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Friday, April 10, 2009
HE IS ALIVE!!!!!!
Yes I am celebrating Easter and the wonderful message of the resurrection, but I meant Austin Allran. I saw a glimpse of him on a NC news show. He wasn't doing anything (which was not a surprise), but he's still alive and well. Hope springs eternal.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of April 7, 2009
This newsletter is about the Hickory City Council meeting that I attended this past week. City council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.
At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory's Local Government link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.
At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, 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.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 3/17/2009 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.
Invocation by Alderman Danny Seaver
Special Presentations:
Proclamation to City Of Hickory’s Public Safety Communications Personnel – Declaring the Week of April 12 – 18, 2009 as “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week” in the City of Hickory. Mayor Wright said that these people are responsible for the lives and property of our citizens. On a daily basis they serve the public in countless ways without the recognition by the beneficiaries of their services. Each telecommunicator must exhibit professionalism, accountability, compassion, and teamwork during the performance of their job. Police Chief Adkins addressed the council and showed various members of the telecommunications team. They answered 455 calls per day and dispatched over 71,000 calls for service to police officers last year. He thanked them for their service and the council for their proclamation. The Mayor stated how important these people are and cited the example of what happened in Carthage, NC last week.
B. Proclamation to the Hickory High School Key Club for its Success and Service to the Community - Proclaiming April 7, 2009 as “Hickory High School Key Club Day” in the City of Hickory. The Mayor said we are absolutely blessed by these members of the Key Club. He said that they were integral in Hickory being proclaimed an All-American City. He has observed leadership growth, realizing potential, and accomplishing more than they ever dreamed. Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for High School students. 240 clubs in the Carolinas met in Durham, March 13-15, 2009 to compete, learn, and network. Hickory High members won first place in all of the major service and leadership categories.
C. Recognition of Key Club Advisor, Danny Seaver for his Accomplishments and Leadership of the Hickory High School Key Club. Mayor Wright thanked Danny Seaver and Helen Devlin for helping Key Club members achieve more than they could have ever imagined. Alder Seaver is one of 37 people in the last 63 years to be recognized as a Carolinas District Honorary member. This is the highest honor that a leader can receive. Mr. Seaver has been integral in the growth of Hickory High Schools Key Club. The group will travel to Dallas, Texas this summer to receive "Diamond Level" recognition, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon the club at the international level. Alder Seaver thanked everyone for their support and wanted the recognition for the diverse group that represents the key club. He stated that the 45 members have amassed nearly 3,000 hours of service. Some kids have given hundreds of hours of service. The Mayor commended them for their voluntary service and said he was very proud of them.
D. Proclamation to Linda Baker Recognizing the Month of April, 2009 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of Hickory. The Mayor said that this is a community problem that affects the quality of life in the community. This is preventable and it increases the likelihood of criminal behavior, substance abuse, health problems, and risky behavior. Prevention programs succeed because of partnerships created among social service agencies, schools, faith communities, civic organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the business community. Alder Seaver mentioned that Mrs. Baker is a leader in the Circle K organization at CVCC, which like the Key Club is also supported by the Kiwanis. It has also won numerous awards.
The Hound agrees with the Mayor and Alderman Seaver about how these people have touched the lives of others through their voluntary contributions. We need people to realize that your reward for hard work will not always be monetary, Sometimes your reward will come through helping the community address its quality of life issues. That is exactly what these people have done and continue to do. They are examples of the people that we should all strive to be.
Consent Agenda:
Social - Community Appearance Grant to Meredith Adams for Property Located at 831 Old Lenoir Road in the Amount of $377.50..... Landscape Incentive Grant to Lenoir-Rhyne University for the Mauney Music Building Located at the Intersection of 8th Avenue, NE and Stasavich Place in the Amount of $2,500.00.....Community Appearance Grant to Lenoir-Rhyne University for the Mauney Music Building Located at the Intersection of 8th Avenue, NE and Stasavich Place in the Amount of $5,000.00.....
Cemetary Lots - Corrected Transfer Oakwood Cemetery From Linda Lewis Helms to James Nelson Sherrill, Jr. and Pat Gregg Sherrill..... Corrected Transfer in Oakwood Cemetery From Linda Lewis Helms to James C. Winkler and wife, Dolores Y. Winkler. (Document Prepared by Attorney Susan L. Haire).....Quitclaim Deed From James C. Winkler and wife, Dolores Y. Winkler to Larry Penley and wife, Mildred W. Penley to Correct the Transfer of a Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery
Request From Christ United Methodist Church for the Use of Union Square for Their May Reactivate Concert to be Held on 5/29/2009 From 6 pm to 10pm.
Request For Funding By Community Relations Council (CRC) - Spring 2009 Grant Recommendations in the Amount of $7,413. As part of the work plan and annual budget process, the CRC receives funds to disperse during the fiscal year. A total of $12,000.00 is available for grant funding in FY 2008-09 and the CRC awarded $2,750 in Fall 2008. The CRC recommends funding on eight groups:
1. Hickory Community Theatre ($1,500)
2. Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club ($550)
3. ALFA ($1,500)
4. Clinton’s Corner of CC ($528)
5. Catawba County Hispanic Ministry ($600)
6. Hickory Branch NAACP ($860)
7. Council on Adolescents of CC ($1,275)
8. Western Piedmont Symphony ($600)
Proclamations - Declaring the Month of April, 2009 as “Fair Housing Month.".... Designating Thursday, May 7, 2009 as “National Day of Prayer.".... Proclaiming April 18 – May 2, 2009 as “Spring Little Sweep 2009.”
