At right of this page under Main Information links is an Hickory's City Website link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the left of the page you will see the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. This will give you a choice of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.
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. You can also look in the upper right hand corner of the front page of the Hickory Hound and (will soon) find the link to the past history of Hickory City Newsletters.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below:
Please remember that pressing Ctrl and + will magnify the text and page and pressing Ctrl and - will make the text and page smaller. This will help the readability for those with smaller screens and/or eye difficulties.
City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - May 6, 2014----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hound's Notes:
1) The only matter that really stands out from what I see is Departmental Report # 2 about City’s street program resurfacing. This is a pre-salvo volley about why Hickory Inc. is going to raise property taxes this year. This isn't new information. City Manager Berry talked about it at the City Council meeting of May 21 of last year (2013). Below is a screenshot of estimated costs including street resurfacing, revenue losses and operational increases, and what they call an Economic Competitiveness Plan, which includes their Inspiring Spaces plan.
Last year they told the public that the cost of moving to a 30 year resurfacing plan from the current 58 year resurfacing plan would be a 1-cent increase in the property tax rate.
The next city council meeting will be the meeting where the City Manager will unveil the Recommended Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2014-15. The Budget has to be approved in June for the Fiscal Year that begins on July 1, 2014. The present year's budget was approved on June 4, 2013.
So, all indications seem to point to Chuck Hansen telling you that your property tax rate will be rising in part to pay for street resurfacing.
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Invocation by Rev. Whit Malone, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
Special Presentations
A. Proclamation for National Police Week May 11-17, 2014.
B. Proclamation for Lupus Awareness Month May 2014.
Consent Agenda:
A. Proclamation for National American Public Works Week, May 18-24, 2014.
B. Special Events/Activities Application for Charity Chase Expo, Bruce Felkins, Charity Chase President and Mandy Pitts, Vice President, Charity Chase Half Marathon Committee and Rotary of Catawba Valley, May 31, 2014, 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sails on the Square/Downtown Hickory.
C. Special Events/Activities Application for Teen Rock Concert, Tony Eltora, Executive Director, Hickory Music Factory, July 25, 2014, 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sails on the Square.
D. Acceptance of Offers to Purchase and Contracts for Properties Located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of the Offers to Purchase and Contracts for properties located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The properties were originally purchased by the City because they were on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the properties are no longer needed. Daniel and Georgeta Marita are interested in purchasing these lots in order to construct single family dwellings. They are offering $15,000 per lot. Notice of Upset Bid was advertised on April 18, 2014 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area. No upset bids were received for the properties.
E. Call for Public Hearing – for Consideration of Amending Chapter 2, Article 8, Youth Council, of the Hickory City Code of Ordinance of the City of Hickory by Amending Sections 2-240, 2-242(a)(c), and 2-245. (Authorize Public Hearing for May 20, 2014)
F. Call for a Public Hearing – Voluntary Contiguous Annexation of 1515 Cloninger Mill Road NE, Hickory. (Authorize Public Hearing for May 20, 2014)
G. Approval to Purchase Property Adjacent to Hickory Fire Station 6 located at 3042 North Center Street. - Staff requests approval to purchase property located at 3042 North Center Street, which is located adjacent to City owned Fire Station 6. The tax value of the property is currently $88,000. The City of Hickory has presented an offer of $45,000 to purchase the property. Purchasing this property will assist the fire department in the future expansion of Fire Station 6 to house an additional fire company to serve the City for fire, EMS, and rescue services. The structure on the property would need to be demolished once the purchase is concluded. A budget amendment would be required from fund balance to acquire this property.
H. Approval of Community Relations Council’s spring 2014 Grant Recommendations. - Community Relations Council’s recommendation for spring 2014 grants: Safe Harbor Rescue Mission, $1,000; Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, $1,255; Western NC Epilepsy Association, $1,500; Women’s Resource Center. $1,000; New Hope for Kids, $500; Centro Latino, $1,500; Exodus Homes, $1,500. Total recommended for funding by the Community Relations Council, $8,255.
I. Approval of an Agreement for Services with Scott Mitchell, Architect, for Construction Administrative/Management for the New Parking Deck at the Convention Center. - Request for Qualifications were electronically advertised and proposals were received. Services will last for the duration of the project. The rate of pay for these services is 2.64% of the total project bid (to be determined). Part of the services include bidding the project, therefore preliminary estimates are used. This agreement covers three phases:
Bid Phase, Construction Administration, and Final As Built Drawings. This amount will be included as part of the lease amount the TDA will pay back to the City. Staff recommends Scott Mitchell, Architect for the necessary services as outlined in the agreement.
Hound's Note: This was discussed at the City Council meeting on January 21, 2014
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of January 21, 2014
J. Approval to Apply for a Grant to Assist in Funding the Purchase of Bulletproof Vests for Police Officers. - The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 was signed as law (Public Law 105-181). The purpose of this act is to save the lives of law enforcement officers by helping States and units of local government equip their law enforcement officers with armor vests. This grant will pay up to 50% of the cost of NIJ approved vests purchased by Hickory Police Department. Forty-five vests have been requested at an estimated price of $700 for each vest. Agenices will be notified that funds are available after July 1, 2014 if awarded the grant. Funds are placed in the police department budget uniform line item annually to purchase vests for police officers. Life expectancy of each vest is approximately five (5) years. The Police Department requests approval for the submission of this grant to receive up to 50% funding to purchase bulletproof vests for police officers.
