I would like to say that I do support the candidacy of Rebecca Inglefield. Last year when everything was going down with the city swimming pools in South Hickory, she and her husband Dr. Joseph Inglefield were very supportive towards the cause. I remember both of their addresses to the Hickory City Council pleading for them to first not shut down the pools and second to offer some form of aquatic recreation. Dr. Inglefield even participated in creating a plan to move the creation of a new pool facility forward, but the Council of Intransigence did what they aimed to do all along and the rest is history -- for now.
In talking to the Inglefields, one senses how much they care about this community and want to see it succeed. I think she would bring the compassion she displayed during those times of angst to the Hickory Board of Education.
The one thing I hope that everyone understands is that this election is an embarrassment to the City of Hickory. This is not to say that I do not support the unopposed candidates. What bothers me is a system where no one cares to run for office. It tells you that the system is broken and needs to be addressed. I supported these three candidates four years ago, but at that time at least they were challenged. I thought at that time that they would bring some energy to the table in relation to addressing the fundamental flaws Hickory has faced in its need to generate business and commerce. But, instead we got four years of coasting and general consensus towards a Hickory City Council versus the World Mindset.
In my heart, I know that the Council are not all of the same mind. I know for a fact that they are not. But, in the end the image that they project is Unanimous Consent, because they feel that this facade of unity is where they derive their power. What they don't realize is that their methods have led to a public that doesn't care about this City, except where it meets individual personal interests, and buy and large that public doesn't know who the City Council representatives are. The Council needs to understand that they can hold office, but without community support it is going to be impossible to turn the City's plight around.
Although I found it odd, I actually have had fellow employees tell me that they didn't know who the Mayor of Hickory was. Folks, if they don't know who the Mayor is, then they certainly don't know anything about the Council, City Manager, City Staff, or how the city operates.
Operating in the shadows does not inspire a public that has seen this City not progress for a decade. What it creates is a community where the best and brightest leave. A community where the young people go away to college and don't consider coming back. A community where people have to leave to seek a meaningful and fruitful career. People cannot afford to wait for Hickory to turn around at the Powers That Be's leisure, they need to feel that there is a sense of urgency and that local leaders are devoted to fixing the negative issues that most of us are facing in our everyday lives.
The Council and City Government has been brainstorming over the last several months about how to restore Population and Economic Growth to the community. The first thing they need to realize is that it isn't like turning a spigot on and off. Their inaction has been detrimental. The longer they wait, the further we fall behind. As I have said a million times before, they have abrogated their authority. They always put their eggs in all of these other entities' baskets and expect some kind of reward. Look at Conover, they are investing heavily in their own community development. Yes, it is risky; but in the end they are set to reap greater rewards and they can say that they have personally done something to move that community forward. If you had to choose partners, which community would you choose?
Remembering Two Years Ago:
Harry Hipps - (The candidate who fully vetted a platform and tried to communicate with the people. He didn't talk about technology, he utilized it!)