Business - Approval of Fire Hydrant Grant Application From Bowen Urgent Care Located at 2365 Springs Road N.E. ... Apply and Accept a Traffic Unit Grant By The Governor’s Highway Safety Program with the City’s Portion Being in the Amount of $102,530.00.... Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Xerox Corporation in the Amount of $4,312.77.... Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Charles E. & Mary Ann Mitchem in the Amount of $67.25.
Approve Resolutions for Application to North Carolina Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Loan Funding on Multiple Projects.
Traffic Ordinances - Reducing the Speed Limit From 35 mph to 25 mph Along 4th Avenue, NW From the Intersection With 6th Street, NW East Approximately 870 Feet to 4th Street, NW and 5th Street, NW From the Intersection With 3rd Avenue, NW North Approximately 815 Feet to the Intersection With 4th Avenue, NW...... Reducing the Speed Limit From 35 mph to 25 mph Along 1st St NW From the Intersection With 31st Ave NW North Approximately 1,200 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 1ST St Pl NW From the Intersection With 33rd Ave NW North Approximately 400 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 2nd St NW From the Intersection With 32nd Ave NW North Approximately 1,200 Feet to the Dead End, 2nd St Pl NW From the Intersection With 31st Ave NW North Approximately 420 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 32nd Ave NW From the Intersection With 3rd St NW East Approximately 2,400 Feet to the Dead End, 33rd Ave NW From the Intersection With 3rd St NW East Approximately 2,600 Feet to the Intersection With North Center St, and 34th Ave NW From the Intersection With 1st St Pl NW West Approximately 1,600 Feet to the Intersection With 2nd St Pl NW..... Prohibiting On-Street Parking Along Both the East and West Margins of 6th St NW From the Intersection With 7th St NW West Approximately 1,080 Feet to the Intersection With 20th Ave Ln NW
Ordinances - budget a total of $750 of International Springfest donations in the International Council expenditure....transfer $71,894 from the Hickory Police Department Specialized Equipment line item to the Debt Service Payment line items....transfer $97,334 of General Capital Reserve to the General Fund Installment Purchases line item. This transfer is for final payment to William S. Barkley for the purchase of properties located in the 800 block of 3rd St. Place and 3rd St....Decrease the Parks and Recreation Miscellaneous Donations revenue line item and the Special Events expenditure line item by $5,000, because it was budgeted twice (8/08 & 2/09).
Informational Items:
Update of Grant From the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services” (SAFER) Accepted by City Council on February 17, 2009 - City Manager Berry stated that after further review the Department of Homeland Security is saying that we must fully fund 12 full time firefighters. This was fully discussed at the City Council Meeting on 2/17/2009 under New Business - Departmental Reports - Accept Grant from the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services"
City Manager Berry’s Attendance at the 2009 Catawba County Chamber of Commerce Economic Issues Conference in Hickory, NC on 3/11/2009 – registration - $15.00
Mayor Wright’s Travel Expenses for the NLC – 2009 Annual Congressional City Conference in Washington, DC on 3/15/2009 – airfare - $697.70; registration - $465.00
New Business - Public Hearings:
Voluntary Non-Contiguous Annexation of the Property of Claude Ray Shrum Located at the End of Timberland Hills Drive Off of Robinson Road - The properties are currently vacant and are located in the City’s ETJ area and zoned R-1 residential. Mr. Shrum intends to develop a 41 lot single-family residential subdivision. The current tax value is $166,100.00 and if annexed, the raw property alone would generate $830.50 in additional tax revenues. Unanimously Approved by Council
Recognition of Persons Requesting to be Heard
Mr. Harry Hipps of 405 29th Avenue Drive, NW Requests to Address City Council Regarding an Amendment to the City Code, Article 3, Section 4-32 - Keeping of Swine and Goats - Harry stated that he had a simple request. He would like the code amended to include sheep. His neighbors as he stated "believe it or not" were raising up to 13 sheep on a 1 1/2 acre piece of property in their backyard. This section was done in 2006, because before that a person had to go before a board to have the situation declared a nuisance. The ordinance stated that a nuisance is defined as pigs, swine, hogs, and goats. He stated that he didn't know what the difference was between pigs, hogs, and swine, but the ordinance covered goats, but did not cover sheep. He spoke with the code enforcement officer and the code enforcement officer pointed that out (that sheep weren't included). He said that Sgt. Yoder was very helpful. He stated that the noise and fecal matter that apply to the others should also apply to sheep. Harry (asked) would like for sheep to be included in the ordinance.
At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory's Local Government link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.
At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, 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.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 3/17/2009 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.
Invocation by Alderman Danny Seaver
Special Presentations:
Proclamation to City Of Hickory’s Public Safety Communications Personnel – Declaring the Week of April 12 – 18, 2009 as “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week” in the City of Hickory. Mayor Wright said that these people are responsible for the lives and property of our citizens. On a daily basis they serve the public in countless ways without the recognition by the beneficiaries of their services. Each telecommunicator must exhibit professionalism, accountability, compassion, and teamwork during the performance of their job. Police Chief Adkins addressed the council and showed various members of the telecommunications team. They answered 455 calls per day and dispatched over 71,000 calls for service to police officers last year. He thanked them for their service and the council for their proclamation. The Mayor stated how important these people are and cited the example of what happened in Carthage, NC last week.
