The Hickory Hound: August 2014

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of September 2, 2014

This Agenda is about the Hickory City Council meeting that took place on the date listed above. City council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.

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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

Hickory City Council Agenda - September 2, 2014

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The Hound's Notes:
1) Budget item 5.1 says Hickory Inc. paid Clark Consulting $37,950 for consulting, buy it doesn't say what Hickory Inc. paid them for. In going back to the records for the last meeting, we see, 'City Council authorized City Attorney John Crone to enter into settlement negotiations with Clark Consulting, and made an offer of $37,950 on behalf of the City; Clark Consulting accepted the offer. Attorneys for Clark Consulting are in the process of drafting the settlement documents. Staff requests authorization of City Attorney John Crone to execute all settlement documents on behalf of the City of Hickory to resolve the lawsuit.'

2) Budget Item 5.3 - We see the $80,000 discussed at the last meeting. $40,000 is to pay for FY13-14 projects still in progress (already promised) in the current fiscal year and an additional $40,000 is to fund projects that are in the initial stages of review in the current fiscal year. Apparently $20,000 of this money is earmarked to the Shuford Mills demolition project (Department Report #4) and $30,000 for 108 South Center Street (Departmental Report #5).

3) Consent Agenda Item A - Taxpayers are subsidizing fundraising for United Way charities. Vacation days are given based upon Employee Contributing and thus being eligible to win a drawing. Money from the general fund goes to subsidize employees who win the raffle to take time off. Personally, I don't think that Hickory Inc. should have such an arrangement. If employees want to donate to charities then great, but Hickory Inc. should not be promoting certain charities over others.

4) Just remember, if you ain't in the club, then you aren't getting any of this money they are throwing around. So don't get excited thinking they would help you out.

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Invocation by Rev. David Roberts II, Pastor Morning Star First Baptist Church

Special Presentations
A. Recognition of Sherman Stinson, Public Services for the Herman Drake Award (Lou Berry to present)

Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Six Days of Vacation Time as Prizes for Participation in the Annual United Way Campaign. - The United Way Campaign Committee requests six days of vacation time to be used as prizes for participation in the annual United Way Campaign, which will be held in August and September 2014. The City is a strong supporter of United Way, and use the campaign to educate the City’s workforce about the various programs and services United Way provides, and also to provide an easy way to make a donation. To encourage participation, the Committee would like to offer participants a chance to win some vacation time. Based on the level of participation, coworkers would be eligible to enter a drawing to win one of three vacation time prizes of one day, two days, or three days.

B. Award the Contract for Pavement Resurfacing to Midstate Contractors, Inc. for Asphalt Resurfacing Utilizing Federal Funds. - Staff requests awarding the resurfacing contract utilizing Federal funds to the responsible responsive low bidder, Midstate Contractors, Inc., for asphalt resurfacing in the amount of $44 per ton for S9.5A asphalt surface, $594 per ton for binder and $3 per square yard forasphalt milling. The Engineering Division staff prepared formal bid documents for an estimated 852 tons of asphalt surface course place and 500 square yards of asphalt milling. The asphalt binder unit price will be adjusted according to NCDOT standard procedures. All work will be paid on a unit price basis as the budget allows. Due to the paperwork required for the Federal funds, and the amount purchased the prices varies on the cost per ton.

C. Award the Contract for Pavement Resurfacing to Midstate Contractors, Inc. for Asphalt Resurfacing. - Staff requests awarding the resurfacing contract to the responsible responsive low bidder, Midstate Contractors, Inc., for asphalt resurfacing in the amount of $43.75 per ton for S9.5A asphalt surface, $43.90 per ton for S9.5b asphalt surface, $594 per ton for binder and $2 per square yard for asphalt milling. The Engineering Division staff prepared formal bid documents for an estimated 8,500 tons of asphalt surface course in pla ce and 9,000 square yards of asphalt milling. The asphalt binder unit price will be adjusted according to NCDOT standard procedures.

D. Approval of Lease Agreement with Catawba County Council on Aging to Lease Property Located at 400 17th Street SW. - Staff requests consideration of a Lease Agreement from the Catawba County Council on Aging to lease property owned by the City of Hickory, located at 400 17th Street SW. The property has been leased to the Catawba County Council on Aging for a number of years. Their current lease has expired. Staff has updated the lease to ensure it is active and enforceable. The terms for the proposed lease will be for five years for the nominal amount of $10. The lease shall automatically renew and continue on a year to year basis, for up to four renewal periods, for a total lease period of no more than nine (9) years, unless either party gives a thirty (30) day notice to terminate the tenancy to the other party, or until a new agreement is made. Public Notice was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 22, 2014.

E. Proclamation for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

F. Acceptance of the Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant from the State of North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resource. - The City of Hickory applied for the Community Waste Reduction Grant as a way to help reduce the initial cost of starting a Single Stream Recycling Program. The State selected the City of Hickory to receive the $30,000 grant for use in waste reduction, which will allow the City to reduce initial startup cost of the upcoming Single Stream Recycling Program, and shorten the City’s return on investment. The Single Stream Recycling Program will help reduce the Department’s operational cost by reducing the long-term cost of disposal. This program will also increase the amount of material recycled and related revenue generated from that material. The City is receiving the maximum dollar amount of this grant. The City’s match for this grant is 20 percent of the $30,000, which the City will far exceed with the purchase of the necessary rollout carts to cover the entire city. Staff recommends acceptance of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant in the amount of $30,000.

G. Approve the Second Amendment to the New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC’s Option and Lease Agreement for Electronic Communication Equipment. - The City of Hickory entered into an Option and Lease Agreement for Electronic Communication Equipment dated September 14, 2004 with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC, the successor in interest to BellSouth Personal Communications, LLC with whom the City had an agreement dating back to the mid 90’s. New Cingular leased a portion of the tower property located at 1441 9th Avenue NE for their equipment. The 2004 agreement was first amended December 22, 2011. New Cingular is requesting to add three new antennas and supporting equipment to the cell tower located at public services. New Cingular has performed a structural analysis and will make the modifications to the tower at their cost. The proposed modifications will bring the tower into compliance for the existing loading on the tower as well as the new antennas. The City’s tower management group reviewed and approved the structural analysis. New Cingular will increase their monthly lease payment by $1,000 for the new antennas. Staff recommends approval of the Second Amendment to the New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC’s Option and Lease Agreement for Electronic Communication Equipment.

H. Acceptance of the Bid and Award Contract to West Carolina Freightliner, LLC in the amount of $94,499. - The Public Utilities Department use tandem axel road tractors to pull tankers of bio-solids from the wastewater treatment facilities daily as a part of the treatment process. The Northeast Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Henry Fork Wastewater Plant each have a dedicated road tractor and tanker that they use daily. The Public Utilities Department has one spare road tractor and tanker that the facilities share in the event a primary tractor is down for maintenance. This replacement request is for the spare road tractor, and is being replaced as a component of the Public Utilities Department’s normal capital replacement program. Staff recommends acceptance of the bid and award of this Freightliner Columbia tandem axel road tractor with glider kit purchase as proposed by West Carolina Freightliner, LLC in the amount of $94,499. Funds are budget in FY2014-2015 for this purchase.

