The Hickory Hound

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Congrats to Lenoir-Rhyne Football

They will be playing in the NCAA Division 2 Championship game! They blew out West Chester (Pa.) 42-14!

http://www.ncaa.com/game/football/d2/2013/12/14/west-chester-lenoir-rhyne/play-by-play

Agenda about the City Council meeting of December 17, 2013

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, at the left of the page you will see the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. This will give you a choice of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.

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:

Please remember that pressing Ctrl and + will magnify the text and page and pressing Ctrl and - will make the text and page smaller. This will help the readability for those with smaller screens and/or eye difficulties.

City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - December 17, 2013

Invocation by Rev. Whit Malone, Pastor First Presbyterian Church

Special Presentations
A. The Viewmont Animal Hospital will be making a special presentation for the Hickory Police Department’s Canine program. The Viewmont Animal Hospital has provided veterinarian care for Hickory Police Department’s canines since the unit began in 1993 and is now collecting funds to purchase ballistic vests for Hickory Police Department’s canines.

B. Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award by Dave Paist to Mr. Billy Ray Teague, Carolina Theatre

Persons Requesting to Be Heard

Consent Agenda:
A. Transfer of a Cemetery Deed from B. Stuart Terry and wife, Frances B. Terry to Connie Dale Reese in Oakwood Cemetery

B. Transfer of a Cemetery Deed from B. Stuart Terry and wife, Frances B. Terry to Robert W. Williams and wife, Gaye B. Williams in Oakwood Cemetery

C. Accept and Enter Into the Minutes Certification of Votes from November 5, 2013 Election from the Catawba County Board of Elections.

D. 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 December 5, 2013:
The following applicant is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s 2012-2013 Urgent Repair Program. This program provides qualified low income citizens with assistance for emergency-related repairs not to exceed $5,400.
 Luke Crutchfield, 383 17th Avenue NE, Hickory

E. Call for Public Hearing - For the Consideration of Rezoning Petition 13-13 for Property Located at 730 5th Ave NE, Hickory. (Authorize Public Hearing for January 7, 2014)

F. Call for Public Hearing - For the Consideration of Rezoning Petition 13-14 for Property Located at 32 22nd Avenue NE, Hickory. (Authorize Public Hearing for January 7, 2014)

G. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 11.
1. To budget a $100 Hickory Woman’s Club donation in the children’s books line item.
2. To budget a total of $95 in memorial donations for Elizabeth Birrell in the non-fiction books line item.
3. To budget $27,500 of North Carolina Department of Commerce revenue in the Economic and Community Development Incentives line item. A grant was approved by the Department of Commerce One North Carolina Fund in the amount of $110,000. This amendment represents the second partial grant disbursement to Turbocoating Corp.

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Consideration of Rezoning Petition 13-15 for Property Located at the Northeast Corner of Cloninger Mill Road and North Center Street (NC 127 North). - The City of Hickory has submitted a petition to rezone 10.1 acres of property located at the northeast corner of Cloninger Mill Road NE and North Center Street (NC 127 North) from Neighborhood Center Commercial (NC) to Neighborhood Center Commercial – Conditional Zoning (NC-CZ). The conditional zoning district will place additional standards on the district that go above and beyond the standards contained in the NC district. All standard applicable to the base zoning district will remain in effect. This public hearing was advertised on December 6, 2013 and December 13, 2013 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.

2. Consideration of Amending Chapter 16 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances of the City of Hickory by Amending Section 16-43.- Chapter 16 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances regulates secondhand precious metal dealers in the City of Hickory. The provisions of the chapter are based on applicable North Carolina General Statutes. After review of Chapter 16, Section 16-43 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances, it was determined that an amendment was needed to revise Section 16-43 to comply with the statute.

3. Consideration of the Proposed Name Change of Carolina Park Located at 125 3rd Street NE, Hickory, to the Sally M. Fox Park. - City Council desires to rename Carolina Park to Sally M. Fox Park. Sally Fox served as Ward 5 Alderwoman for the City of Hickory for 20 years, and was an
environmental advocate and a supporter of activities that sought to strengthen the urban fabric and beautify Hickory.

New Business - Departmental Reports
1. Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant Agreement with Shuford Mills, Inc. - Shuford Mills, Inc. has applied for the Vacant Building Revitalization and Demolition Grant in the amount of $20,000 to assist in the demolition of the former AA Shuford Mill located at 1360 Highland Avenue NE. After demolition, the applicant plans to re-grade the site and market it for future development. The applicant plans to spend $215,000 to demolish the former mill building. The
grant program can reimburse up to $20,000 or 35% of eligible project costs, whichever is less, for demolition projects. This project would be eligible for a grant in the amount of $20,000.