B. Proclamation to the Hickory High School Key Club for its Success and Service to the Community - Proclaiming April 7, 2009 as “Hickory High School Key Club Day” in the City of Hickory. The Mayor said we are absolutely blessed by these members of the Key Club. He said that they were integral in Hickory being proclaimed an All-American City. He has observed leadership growth, realizing potential, and accomplishing more than they ever dreamed. Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for High School students. 240 clubs in the Carolinas met in Durham, March 13-15, 2009 to compete, learn, and network. Hickory High members won first place in all of the major service and leadership categories.
C. Recognition of Key Club Advisor, Danny Seaver for his Accomplishments and Leadership of the Hickory High School Key Club. Mayor Wright thanked Danny Seaver and Helen Devlin for helping Key Club members achieve more than they could have ever imagined. Alder Seaver is one of 37 people in the last 63 years to be recognized as a Carolinas District Honorary member. This is the highest honor that a leader can receive. Mr. Seaver has been integral in the growth of Hickory High Schools Key Club. The group will travel to Dallas, Texas this summer to receive "Diamond Level" recognition, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon the club at the international level. Alder Seaver thanked everyone for their support and wanted the recognition for the diverse group that represents the key club. He stated that the 45 members have amassed nearly 3,000 hours of service. Some kids have given hundreds of hours of service. The Mayor commended them for their voluntary service and said he was very proud of them.
D. Proclamation to Linda Baker Recognizing the Month of April, 2009 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of Hickory. The Mayor said that this is a community problem that affects the quality of life in the community. This is preventable and it increases the likelihood of criminal behavior, substance abuse, health problems, and risky behavior. Prevention programs succeed because of partnerships created among social service agencies, schools, faith communities, civic organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the business community. Alder Seaver mentioned that Mrs. Baker is a leader in the Circle K organization at CVCC, which like the Key Club is also supported by the Kiwanis. It has also won numerous awards.
The Hound agrees with the Mayor and Alderman Seaver about how these people have touched the lives of others through their voluntary contributions. We need people to realize that your reward for hard work will not always be monetary, Sometimes your reward will come through helping the community address its quality of life issues. That is exactly what these people have done and continue to do. They are examples of the people that we should all strive to be.
Consent Agenda:
Social - Community Appearance Grant to Meredith Adams for Property Located at 831 Old Lenoir Road in the Amount of $377.50..... Landscape Incentive Grant to Lenoir-Rhyne University for the Mauney Music Building Located at the Intersection of 8th Avenue, NE and Stasavich Place in the Amount of $2,500.00.....Community Appearance Grant to Lenoir-Rhyne University for the Mauney Music Building Located at the Intersection of 8th Avenue, NE and Stasavich Place in the Amount of $5,000.00.....
Cemetary Lots - Corrected Transfer Oakwood Cemetery From Linda Lewis Helms to James Nelson Sherrill, Jr. and Pat Gregg Sherrill..... Corrected Transfer in Oakwood Cemetery From Linda Lewis Helms to James C. Winkler and wife, Dolores Y. Winkler. (Document Prepared by Attorney Susan L. Haire).....Quitclaim Deed From James C. Winkler and wife, Dolores Y. Winkler to Larry Penley and wife, Mildred W. Penley to Correct the Transfer of a Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery
Request From Christ United Methodist Church for the Use of Union Square for Their May Reactivate Concert to be Held on 5/29/2009 From 6 pm to 10pm.
Request For Funding By Community Relations Council (CRC) - Spring 2009 Grant Recommendations in the Amount of $7,413. As part of the work plan and annual budget process, the CRC receives funds to disperse during the fiscal year. A total of $12,000.00 is available for grant funding in FY 2008-09 and the CRC awarded $2,750 in Fall 2008. The CRC recommends funding on eight groups:
1. Hickory Community Theatre ($1,500)
2. Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club ($550)
3. ALFA ($1,500)
4. Clinton’s Corner of CC ($528)
5. Catawba County Hispanic Ministry ($600)
6. Hickory Branch NAACP ($860)
7. Council on Adolescents of CC ($1,275)
8. Western Piedmont Symphony ($600)
Proclamations - Declaring the Month of April, 2009 as “Fair Housing Month.".... Designating Thursday, May 7, 2009 as “National Day of Prayer.".... Proclaiming April 18 – May 2, 2009 as “Spring Little Sweep 2009.”
Business - Approval of Fire Hydrant Grant Application From Bowen Urgent Care Located at 2365 Springs Road N.E. ... Apply and Accept a Traffic Unit Grant By The Governor’s Highway Safety Program with the City’s Portion Being in the Amount of $102,530.00.... Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Xerox Corporation in the Amount of $4,312.77.... Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Charles E. & Mary Ann Mitchem in the Amount of $67.25.
Approve Resolutions for Application to North Carolina Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Loan Funding on Multiple Projects.
