Newsletter about the City Council meeting of June 3, 2014

I began video recording the City Council in 2012, because of my desire that the City do it on their own as any modern 21st century community began doing long ago. I had people tell me that they couldn't make it to the meetings, but they would like to see what is going on. I was also told by some council members that my summaries did not truly reflect the record, so having a video/audio recording cannot be misinterpreted.

So below is the City Council meeting. With each agenda item, you can click on the links and it will take you to that specific point in the meeting. You can always drag the marker on the video display to the point in the broadcast that you are interested in seeing.

Agenda about the City Council meeting of June 3, 2014

Thoughts about the Hickory City Council meeting - June 3, 2014




Invocation by Rev. Antonio Logan, Pastor Friendship Baptist Church

Persons Requesting to be Heard

Mr. Cliff Moone, appeared before Council in an official role as the Chairman of the Democratic Party. On the April 27th meeting of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party, a motion was made after some very edifying discussion about Inspiring Spaces initiative, and passed unanimously, to state that the citizens of Hickory should be allowed to vote on a bond referendum before or against the Inspiring Spaces concept. He stated that he was required to bring that before Council.

Mr. James Thomas Shell, addressed Council.  
                                       -  In the Chamber - JT Shell speaks to council


Consent Agenda: Passed unanimously with the exception of Item G, which was postponed to a later date.


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

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.

*** Link to the Video of City Manager Budget Presentation
*** Link to the Council Discussion of the proposed Tax Increase (rejected)    

          *** City Manager's Proposed Budget presentation from May 20, 2014


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.  Steve Aaron Fundraising Chairman

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

3. Citizen Briefing - The City Manager and Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt are briefing
citizens as neighborhoods, businesses, civic and general public meetings.

Citizen Review - Power Point Presentation 
Ridgeview Citizen Review - Thoughts about the Ridgeview Citizen Review meeting
Citizens Briefing Presentation - 04/29/2014
20140603 - Hal Row 's First Talk - Budget, Inspiring Spaces, & Bond Referendum



General Comments
Alderman Meisner commented that he and Alderman Lail; that Council had appointed through the MPO, had their meeting last week, and three good projects vaulted to the top of the list. Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard is going to get a new northwest quadrant turn. The area where everybody has to turn left, west, now they will be moving around. Also, the 321 bridge, 171 million dollars.  
Mayor Wright commented that needs to be the priority.
Mayor Wright announced Tastin’, Tunes & Tomatoes, every Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Farmers Market. It will include Yoga on the Square, Painting on the Square, Wildskeins Yarn and
Soaps. He stated that former City Councilwoman Sally Fox had requested this public announcement.
Mayor Wright commented that we had the honor of being named one of the top ten cities in North
Carolina to live. It was by an organization called Credit Donkey. We were listed 9th for all of the
reasons that we know, many of the reasons we know this is a great place to live. Short commutes, low random crime. Number 9, we are in company with places like Asheville and many others that are enviable. He was in Raleigh on Sunday and read the Raleigh paper. There was an interested article on Rocky Mount. He encouraged everyone to google it and to read the article, and it would give you a flavor for another city that is going through many of the things that we have only, believe it or not, the outcomes for them has been worse than we have had. Alderman Seaver commented that in his observance of the Zahra Baker playground, nobody worked any harder than Mayor Wright of getting that to happen.
Mayor Wright commented that he is so proud. When we think of Zahra Baker, and that tragedy, we now think of something very pleasant, and not a roadside monument.

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Hound Note: Nothing to add. There has been plenty of info provided in association with this meeting and the various subjects over the last several days. Click on the links. Do your research. There is plenty to see here. This was a very complex meeting on a lot of levels. Plenty of layers to the onion to discover here.