Two important presentations were made for the benefit of the Citizens of Hickory on this night. At the 7:00 mark, James Davis makes the following presentation to the City Council:
Council members, I appreciate you allowing me to address items of concern on the Agenda that you are set to vote upon. I am asking that the Budget Ordinance Amendment Item Number 2 be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion, because it does not fit with the Parking Fund Ordinance created by a Previous Council and City Administration.
Allow me to read the ordinance to you that was passed out to you.
It is my belief, and that of the Citizens for Equity in Government, that this was the issue with the tent constructed last year on Union Square. It had nothing to do with parking. So, you broke the law that you have sworn to uphold.
As section one states, this money is set aside for funding future parking facility Capital project needs. This fund was created to increase Parking Capacity and address its issues, not for the security purposes of Union Square businesses. Let's be honest these cameras have a lot more to do with securing Union Square's private business interests, than securing the parking lots associated with Union Square.
The businesses on Union Square should address their own security issues like every other private business in other areas of the city have to do. We understand the desire for security, but if Union Square businesses want to collectively improve their security, then should they not be doing this through the Downtown Development Association? Wasn't that what that entity was created for?
Now y'all can go on and unanimously do what you intended to do all along, but thank you for allowing us to go on the record about the continued misappropriation of this fund.
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The next presentation was made towards the end of the meeting during Citizens Requesting to be Heard by Cliff Moone at the 26:00 mark.
Cliff spoke once again about the process that has been instituted in relation to allowing Citizens to be heard before votes are taken in relation to second readings, Consent Agenda Items, and Departmental Reports.
At the end of the meeting Council voted affirmatively to form a subcommittee to formally put this process, allowing Citizens to be Heard before votes are taken, on the Agenda.