Traffic Ordinances - Reducing the Speed Limit From 35 mph to 25 mph Along 4th Avenue, NW From the Intersection With 6th Street, NW East Approximately 870 Feet to 4th Street, NW and 5th Street, NW From the Intersection With 3rd Avenue, NW North Approximately 815 Feet to the Intersection With 4th Avenue, NW...... Reducing the Speed Limit From 35 mph to 25 mph Along 1st St NW From the Intersection With 31st Ave NW North Approximately 1,200 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 1ST St Pl NW From the Intersection With 33rd Ave NW North Approximately 400 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 2nd St NW From the Intersection With 32nd Ave NW North Approximately 1,200 Feet to the Dead End, 2nd St Pl NW From the Intersection With 31st Ave NW North Approximately 420 Feet to the Intersection With 34th Ave NW, 32nd Ave NW From the Intersection With 3rd St NW East Approximately 2,400 Feet to the Dead End, 33rd Ave NW From the Intersection With 3rd St NW East Approximately 2,600 Feet to the Intersection With North Center St, and 34th Ave NW From the Intersection With 1st St Pl NW West Approximately 1,600 Feet to the Intersection With 2nd St Pl NW..... Prohibiting On-Street Parking Along Both the East and West Margins of 6th St NW From the Intersection With 7th St NW West Approximately 1,080 Feet to the Intersection With 20th Ave Ln NW
Ordinances - budget a total of $750 of International Springfest donations in the International Council expenditure....transfer $71,894 from the Hickory Police Department Specialized Equipment line item to the Debt Service Payment line items....transfer $97,334 of General Capital Reserve to the General Fund Installment Purchases line item. This transfer is for final payment to William S. Barkley for the purchase of properties located in the 800 block of 3rd St. Place and 3rd St....Decrease the Parks and Recreation Miscellaneous Donations revenue line item and the Special Events expenditure line item by $5,000, because it was budgeted twice (8/08 & 2/09).
Informational Items:
Update of Grant From the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services” (SAFER) Accepted by City Council on February 17, 2009 - City Manager Berry stated that after further review the Department of Homeland Security is saying that we must fully fund 12 full time firefighters. This was fully discussed at the City Council Meeting on 2/17/2009 under New Business - Departmental Reports - Accept Grant from the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services"
City Manager Berry’s Attendance at the 2009 Catawba County Chamber of Commerce Economic Issues Conference in Hickory, NC on 3/11/2009 – registration - $15.00
Mayor Wright’s Travel Expenses for the NLC – 2009 Annual Congressional City Conference in Washington, DC on 3/15/2009 – airfare - $697.70; registration - $465.00
New Business - Public Hearings:
Voluntary Non-Contiguous Annexation of the Property of Claude Ray Shrum Located at the End of Timberland Hills Drive Off of Robinson Road - The properties are currently vacant and are located in the City’s ETJ area and zoned R-1 residential. Mr. Shrum intends to develop a 41 lot single-family residential subdivision. The current tax value is $166,100.00 and if annexed, the raw property alone would generate $830.50 in additional tax revenues. Unanimously Approved by Council
Recognition of Persons Requesting to be Heard
Mr. Harry Hipps of 405 29th Avenue Drive, NW Requests to Address City Council Regarding an Amendment to the City Code, Article 3, Section 4-32 - Keeping of Swine and Goats - Harry stated that he had a simple request. He would like the code amended to include sheep. His neighbors as he stated "believe it or not" were raising up to 13 sheep on a 1 1/2 acre piece of property in their backyard. This section was done in 2006, because before that a person had to go before a board to have the situation declared a nuisance. The ordinance stated that a nuisance is defined as pigs, swine, hogs, and goats. He stated that he didn't know what the difference was between pigs, hogs, and swine, but the ordinance covered goats, but did not cover sheep. He spoke with the code enforcement officer and the code enforcement officer pointed that out (that sheep weren't included). He said that Sgt. Yoder was very helpful. He stated that the noise and fecal matter that apply to the others should also apply to sheep. Harry (asked) would like for sheep to be included in the ordinance.
First Talk (WHKY) - Monday Morning meeting with the Mayor - and the Hound
This is an MP3 recording of my question that I wanted to ask the Mayor on Hal Row's radio show during his Monday Morning Meeting with the Mayor segment: Link to MP3 (sorry the audio isn't perfect, but it is clear).
I truly appreciated the Mayor's response. I realize that he cannot say everything that he wants to say for political reasons, but if you read between the lines, then you will understand that he is as frustrated with Raleigh as the rest of us.
Where I disagree with the Mayor, is that we shouldn't play footsie with the people in the eastern part of the state just to please them. We are fiscal conservatives and we aren't going to change just to please the money-spinners in Raleigh that have led us down this path to a $2 billion shortfall. We have a surplus in Hickory. No matter how you cut it, one can see that we have vastly different philosophies when it comes to spending.
Like he says, we have a lobbyist, but what is this guy doing? I was there when he was awarded the contract. Is he earning his keep. I don't think so. The Consultant is going to represent the highest bidder. He is basically representing an assortment of cities. We aren't getting anything out of this guy that will specifically help this area.
The people in Charlotte voted against their own Mayor in an effort that elected Mrs. Perdue. That was nothing more than straight ticket voters that weren't intelligent enough to know how to vote anything other than straight ticket, so they KISSed (Kept It Simple Stupid on their voting) their best interests good-bye so that they could make sure that they wouldn't mess up their allegiance to Obama. No one other than typical North Carolina Democrat Party hacks would ever state anything other than the fact that Pat McCrory is a pragmatic and charismatic leader who could have taken North Carolina in a positive and new direction.
The people of Charlotte will continue to get slighted. They have always put Democrats in key positions of power, so this money issue has nothing to do with political affiliation. Charlotte gets the shaft from Raleigh (and the East), because they are jealous of Charlotte's stature as the largest city in the state. It is truly ashame that the people of Charlotte don't back up their fellow brethren in the west, The same can be said for Winston-Salem.
