Commercial Real Estate Collapse - Razing Buildings

We are seeing a lot of problems in the Hickory area with old industrial and commercial buildings not being utilized. This is happening across the United States. Hickory has instituted "Operation No Vacancy" and they are utilizing "Brownfield Grants" as methods to facilitate the development and movement of these properties. I believe something needed to be done and at least the city is attempting to do something. In the end, we know these methods of facilitation are a drop in the bucket and are not going to solve the problems we face with Commercial and Industrial Real Estate in this area.

Commercial Real Estate has been way overbuilt and our Industrial capacity is in shambles, so the vast majority of these abandoned buildings are not going to be utilized any time soon. We don't need these buildings rotting for years, the way they are in major metropolitan areas, such as Detroit. They will fast become havens for the homeless and vermin and I certainly hope that they aren't being utilized to store toxic chemicals. Will we have to see an unnecessary catastrophic event, such as a fire, in order for a proactive stance to be taken on this issue?

I certainly don't have all of the answers when it comes to this issue and I hate to see the government mandate what people do with private property, but I truly hope that government officials and property owners aren't going to push this problem down the road to the point where future generations will have to deal with an issue that should have been dealt with years ago (which is now and in the short term future).

A Copenhagen Agreement Would Seal Our Fate

I don't know how many people really pay attention to what goes on in all of the various levels of government throughout the world. It is truly impossible to keep up with everything going on, and with the rapidity of change we have seen over the last few years, I think that even the people who care are overwhelmed with the information that we are all immersed in.

When most people hear about Copenhagen, they can't even figure out where it is located on a global map. Copenhagen is in Denmark. Denmark is a Constitutional Monarchy like most of the countries in Northern Europe, with a figure head Monarch and a Parliament that is elected by the people. Denmark is also a member of the European Union, which is composed of 27 sovereign Member States which include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Currently Global leaders are meeting at the Copenhagen Environmental Conference. The conference is being controlled by the force of the United Nations along with the European Union. They are hoping to form a treaty that is basically an extension of the Kyoto Protocol treaty (initiated in 1997) and they want to create enforcement criteria that would mandate control over human activity as we know it.

The criteria set forth in this treaty are based on Carbon Dioxide emissions, otherwise defined as the primary cause of greenhouse gas. This is being done under the auspices of what Environmentalists term "Climate Change." Personally, I feel that anyone can see how an ambiguous term "Climate Change" can lead to measures of control that are unreasonably arbitrary in nature and only designed as a malevolent action towards the United States of America -- the most productive industrial nation of this era.

The notion of a term defined as "Climate Change" is silly on its face. The climate changes every micro-millisecond of what we define as time. I know that I woke up this morning to freezing temperatures that warmed up by about twenty degrees this afternoon, and now here after midnight we have cooled back down below freezing again. And I remember it being hot last summer. Yes sir, I would have to agree that the Climate has changed a lot in my life.

When we boil it all down, we see that the rest of the World (and many people within the U.S. borders) want to clamp down on the Economic Growth of the United States. And a blind person can see that these forces have been highly successful at doing just that. Instead of trying to increase the Standard of Living of the rest of the world, these forces have chosen to pull the U.S. down into poverty. In my opinion, the results that the forces are trying to achieve date back to the old European systems that revolved around status. This was the system that Europe lived under until World War I.

The irony is that World War I was a war that revolved around what were considered to be the Noble structures of Europe. The trigger of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was the culminating event in a procession of antagonistic feudal foreign and domestic policy relationships that had prevailed in central Europe for centuries.

What history shows, is that World War I was by all accounts a stalemate. In the end the war ended because the German people tired of the War and began revolting against Kaiser Wilhelm II's government. The Central Powers (consisting mainly of The Prussian Empire (Germany) and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) were forced to capitulate and accept all blame for the war.

In accepting the blame, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up into several nation states and territory was ceded to other nation states. This meant the end of the empire, so that was their punishment. Basically, they no longer existed.