I. Acceptance of the Bid and Award Contract to Advanced Grading and Excavating, LLC in the amount of $33,750 for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Sewer Relocation Project. - This project is necessary to relocate an existing eight inch sanitary sewer line and manholes that currently cross the parking lot in front of the Hickory Metro Convention Center. This line must be rel cated to allow for construction activities and erection of a proposed parking deck in this area. Staff recommends acceptance of the bid and award of the construction contract with the responsible low bidder, Advanced Grading and Excavating, LLC for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Sewer Relocation Project in the amount of $33,750. This project is being funded as a part of the financing for the parking deck project to be reimbursed by the Tourism Development Authority.

J. Approve Additional Award Adjustment to North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation Agreement for Project 36237.66.4.3 Rehabilitate and Overlay Taxiway “B”, Taxiway “S” and North Apron Project in the Amount of $166,667. - This is an additional award adjustment of yet more funding from NDCOT Aviation Division to the modified agreement approved by City Council on August 5, 2014, which modified the original agreement approved on July 15, 2014 for Block Grant/NPE Agreement for grant 36237.66.4.3 to rehabilitate Taxiway “B” and “S” and the North Apron. This final allocation of funds will be used to complete the airfield improvement plan. Staff recommends approval of the award adjustment in the amount of $166,667 to NCDOT Agreement for Project 36237.66.4.3. The required local match of 10 percent will be $16,667.

K. Approve Special Events/Activities Application for Children’s Advocacy and Protection Center Vigil, Kathleen Landry, Community Outreach for Children’s Advocacy and Protection Center, Tuesday, October 21, 2014 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Sails on the Square.

L. Approve Special Events/Activities Application for Carolina Container Company Outing, Megan Meade, Hickory Crawdads Director of Community Relations and Events, Saturday, October 4, 2014 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at L.P. Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd.

M. Approve a Transfer of Cemetery Deed from the City of Hickory to Madolyn M. Byrd,

N. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 5.
1. To transfer $37,950 of General Fund Contingency to the Legal Departments Other Professional Services line item. This transfer is necessary to pay settlement costs to Clark Consulting on behalf of the City.
2. To budget a total of $80,000 of Appropriated General Fund Balance in the Vacant Building Revitalization line item. $40,000 is to pay for FY13-14 projects still in progress in the current fiscal year and an additional $40,000 is to fund projects that are in the initial stages of review in the current fiscal year.
3. To reduce the Capital Reserve-Appropriated Fund Balance by $302,250 and to reduce the transfer to Water and Sewer by $302,250. This amendment is needed for a budgetary adjustment to reflect anticipated expenditures.
4. To appropriate $16,666 of General Fund-Appropriated Fund Balance and transfer to the Airport Rehabilitation and Overlay Taxiway B and S, and North Apron project. The initial grant project was awarded and budgeted in July 2014 however an amendment to the grant was approved which will fund additional pavement rehabilitation work. The funding for the project is a total of $166,666 (90% Federal $150,000 and 10% required match $16,666). Therefore a $16,666
transfer to the project is necessary.

O. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment Number 3.
1. To budget an additional $166,666 of funding for the Airport Rehabilitation and Overlay Taxiway B and S, and North Apron project. The North Carolina Department of Transportation-Division of Aviation amended the award granted in July 2014. The additional funding is 90% Federal funds $150,000 with a 10% required local match of $16,666.

P. Capital Project Ordinance Amendment Number 1.
1. To appropriate $3,000,000 of Proceeds from Financing and budget in the Tourism Development Association (TDA) Parking Deck Project Construction and Miscellaneous line items. This appropriation will fund the construction of the parking deck, the necessary relocation of a sanitary sewer line and the other miscellaneous items that may result in a project of this scale. The debt payments associated with these borrowed funds will be paid with revenue from the TDA.

Informational Item
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to North Carolina League of Municipalities General Government Legislative Action Committee Meeting (Mileage Reimbursement $192.64)

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution and Order for Petition of BHM Holdings, LLC to Close an Unopened Portion of 4th Street NE. - On June 27, 2014, BHM Holdings, LLC, presented a petition to the City Clerk’s office requesting the City to abandon a portion of an unopened street located on 4th Street NE. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 8, August 15, August 22, and August 29, 2014.

2. Resolution and Order for Petition of William H. Rogers, and wife Linda Rogers; and Terah L. Harris and wife, Karen P. Harris to Close an Unopened Portion of 20th Avenue NE. - On June 27, 2014, William H. Rogers and Linda Rogers; and Terah L. Harris and Karen P. Harris, presented a petition to the City Clerk’s office requesting the City to abandon a portion of an unopened street located on 20th Avenue NE.This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 8, August 15, August 22, and August 29, 2014.

3. Consideration of the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires the City of Hickory, as a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement funding recipient, to report on CDBG monies spent within the previous fiscal year. This report, the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), evaluates the effectiveness of the use of resources in addressing identified goalsand objectives cited in the Annual Action Plan which is prepared before the fiscal year begins. Staff recommends approval of the FY2013-2014 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report outlining the City’s CDBG expenditures from July 1, 2013 thru June 30, 2014. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 22, 2014 and September 2, 2014.

4. Review and Presentation of the Financing Concept for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck. - The Hickory Metro Convention Center is owned by the City of Hickory, butoperates 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. Event parking has reached maximum capacity and has created overflows into area hotel and business parking lots. The need for the parking deck has become vital to attract even larger scale events that would generate even more traffic to the Convention Center. The proposed parking deck plans include an additional 157 sp aces and revisions to the existing traffic flow pattern. Any project involving the financing method of installment purchase is required to hold a public hearing prior to approval of financing for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck project by the Local Government Commission. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 22, 2014.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approve the Construction Contract with Matthews Construction Company, in the amount of $2,576,000 to construct the Parking Deck Structure and Associated Improvements for the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck. - City Council approved, on May 20, 2014, a contract with the architect Scott Mitchell for the construction management of the parking deck structure that is planned to be built at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. The City conducted the solicitation for bids. Matthews Construction Company was the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder for this project. The Tourism Development Authority is providing the funds to cover the cost using occupancy tax revenue. Staff recommends awarding the contract to Matthews Construction Company in the amount of $2,576,000 to construct the parking deck structure and associated improvements.

2. Lyerly Mill Redevelopment Update

3. Award Construction Contract to Dane Construction, Inc., for the Replacement of the 46th Avenue NE Bridge in the amount of $942,202.05. - The bridge located on 46th Avenue Drive NE, at the entrance of Windridge Subdivision, was destroyed by flood waters on July 27, 2013, leaving the residents for the subdivision without access to their homes. Temporary access and utility connections were provided for those residents while McGill Associates designed a replacement structure. The replacement structure will provide a longterm solution for access to the subdivision. The lowest responsive bidder, Dane Construction, Inc., from Mooresville, NC submitted the low bid in the amount of $942,202.05. Funding for the majority of the project cost is from FEMA. Staff recommends that Dane Construction, Inc. be awarded the contract for construction of the replacement bridge in the amount of $942,203.05 and a contingency in the project budget for a total amount of $1,035,000.