The West plays the role of the Forgotten Man in the State of North Carolina. They don't even know (or care) that we exist. It is time that we make a concerted effort to get our rightful money from Raleigh. We aren't asking for charity. We just want our money back. The Western Piedmont Council of Governments is an unelected body. They are more of a social organization than anything. It is our elected officials duty to take the lead on this. This is no different than the water transfer issue. The Mayor stumbled onto the truth at the end of this segment. If Raleigh keeps kicking us while we are down, by continued confiscation of our taxes and redistribution to their cronies, then it is time to sue them.
Moral persuasion, a sense of fairness, or even the cold calculus that if they would invest in the Hickory area, we would soon produce a return of monies doesn' t seem to work with these people. So if they insist, then hardball politics it should and shall be.
I truly appreciated the Mayor's response. I realize that he cannot say everything that he wants to say for political reasons, but if you read between the lines, then you will understand that he is as frustrated with Raleigh as the rest of us.
Where I disagree with the Mayor, is that we shouldn't play footsie with the people in the eastern part of the state just to please them. We are fiscal conservatives and we aren't going to change just to please the money-spinners in Raleigh that have led us down this path to a $2 billion shortfall. We have a surplus in Hickory. No matter how you cut it, one can see that we have vastly different philosophies when it comes to spending.
Like he says, we have a lobbyist, but what is this guy doing? I was there when he was awarded the contract. Is he earning his keep. I don't think so. The Consultant is going to represent the highest bidder. He is basically representing an assortment of cities. We aren't getting anything out of this guy that will specifically help this area.
The people in Charlotte voted against their own Mayor in an effort that elected Mrs. Perdue. That was nothing more than straight ticket voters that weren't intelligent enough to know how to vote anything other than straight ticket, so they KISSed (Kept It Simple Stupid on their voting) their best interests good-bye so that they could make sure that they wouldn't mess up their allegiance to Obama. No one other than typical North Carolina Democrat Party hacks would ever state anything other than the fact that Pat McCrory is a pragmatic and charismatic leader who could have taken North Carolina in a positive and new direction.
The people of Charlotte will continue to get slighted. They have always put Democrats in key positions of power, so this money issue has nothing to do with political affiliation. Charlotte gets the shaft from Raleigh (and the East), because they are jealous of Charlotte's stature as the largest city in the state. It is truly ashame that the people of Charlotte don't back up their fellow brethren in the west, The same can be said for Winston-Salem.
The West plays the role of the Forgotten Man in the State of North Carolina. They don't even know (or care) that we exist. It is time that we make a concerted effort to get our rightful money from Raleigh. We aren't asking for charity. We just want our money back. The Western Piedmont Council of Governments is an unelected body. They are more of a social organization than anything. It is our elected officials duty to take the lead on this. This is no different than the water transfer issue. The Mayor stumbled onto the truth at the end of this segment. If Raleigh keeps kicking us while we are down, by continued confiscation of our taxes and redistribution to their cronies, then it is time to sue them.
Moral persuasion, a sense of fairness, or even the cold calculus that if they would invest in the Hickory area, we would soon produce a return of monies doesn' t seem to work with these people. So if they insist, then hardball politics it should and shall be.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Catawba County's School Systems might be forced to merge
In this article in Sunday's Hickory Daily Record entitled School consolidation raises concerns in community, the issue of Catawba County School Consolidation is discussed. Please go read the article and come back here to comment on where you stand on this issue. I really would like to see a point-counterpoint discussion on this issue so that all sides can air out legitimate advocacy and concerns about the issue.
In the Hounds Opinion - It is high time that the school systems were consolidated. I have heard this issue discussed for well over 30 years. This is about eliminating wasteful redundancy and increasing efficiency. We don't need to be paying for 3 school superintendents, their secretary's, and so on and so forth or have 3 school boards. I am sure that the school board officials are worried about being consolidated to one unit, because they might just lose their position of power. Does that not go back to people just wanting a title?
Is Hickory in Catawba County? Are Newton and Conover in Catawba County? Is this about a fear of losing community identity? The Catawba County School system stretches across all borders of this county, except for two enclaves. The geography certainly hasn't hurt the achievements of the Catawba County's system and I doubt the assimilation of the other two systems would cause any dire results.
The savings in administrative costs alone would save millions. It would also create one large school system, which would carry more weight in Raleigh. It would give the consolidated school board more power and it would also make for more cohesive educational goals. Personally, I hope that this passes.
Have you ever noticed how some leaders, in this community, always want to stick with the status quo, whether things are working or not. Is all they want there little niche of power? We really need to look deeper into the positives that this might bring. Folks, we cannot continue to throw money down the drain. Some people don't seem to care about budgets. Frankly, it is time that certain individuals figure out that education isn't about administration or money. Education needs to be about the kids. Let's do what is best for them.
In the Hounds Opinion - It is high time that the school systems were consolidated. I have heard this issue discussed for well over 30 years. This is about eliminating wasteful redundancy and increasing efficiency. We don't need to be paying for 3 school superintendents, their secretary's, and so on and so forth or have 3 school boards. I am sure that the school board officials are worried about being consolidated to one unit, because they might just lose their position of power. Does that not go back to people just wanting a title?
Is Hickory in Catawba County? Are Newton and Conover in Catawba County? Is this about a fear of losing community identity? The Catawba County School system stretches across all borders of this county, except for two enclaves. The geography certainly hasn't hurt the achievements of the Catawba County's system and I doubt the assimilation of the other two systems would cause any dire results.
The savings in administrative costs alone would save millions. It would also create one large school system, which would carry more weight in Raleigh. It would give the consolidated school board more power and it would also make for more cohesive educational goals. Personally, I hope that this passes.
