Agenda about the City Council meeting of August 18, 2015

 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.

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/ The City's website evolves over time, but currently towrds the top right there is a Link called Quick Links. Click that on and look for the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. Scroll down from there and this will show you a list of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.

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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Hound Notes: Still haven't finished with the previous meetings minutes because of personal reasons and not having the time tio devote to it. I will have it up ASAP. It is mostly finished, but it was a very detailed meeting, because of the issue with the proposed housing project on 4th St SW, the settlement of the airport issue, and a presentation related to the Bond projects.

This meeting looks to be about the proposed City Walk. I say that because of the Lenoir-Rhyne presentation and the Claremont area presentation. There are no Public Hearings or Departmental Reports.

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Invocation by Rev. Ron Jones, Executive Pastor, Christ Church

Special Presentations
A. Business Well Crafted Award Presentation to Hickory Daily Record
B. Ryan Edwards - Update from University City Commission
C. Acceptance of the 2015 Updated Claremont Neighborhood Plan. - Claremont Neighborhood Association has worked with City Staff to update its neighborhood plan. The current Claremont Neighborhood Plan was accepted by Hickory City Council on August 5, 2008. The updated neighborhood plan contains strategies and recommendations put forth by the neighborhood, with emphasis placed upon the preservation of the character of the neighborhood. On May 21, 2015 Claremont Neighborhood Association voted to recommend City Council’s acceptance of this
updated neighborhood plan.

Persons Requesting to Be Heard
A. Billy Sudderth – City Owned Vacant Lot Located at 121 7th Avenue SW
B. Deb McNeur – Problems with Wildlife in the Neighborhood

Consent Agenda
A. Approval of a Revision to the Assistance and Procurement Policies. - In January 2015, the City of Hickory Community Development Division applied for funding through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency’s Urgent Repair Program. The City of Hickory has been awarded $50,000 through this program in order to assist approximately 12 very low income homeowners with urgently needed repairs in an amount not to exceed $8,000 per housing unit. The City of Hickory will provide an additional $5,000 in matching funds, which are available from Rental Rehabilitation program income. The total program budget will be $55,000. NC Housing Finance Agency requires the City of Hickory to prepare Assistance and Procurement Policies. These policies must be made available to the public and explain the guidelines of the URP15 program. City Council approved the original Assistance Policy on May 5, 2015. A revision was made in the policy changing the income limits. Staff recommends approval of the revision to the Assistance Policy.

B. Approval of the Fire Protection Service Agreement with the Town of Brookford for Fire Service Protection and Medical Related Services. - Hickory Fire Department requests approval of the Fire Protection Service Agreement with the Town of Brookford. The agreement is to provide fire service protection and medical related services to the Town of Brookford from September 1, 2015 through December 31, 2020. Brookford does not have an established fire department and has requested the City of Hickory to provide fire protection to its citizens. The Town of Brookford shall pay the City of Hickory for services outlined within the agreement. Payments are to be made quarterly as outlined in Section 2 of the agreement. The City has provided this service to the Town of Brookford since 2010. Staff recommends approval of the Fire Protection Service Agreement with the Town of Brookford beginning September 1, 2015 through December 31, 2020.

C. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs. - The following requests were considered by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee at their regular meeting on August 6, 2015:
 John & Deborah Hollar, 820 9th Avenue Place NE, Hickory, were awarded a City of Hickory’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval for assistance not to exceed $10,000 for repairs to their house. Assistance would be in the form of a 0 percent interest deferred loan.
 Linda Pope, 1404 3rd Street SW, Hickory, was awarded a City of Hickory’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval for assistance not to exceed $10,000 for repairs to their house. Assistance would be in the form of a 0 percent interest deferred loan. Funds are budgeted for these items through the City of Hickory’s former Rental
Rehabilitation program income and/or program income received through the City of Hickory’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval of the aforementioned requests for assistance through the City of Hickory’s housing assistance programs.

D. Approval of a Contract for Maintenance between the Town of Hildebran and the City of Hickory for a Sanitary Sewer System. - The Town of Hildebran and City of Hickory first entered into an agreement for Hickory to maintain the collection system owned by the Town of Hildebran in 2004. The contract for maintenance agreed to in 2004, by both parties, expired on June 30, 2015. The Town of Hildebran requested that the City of Hickory provide a contract renewal to continue the provisions of this service for the Town. The contract will continue services at the current level in all aspects of the operations including collection system permit compliance, maintenance and operations of lift stations, and operator in responsible charge duties and licensing. The base fee for this agreement is proposed to be $75,360 per year for the first year for operations of the collection system, with subsequent year rate increases by the percentage approved by Hickory City Council for all customers of the Hickory utility system. This contract will not require the City of Hickory to hire additional staff to perform and continues an existing partnership at the current levels with the Town of Hildebran. The contract will expire June 30, 2035. Staff recommends Council’s approval of this
contract with the Town of Hildebran for maintenance of the sanitary sewer system.

