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:
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City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - June 3, 2014----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hound's Notes:
The Budget was discussed at the last meeting. There is a 2¢ increase in the property tax rate.
Link to City Manager Berry's presentation of the proposed budget for 2014-15
The City Manager and Assistant City Manager are presenting information in what the call Citizen Briefings, below are the Power Point Presentation and two briefing that have already taken place.
Citizen Review - Power Point Presentation
Ridgeview Citizen Review - Thoughts about the Ridgeview Citizen Review meeting
Citizens Briefing Presentation - 04/29/2014
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Invocation by Rev. Antonio Logan, Pastor Friendship Baptist Church
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of a Resolution Supporting the Extension of North Carolina’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program. - The State of North Carolina currently offers tax credits for rehabilitation of historic buildings. This program offers a tax credit of up to 20 percent of rehabilitation costs of an income producing structure, which include commercial buildings and apartments. This credit can be paired with the Federal tax credit for a total tax credit of 40 percent. The State also offers a 30 percent tax credit for rehabilitation costs for non-income producing structures such as private homes. No federal tax credit is available for non-income producing structures. The State tax credits are set to sunset on December 31, 2014 if the General Assembly does not act to extend them. The Historic Preservation Commission considered the resolution at their May 27th meeting and recommends approval. Staff recommends that City Council adopt a resolution supporting the extension of North Carolina’s historic preservation tax credit program.
B. Approval to Write-off Uncollectable Accounts Totaling $280,419.79, in Accordance with North Carolina General Statutes. - North Carolina General Statutes establish all street assessments and property taxes that are over ten years old and are no longer collectable, and should be written off in conjunction with the annual audit. For the current fiscal year (FY2013-2014), there are no street assessments to be written off, but $82,153.73 in unpaid property taxes that exceeds the ten year limitation. The City of Hickory’s Accounting Division requires all other accounts that are over eighteen months in arrears be written off to comply with “Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” in order to more fairly represent financial assets of the City on the balance sheet. For the current fiscal year, this amount is $198,266.06. The Finance Division will continue to pursue collection of the debts. All eligible accounts over $50 are submitted to the North Carolina Debt Setoff Program for collection. As of May 7, 2014, the City of Hickory has collected $50,451.90 from the garnishment of North Carolina State tax refunds and North Carolina State lottery winnings during this fiscal year. Staff recommends approval to write-off uncollectable accounts for Fiscal Year
2013-2014.
C. Resolution – Cancellation of July 1, 2014 City Council Meeting. - Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Hickory that the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting for July 1, 2014 be cancelled. (This meeting in July has traditionally been cancelled by the City Council.)
D. Approval of a Resolution to Declare Surplus Personal Property. - The City has a 2002 Freightliner JetVac Tanker Truck that is no longer of service to the City and request that this property be declared surplus by City Council. In accordance with G.S. 160A-270 for auction of personal property and local policy for surplus property valued above $30,000 the approval and declaration of surplus by Council is required before public auction of the item can be performed. In addition a ten day public notice will be published in the newspaper before the auction takes place. The preliminary estimated value of the tanker truck is $50,000.
E. Approval of a Resolution supporting an Application to the Local Government Commission for its Approval of a Financing Agreement for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck. - The Hickory Metro Convention Center is owned by the City of Hickory, but operates under the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) board. The Convention Center is self-supported by event revenues and the hotel occupancy tax collected in Hickory and Conover. The six percent occupancy tax is collected by the City of Hickory and remitted back to the TDA to operate the Convention Center. In order for a local government in North Carolina to finance a project, approval is to be obtained from the Local Government Commission (LGC). The LGC requires City Council’s approval of a resolution prior to the LGC”s approval of the financing agreement application. Staff recommends Council approval of the resolution supporting an application to the LGC for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck.
F. Approval of Service Agreement for Federal Legislative and Grant Services provided by Marlow and Company. - Marlow and Company staff provides support for the city of Hickory at the Federal level through grant writing and submittal assistance, organizing Congressional delegation visits in Washington, DC and assistance with issues that affect Hickory at the Federal level. Staff requests approval of the service contract for Marlow and Company for 2014-2015 in the amount of $3,750 per month for federal government consulting and grant writing services. This is the same price as the original contract five years ago.
G. Cemetery Deed Conveyance for Dale K. Cline, and wife, Brenda K. Cline. - Dale and Brenda Cline purchased four plots in Oakwood Cemetery on May 30, 1995. The Clines now desire to convey to themselves combining the four plots into two plots. They have expressed several reasons for this request. First, they have stated that they possibly want to have headstones placed on the unused portions of the plots. Second, they said they want to combine the plots due to their concern that the City will enforce Article X. Section 32.1 of the Code of Ordinances.
H. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 25.