Have you ever noticed how some leaders, in this community, always want to stick with the status quo, whether things are working or not. Is all they want there little niche of power? We really need to look deeper into the positives that this might bring. Folks, we cannot continue to throw money down the drain. Some people don't seem to care about budgets. Frankly, it is time that certain individuals figure out that education isn't about administration or money. Education needs to be about the kids. Let's do what is best for them.
Friday, April 3, 2009
All Points Bulletin (Missing): State Senator Austin Allran
Our local District 42 State Senator has not been heard from since pushing through useless (unenforceable) text messaging legislation a few weeks ago. We need to find him so that he can represent the Hickory Metro Area in the State Senate assembly on issues concerning Catawba County's 15% unemployment rate.
a) A Charlotte Observer Article stated that the Charlotte population as a whole grew by 2%, because the Charlotte area was perceived as a good area that will recover sooner and stronger than most. Hickory's annual population increases, since 2001 has hovered in the low 1% range (2007 - 1.26%). We have seen growth, but most of that has been retirees that will place additional burdens on our local infrastructure. How can we move towards a younger demographic?
b) Is Austin Allran still alive? We never hear anything from him in the Hickory Daily Record. We never hear from him on WHKY radio or Television. Has anyone seen or heard from Senator Allran lately? He surely would have something to say about our county's 9 years of economic malaise.
c) Did Hickory get any stimulus money promised? I have seen where Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt, Alder Z. Anne Hoyle, and Information Director Mandy Pitts went to Washington to talk to our local Federal Representatives. Have any guarantees been made that we would get some money or was that an exercise in self-deprecating vanity? I know money has been ear-marked towards this state, because Governor Perdue was gleefully touting it and wanting more. Is Raleigh going to send some our way or are they going to let the DOT and the Legislature do some more of their magic money disappearing acts.
d) Speaking of magic disappearing acts. Whatever happened to State Senator Austin Allran. Is he still alive? I remember Harry Hipps having e-mail communications with him about changing public notification laws. You know Harry told me that the Senator didn't quite grasp the concept of this internet thing and the fact that we could post public notifications on the Net, instead of in newspapers. Allran's staff said there wasn't a law keeping the city from doing that. Duh!!! The point was to take away conflicts of interest where the City is one of the papers biggest money clients. We pointed all of this out, but we never heard back from Senator Allran or his staff. But it confuses me, because we have heard about this text messaging thing, but like Fidel Castro there have been no pictures to substantiate the reports that he is still alive
e) Is Hickory paying more gas taxes and getting no return in Hwy funds? How much? It sure doesn't seem like we are getting much. They started working on the Interstate, but they stopped in the middle of the process. Is the state going to finish what they started or is the wave running for entertainment purposes.
f) I sure hope someone can help us find Austin Allran? If he isn't alive, then they need to let us name an interim Senator until his term expires. This area deserves some representation in the State Senate. I haven't heard or seen our State senator in the media. I guess him missing is the reason why we are riding up and down the pot hole and crater highway. I sure hope someone will find Senator Allran pretty soon.
g) Is Hickory getting our fair share of State services for the taxes we pay or is there a net outflow of tax dollars to Raleigh? Given our situation as the worst area in NC and one of the worst in the country why are we not getting more? And are any of our local political leaders pushing the issue? Where is the compassion in Raleigh for people in need. They tell us they want to help the poor and downtrodden, but here are the poor and downtrodden and I sure haven't seen any government money being used to try to jump start the economy around here.
h) Just let us know doggonit, is Austin Allran still alive? It sure seems that a man that has been a State Senator for about half of his life would have some tenure and seniority in the legislative process. I really don't know what has happened to Senator Allran, but I never hear about him in the media. How much bang for the buck have we gotten from this man that we have elected to represent us 12 times in North Carolina's State Senate.
....Oh man. Shoot, my fault, I just remembered. I just figured out why we haven't been able to find Senator Allran. We haven't been asking for him by his Raleigh name. It slipped my mind. Down in the Capital they call him Austin Who?
a) A Charlotte Observer Article stated that the Charlotte population as a whole grew by 2%, because the Charlotte area was perceived as a good area that will recover sooner and stronger than most. Hickory's annual population increases, since 2001 has hovered in the low 1% range (2007 - 1.26%). We have seen growth, but most of that has been retirees that will place additional burdens on our local infrastructure. How can we move towards a younger demographic?
b) Is Austin Allran still alive? We never hear anything from him in the Hickory Daily Record. We never hear from him on WHKY radio or Television. Has anyone seen or heard from Senator Allran lately? He surely would have something to say about our county's 9 years of economic malaise.
c) Did Hickory get any stimulus money promised? I have seen where Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt, Alder Z. Anne Hoyle, and Information Director Mandy Pitts went to Washington to talk to our local Federal Representatives. Have any guarantees been made that we would get some money or was that an exercise in self-deprecating vanity? I know money has been ear-marked towards this state, because Governor Perdue was gleefully touting it and wanting more. Is Raleigh going to send some our way or are they going to let the DOT and the Legislature do some more of their magic money disappearing acts.