4. (a) Approve Interlocal Agreement between the City of Hickory and Catawba County for the Development of Business Park 1764.
(b) Approve an Agreement between the City of Hickory, Catawba County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) regarding 1764 Park Project. - The 1764 Park project represents efforts between the City, the County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation to positively impact and spur additional economic development and job growth in the area. The parties desired to put certain conditions in place to maximize the development of the business park. The Interlocal Agreement provides the City and the County with the ability to mutually control the development of the park by setting forth certain restrictive covenants and zoning requirements of the respective parties. The covenants and zoning requirements govern a number of items including but not limited to ingress and egress of the property, buildings’ heights, nuisances, park landscaping, park amenities, permitted uses, and property maintenance. Staff recommends Council approve the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Hickory and Catawba County for the development of Business Park 1764 and the Agreement between the City of Hickory, Catawba County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation governing EDC’s ability to exercise options or offers to purchase property associated with the 1764 Park project.

5. Approve an Amendment to the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Agreement with Shuford Mills, LLC. - Shuford Mills, LLC received a Vacant Building Demolition Grant in the amount of $20,000 in January 2014 to assist in the demolition of the former AA Shuford Mill located at 1360 Highland Avenue NE. This agreement stipulated a deadline of 270 days to complete the demolition and site restoration. The applicant has now requested a 120 day extension in order to save a portion of the original exterior wall. Saving this portion of the wall will require additional construction work and additional time to complete. The Business Development Committee considered the request at their August 20, 2014 meeting and recommends approval. Staff recommends approval of the Amendment to the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Agreement with Shuford Mills, LLC.

6. Approval of a Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant with The Block 108, LLC for Property Located at 108 South Center Street. - The Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant provides grant funding for projects to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings within the Urban Revitalization Area and targeted industrial buildings in other areas of the city. The Block 108, 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 108 South Center Street. The applicant plans to invest approximately $763,900 in real property improvement to rehabilitate the facility for use as an office for a general contractor, a motorcycle restoration business, office uses, a salon, and seven “loft” style apartments. In accordance to the program guidelines, all approvals must be in place before the applicant begins work on a project. Significant construction activity on the project has already begun. The roof work that represents a large portion of the project is already nearly complete. Garage doors and a portion of the electrical work is already complete. The Business Development Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval. Staff recommends that City Council deny the Vacant Building Grant Agreement with The Block 108, LLC due to the fact that work has already begun prior to grant approval.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 24, 2014

Hound Note: Reality has hit the fan and it's everywhere.

30 stats to show to anyone that does not believe the middle class is being destroyed - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - August 20th, 2014 - The 30 statistics that you are about to read prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the middle class in America is being systematically destroyed. Once upon a time, the United States had the largest and most prosperous middle class in the history of the world, but now that is changing at a staggering pace. Yes, the stock market has soared to unprecedented heights this year and there are a few isolated areas of the country that are doing rather well for the moment. But overall, the long-term trends that are eviscerating the middle class just continue to accelerate. Over the past decade or so, the percentage of Americans that are working has gone way down, the quality of our jobs has plummeted dramatically and the wealth of the typical American household has fallen precipitously. Meanwhile, we have watched median household income decline for five years in a row, we have watched the rate of homeownership in this country decline for eight years in a row and dependence on the government is at an all-time high. Being a part of the middle class in the United States at this point can be compared to playing a game of musical chairs. We can all see chairs being removed from the game, and we are all desperate to continue to have a chair every time the music stops playing. The next time the music stops, will it be your chair that gets removed? And in this economy, you don't even have to lose your job to fall out of the middle class. Our paychecks are remaining very stable while the cost of almost everything that we spend money on consistently (food, gas, health insurance, etc.) is going up rapidly. Bloomberg calls this "the no-raises recovery"...

Is the $5 Bill the New $1 Bill? - Washington's Blog - Charles Hugh Smith - August 23, 2014 - Events, food purchased away from home and live entertainment are increasingly unaffordable to the bottom 90%. It’s starting to feel like a $5 bill is the new $1 bill: everything that could be purchased with one or two dollars not that long ago is now $5 or even $10. A few days ago I was enjoying the Butte County Fair in California’s farmbelt (the Central Valley), and it seemed like a rural county fair was a price baseline that was far enough away from the urban artifice of $100 meals at fancy bistros to reflect the statistically elusive real-world inflation... We are constantly reassured that inflation near-zero–2% annually or less. On the ground, it seems that stuff manufactured in the global supply chain is still relatively cheap, as are energy and food, at least compared to what they cost elsewhere or could cost if supply chains get disrupted. There are no limits on the cost of government services or government-controlled sectors such as healthcare. Our city garbage service fees just jumped from $356 quarterly to $453, a 27% increase. Note to Federal Reserve: 27% is not 2%. Our monthly healthcare insurance (paid entirely by us, as we’re self-employed) leaped $300 per month over the past few years, from $900/month to $1,200/month. These increases add up to thousands of dollars a year. That is not 2% inflation. Clearly, healthcare, government services, events, food purchased away from home and live entertainment are increasingly unaffordable to the bottom 90%.

What's $100 Really Worth In Each State? - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - August 24, 2014 - Because average prices for similar goods are much higher in California or New York than in Mississippi or South Dakota, The Tax Foundation notes points out that the same amount of dollars will buy you comparatively less in the high-price states, or comparatively more in low-price states. Regional price differences are strikingly large, and have serious policy implications. The same amount of dollars are worth almost 40 percent more in Mississippi than in DC, and the differences become even larger if metro area prices are considered instead of statewide averages.