Germany on the other hand faced the same type of punishment in having to cede territory to other nation states, but their worst punishment was the reparation penalty that was placed on them at the Treaty of Versailles. The "war guilt" clause declared Germany and its allies responsible for all "loss and damage" suffered by the Allies during the war. The Germans were asked to pay the equivalent of $32 billion ($400 billion in 2009) in reparations, in payments that would go on for decades. Paying for this along with other economic problems led to the Weimar Hyperinflation of the 1920s. This destabilization of German currency led to further political instability, which led to German National Socialism and thus the roots of the Second World War.

Where I am going with this, is that the United States is being pushed into a corner, where global forces are trying to force us to pay a form of reparations. We have been made out to be the scapegoats of the world, because we dared to push the envelope on progressive industrialization. The world is jealous of the United States and they want us to willingly lower our standard of living. And the worst part is that we have already virtually de-industrialized our country.

If one looks at the Kyoto Protocol agreement, then you will see that we have not signed on to that treaty. There is a good reason why, because we are expected to pay the lion's share of economic resources to satisfy all parties, and therein lies the problem. The United States is, and always has been, expected to foot the bill when it comes to these global initiatives.

Look at the big picture. We are expected to further reduce our tattered industrial base, we are expected to make enormous financial contributions towards the implementation of these criteria, and we are expected to further erode our sovereignty for a global body that seems to carry a certain level of antagonistic animosity towards the United States. No thanks!!!

It is time that the United States starts looking out for the good of its people. It is time that we reassert our sovereignty. It is time that we start taking steps towards rebuilding our productive capacity. It is time that the United Nations takes a back seat, instead of our country. It is time that we quit throwing good money after bad towards these ridiculous schemes. The egg heads that have created this global bureaucracy have their minds set on destroying the United States of America and it seems that our Government, be it Federal, State, or Local is bent on allowing our country to be pulled asunder by these external forces.

It's already too late to not feel any pain, but it is time to start picking up the pieces. Oh, it's hip, to be an environmentalist, even when you don't have a clue about any of the real issues. As long as the talking heads are talking it up on the Boob Tube, the intellectually lazy will buy in. The implications are that many of the actions that we have taken are going to prevent us from creating the technology that can help solve the energy and environmental issues that we face. Openness leads to creativity, problem solving, and eventually a good economy and living standard. Overzealous, autocratic control leads to dark ages with no development and bad economics. There are people at the top who could care less how much the average person suffers as long as they are in control and unaccountable for their actions. And that lack of accountability is what has led us to where we are today.

Hickory Community Theater Historical Video Presentations

Below are video presentations that show the history of the Hickory Community Theater. I spoke about the first presentation in the last City Council newsletter from 12/1/2009. I am really impressed. These are excellent video productions. The first video shows the HCT during the 1950s, when it was known as "The Hickory Little Theater."



The second video shows the History of the local production company when it renamed "the Hickory Community Theater." This video displays the history of the theater from the 1960s through the 1970s.



I just wanted to share these with the community and I am guessing that they will be releasing more of these in the near future. At least I hope they do.

Catawba County’s Economic Stimulus Plan for 2010 – 2012

Today I received this document from the President of the Chamber of Commerce Danny Hearn. These are areas that the Chamber is focusing on to hopefully revitalize our community. As Danny has stated initiatives in the past have been too broad and it is hoped that by narrowing the scope of initiatives that leadership can be more effective moving forward.

Much of what you will read below was discussed during the Intra-City Visit from this past October. You can read about that event in what I labeled The Fixing Hickory Series.There is a permanent link at the top right of this page if you would like to reference this article in the future.

“Planning for Extraordinary Change”

1. Support the expansion of Appalachian State University and Lenoir-Rhyne University in the Greater Hickory area by supporting degree and non-degree programs needed and requested by regional businesses and learners of all ages
…Fully support the efforts of the newly created ASU Partnership Regional Advisory Council
…Tuition reimbursement from employers to attend ASU and LRU
…More flexible work schedules for employees enrolled at ASU and LRU
…ASU and LRU outreach to all businesses, especially the larger companies
…Internships for students in area businesses (clearinghouse to match students with businesses)
…ASU and LRU outreach to local professional organizations, veterans, etc.
…What new degree and non-degree programming not currently offered at ASU and LRU could we help develop here (example: research and development, technology studies, etc)
…Support ASU’s proposal to establish a Millennial Campus at NCCET and once the campus has been approved by the UNC System, begin community planning for expansion.
…The success of the NC Center for Engineering Technologies (ASU) here is critical to the future expansion efforts for ASU
…The continued expansion of ASU into Hickory will require this community to prepare for and invest in their enrollment growth and subsequent facility expansion needs, which will eventually lead to an ASU Branch Campus at Hickory