d) Speaking of magic disappearing acts. Whatever happened to State Senator Austin Allran. Is he still alive? I remember Harry Hipps having e-mail communications with him about changing public notification laws. You know Harry told me that the Senator didn't quite grasp the concept of this internet thing and the fact that we could post public notifications on the Net, instead of in newspapers. Allran's staff said there wasn't a law keeping the city from doing that. Duh!!! The point was to take away conflicts of interest where the City is one of the papers biggest money clients. We pointed all of this out, but we never heard back from Senator Allran or his staff. But it confuses me, because we have heard about this text messaging thing, but like Fidel Castro there have been no pictures to substantiate the reports that he is still alive
e) Is Hickory paying more gas taxes and getting no return in Hwy funds? How much? It sure doesn't seem like we are getting much. They started working on the Interstate, but they stopped in the middle of the process. Is the state going to finish what they started or is the wave running for entertainment purposes.
f) I sure hope someone can help us find Austin Allran? If he isn't alive, then they need to let us name an interim Senator until his term expires. This area deserves some representation in the State Senate. I haven't heard or seen our State senator in the media. I guess him missing is the reason why we are riding up and down the pot hole and crater highway. I sure hope someone will find Senator Allran pretty soon.
g) Is Hickory getting our fair share of State services for the taxes we pay or is there a net outflow of tax dollars to Raleigh? Given our situation as the worst area in NC and one of the worst in the country why are we not getting more? And are any of our local political leaders pushing the issue? Where is the compassion in Raleigh for people in need. They tell us they want to help the poor and downtrodden, but here are the poor and downtrodden and I sure haven't seen any government money being used to try to jump start the economy around here.
h) Just let us know doggonit, is Austin Allran still alive? It sure seems that a man that has been a State Senator for about half of his life would have some tenure and seniority in the legislative process. I really don't know what has happened to Senator Allran, but I never hear about him in the media. How much bang for the buck have we gotten from this man that we have elected to represent us 12 times in North Carolina's State Senate.
....Oh man. Shoot, my fault, I just remembered. I just figured out why we haven't been able to find Senator Allran. We haven't been asking for him by his Raleigh name. It slipped my mind. Down in the Capital they call him Austin Who?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Catawba County Unemployment Rate hits 15.6%
Now maybe people will see that it all goes together. This is just like the Great Depression, where people forgot how to do business. We have to start producing things. Here is the link to the Hickory Daily Record article entitled Area jobless rate nears 16%.
My critiques of the bureaucracy and the people have been meant to sound a warning of the path that we have headed down. I knew it was too late to not feel the pain of the bad economic decisions made on personal and public levels, but I was hoping that we would get back on the right path. I don't care about credit and there are no accolades that go along with doom and gloom. The only thing I want is for things to get better.
I would like to commend the local city and county government for running a fiscally tight ship. They really do deserve credit for that foresight. I hope that they will soon get on board with me in condemning the reckless spending, fraudulent reasoning, and utter incompetence of Washington and Raleigh. If we play footsie with these people, then we will get treated like the management of the corporations that thought they were taking the easy road.
As a nation and a state, things aren't going to get better until we get back on a common sense, fiscally responsible path. Y'all can come join the Responsible Movement now or when things completely collapse, but I will guarantee you that if you choose to go down the reckless path that you will soon be back. What has happened over the last couple of years and especially since I really dove into all of this last September, is that many feelings that I have had since I was a youth have been re-enforced.
1) It seems we cannot get anything done as a nation until it becomes a crisis - I sure wish that we could change that mindset, but I fear that until we get back to what the founders envisioned that we will always be in crisis management mode. First, Congress doesn't deserve a penny until they get this ship righted. Everyone in the government needs to take a 10% to 25% salary cut. When the government gets back in the black then they get back to their current salary. We need to insist on term limits. It isn't fair to place them on some positions and not on others. This needs to happen in elected and unelected positions.
2) No one accepts a crisis until it personally affects them - I like the saying about what is the difference between a recession and a depression. A recession is when my neighbor loses his job and a depression is when I lose my job.
We can all see that the economy has slowed down. Some would like to say that this is psychological, but folks it isn't. Some of you think it is a problem of the mind, because you aren't in crisis mode, because you still have your job or maybe you are retired, but in some way you are the ones detached from reality. Your 401-k or IRA values aren't going to come back until this country gets back on the right track. I don't say any of this to insult you, I say it to try to kick you into crisis mode. It is time for action.
We are in the after effects of a debt bubble that has burst. It is irresponsible to keep trying to re-inflate that bubble. It is time to quit using debt until we get our personal and public houses in order. Think about it logically. Can you borrow your way out of debt. If you are $50,000 in debt and you borrow $50,000 are you out of debt? No you are $100,000 in debt. But, some people in our bureaucracy seem to believe that we can borrow our way out of debt.
3) People belly-ache, but they always take the path of least resistance - If you want to see a change, then you are going to have to become personally involved. If you look under the Problems and Solutions forum, you will see a link to all of our local officials addresses and e-mails. Please let them know that you are alive. Most of them don't even think you exist.
The Hound says: Rise and shine folks. It is time to wake up. We do get the government that we deserve, because we are supposed to be the government and we have abrogated our duty and responsibility. We have sought an insecure path to security and that is what has led us to where we are now. 19% of the adults in this area don't have a high school education. This is a burden to our community. Crime is on the rise and it isn't the best and the brightest of us that are perpetrating these offenses. It's time that we realize that from top to bottom, we are reaping what we have sown.
How do we change this? By becoming selfless. By realizing that a lot of thankless unpaid work is going to have to happen to turn things around. One person committing one good deed can lead to others doing the same and that is when we will turn this thing around. Please, we must do everything we personally can to turn things around. Please realize that we, as individuals, can sow seed that will bare good fruit.