Cornel West: “He posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit. We ended up with a Wall Street presidency, a drone presidency” - Salon - Thomas Frank - August 24, 2014 -
Cornel West is a professor at Union Theological Seminary and one of my favorite public intellectuals, a man who deals in penetrating analyses of current events, expressed in a pithy and highly quotable way. I first met him nearly six years ago, while the financial crisis and the presidential election were both under way, and I was much impressed by what he had to say. I got back in touch with him last week, to see how he assesses the nation’s progress since then. The conversation ranged from Washington, D.C., to Ferguson, Missouri, and although the picture of the nation was sometimes bleak, our talk ended on a surprising note.
Last time we talked it was almost six years ago. It was a panel discussion The New Yorker magazine had set up, it was in the fall of 2008, so it was while the financial crisis was happening, while it was actually in progress. The economy was crumbling and everybody was panicking. I remember you speaking about the financial crisis in a way that I thought made sense. There was a lot of confusion at the time. People didn’t know where to turn or what was going on. I also remember, and this is just me I’m talking about, being impressed by Barack Obama who was running for president at the time. I don’t know if you and I talked about him on that occasion. But at the time, I sometimes thought that he looked like he had what this country needed. So that’s my first question, it’s a lot of ground to cover but how do you feel things have worked out since then, both with the economy and with this president? That was a huge turning point, that moment in 2008, and my own feeling is that we didn’t turn.
No, the thing is he posed as a progressive and turned out to be counterfeit. We ended up with a Wall Street presidency, a drone presidency, a national security presidency. The torturers go free. The Wall Street executives go free. The war crimes in the Middle East, especially now in Gaza, the war criminals go free. And yet, you know, he acted as if he was both a progressive and as if he was concerned about the issues of serious injustice and inequality and it turned out that he’s just another neoliberal centrist with a smile and with a nice rhetorical flair. And that’s a very sad moment in the history of the nation because we are—we’re an empire in decline. Our culture is in increasing decay. Our school systems are in deep trouble. Our political system is dysfunctional. Our leaders are more and more bought off with legalized bribery and normalized corruption in Congress and too much of our civil life. You would think that we needed somebody—a Lincoln-like figure who could revive some democratic spirit and democratic possibility...

Bix Weir: Who owns your mortgage? Do you own that stock?

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Economic Relevance -- Some things slip through

Hollar Hosiery - 3 months ago - missed this one

NC developer, filmmaker seeks $1.1M in film incentives to pay for rehab of old mill - Raleigh News and Observer - J. Andrew Curliss - May 26, 2014 - Of the dozens of film projects in North Carolina that have sought millions in taxpayer film subsidies since 2005, one stands out for the unusual way the producer says he spent the money: on construction workers, bricks and mortar to transform an old hosiery mill in Hickory from a vacant eyesore into a valuable piece of commercial real estate. The more than $4 million in construction activity at the mill was part of filming for episodes of a reality TV show that promised to take viewers into the ups and downs of remaking historic buildings. The docudrama TV project, known as “The Preservationist,” was filmed two years ago. It has not aired and, as of this month, is not lined up for distribution. A website related to the show has been suspended and trailers online are marked “private.” The film project is seeking $1.1 million in state film incentives, according to reports filed with the state Department of Revenue and an interview with the show’s producer and starring character, Nathan Kirby of Gastonia. Kirby’s primary line of work is in real estate, including as a developer who rehabs old buildings. As a sideline, he has had an interest in producing and acting in lower-budget films. At one point, he told state officials that his TV show project needed the subsidy and could mean “hundreds of millions of investment” and “thousands of jobs,” which had the head of the state’s film office saluting the project as a “legitimate production venture.” Kirby ultimately reported far less in spending and jobs. The claim filed with state officials listed 14 people employed for the show.

Kirby said state officials who approve film subsidies are now auditing his reality show’s receipts and other information and have not yet approved his claim. He said he is facing scrutiny because of his dual role as a historic buildings developer and film producer.

Kirby said he followed all the r

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/05/26/3889641/nc-developer-filmmaker-uses-dual.html#storylink=cpy

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of August 19, 2014

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Thoughts about the Hickory City Council meeting - August 19, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of August 19, 2014

*** The tone of this meeting was much better with the Mayor allowing back and forth interaction on the Oktoberfest issue.

A. Mr. Alan Barnhardt, Executive Director, Catawba Science Center will discuss the
uniqueness of Catawba Science Center, what it is doing to promote the local economy, and the newest featured exhibition – Furniture. Well Crafted.

*** Mr. Barnhardt's presentation will be provided in the Newsletter presentation. Below is a video he presented to Council.

Visit Catawba Science Center's latest exhibit Furniture. Well Crafted. Science + Innovation + Technology - For more information: http://catawbascience.org/exhibits.ht...

B. Ms. Bebe Leitch, CEO, Hickory Metro Convention Center, presentation of a Resolution to Hickory City Council

Ms. Leitch presented a resolution detailing the history and direction, through the years, of the Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors' Bureau and the Convention Center... how the entities been funded, developed, and have evolved.

C. Representative of Hickory Downtown Development Association – Discussion of Oktoberfest

Hound Notes: One of the key issues of the night. Tracy Nestor presented information related to the operational hours of this year's festival. Oktoberfest has for years been closing between 11pm and 11:30pm. This year a closing time of 10pm was imposed on the festival. The festival coordinators asked for a compromise and eventually it was granted by the city council. The Festival will close at 10:30pm. (According to the HDR, the festival will close at 11pm and it is the beer sales that will end at 10:30pm).

Personally, I'm tired of the leaders of this community having a desire to roll up the sidewalks after dark. It blows me away how unrealistic it is. I understand that the people on the Council relate to Codgers, but it is ridiculous. Hickory Alive and the Sails events have had their operational hours reduced to 9pm from the previous 10pm. Ms. Nestor and another lady, the head of the Jaycees, talked about how this has had a negative impact on their revenues this year and it will have an effect on their upcoming operational budget.

Mayor Wright, the Council, and Chief Adkins went back to the issue of unsupervised kids roaming the streets of Hickory. They say that this is an issue of Public Safety. We've heard this before over the past several years. Nothing is being resolved other than for people who act properly to have to endure an imposition based upon the possibility that someone else might do something wrong -- gonna throw the baby out with the bath water.

Because in the end, we can put society on lockdown and things are still going to happen and then the reaction is to tighten things down even further. None of this makes me feel safer... It makes me feel claustrophobic.

Remember This: June 27, 2011

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. (a) Vacant Building Grant Program. - Update City Council on the status of the Vacant Building Grant program and request changes to the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Program guidelines, to appropriate fund balance for projects in progress across the most recent fiscal year for which final payments have not been made, and to appropriate fund balance for an additional amount of grant funding for project that are in the initial stages of review and could be awarded a grant in FY 2014-2015.
(b) Amend Vacant Building Grant Agreement from Jack Sipe Construction Company. (First Reading Vote: Unanimous)

Hound Notes: The Council on this night voted to change the Vacant Building Grant Program in a way that will help to better spread the funds. Dave Leonetti presented information detailing these changes. They also agreed to fund $40,000 for projects already agreed to and $40,000 for anticipated projects upcoming in this fiscal year.

Jack Sipe Construction was to receive two $40,000 grants. One grant was to be paid upon completion of the project. The other would not be paid until the building was occupied within a defined period. The first of those grants was allowed even though there were delays in the completion of the project. On this night, the second $40,000 grant was denied, because the planned building occupier (Lenoir-Rhyne) will not be moving into the building until next July.

*** Pointed out by a Hound Viewer ***
One correction to your comments regarding the Jack Sipe Construction grant....the original total of the grant was $19,834 of which half, $9,917 was paid on Dec 15, 2010. The other half is what the Council did not approve. There were never two $40,000 grants. Reference the info provided in the July 15, 2014 Council meeting.