2. Workforce Development: Prepare, support and expand our area’s current and future workforce to be resilient which will increase value to our employers. Produce graduates with the technical, communications and problem solving skills needed in the twenty-first century workforce.

*Education Matters: Leverage the power of partnerships with businesses, education and government for the purpose of increasing the value of education in Catawba County and creating a culture in our community where dropping out of school is no longer an option.

...Emphasize the availability and importance of the Career Readiness Certification process which is the most efficient assessment tool available for companies to hire the most qualified labor pool in our area.
…The CRC/WorkKeys system of employability measures a candidate’s ability to use applied mathematics, locate, read and understand and use information to get the job done.
…Introduce this WorkKeys testing into the high schools beginning in 10th grade to assess if this is applicable to that age level student. If not, then the testing program would be adapted to not only a higher grade level but we could better understand the weaknesses in that student for future curriculum changes for workforce preparation skills. (Emphasis on math and science)
…Create a community of “business champions” to support the Education Matters Certification Program. (A commitment/company policy from local companies saying that they will not hire anyone without a high school diploma or GED equivalent.)
…Incorporate internships with the Education Matters program for current and graduating high school students
…All three school systems need to be more pro-active and reach out to the business community to support the EMCP
…Encourage more companies to implement the WorkKeys/Career Readiness Certification testing program into their hiring practices

*In Search of Technical Talent:
…Prepare high school graduates for high-skill, knowledge based and/or high tech jobs by encouraging them to advance to specialized post-secondary career education, two-year or four-year college degrees, one or two year college occupational certificates or a two to three year apprenticeship education.

3. “Greater Hickory” Brand Development Initiative…To develop a regional public-private entity to manage and build the “Greater Hickory” brand and continue/expand “Greater Hickory” recognition. Promote and manage the name “Greater Hickory,” to continue and enhance current activities/events using the “Greater Hickory” brand, and to develop new sporting, recreational, tourism, business and community related opportunities wherein the “Greater Hickory” name will be promoted.

*Strategies: Necessary tactics for generating and building the awareness of the “Greater Hickory” brand will include utilizing current and past “Greater Hickory” events such as the Hickory Classic at Rock Barn, the recent NC Association of County Commissioners and the NC League of Municipalities conferences, the state NAACP Annual Meeting, the former Greater Hickory Higher Education Center’s efforts, ASU’s expansion into the Greater Hickory area and, in the future, researching and developing new opportunities for building the “Greater Hickory” name utilization in and outside of the region.

The “Greater Hickory” brand has already been established as the regional replacement of the “Unifour” and “Catawba Valley” name. Strongly supported by national and international awareness generated by the former Greater Hickory Classic, the Golf Channel, Google, Apple, Target Distribution and augmented by positive association to the long-standing awareness of quality furniture craftsmanship tied to the Hickory name, the “Greater Hickory” brand must be continued, promoted, and properly managed. This group will be responsible for development of PR and advertising strategies specific to the “Greater Hickory” brand, and will own and manage the logo/use of the name.

The merger of the Tourism Development Authority and the Greater Hickory Metro Convention and Visitor Bureau needs to be addressed as to its new name, mission, the area that it serves and marketing the Hickory brand identify, especially in sports marketing, regional tourism and convention recruitment. This could also be the initial funding entity to begin the design and creation of this new relocation/visit greater Hickory web site/marketing initiative by utilizing their designated marketing dollars from the occupancy tax.

Promotion example: In the marketing materials for the Hickory Classic at Rock Barn, promote a Stay and Play Hot Line where Tournament fans can not only come to the Tournament but play golf at the different public golf courses in the Greater Hickory area while they are here.