E. Approval of Change Order 1 with McGill Associates, PA in the Amount of $40,650 for Engineering Services for Eastwood, Random Woods and Sherwood Forest Subdivisions Sanitary Sewer. - Staff requests Council’s approval of change order 1 with McGill Associates, PA forEngineering Services for Eastwood, Random Woods and Sherwood Forest Subdivision sanitary sewer project. The existing subdivisions are approximately 30 to 40 years old and are principally built out. This project will have a potential to serve approximately 226 homes and eliminate the potential public health hazard of septic tank system failures impacting surface waters. This project was envisioned to be designed, bid, and constructed as one project, however due to easement negotiations, regulation changes, and the need to renew some permits which had expired, this could not be achieved. These issues have resulted in additional work on the part of McGill Associates. This
change order is intended to address all issues that have arisen on behalf of the engineer for each of the three subdivisions. City Council accepted the grant offer in July 2012 in the amount of $2,946,042.99 for completion of this project. Funds for this change order have been approved by the NC Division of Water Infrastructure for inclusion in the grant money reimbursement request. Staff requests Council’s approval of change order 1 in the amount of $40,650 with McGill Associates, PA. Revised contract total to date will be $169,950.

F. Approval of Change Order 1 with Neill Grading & Constructing Company Inc. in the Amount of $26,129.89 for the Eastwood Sanitary Sewer Project. - The Eastwood Subdivision sanitary sewer project is the first of three subdivisions that the City of Hickory received grant money from the NC Division of Water Infrastructure-State Revolving Grant Fund to install sanitary sewer in. This project consisted of approximately 8,700 linear feet of 8 inch sanitary sewer lines with appurtenances serving 110 single family residential homes. Change order 1 consists of two items related to additional line being extended to serve the balance of the subdivision and the replacement of a storm drain junction box that was previously unforeseen. The contractor is requesting an extension of the contract time to account for 20 days of additional work with this change order. The revised contract total to date will be $710,778.71. Necessary funds for this change order have been approved by the NC Division of Water Infrastructure for inclusion in the grant money reimbursement request. Staff recommends Council’s approval of change order 1 with Neill Grading & Construction Company, Inc. in the amount of $26,129.89.

G. Call for Public Hearing for Consideration of Changes to Hickory City Code Ordinance Chapter 4 – Animal and Fowl. (Authorize Public Hearing for September 1, 2015)

H. Approval of a Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Eric Coutrier, (Southside Cemetery, Plot 4D, Lot Number 11 and 12, Section 4) (Prepared by Deputy City Attorney Arnita Dula).

I. Approval of a Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Judy Ikard, (Southside Cemetery, Plot 4D, Lot Number 7 and 8, Section 4) (Prepared by Deputy City Attorney Arnita Dula).

J. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 3.
1. To budget $2,450 of General Fund-Fund Balance Appropriated in the Recreation Departmental Supplies line item. Senior Games funds were unspent at the end of FY 2014-2015 and rolled into General Fund Balance. A budget amendment is necessary to budget these funds in the expenditure line item for use this fiscal year.
2. To transfer $35,000 of General Fund-Fund Balance Appropriated to the 2014 Bond Referendum Business Park 1764 Miscellaneous line item. This transfer is necessary to pay Catawba County Economic Development Corporation for Business Park options and professional services reimbursements associated
with the Business Park.

K. Capital Project Ordinance Number 1.
1. To accept a $35,000 transfer from General Fund-Fund Balance Appropriated to the 2014 Bond Referendum Business Park 1764 Miscellaneous line item. The funds will be used for payment to Catawba County Economic Development Corporation for Business Park options and professional services reimbursements associated with the Business Park.

L. Special Events Activities Application for Patriot’s Day Remembrance Ceremony, Mandy Pitts, Communications Director/Brand Manager, September 11, 2015, Sails on the Square Stage, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.


Informational Item
A. Mayor Wright’s travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, August 12, 2015 to the Historic Tax Credit Legislative Rally, (Meals: $20.50, Parking: $4.00 and Mileage Reimbursement: $199.18).