Please write letters to our Government Leaders. Tell them whatever is on your mind about our local situation. Here is a link to those addresses:
Hickory Regional National and Local Representatives Address List
State House Representative List
State Senator List
Contact for Hickory Government
Contact Catawba County Board of Commissioners
My critiques of the bureaucracy and the people have been meant to sound a warning of the path that we have headed down. I knew it was too late to not feel the pain of the bad economic decisions made on personal and public levels, but I was hoping that we would get back on the right path. I don't care about credit and there are no accolades that go along with doom and gloom. The only thing I want is for things to get better.
I would like to commend the local city and county government for running a fiscally tight ship. They really do deserve credit for that foresight. I hope that they will soon get on board with me in condemning the reckless spending, fraudulent reasoning, and utter incompetence of Washington and Raleigh. If we play footsie with these people, then we will get treated like the management of the corporations that thought they were taking the easy road.
As a nation and a state, things aren't going to get better until we get back on a common sense, fiscally responsible path. Y'all can come join the Responsible Movement now or when things completely collapse, but I will guarantee you that if you choose to go down the reckless path that you will soon be back. What has happened over the last couple of years and especially since I really dove into all of this last September, is that many feelings that I have had since I was a youth have been re-enforced.
1) It seems we cannot get anything done as a nation until it becomes a crisis - I sure wish that we could change that mindset, but I fear that until we get back to what the founders envisioned that we will always be in crisis management mode. First, Congress doesn't deserve a penny until they get this ship righted. Everyone in the government needs to take a 10% to 25% salary cut. When the government gets back in the black then they get back to their current salary. We need to insist on term limits. It isn't fair to place them on some positions and not on others. This needs to happen in elected and unelected positions.
2) No one accepts a crisis until it personally affects them - I like the saying about what is the difference between a recession and a depression. A recession is when my neighbor loses his job and a depression is when I lose my job.
We can all see that the economy has slowed down. Some would like to say that this is psychological, but folks it isn't. Some of you think it is a problem of the mind, because you aren't in crisis mode, because you still have your job or maybe you are retired, but in some way you are the ones detached from reality. Your 401-k or IRA values aren't going to come back until this country gets back on the right track. I don't say any of this to insult you, I say it to try to kick you into crisis mode. It is time for action.
We are in the after effects of a debt bubble that has burst. It is irresponsible to keep trying to re-inflate that bubble. It is time to quit using debt until we get our personal and public houses in order. Think about it logically. Can you borrow your way out of debt. If you are $50,000 in debt and you borrow $50,000 are you out of debt? No you are $100,000 in debt. But, some people in our bureaucracy seem to believe that we can borrow our way out of debt.
3) People belly-ache, but they always take the path of least resistance - If you want to see a change, then you are going to have to become personally involved. If you look under the Problems and Solutions forum, you will see a link to all of our local officials addresses and e-mails. Please let them know that you are alive. Most of them don't even think you exist.
The Hound says: Rise and shine folks. It is time to wake up. We do get the government that we deserve, because we are supposed to be the government and we have abrogated our duty and responsibility. We have sought an insecure path to security and that is what has led us to where we are now. 19% of the adults in this area don't have a high school education. This is a burden to our community. Crime is on the rise and it isn't the best and the brightest of us that are perpetrating these offenses. It's time that we realize that from top to bottom, we are reaping what we have sown.
How do we change this? By becoming selfless. By realizing that a lot of thankless unpaid work is going to have to happen to turn things around. One person committing one good deed can lead to others doing the same and that is when we will turn this thing around. Please, we must do everything we personally can to turn things around. Please realize that we, as individuals, can sow seed that will bare good fruit.
Please write letters to our Government Leaders. Tell them whatever is on your mind about our local situation. Here is a link to those addresses:
Hickory Regional National and Local Representatives Address List
State House Representative List
State Senator List
Contact for Hickory Government
Contact Catawba County Board of Commissioners
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Common Sense says the drought is over
We have had rain on 7 out of the last 8 days and plenty of rain going back to last summer. It is time that area officials fully explain why we are still under water restrictions. Believe me, I have heard anecdotal information about it being dry, but I have water standing on top of my yard and 10 days ago when I was tilling up my yard, getting ready for my garden, there was no evidence of dry soil. How about y'all?
If we are still under water restrictions, because of population reasons, then officials need to come out and say, "We are overpopulated so we are rationing water." Can someone please explain where and why the justification of this decision (or lack there of) to not lift water restrictions. I believe that we can positively suggest the best times and conditions for people to water without severely penalizing them with onerous fines. That is what marketing is for.
Is this just a control issue? Just doing this for the sake of doing it or just because they can? I am really trying to understand why these restrictions are still in effect, because it seems and it sounds like the only reasoning is quasi-bureaucratic-political jargon. In my opinion, if these restrictions aren't necessary, then they are unnecessary.
If we are still under water restrictions, because of population reasons, then officials need to come out and say, "We are overpopulated so we are rationing water." Can someone please explain where and why the justification of this decision (or lack there of) to not lift water restrictions. I believe that we can positively suggest the best times and conditions for people to water without severely penalizing them with onerous fines. That is what marketing is for.
Is this just a control issue? Just doing this for the sake of doing it or just because they can? I am really trying to understand why these restrictions are still in effect, because it seems and it sounds like the only reasoning is quasi-bureaucratic-political jargon. In my opinion, if these restrictions aren't necessary, then they are unnecessary.
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