*Relocation Marketing/Population Growth: Branding and marketing Catawba County to young professionals, senior active adults, retirees, unemployed, students, employed and/or underemployed, etc. which would be Web based with a portal that encompasses all businesses, government, public education, higher education, workforce availability, arts and cultural entities, geography, quality of life and sports/recreational opportunities, medical, etc that will help to sell this area to permanent new residents.
…Additional focus should be on attracting current higher educational students with the intent on keeping them here (ASU, LRU and CVCC)
…Retirees seem to be the highest growth potential to market to right now because of the economy and job availability issues
…Young entrepreneurs need to find a location that offers incentives for start-up companies, especially in the technology area. How can we make that happen?

4. Economic Development: Attract a variety of diverse businesses, economic growth and capital investment to the greater Hickory area that would both directly and indirectly benefit our residents and businesses for the purpose of building a stable economic environment.

*Economic Development Corporation Strategies:
...Traditional Recruitment Priorities: Lead Sources- NC Dept. of Commerce, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Consultants; Non-Targeted Manufacturing (Plastics, Machining/Metalworking, Composites, etc; Office/Back-office/Support; Existing Industry Expansion/Retention; Other: Workforce, Planning, Real Estate Management and Support
Data Center Initiative
Multi-jurisdictional Park Initiative
Renewable Energy Analysis
Additional Communications & Existing Industry Knowledge: HelpWeb, Industry Pulse E-Newsletter

…The EDC’s Multi-Pronged Data Center Initiative: Positioning, Targeting, Product Development, Lead Development and Prospect Servicing

…Current Initiatives:
Product Development: West Star Critical Business Park/East Star General Business Park at Startown; Eco-Complex; Spec Facilities/Pad Ready Sites
Green Supply Chain Opportunities: Power Generation; Transportation; Efficiency & Infrastructure; Energy Storage; Materials; Recycling & Waste; Water; Services
Green Energy Opportunities: Develop a strategy to target/recruit specific renewable energy subsectors specifically matching our strengths, compatible with our existing industry supply chain
Wind Potential Supply Chain

…Route 321: NC’s Data Center Corridor: The Apple-Google Data Center Corridor
…Examine Catawba County’s Economic Spectrum to see if we are missing
opportunities in any of the following business sectors:

EDC Focused:
General Manufacturing
Office/Back-0ffice/Professional
Service/Non-manufacturing
Targeted (MFB’s)
Advanced Manufacturing: Lean, clean and green
Traditional Manufacturing
Retention/Expansion of Existing Industries
Others:
Small Business/Entrepreneurship Education, Educational Facilities
Film/Advertising Recruitment of People
Retail/Commercial Living: Residential Development
Medical/Healthcare Living: Retirement
Workforce Development Training Recreational & Quality of Life
Education, Educational Facilities Procurement/Governmental & Public Investment

*Market and Support CVCC’s New Manufacturing Solutions Center… Keeping Manufacturing and Business Jobs in Catawba County… This new state of the art manufacturing center will help businesses with product testing and development; market innovations; guidance for international marketing and sales; lean manufacturing training; research and development; forums for new 21st century technologies; creating prototypes for new innovative offerings; etc. Market this new Center to every business in the Metro area.
…Use testimonials from customers around the world as to how the Center has helped their business
…Use the Center as a “networking hub” to foster dialogue, creativity, innovation and networking among a diverse business community
…Through he Center, encourage and educate customers on the importance about utilizing local businesses as potential new service/supplier providers
…Become the primary collaborative partner with the Centennial Campus at NC State University to discover ways to exchange and/or refer business leads, opportunities, research, testing, discoveries, product innovations, marketing, manufacturing capabilities, etc with Catawba County.
…Utilize the Small Business Technology Development Center as a resource for business development, counseling and referrals

Establish a “Stimulus” Partnership with the Chamber’s Future Economy Council as another set of eyes and ears that can provide valuable insight into the implementation of these important priority areas.

