Newsletter about the City Council meeting of March 3, 2015

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 March 3, 2015 

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The Hound's Notes: This took a little longer than normal to get out because of the length of the meeting and the number of presentations. I also spent the weekend visiting my cousins in the eastern part of the State.

You can go to the specific links below to see the individual presentations of the information. There were a lot of these presentations that had Powerpoint slides and other information of interest pertaining to the Community Organization and Boards and Commissions. You will also see the presentation of information about the proposed Friends of Hickory Downtown Park and the rollout of single stream recycling.
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Mayor Wright was not present.
 
 Invocation by Rev. Heather Wood Davis, First Presbyterian Church

Special Presentations
A. Presentation of a Proclamation for Give Healthy & National Nutrition Month to Alice
Whitener, Director of Client Services, Judy Donaldson, Food Pantry Coordinator, and
Barbara Rush, Executive Director, Cooperative Christian Ministry.

B. Presentation of a Proclamation and Recognition of Library Outreach Coordinator Tamara
Kraus.

C. Hickory Rotary Club’s Recognition of Delegates and Facilitator from Ivanovo, Russia

D. (Held over from the cancelled City Council meeting of February 17, 2015) - Presentation by Community Groups Requesting Appropriations from the City Council during the Next Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2015. - The Council will not take action tonight. Action will be taken when the Council considers the City’s annual budget in May or June. These presentations are made so Council Members can ask questions or make comments about the requests. Presenters will be allotted no more than five (5) minutes to make their presentations to Council.
Organization Presentation - By Amount Requested
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation - Scott Millar - $149,483.98
Catawba County Parenting Network - Susan Lee - $5,000 - (No Presentation)
Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley - Mitzi Gellman - $19,088
Hickory-Conover Tourism Development Authority - Bebe Leitch - $20,000
Hickory Downtown Development Association - Tammy Panther - $50,000
SALT Block Foundation - Lawrence Thompson - $100,000
United Arts Council of Catawba County - Alan Jackson - $40,065
Viewmont Business Association - Bobby Bush - $5,000
YMCA - Gerry Knox - $9,900

E. Presentation of FY 2015-2016 Board and Commission Work Plans.
Board/Commission - Presenter
Business Development Committee - Jeff Hale
Citizens’ Advisory Committee - Dave Leonetti
Community Appearance Commission - Andrew Straw
Community Relations Council - Thurman Whisnant
Hickory International Council - Hani Nassar
Hickory Regional Planning Commission - Brian Frazier
Hickory Youth Council - Alana Church
Historic Preservation Commission - Larry Triplett
Library Advisory Board - Kathy Ivey
Parks and Recreation Commission - Tony Wood
Public Art Commission - Brian Frazier
Recycling Advisory Board - Norm Meres
University City Commission - Ryan Edwards


Persons Requesting to be Heard
Larry Pope - Mr. Larry Pope addressed Council regarding the condition of sidewalks during inclement weather. Mr. Pope also expressed his concerns that City Council did not tell the citizens, during the bond referendum, the truth in its entirety. He discussed the walk from Geitner Park to the Crawdads field and addressed the concern that the property lies in Burke County and who would reap the benefit of the tax dollars from improvements made by the citizens of Hickory’s money.

Consent Agenda 

Informational Item
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Metropolitan Mayors Meeting, Matthews Town Hall, January 30, 2015. (Mileage Reimbursement - $80.50)



New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of the Conceptual Site Plan for Friends of Hickory’s Proposed Downtown Park.

2. (a) Approval of a Contract with Republic Services Inc. to Service the City of Hickory’s Single Stream Recycling Program.
    (b) Approve the Purchase of 14,000 Rollout Carts for the Single Stream Recycling Program from Schaefer Systems International in the Amount of $702,100.