Below are the details of the changed grant process. Anyone notice anything related to the map of the project locations:

Monday, August 18, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 17, 2014

*** Hound Notes: What I want you to realize is that your way of life that you have grown accustomed to is over. Those of you who want to shuffle the deck chairs. Your freak out time is coming. Too bad you have refused that and won't realize it until that overwhelming time comes. We've already seen it all around us. Each of us know those people who have been overwhelmed. If you don't meditate and think this out, then you will be that person. The theme this week is Accepting Reality.

*** There currently aren't many stories to report because economic activity has slowed so much.

Cops Gone Wild - Paul Craig Roberts - August 15, 2014

NAFTA Is 20 Years Old – Here Are 20 Facts That Show How It Is Destroying The Economy - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - August 14th, 2014 - Back in the early 1990s, the North American Free Trade Agreement was one of the hottest political issues in the country. When he was running for president in 1992, Bill Clinton promised that NAFTA would result in an increase in the number of high quality jobs for Americans that it would reduce illegal immigration. Ross Perot warned that just the opposite would happen. He warned that if NAFTA was implemented there would be a "giant sucking sound" as thousands of businesses and millions of jobs left this country. Most Americans chose to believe Bill Clinton. Well, it is 20 years later and it turns out that Perot was right and Clinton was dead wrong. But now history is repeating itself, and most Americans don't even realize that it is happening. As you will read about at the end of this article, Barack Obama has been negotiating a secret trade treaty that is being called "NAFTA on steroids", and if Congress adopts it we could lose millions more good paying jobs. It amazes me how the American people can fall for the same lies over and over again. The lies that serial liar Barack Obama is telling about "free trade" and the globalization of the economy are the same lies that Bill Clinton was telling back in the early 1990s. The following is an excerpt from a recent interview with Paul Craig Roberts...

Gerald Celente: Founder & Director of the Trends Research Institute - King World News Interview - August 15, 2014 - Gerald has had a long track record of making some of the most controversial, yet correct calls in terms of global trends and events. (Interview Audio)

Geopolitics don't change from day-to-day. These are wars. Oil is going down because of lack of demand. Data on commodities show downward trends created by lack of demand. Global stagnation. WalMart is the barometer of the middle class of the nation. WalMart is seeing flat or declining store sales. He talks about a person from Wastchester County, New York and how they are struggling. Westchester County is one of the richest counties in the nation. Doesn't look like there is any way out. We will see another round of stimulus. Global Ponzi Scheme is on its deathbed. Ferguson, Missouri is the future of what is to come. People are going out of their minds and we see overreactions by the cops. We will see more and more desperate actions by desperate people, especially the leaders. The World is being led to war by sociopaths and psychopaths.

20140815 - Max Keiser Bitcoin & Current Geopolitics

The Geography Of Jobs: Mapping The Recovery - Tyler Durden - August 17, 2014 -
The current 'boom'in energy production, the hangover from the housing bubble, and the long-term decline in manufacturing employment are combining to shift the employment profile of the US economy. But as Deloitte Unioversity press notes, the national story of slow recovery obscures the more complicated regional picture: As is the case during most business cycles, the pace of recovery has been very uneven among the states. At present, only 16 states plus the District of Columbia have employment rates at least one percent higher than they were prior to the start of the recession. Overall, as the following chart shows, Americans have been struggling to find work, but some states and industries have had an easier time than others.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of August 19, 2014

Hickory City Council Agenda - August 19, 2014

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The Hound's Notes:
1) Plenty of thoughts about certain issues, but sometimes you hold the cards close. Nothing of urgency at this meeting. Looks mostly to be ceremonial.

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Invocation by Rev. Bob Thompson, Pastor, Corinth Reformed Church

Special Presentations:
A. Mr. Alan Barnhardt, Executive Director, Catawba Science Center will discuss the
uniqueness of Catawba Science Center, what it is doing to promote the local economy, and the newest featured exhibition – Furniture. Well Crafted.
B. Ms. Bebe Leitch, CEO, Hickory Metro Convention Center, presentation of a Resolution to Hickory City Council
C. Representative of Hickory Downtown Development Association – Discussion of Oktoberfest

Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Hickory Chiro Properties, LLC Located at 256 3rd Avenue NW, in the amount of $5,000. - City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicant, Hickory Chiro Properties, LLC, has provided two bids for replacement of the existing steel frame windows with new energy efficient white vinyl windows. The bids quoted $12,980 and $13,470, qualifies for a $5,000 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend funding of the requested grant in the amount of $5,000.

B. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Travis L. Winn and wife, Christine D. Winn, Located at 439 4th Street SW, in the amount of $4,090.47. - City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicant, Christine Winn, has provided two bids for the renovation of the
exterior of a residential structure that is being changed into a professional office. The renovations include, new masonry (stone) work, new doors, and lighting fixtures. The bids quoted $8,180.94 and $8,700.20, qualifies for a $4,090.47 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $4,090.47.

C. Approval of Landscape Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Travis L. Winn and wife, Christine D. Winn, Located at 439 4th Street SW, in the amount of $290.82. - City Council created the Landscape Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission review applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $2,500. The
applicant, Christine Winn, has provided two bids for the installation of new plant materials around the front and side of the building. The bids quoted $593.15 and $581.64, qualifies for a $290.82 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $290.82.

D. Approval of Landscape Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Jon David Ross and wife Meredith Ross, (The Hickory Tree), Located at 831 Old Lenoir Road, in the amount of $1,120. - City Council created the Landscape Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission review applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $2,500. The applicants Jon David Ross, and Meredith Ross, have provided two bids for the installation of new plant materials around a newly surfaced parking area, and the front of their commercial building. The bids quoted $2,240 and $2,495, qualifies for a $1,120 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $1,120.

E. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Jon David Ross and wife, Meredith Ross, (The Hickory Tree), Located at 831 Old Lenoir Road, in the amount of $1,200. -City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicants, Jon David Ross and Meredith Ross, have provided two bids for the repair of a wooden deck, replacement of the trim surrounding the building’s windows, and the installation of protective posts around a natural gas meter. The bids quoted $2,600 and $2,767, qualifies for a $1,300 grant. The Community Appearance Commission’s funding recommendation was $1,200. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $1,200.

F. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by KAD Investments, LLC Located at 881 Highland Avenue NE, in the amount of $2,240. - City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicant, KAD Investments LLC has provided two bids for cleaning and
repainting of the exterior of a commercial building. The bids quoted $4,480 and $5,850, qualifies for a $2,240 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $2,240.

G. Approval of Landscape Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by the Catawba County Historical Association Inc., Located at 310 North Center Street, in the amount of $2,500. - City Council created the Landscape Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission review applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $2,500. The applicant, Catawba County Historical Association Inc., has provided two bids for the installation of a butterfly garden and an Event/Formal Garden area. The bids quoted $5,351.32 and $5,535.25, qualifies for a $2,500 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $2,500.

H. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Catawba County Historical Association Inc., Located at 310 North Center Street, in the amount of $5,000. - City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicant, Catawba County Historical Association Inc., has provided two bids for the removal of the existing paint, repair of any damaged areas, and the repainting of the Harper House and the Carriage House utilizing specialized period paint. The bids quoted $19,000 and $23,700, qualifies for a $5,000 grant. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $5,000.

