Loan Funding on Drinking Water Projects - High Service Pump Project $935,000. Radio Read Water Meter Change-out Project $7,759,200. Water Treatment Facility Disinfection Modification Project $380,000

Business -- Approve Contract for Services with Stephen F. Austin for Hickory’s Annual Action Plan and Application for Funding to HUD for 2009-10, Community Development Block Grant Exceed $2,500.00. Approve 2009 Lobbying Services Contract With Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge and Rice through 12/31/2009

Budget Ordinance Amendments -- Appropriate $18,944 Insurance Claims from Trident Insurance Company for electrical damage. Budget $35,860 of Library donations. Appropriate $662 for January 2009 for Police Overtime. Transfer $100 of Miscellaneous Donations to the Landscape Services Departmental. Transfer $26,905 from the General Fund Sidewalk Materials to the Stormwater Fund Construction Materials. Transfer $42,979 of Community Development Funds to reimburse the General Fund for invoices paid from the New Sidewalk Construction line item for the curb and gutter project on 12th Ave NE. Transfer $21,000 from the General Fund to the Stormwater Fund.

Informational Items:
A) City Manager Berry’s Attendance at the Catawba County 2009 Legislative Kick-Off Breakfast in Newton, NC - 1/20/2009 - registration - $20.00

B) Alderwoman Fox’s Attendance at the 2009 NC Main Street Conference Awards Program and Dinner in Statesville, NC - 1/29/2009 - registration - $35.00

C) Alderwoman Hoyle’s Attendance at the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting in Hickory, NC - 2/3/2009 - registration - $45.00

D) City Manager Berry’s Travel to the NCCCMA 48th Annual NC City & County Manager Seminar in Raleigh, NC From 2/3 – 6/ 2009 - registration - $220.00, hotel - $221.00, per diem - $85.00, City vehicle expense - $22.71.

New Business - Public Hearings
1) Rezoning of the Property Located at 4429 North Center Street From R-3 Residential to Neighborhood Core Commercial – 2 - Should the property be rezoned as requested, it could be developed for the location of retail, office, and service. Cal Overby addressed the council across from Cloninger Mill Road and to the left of the Hess station. Originally it was zoned commercial, but that was lost in the process when the property was brought into the city. Unanimously Approved.

2) Voluntary Contiguous Annexation of the Property of Camp Creek Home Builders Located at 1938 Wallace Dairy Road Including Two Vacant Tracts Directly to the East - 17.32 acres. the property is currently vacant. The current tax value is $257,300.00 and if annexed, the property would generate $1,286.50 in additional tax revenues. This property is in Mountain View off of Zion Church Road. Unanimously approved.

New Business - Departmental Reports
1) Accept Grant from the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services” - Congress has appropriated $190 million for FY 2008 for the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant. Application submitted on 6/20/2008 -

Presented over 40 years of data and information. Stated that there are a lot of risks to the community as a whole. The Engine Company is the backbone of the department. Six fire stations employ the six engine companies, strategically distributed. Engine company responsibilities include fire, medical, EMS response, first responder, hazardous materials, and extracation rescue. Has a responsibility of 1 1/2 road miles from wherever the engine is placed, which equals over 7 square miles. The city is reponsible for protecting 43 square miles. Ladder Company's is the companion component to structure fires. The First Ladder Vehicle was purchased in 1924 and the first staffed Ladder Company was established in 1948, before 1948 it was all volunteer. The Ladder Company has to protect 19.625 square miles (2 1/2 road miles). Right now it resides at station 1. 24 square miles are currently not being covered. The Ladder Company has additional responsibilities over the engine companies.

Prior to 1970, there were only 10 square miles that needed to be covered. In 1980 it went to 12 sq. miles. 1990 went to 21 sq. miles. 2000 went to 28 sq. miles. Presently the areas, including rural districts, have increased coverage to 43 sq. miles. The ladder companies will be moved to more strategic locations in West Hickory and Highland. This isn't about the Ladder apparatus. It is about a grant for staffing. Warren Wood came to the podium and addressed the budgeting. $450,000 is the total cost or 1-cent on the property tax rate. Fed vs City cost in this staffing is 90%-10% in 09-10, 80%-20% in 10-11, 50%-50% in 11-12, 30%-70% in 12-13, and the city will be paying 100% thereafter.

The Hound can see that this was a very important issue that is long overdue in being addressed. We can see that the Fire Department has been doing an excellent job with very limited resources. The citizens must allow tax money to be spent on this for our own safety. We are in our 15th year without a fire related death. Thank You Hickory Fire Department. Cheap doesn't only beget cheap on this issue. It can also mean the difference in saving your property and your life. That doesn't mean, however, that the Fire Department's policies shouldn't be accountable and reviewed from time to time.
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(At the End of the meeting, I was allowed to address the Council on the issue of Downtown. Thank You Council for allowing me to address this issue:)

Thank You Council for allowing me to voice my concerns about this city’s investments in the Union Square area. You may notice that I am saying Union Square, because I believe Hickory’s downtown to include a lot more area than what was described as Downtown by Connie Kincaid in Sunday’s Paper

I have read transcripts of every meeting that go back to when the City first started placing the minutes of Council meetings on the internet. I have seen what I construe as a waste of city funds, when it comes to investing in Downtown. I am sure tenants of other sectors of this city would like for you to repair and enhance their property the way you have in the immediate vicinity of Union Square.

In the comments section of today’s editorial in the Hickory Daily Record, an owner of a local Bike Shop had a comment that addresses this issue.

He stated “Hickory should promote businesses throughout the Hickory metro area, not simply downtown. I don't mean give businesses money or tax credits, it's up to the business owners to provide their own capital. The downtown merchants seem to think the city should provide them with funding to promote their businesses. If you can't take the pressure of building up and promoting your own business with your money, go do something else. But please, take your hand out of my pocket. Customers decide where they want to shop, if they are not coming to your store maybe they don't care for your products.”

I have been told that Mast General Store looked into possibly locating a store downtown, but they were micromanaged in their dealings with “the powers that be downtown” to the point that they said they would never locate here if they had to deal with certain individuals.

A former tenant told me why he is no longer downtown, He said he didn’t mind the competition that was brought by a major variety retailer, such as the former Woolworth’s. He said it only enhanced his business.

He stated and I quote, "silly decisions by the big fish in downtown's small pond (too many bars, no variety stores, the closure of the Fresh Air, parking stupidity, the downsizing of the cops' presence just when drunks took over nights) killed downtown's traffic and my business."

I am not here, just to talk about problems. If we are honest with ourselves, we know what the problems are. We need to help Ms. Hoyle enhance the Ridgeview area, because that is downtown. We need to spruce up the Southeast and Southwest sections of town, because that is Downtown. If you want to throw around $50,000 every year toward developing downtown, then that is where it should go.

What needs to be realized is that "Downtown" is more than just Union Square and a couple of blocks surrounding it. We cannot have upscale anything downtown, until the blighted areas surrounding the epicenter of Hickory are addressed. The last Downtown grocery store was robbed out of business.

Mr. Mayor, Council, I am not here to take pot shots or lob bombs. My interests aren’t here to tear this city down. We are here to build this city up, but if we find that there are cracks in the foundation, then we must be willing to tear it down to rebuild it on a stronger, more resolute foundation. We must quit trying to restore downtown from the inside-out and start doing more to develop it from the outside–in.