1. To budget a $250 Youth Council Grant from the State of North Carolina. The funds are for Youth Council activities.
2. To budget a total of $8,167 ($7,567 Rec. Special Activities and $600 Donations) in the Parks and Recreation Departmental Supplies line item. Funds are for the 2014 Senior Games Registration and Sponsorships.
3. To budget an $80 Library donation from the Sherman Alexie book signing in the Library Programming line item.
4. To budget a $46 Library donation from the John Hart book signing in the Library Programming line item.
5. To budget a $350 Library donation from the Friends of the Library for Adult Summer Reading prizes.
6. To budget $25,500 of Hickory Kiwanis Foundation Donations in the Parks and Recreation Improvement to Facilities Capital line item. The funds are for use in the construction of a new tree house for Zahra Baker All Children's Playground at Hickory Kiwanis Park.
7. To appropriate $7,470 of Insurance Claim to the Fire Department's Non-Asset Inventory line item. This claim is for damages to two SCBA packs that occurred on 5/2/14 when the two air packs were damaged during a mutual aid incident. The check was issued from Argonaut Great Central Insurance Company on 5/13/14 and deposited in Insurance Claim on 5/16/14.
8. To appropriate $46,263 of General Fund Balance to the Airport Aviation Rent line item. This transfer is to cover revenue losses at the Hickory Regional Airport due to the City's former FBO Operator being in default of their lease agreement on a hangar located at the Airport.
9. To appropriate $125,000 of Proceeds from Financing and budget in the TDA Parking Deck Project. This appropriation is for the design and GEO technical work.
10. To transfer a total of $34,000 of General Fund Contingency to the Unemployment Insurance line items in the Recycling, Fleet, Stormwater and Airport budgets. The transfer of funds is to cover a one-time insurance cost mandated by the State of North Carolina.
11. To transfer a total of $62,000 of General Fund Contingency to the Fuel line items in the Fire, Recycling and Residential Sanitation budgets. The transfer of funds is to cover fuel costs for the remainder of the fiscal year.
12. To adjust the Hotel Motel Occupancy Tax Revenue and Expenditure line items by $85,000 to reflect anticipated occupancy tax revenue.
I. Grant Project Ordinance Number 6.
1. To decrease the Windridge Bridge replacement project design line item by $152,800 of Federal ($114,600) and State ($38,200) Revenue. The Grant Project Ordinance is replaced with Capital Project Ordinance Number 7.
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Voluntary Satellite Annexation of 1218 Bugle Lane. - Mr. Jeremiah Turbeville, and wife Tanya Turbeville have submitted a petition for the voluntary satellite annexation of .479 acres of property, located at 1218 Bugle Lane. The petitioners are requesting annexation in order to connect to the City of Hickory’s sanitary sewer system. This public hearing was advertised on May 24, 2014 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
2. City Manager’s FY2014-2015 Recommended Annual Budget. - Pursuant to NC General Statutes §159-12(b), a public hearing shall be held before adopting the budget ordinance. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on May 24, 2014. Copies of the budget ordinance were filed for public inspection in the Office of the City Clerk, Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and Ridgeview Library. The recommended budget is also posted on the City’s web page, www.hickorync.gov. Pursuant to NC General Statutes §159-13(a), the City Council is required to adopt a balanced budget before July 1, making the appropriations and levying
taxes for the budget year. The City Manager recommends adoption of the attached budget ordinance for Fiscal Year 2014-2015.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Mack McLeod, Presentation of Zahra’s Tree House. - As part of the City’s fully-accessible Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground, a tree house was conceived to add tremendous value to the facility at Kiwanis Park. With the input from both local businesses and civic club, plans for a tree house structure were developed for the park. The proposed tree house will provide opportunities otherwise missed for children at the park. This particular project is a permanent upgrade for the facility and supports a long-term usage of the facility. All funds necessary to construct the tree house are private donations that have been deposited into a City of Hickory donations account. Staff recommends that Hickory Construction Company be awarded a sum of $33,000 for construction of a new tree house structure at Hickory Kiwanis Park as a complete turnkey project to include all permits and inspections.
2. Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant for Holbrook Landscaping for Property Located at 2146 Highland Avenue. - Holbrook Landscaping, LLC has applied for a Vacant Building Revitalization Grant in the amount of $30,000 to assist in the renovation of a former mill building located at 2146 Highland Avenue NE. The applicant plans to renovate the facility for use for a landscape contracting business. The applicant plans to invest approximately $230,000 in real property improvements to rehabilitate the industrial building. The Business Development Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval.
3. Citizen Briefing - The City Manager and Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt are briefing
citizens as neighborhoods, businesses, civic and general public meetings about the City’s plan for growing jobs and population. The Manager will provide this same briefing to Council and the residents in attendance.
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