I. Approval of Community Appearance Grant for Non-Residential Property owned by Piedmont Wagon Properties, LLC, Located at 1020 Main Avenue NW, in the amount of $10,000. - City Council created the Community Appearance Grant program in 1999 to provide economic incentives for property owners to improve the general appearance of their property. The Community Appearance Commission reviews applications for the grant program and forwards a recommendation of approval or denial to City Council. The grants are designed as a reimbursement grant in which the City of Hickory will match the applicant on a 50/50 basis. The maximum grant amount from the City of Hickory is $5,000. The applicant, Piedmont Wagon Properties LLC, has provided two bids for the rail dock platform and awning. The bids quoted $38,471 and $50,400, qualifies for a $5,000 grant. The private investment in the property is estimated to be $2 million dollars, and the redevelopment of the building is considered to be a historical restoration. Given these two factors the Community Appearance Commission recognizes the Piedmont Wagon building, and it’s redevelopment, to be of significant economic scale, as well as exceptional architectural merit; and worthy of an enhanced grant in the amount of $10,000. Additionally, the Community Appearance Commission recognizes the complexity of the redevelopment project and further recommends the term of the grant agreement be ten months from the date of City Council approval. The Community Appearance Commission unanimously voted, at their July 28, 2014 regular meeting, to recommend the funding requested grant in the amount of $10,000, and to extend the period of the grant agreement to ten months.

J. Approval to Accept Two Grants from Susteen in the amount of $17,760. - Hickory Police Department requests approval to accept two grants from Susteen for Secure View Next Gen and Secure View 3 Mobile Forensic Software. The two systems will provide equipment and software for mobile cell phone forensics, file extraction, password acquisition tool to unlock mobile devices, and advanced analytics which will equip personnel to handle the increased amount of cases involving mobile cell phone data. This equipment and software will assist in criminal investigations. The cost for Secure View Next Gen is $12,390, and the City’s portion will be $4,999. Secure View 3 Mobile Forensic Software’s cost is $5,370, and the City’s portion will be $1,995. The total for both grants is $17,760, with the City’s portion for both grants being $6,994. Funds for the City’s portion are budgeted in FY 2014-2015 annual budget.

K. Approval of Amendment to Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property Located on 3rd Street SE. - Staff requests approval of an amendment to the agreement for purchase and sale of real property located at 11 3rd Street SE (PIN#3702-0087-9970), 17 3rd Street SE (PIN#3702-0879-9646), 21 3rd Street SE (PIN#3702-0879-9641), and 27 3rd Street SE (PIN#3702-
0879-9556). The City of Hickory’s interest in the property is 10.7143%. The request is to amend Section 11: Closing – Seller(s) shall deliver unto buyer a special warranty deed; Section 18: Assignment – This agreement is assignable upon the written permission of the Wells Fargo Bank Trust Department; Additional Provisions: Seller(s) have agreed to provide a credit at closing to the buyer of a total lump sum of $6,000 to offset the repair costs of a sink hole that exists on the subject property as a repair allowance.

L. Approve Transfer of Cemetery Deed from William R. Deitz, widower, to Helen Deitz Catt, single.

M. Approve Transfer of Cemetery Deed from William R. Deitz, widower, to Cynthia Deitz
Moore, widow.

N. Approve Transfer of Cemetery Deed from William R. Deitz, widower, to William R. Deitz
Jr., married.

O. Call for Public Hearing – for the Review and Presentation of the Financing Concept for
the Hickory Metro Convention Center Parking Deck. (Authorize Public Hearing for
September 2, 2014)

P. Call for Public Hearing – for Consideration of the Consolidated Annual Performance and
Evaluation Report. (Authorize Public Hearing for September 2, 2014)

Q. Adopt a Resolution of Intent to Execute a Lease Agreement with Catawba County Council on Aging for Property Owned by the City of Hickory. - To comply with NCGS §160A-272, Council must adopt a resolution expressing Council’s intent to execute a lease agreement at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Following adoption of the resolution, notice of the lease agreement must be published at least ten days prior to the date Council will consider the lease agreement. Staff recommends that City Council adopt the resolution expressing Council’s intent to execute a lease
agreement with Catawba County Council of Aging for city-owned property located at 400 17th Street SW at Council’s September 2, 2014 meeting.

R. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs. - The following request was considered by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee at their regular meeting on August 7, 2014:
The following applicant is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s 2013-2014 Urgent Repair Program. This program provides qualified low income citizens with assistance for emergency-related repairs not to exceed $5,400.
 DeSharra Wright, 2120 11th Avenue NE, Hickory

S. Approval to Declare as Surplus (9) Nine Phoenix Rescue Tool Power Units and a Compliment of Tools. - Hickory Fire Department requests City Council to declare as surplus nine Phoenix rescue tool power units and a compliment of tools that can be used by other public safety agencies in the area, and to allow the sale to surrounding agencies. The units and tools were purchased in 2001, and have met their intended service life for hydraulic rescue equipment. The Hickory Fire Department has received verbal requests from six local agencies requesting access to these units. The intent of this request is to sell each unit for one dollar to the requesting agencies for the purpose of training and/or incident mitigation and life safety in surrounding communities. Estimated market value of this equipment is $2,700.

T. Authorization for City Attorney John Crone to Execute All Necessary Settlement Documents on Behalf of the City of Hickory to Resolve a Pending Litigation. - In August 2012, City Council voted to increase the privilege license fees for internet sweepstakes businesses to $2,500 per establishment plus $1,500 per machine. The majority of the sweepstakes businesses operating at that time, including Clark Consulting LLC, paid the increased privilege licensed fees. Clark Consulting LLC owned and operated the Fish the Net sweepstakes businesses in Hickory. Clark Consulting paid a total of $55,000 in privilege license fees. Following two court decisions, in Lumberton and Fayetteville, the courts held the high fees were unconstitutional. Clark Consulting, represented by Morningstar Law Group, sued the City of Hickory claiming the privilege license fees they had paid violated their constitutional rights. City Council authorized City Attorney John Crone to enter into settlement negotiations with Clark Consulting, and made an offer of $37,950 on behalf of the City; Clark Consulting accepted the offer. Attorneys for Clark Consulting are in the process of drafting the settlement documents. Staff requests authorization of City Attorney John Crone to execute all settlement documents on behalf of the City of Hickory to resolve the lawsuit.

U. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 4.
1. To appropriate $34,980 of General Fund Contingency and transfer to the FY2013 Assistance to Firefighter Grant Project. The Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approved the FY2013 Assistance to the Firefighters Grant application in the amount of $1,974,800. (90% Federal $1,777,320 and Local $197,480) for equipment purchases of P25 compliant radio equipment. The City of Hickory Fire Department will be acting as the lead
agency for 18 fire and emergency medical agencies within Catawba County.
2. To appropriate $25,905 of General Fund Balance and transfer to the Parking Fund due to an excess in budgeted parking fine revenues and parking fee revenues in FY13-14.