Future Economy Council: The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce established this Council to help Catawba County leaders think differently about the ongoing transformation in the economy and society and develop suggested actions that will help the county prepare for a different kind of economic era.
…Objectives:
…To develop new ways of thinking about the future
…To be able to identify future trends and weak signals
…To be able to ask appropriate questions
…To be able to listen for value and find new connections
…To be able to connect diverse ideas and people for continuous innovation
…To understand how to create “innovative networks”
…To design and evolve parallel processes
…To be able to identify and utilize new and emerging patterns
…To be able to think systemically at a higher level of complexity
…To be able to take appropriate individual and team risk’s to develop new ideas and methods

…Develop transformational leaders by coordinating and sponsoring a “Master Capacity Builder Training” series to train this new type leadership to better understand and utilize the skills needed to fulfill the objectives of the FEC and to build capacities for transformation in Catawba County.

Other strategies, ideas and questions the FEC has about our overall economic stimulus planning.
• We have a large population working from home and a huge potential is businesses located here while providing services all over the world. What are we doing to support those businesses, encourage new businesses of that type , and market to potential businesses
• We have a number of committees all looking at what to do about the economy. How do we focus their efforts?
• Part of the Educational Attainment dilemma is linked to a horrible “Brain Drain” in Catawba County. How do we encourage our youth to return here after college and develop new businesses?
• One goal of the Manufacturing Solutions Center is to help a small manufacturer move to a higher level. The FEC is trying to move an entire region to a higher level but the same principles that the MSC is using will work. They are Sharing, Partnerships, Connections, and Opportunities.
• For the first time in history, children are authorities on a central innovation, the new digital media. Add to this Universal connectivity, jobs that do not require proximity and ubiquitous, unprecedented access to information. Is Catawba County ready to deal with this? Do we have the broadband infrastructure to support our citizens? It was noted that Catawba County is one of the few underserved areas of North Carolina for broadband.
• Our background has been manufacturing, traditional Heat, Beat, and Treat processing. Are we addressing areas that move away from that like nanotechnology, manufacturing using natural principles, energy opportunities, and creative processes? We have to look at all opportunities to make us resilient in the future.
• The final point is that it is the responsibility of our community leadership to work together and make things happen.

Winding down the year and Opening up the world

Winding down the year we are now at 24 days to go and 18 days until Christmas. There isn't much going on in the local political arena at the moment and you know what? That's probably a good thing. I guess people are getting ready for Christmas, although there are probably a lot of anxieties associated with the economy and its direct effect on this year's Christmas.

You know if it were up to me, and its not, we would get back to the real meaning of Christmas. I remember being a kid and having the family around this time of year. Yeah, I was excited about the materialistic part, but what I would give to have my Grandfathers around or those exciting Christmas Eves eating Oyster stew, Shrimp Cocktail. and other good food and telling stories and the smells and the sounds.

Truthfully, I was never into the gifts as much as I was the warmth and camaraderie of family and knowing that we were all in this thing together. I hope that some of y'all have that, and you know, if you can't afford the Ipods, Iphones, LCDs, the latest fashion, or other trinkets, then don't despair, because that is not what this season is supposed to be all about. It's supposed to be about Love of Life, not love of things,

The Commercial culture has been shoved down our throat to the point that it needs to be regurgitated. I loved what I heard from a person yesterday. They said Americans are the only people who have off-site self storage units. They then joked that if we don't stop our wasteful consumption spending habits that we might just end up living in those places. Then they spoke about how they are having to put that into the contracts, because people have been doing just that.

We are told that if we don't spend a lot of money and consume, then the world is going to end. Well, I'm here to tell you that if we don't start getting to know one another, and I mean soul-to-soul, then our personal comfortable worlds are going to end.

I just look at how our whole society has gotten to the point of rack and ruin and it seems so lonely. Disposable relationships, infidelity, divorce, kids having kids, putting the parents away as soon as they are deemed a burden... It surely isn't the Walton's. These are all effects of the lowest common denominator elements of individualism -- Me, Me, me, me, me, selfishness. We all are meant to go through trials and tribulations, but how many times do we bring these excessive burdens on ourselves?