2. Resolution to Create the University City Commission. - City Council and Lenoir-Rhyne University officials have long desired to deepen the relationship between the two entities. Recent discussions have centered on finding ways to increase the student body’s presence in the community and the young adult population in Hickory while enhancing the collegiate atmosphere and promoting school pride. These discussions led to the mutual desire to create a joint city-university commission that would work to achieve these goals.

3. Overview of Concept Plan: Main Av - At the December 3rd Council meeting update on Inspiring Spaces, staff mentioned that the conceptual master plan for Main Avenue (Main Av) would be highlighted at the December 17th Council meeting. The project stems from the citizen-based Inspiring Spaces planning process. Main Av is Phase 1 of a multi year project which will eventually connect LRU to the LP Frans Baseball Stadium/Riverfront (Pier 321), Geitner Park and the improvements funded by the Lackey Family. Cost estimates for Main Av are being developed and the full plan will be presented to the Inspiring Spaces Steering Committee and City Council in
a joint meeting scheduled for January 28th.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Vote for my cookie to help people in need

Go to the following link, log in, and vote for my cookie. It is the White Chocolate, Macadamia, and Craisin cookie in the listing. The prize is a $200 gift certificate to Galaxy Food Stores. If I were to win I would give this to the Micah's Cupboard project at Mount Olive Lutheran Church that feeds family's in need throughout the year. And besides that, I assure you that these cookies are great.

The Link to the great cookie contest:

http://hickoryrecord.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=113137

And here is a link to an article I wrote about the Micah's Cupboard project:

No Gloom, No Despair, No Agony -- A Solution oriented Challenge

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Mayor of Realville

That is what I'm going to start calling myself, because that is where I reside and since there are people who want to point a finger of blame at me as some kind of leader of a movement, then go ahead.

Everything these days seems to be baked in propaganda. The Left blames the Right; the Right blames the Left. Most of the people surrounding me speak a different language than me. I don't know much about current TV Shows. I don't know much about the current IPhone. I know I can't afford one. I don't watch Fox news, CNN, or CNBC. I can't afford a monthly TV payment these days. I haven't shopped in a mall in over a decade.

In my world you don't buy a new Volvo for your significant other for Christmas. In this world, the kisses don't begin with Kay. In my world, television would reflect a large portion of reality. It isn't worth my time watching something that is like a foreign language to me. How is it economical for these companies that advertise to target to such a small audience.

Edward Bernays was a nephew of Sigmund Freud and he is considered the father of Public Relations and Propoganda. He studied and understood the herd mentality of society and he was a genius at figuring out ways to manipulate the public.

Before Bernays, companies attempted to sell products based upon a need basis and/or upon a quality basis. Bernays figured out ways to change the corporate-consumer mentality to that of selling products based upon desire and eventually leveraging that by tying it to consumer debt. Translated: He is the person who was able to get people to go into debt to buy things they didn't really need.

Bernays also revolved in and out of the governmental and corporate world his entire adult life. He served and advised in the Wilson, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower administrations and was involved in all levels of government.

What modern American functionaries can't seem to grasp is that it is not necessary for every message put out by the government to ring out with extremes. What we need to see is the levelheadedness, consistency, and steadiness that come with Reality. The Manic-Depressive, A.D.D. state of the American populace creates its own worst enemy. That is the reason why on the Global Scale we are currently getting our lunch eaten.

Who are the elite in this country trying to impress? It is more than evident that they only care about impressing themselves. This cockiness we see does not emote self-confidence. It is more than apparent that it is a facade that hides an underlying lack of self-esteem. I learned long ago that materialism does not build a solid foundation for the Pursuit of Happiness.

Here in Realville, we don't care about impressing others. The only thing we ask for is R-E-S-P-E-C-T. When we get it, we give it. We don't care about how much money you have or who you work for. Here in Realville, everyone is welcomed, but you'll be checking your baggage at the door. Here in Realville, everyone is equal and everyone will have the opportunity to participate in the growth of the community of reality.

Please join in. All are welcome as we look to repel the tyrannical forces of Fantasyland that have pillaged and plundered truth and common sense. If others will join me, I will graciously accept term limits and look to move forward in running for Governor of Reallandia. Who knows maybe I will eventually become the President of the Republic of Realdom.

The reality of today is that it is up to US to move forward.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Bibliography of Hickory Hound City Council Newsletters