V. Grant Project Ordinance Number 4.
1. To budget a total of $1,974,800 in the FY2013 Assistance to Firefighter Grant Project. The Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approved the FY2013 Assistance to the Firefighters Grant application in the amount of $1,974,800. (90% Federal $1,777,320 and Local $197,480) for equipment purchases of P25 compliant radio equipment. The City of Hickory Fire Department will be acting as the lead agency for 18 fire and medical agencies within Catawba County.

New Business - Public Hearings:
1. Consideration of Contiguous Annexation of Startown Road Right of Way. - The City of Hickory has submitted a petition for the voluntary contiguous annexation of 0.6 acres of property. The annexation area is comprised of a portion of the public street right-of-way of Startown Road. The annexation is being requested in an effort to fill in some gaps in the City’s boundary within the
Startown Road public street right-of-way. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on August 8, 2014.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. (a) Vacant Building Grant Program. - Update City Council on the status of the Vacant Building Grant program and request changes to the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Program guidelines, to appropriate fund balance for projects in progress across the most recent fiscal year for which final payments have not been made, and to appropriate fund balance for an additional amount of grant funding for project that are in the initial stages of review and could be awarded a grant in FY 2014-2015.
(b) Amend Vacant Building Grant Agreement from Jack Sipe Construction Company. (First Reading Vote: Unanimous)

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

This is awesome!!!

Uma Thurman, Jump: Jameson First Shot 2014 - Published on Jul 26, 2014 - Jameson Irish Whiskey in association with Kevin Spacey's Trigger Street Productions presents 'Jump' starring Uma Thurman Subscribe, like and share Jessica Valentine's film, the Jameson First Shot 2014 winner for the USA.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 10, 2014

Paul Craig Roberts - USA Watchdog.com - August 10, 2014

1) Russian sanctions on the West.
2) Germans believe that way U.S. is acting (direction) is contrary to common sense and against German Interest.
3) Russians want to separate Europeans from acting as U.S. surrogates.
4) Sanctions will hurt certain sectors, but not the entire economy on either side.
5) ISIS (in Iraq) is about different religious sects. Strong men suppress the conflicts between the sects.
6) Removal of strong men encouraged Jihadists.
7) ISIS is a religious movement that demands strict adherence. No one can deal with it. Represents mental change.
8) ISIS movement will likely spread. Washington created the environment for this to happen.
9) Washington is reckless with force and does not use diplomacy.
10) U.S. companies are decapitalizing (Cash & Debt) to bolster stock prices. Companies are less public.
11) Dow Jones value is unrealistic. Trades are made by (according to) computer models, not the market.
12) Everything (financial) is going to blow at the same time. It will be something the government can't rig.
13) U.S. Government can't control the flight from the dollar.
14) 4% growth in the GDP isn't an honest number. No growth in incomes, credit, or consumption.
15) Inventory accumulation in the 2nd quarter will lead to a decline in the 3rd quarter.
16) Massive money & deficit creation. Keynesian demand management has had no effect in raising the economy.
17) Russia and China don't want war. Only the U.S. (Neo-con ideology) wants to control the World.
18) Neo-con ideology is threatening the world.

Black Monday 1987
(Wikipedia) Black Monday (1987) - In finance, Black Monday refers to Monday, October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropped by 508 points to 1738.74 (22.61%).^[1]

^{Financial News network - MarketWrap - October 19, 1987}

Black Monday - Nightly Business Report - October 19, 1987

Lehman Brothers Collapses - September 15, 2008

(Wikipedia) - Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers - Financial services firm Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 15, 2008. The filing remains the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history, with Lehman holding over $600 billion in assets.^[1]

Pain Continues on Wall Street as Lehman Goes Bankrupt, and Merrill Sold to BofA - ABC News - Scott Mayerowitz - September 15, 2008 - Wall Street had its worst day more than six years after hectic and historic weekend brought the quick demise of two of America's oldest and best-known investment banks. Stocks dropped dramatically -- with the Dow closing down 504.48 points -- after 158-year-old brokerage firm Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy this morning and the other Wall Street stalwart, Merrill Lynch, was sold to Bank of America for $50 billion.

Flash Crash - Fox Business - May 6, 2010
(Wikipedia) - Flash Crash May 6, 2010 - The May 6, 2010 Flash Crash^[1] also known as The Crash of 2:45, the 2010 Flash Crash, or simply the Flash Crash, was a United States stock market crash on Thursday May 6, 2010 in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged about 1000 points (about 9%) only to recover those losses within minutes.^[2] It was the second largest point swing, 1,010.14 points, and the biggest one-day point decline, 998.5 points, on an intraday basis in Dow Jones Industrial Average history.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of August 5, 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.

City Council Agenda - August 5, 2014

Thoughts about the Hickory City Council meeting - August 5, 2014

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The Hound's Notes:
1) Long Agenda, but they rolled through it pretty quickly, other than the Hickory Housing Authority Grant issue and Warren Woods presentation on the Quarterly Financial Report.

2) Want to reiterate my initial thought about this meeting from the other night that you can find in the link above.

3) Quarterly Financial report may look good in a static and targeted fashion, but when assessed within the current overarching environment it sure looks like a Dead Cat Bounce to me. Please factor in inflation in the numbers. The CPI may be showing 2% to 3% inflation over the past 7 years, but that isn't what we are experiencing in the real world. You've been to the grocery store... You've paid your utility bills... Warren shows deflation in the housing market = 6% decrease in assessments in the upcoming year, but think about people who bought their houses before the Real Estate Depression. Many are paying mortgages based upon those bubble prices at the same time that their income is stagnant or declining... and Hickory Inc. and Catawba County Inc. will raise taxes to achieve Revenue Neutrality... speaking of which, have you seen the number of homes on the market around here and it has begun to swell in Northwest Hickory now. In Hickory, we have been claiming that Fast Food restaurants = Economic growth. That is idiocy.

*** I will re-edit to put in the direct links to the different parts of the meeting this evening. I've had delays in producing this material due to other obligations, including the situation with my maternal grandmother. I will do my best to provide information as soon as possible, but there may be delays for now and the immediate future. Peace and Thanks!

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Invocation by Alderman Danny Seaver

Consent Agenda:
Alderman Zagaroli had Item I removed from the Consent Agenda - I. Approval of a Contract with Varrow, Inc. in the Amount of $367,114.50 for Data Center Upgrades to the City’s Network. - his question related to how the bidding process worked and was awarded. There was a limited discussion before the Council voted unanimously to approve this contract along with the rest of the agenda.

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution Confirming and Levying Assessment Along a portion of 8th Street Drive NW, Petition Number 01-14 (Curb and Gutter). - The City Clerk received a petition from the owner of property along 8th Street Drive NW to install curb and gutter along a portion of their street per Section 29-2 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances. The City Council adopted a Resolution Directing that Street Improvement Project be Undertaken on April 1, 2014, and the project was completed on June 12, 2014. The Preliminary Assessment Roll for Petition No. 01-14 has been prepared based on the curb and gutter constructed along 8th Street Drive NW. Staff recommends that Resolution Confirming and Levying Assessment be approved. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on July 18, 2014.