I don't care about the Idiom of being thankful for what you've got. It is worse to say it, if you aren't practicing it. Does it even need to be said? You either are or you aren't and that's a personal thing. If you are truly thankful for what you've got, then it takes more than flipping a few bucks in a Salvation Army Kettle at Christmas to show it. It means having a deep conversation with someone who is struggling with life. It means going out of your way to help someone find a job, when they don't have one. It means inviting a lonely friend over to eat or to a party. It means developing relationships and helping people, not turning a blind eye. This is how we bring power to the individual through selflessness.

If I could have a few wishes for Christmas:
1) I'd like to personally have the opportunity to thank some active soldiers face-to-face and if you see any I hope that you will do the same. No one is perfect, we see heroes show their humanity every day, but these men and women put their lives on the line, because it is their job. They are doing what they are told to do and they willingly allow themselves to be put in harms way, so that we can lead our lives in relative comfort. It is our obligation to care and to participate in the governance of this country, because so many people forged a path that allows us to manage our own destiny. And frankly the average person in this country is squandering what people have sacrificed to give us and that is the greatest insult to the foundation of our country.

2) I'd like for people to sit down and study where this country is at today. Come to your own conclusion, but you need to learn about the debt and the deficit and how it personally relates to you and your family. People need to sit down with their family members and have frank talks about their personal finances. They need to talk with their children about the tough choices that are going to have to be made. People need to be prepared for the hard times that are coming. Most of all, they need to prepare their children for the hard times that are coming. Think of it as a Hurricane in the Atlantic. Do you ignore it and hope it goes away? Or do you prepare and hope it doesn't hit? Which is the better position to be in?

3) I'd like for people to be themselves and quit trying to project an image of who they want people to think they are. Andre Agassi had that old Canon commercial, "Image is everything." I like Agassi, but it was all image, because he is now admitting he was doing Crystal Meth and other stuff during that time. And yada, yada, yada, we all know about the world's best golfer... Image means nothing. It's all about substance. Tis better to openly be who you are, with all of your flaws, and build a history on the integrity of your own merits, than to live a lie to please others and allow those people to control and manipulate your legacy in the end.

In the end, what I am getting at is the Idea of openness and understanding. That is why I share this with those willing to listen. We only live so long and you don't want to regret not saying things that need to be said or doing things that need to be done. We all have hopes and dreams and we all have regrets. The key is to have as few regrets as possible. In my reflective times, I have gone through lately, I have been able to clearly see the different periods of life I have gone through. Yes, I have many frustrations that keep me from peacefulness, but the older I have gotten, the fewer regrets I have when it comes to things in my control and this enlightenment is the one thing that has kept me sane.

Thank you,
God Bless You,
See You Soon,
JTS

Bartering will be a Real Economic Option

Don't think that bartering is not going to take root as the Government's taxation system becomes more and more burdensome. This is something interesting that I came across today. I have believed for some time that we are going to have to find ways to stretch the value of our assets. I decided to look up some interesting facts on bartering and I came upon this website.

This is a quote from the front page of a Bartering site (IRTA):

The International Reciprocal Trade Association, IRTA, is a non-profit organization committed to promoting just and equitable standards of practice and operation within the modern trade and barter and alternative capital systems Industry and raising the awareness and value of these processes to the entire Worldwide Community.

The mission of IRTA is to provide to all Industry Members with an ethically based global organization dedicated to the advancement of Modern Trade and Barter and other alternative capital systems, through the use of education, self regulation, high standards and government relations.

Following the links I found a local North Carolina Bartering association located in Cary, NC. Bartering Business Exchange, Inc. states that it has over 700 participating businesses in North Carolina. BBE can help you trade nationally and internationally through a network of more than 300 independent barter exchanges.

The Hound is not endorsing these sites. You need to research them yourself and decide if they or others fit your lifestyle and personal economic plans. I do believe that the time has come when market forces should determine trade and Common Units of Exchange (the Monetary System - the dollar) should not be forced upon us.