K. Approval of a Contract with Taser International, Inc. to Purchase Officer Body-Worn Cameras and Digital Video Evidence Management Services. - Hickory Police Department requests approval of a contract with Taser International, Inc., to provide body-worn cameras, hardware, hardware service/replacement, digital evidence management storage, and services for a period of five years for 90 body-worn cameras. The first year would include all hardware, as well as digital evidence management licenses for one year, digital video storage, upgrades and damage replacements for the cost of $97,368.50. The remaining four years will include replacement of hardware for upgrades, digital evidence management licenses, and digital video storage for a cost of $69,300 annually.
L. Release of Bond Claim and Assignment of Claims Executed by the City of Hickory to Westchester Fire Insurance Company. - Council previously declared American LaFrance to be in default of a contract to build a ladder engine truck for the Hickory Fire Department after American LaFrance closed its operation and failed to deliver the truck to the City. American LaFrance had purchased a performance bond from Westchester Fire Insurance to cover such instances of default. Notice was given to Westchester in March that the City was making a claim on the bond for the amount paid to American LaFrance for the ladder truck in the amount of $729,864. Westchester has investigated the City’s claim on the bond and made the determination the claim is valid. Westchester will pay the claim in full subject to the City executing a release form. The release form was received and reviewed. Seeing no issues with the release’s provisions, staff executed the release and returned to Westchester to expedite the process. Staff requests Council to ratify the execution of the release and assignment of claims.
M. Budget Ordinance Amendment Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 23.
1. To transfer $45,000 from General Fund Contingency to the Fire Department's Capital Land line item. This transfer is necessary to purchase property located at 3042 North Center Street which is adjacent to City owned Fire Station 6. The purchase of the property will allow for future expansion of the station to house an additional fire company to serve the City for fire, EMS, and rescue services.
2. To budget an $8,475 insurance claim payment from Argonaut Great Central Insurance Company in the Police Department's Capital Vehicles line item. This payment is to pay for the total loss of a Police vehicle involved in an accident on 04-10-14.
3. To budget a $4,707 insurance claim payment from Argonaut Great Central Insurance Company in the Parks and Recreation Department Maintenance and Grounds line item. This payment is to pay for tree removal resulting from storm damage to the Army Reserve Building on 06-13-13.
4. To transfer $5,000 from General Fund Contingency to the Airport's Maintenance and Repair of Grounds line item. These funds are needed to pay for the removal of trees located on the Airport's South Ramp and behind Hangar S1.
5. To decrease the International Council Donations revenue and expenditure account codes by $200 and increase the International Springfest Donations revenue and expenditure codes by $200. Additional account codes were added for accounting purposes however a $200 International Springfest donation was budgeted in the International Council line item. Therefore an amendment is required to budget funds in the appropriate expenditure line item. This budget amendment also appropriates $3,006 of General Fund Balance and budgets it in the International Springfest Donations expenditure line item. $3,006 of International Springfest Donations were received at the end of FY12-13 and rolled into General Fund Balance, therefore an appropriation is necessary to budget these funds in the expenditure line item for use this fiscal year.
6. To transfer $12,327 of Police Department Specialized Equipment funds to the General Fund. $12,327 represents the unused portion of City grant matching funds from the Governors Highway Safety Program Grant. This grant was used to purchase 20 Panasonic Arbitrator Rear Seat Cameras. Due to purchase savings, the unused City match is being returned to General Fund.
N. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment Number 4.
1. To transfer $12,327 of unused Governors Highway Safety Program Grant funds back to the General Fund. Due to the $12,327 savings from the purchase of Panasonic Arbitrator Rear Seat Cameras the remainder of funds are being returned to the General Fund.
O. Capital Project Ordinance Number 3.
1. To budget a $72,000 transfer from Loan Proceeds to the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) Capital Project Design line item. This transfer is necessary to pay for the design and construction drawings of the new parking deck project at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.
Informational Item
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Asheville, North Carolina, Economic Development Meeting, Moogfest, April 23, 2014 (Mileage Reimbursement $86.80, Parking $5.00)
New Business - Departmental Reports
1. Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant for 56 3rd Street SE. -City Council established the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant program on September 16, 2008. The program provides grant funding up to $30,000 for projects to renovate and rehabilitate vacant building within the Urban Revitalization Area and targeted industrial buildings in other areas of the City. OHM Holdings, LLC has applied for a Vacant Building Revitalization Grant in the amount of $30,000 to assist in the renovation of the former Lyerly Mill building located at 56 3rd Avenue SE. The applicant plans to renovate the facility for the headquarters of Transportation Insight, and to invest approximately five million dollars in real property improvements to rehabilitate the mill building. The Business Development Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval.
2. Street Resurfacing - Public Services Director, Chuck Hansen will present an analysis of the City’s street program resurfacing.
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