2. Consideration of Rezoning Petition 14-01 for Property Located at 1218 Bugle Lane, Newton. - The City of Hickory has petitioned for rezoning of .479 acres of property located at 1218 Bugle Lane. The petition is to rezone the property from Catawba County R-20 Residential to City of Hickory Low Density Residential – 1 (R-1). The requested rezoning has been put forth to assign City zoning to a property that was recently annexed. Hickory Regional Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the petition on June 25, 2014, and voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to Hickory City Council. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on July 25, 2014 and August 1, 2014.

3. Consideration of Adoption of ABC Permit / Local Opinion Ordinance. - Hickory Police Department requests adoption of an ordinance authorizing access to State Bureau of Investigation / Division of Criminal Information (DCI) system for the purpose of obtaining criminal history information on ABC permit applicants to determine their suitability to be an ABC permit holder within the City of Hickory. North Carolina Administrative Code requires the City of the local law
enforcement agency to have an ordinance in place authorizing access to criminal record information on all persons applying for ABC permits for proposed locations within their jurisdiction for the agency to be granted access to computerized DCI information for this purpose. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on July 18, 2014.

4. Issuance of General Obligation Bond Order for $25,000,000 of Streets and Sidewalks Bonds. - The public hearing is conducted to authorize the issuance of each general bond order and to discuss all matters concerning the proposed general obligation bond orders. The proposed bond referendum consists of $25,000,000 of Streets and Sidewalks Bonds. Funds will be used to construct, enlarge and improve certain streets, roads and intersections including the costs of studies, plans and designs. The improvements will include streetscape and pedestrian improvements, signage, landscaping, pedestrian/bicycle paths and relocation of utilities. Funds will be used to acquire land, rights-of-way and easements as necessary for each Inspiring Spaces project. Authorize the issuance of a general obligation bond order for $25,000,000 of Streets and Sidewalks Bonds. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on July 25, 2014.
a. Request City Council adopt the Bond Orders without change or amendment and direct the City Clerk to publish a notice of adoption, as prescribed by the Local Government Bond Act, of the general obligation streets and sidewalks bond order entitled, “Bond Order Authorizing the Issuance of $25,000,000 General Obligation Streets and Sidewalks Bonds of the City of Hickory, North Carolina,” which was introduced at the meeting of the City Council held on July 15, 2014.

5. Issuance of General Obligation Bond Order for $15,000,000 of Economic Development Bonds. - The public hearing is conducted to authorize the issuance of each general bond and to discuss all matters concerning the proposed general obligation bond orders. The proposed bond referendum consists of $15,000,000 of Economic Development Bonds. Funds will be used to provide land and improvements suitable for industrial and commercial purposes, including the acquisition of land rights-of-way and easements for industrial and commercial purposes and providing public infrastructure and facilities in order to make land and improvements suitable for industrial and commercial purposes. Authorize the issuance of a general obligation bond order for $15,000,000 of Economic Development Bonds. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on July 25, 2014.

a. Request City Council adopt the Bond Orders without change or amendment and direct the City Clerk to publish a notice of adoption, as prescribed by the Local Government Bond Act, of the general obligation economic development bond order entitled “Bond Order Authorizing the Issuance of $15,000,000 General Obligation Economic Development Bonds of the City of Hickory, North Carolina,” which was introduced at the meeting of the City Council held on July 15, 2014.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of a Resolution Setting a Special Bond Referendum, Directing the Publication of Notice of a Special Bond Referendum, and Providing Notification to the Catawba County Board of Elections. - The bond orders will be submitted to the voters of the City of Hickory, North Carolina for their approval or disapproval in order to comply with the constitution and laws of North Carolina at the November 4, 2014 Special Bond Referendum. A Notice “City of Hickory, North Carolina Notice of Special Bond Referendum” will be published in the Hickory Daily Record at least twice by the City Clerk to notify qualified voters of the November 4, 2014 Special Bond Referendum. The City Clerk will deliver a certified copy of the Resolution setting the Special Bond Referendum to the Catawba County Board of Elections. The Board of Elections will print and distribute the ballots and provide equipment to hold the November 4, 2014 Referendum. Staff recommends approval of a Resolution to set a Special Bond Referendum, publish notice of a Special Bond Referendum, and notify the Catawba County Board of Elections.

2. Consider Hickory Housing Authority’s request to have the City of Hickory make Application for a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. - Hickory Housing Authority contacted City Staff June 30th about applying for a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. This Federal program through HUD provides up to $500,000 in funding to eligible municipalities to develop comprehensive neighborhood transformation plans in areas that contain distressed public housing. The project will emphasize revitalization of public housing sites, develop a plan for new mixed income housing in the target area and in other locations across Catawba County, and address other needed infrastructure improvements. Hickory Housing Authority has contracted with the Wooten Company to assist in the preparation of the grant application. The required grant match will be provided by Hickory Housing Authority. The City of Hickory would be the main applicant for the grant with Hickory Housing Authority as the co-applicant. The grant is for planning services only. A future application would need to be made to HUD for implementation of funds. Andrea Surratt Presentation.

Dr. Myles, member of the board of the Hickory Public Housing Authority, allowed to address the City Council.

Larry Pope, former member of the board of the Hickory Public Housing Authority, not allowed to address the City Council and ruled out of order by the City Council.

3. Park 1764 Option Payment. - With County Commissioner approval of zoning of the 178 acres, Park 1764 progresses to the step of the first payment of the option agreements. The option costs are shared 50-50 with Catawba County and tie up the property for seven years. Hickory’s share of the first year option payment is $103,189 and is recommended to be transferred from General Fund Contingency.

4. Quarterly Financial Report - presentation by Warren Wood

General Comments
Mayor Wright commented that he had been in D.C. over the weekend visiting his son, in a multiuse neighborhood. His son lives on the third floor of a multiuse building, and on the first floor is a 7-Eleven. Next to the 7-Eleven is a Verizon store, and then down the street is an entire city block that is a shopping mall with Target, Best Buy and a number of other large names. That area is considered a success story because in addition to the mixed use, they have greatly changed the proportion of low income to middle and high income people. A pretty decent place.

Mr. Berry recognized students in attendance, Thomas McBrayer and Cole Lackey. Cole will be doing an internship with the City and is a rising senior at Hickory High, a bright capable young man that is interested in local government and politics. Cole will receive High School credit for his internship with the City this fall.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of September 2, 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 24, 2014

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Economic Relevance -- Some things slip through

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of August 19, 2014

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Thoughts about the Hickory City Council meeting - August 19, 2014

Monday, August 18, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 17, 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of August 19, 2014

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

This is awesome!!!

Monday, August 11, 2014

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- August 10, 2014

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of August 5, 2014

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