Our Monetary system, the dollar, is only useful for our governmental bureaucracy, because it makes it easier for taxes to be levied upon the public. The public only uses the monetary units of measure, because of convenience; but dollars are becoming more and more inconvenient with the passing of virtually every day.

If one looks at Shadowstats.com, which is Economist John Williams' thorough site that shows how the government has cooked the books, then one will see that actual inflation has been a lot higher than what has been reported through the Consumer Price Index. Even using the official Government inflation statistics we see that $100 of today's money is only worth $77.87 of January 2000's money. You have lost over 22% of the value of your money, if it has just stood still, over the last 10 years. I was born in 1966, today's money is worth $14.99 of the money from when I was born. That means what I could buy for $14.99 in 1966 would cost $100 today. The Federal Reserve came into existence in 1913. Today's money is worth $4.52 of 1913's money. Therefore, do you not see that the dollar has not been a good store of value over the last century. Our economy has been totally mismanaged by our Government and their accomplices at the Federal Reserve.

I believe what Jesus said in the Bible verse from Mark 12:17, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” The Government can have the money, but why do they deserve a portion of my labor or other property? If I can barter my labor for other goods and/or services without currency being involved, does the government deserve to place a value on that exchange and assess a tax related to that?

The Government was meant to be subservient to the people, but the whole system has been flipped upside down. The Government is supposed to be the people. Have the leaders actually ever read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution -- I don't think they have. They are all supposed to be protecting and defending those documents, but they break the law of the land by continuously usurping those documents.

It is time that people stop participating in this hornswoggled, convoluted economic structure that has been tyrannically imposed on the good citizens of this nation. Can someone give me a good reason why we should play the game the way the bureaucrats and elected leaders mandate. They keep passing layer after layer of laws upon us. I guarantee there isn't a citizen of this country that doesn't break a law every day of their life. Even the comatose are probably breaking some obscure code. Just look at the Federal Income Tax Code which now has over 60,000 pages of rules.

I think that bartering and trading goods and services will become more prevalent in the near future. The dollar will accelerate its loss of purchasing power, as inflation hits from the printing of all of this paper and it also loses value versus foreign currencies. The dollar's demise can be directly traced back to the second Bretton-Woods agreement in 1971 and completely depegging it from a tangible store of value (Gold). Now the dollar is irrelevant as a measurement of your labor and your personal property. It is time that we all personally demonetize (get rid of dollars) and demand tangible commodities for the exchange of tangible commodities -- Physical Assets, Labor, Goods, and Services.

The government is going to try to control and curtail natural market forces, because they want to tyrannically impose their convoluted tax based schemes upon us. But when these schemes break down, will it not be their own fault? If they had not hijacked our monetary system for their own personal aggrandizement, then it would never have to come to this; which, unless something is done very soon, will be the demise of our entire monetary system.

June 30, 2008

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 1, 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 12/1/2009 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

Recognition of Retiring Ward 4 Alderwoman Z. Ann Hoyle - Audio of Ms. Hoyle's recognition and speech - Hickory Daily Record Article

The Hound felt this was a fitting tribute to a lady who has represented her community and constituency very well over the past 18 years. The Mayor's presentation was excellent and you could see that his admiration came from the heart. Mr. Guess will have some big shoes to fill. Ms. Hoyle may not be the greatest orator in the world, but what she has said has always been on point and gets to the heart of the matter. To me this is not a racial issue. It is an issue of fairness and if Hank comes at these issues with Fairness in mind, then he will be successful and in getting to know Hank, I do believe that is what is in his heart. I would truly like to thank Ms. Hoyle, because I believe she has represented Hickory in an excellent manner and we should all be forever thankful for that. If there were a Hickory Hall of Fame, she certainly would deserve to be bestowed such an honor.

Oaths of Office Ceremony (There will be a short break following the ceremony)

Election of Mayor Pro Tempore for Calendar Year 2010 Pursuant to NC General Statues §260A-70 and Section 2-54 of the Hickory City Code - Alderman Brad Lail was unanimously elected Mayor Pro Tempore

Appointment of a City Attorney for Calendar Year 2010 Pursuant to the Hickory City Code, Section 4.151 of the Charter - Attorney John Crone was unanimously elected as City Attorney

Special Presentations:
Presentation by John Rambo Thanking City Council for Their Support of the Hickory Community Theatre Along With an Invitation to Celebrate the Theatre’s 60th Anniversary - This is an annual presentation by the HCT. Mr. Rambo thanked the City for the use of the old City Hall. Mr. Rambo introduced the subject of the 60th Anniversary Booklet that was made available at this meeting, entitled 60 Years of History - a Photo Diary of Hickory Community Theatre (This is a neat little magazine style booklet).

Mr. Rambo then turned over the Microphone to Jeff Mingus turned over the mic to Jeff Mingus. Mr. Mingus is the official historian of the HCT and he is a board member and the treasurer. He explained that he started out by volunteering as a "drink pourer" at presentation. He maintains the theater archive. He mentioned the wealth of documents saved by Charles Jeffers and pam Livingstone. He talked about some gaps that are missing and he encourages people who have participated in HCT projects to write them down and submit them to HCT so that they will have a more thorough history of the Theatre in Hickory -- he wants to develop a wikipedia style History of the Hickory Community Theater.

Special pre show videos will be presented before HCT events that will represent each decade of the HCTs history. These presentations will be made at HCT events throughout the upcoming year. He spoke about the HCT 60th anniversary event that took place this past October 25, 2009. Mr. Mingus then introduced the initial pre show video.

Presentation Audio of the founding up through the 1950s

The Hound feels that this was an excellent presentation I believe our arts society is excellent for a community of this size. The presentation that was put together tonight was excellent. I hope that they will youtube this video, because it was an excellent historical perspective of how the HCT was developed and what it has done for this community over the last 60 years.

The Hickory Community Theater Mission Statement - We intend to create an artistically adventurous environment that attracts and excites diverse members of the community by providing an expanded understanding of life through the art of quality theatre.

Consent Agenda:
Accept and Enter Into Minutes Certification of Votes From November 3, 2009 Election From the Catawba County Board of Elections

Mayor Rudy Wright 1923 95.72%
Write-In 86 4.28%

Ward 4 Hank Guess 1586 70.40%
Z. Ann Hoyle 658 29.21%
Write-In 9 0.40%

Ward 5 Sally M. Fox 1753 97.23%
Write-In 50 2.77%

Ward 6 Jill Patton 1422 66.23%
Harry Hipps 721 33.58%
Write-In 4 0.19%


Approve Submission of 2010 Urgent Repair Program Application for Funding to the NC Housing Finance Agency - The City of Hickory is required to submit an application for funding for the 2010 Urgent Repair Program to the NC Housing Finance Agency by December 12, 2009 and will apply for $75,000 in funds. These program funds will be utilized to assist a minimum of nineteen eligible homes with urgently needed repairs in an amount not to exceed $5,000 per housing unit. The City will provide $37,500 in matching funds available from Rental Rehabilitation Program income and there is a $50 application fee. Staff recommends approval.

Approve Vacant Building Revitalization Grant “Operation No Vacancy” to Richard and Jill Noble and Timothy and Ronda Reid for Property Located at 588 11th Street, NW in the Amount of $2,171 - The Vacant Building Revitalization Grant Program was established by City Council in September, 2008 whereby the program provides matching funds up to $25,000 for projects seeking to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings and the demolition of substandard buildings. Mr. & Mrs. Noble and Mr. & Mrs. Reid have applied for such a grant in the amount of $2,171 to assist in the renovation of the facility for use by a hair salon. The property owners plan to install new windows and a new garage door along with parking lot expansion, new porch railing, plumbing upgrades and landscaping. The Redevelopment Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval. Due to time constraints, the applicants have requested two readings to be held on December 1, 2009; they need to vacant their current building within the month.

Approve Vacant Building Revitalization Grant “Operation No Vacancy” to Jack Sipe Construction for Property Located at 844 Highland Avenue, SE in the Amount of $23,000 - The Vacant Building Revitalization Grant Program was established by City Council in September, 2008 whereby the program provides matching funds up to $25,000 for projects seeking to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings and the demolition of substandard buildings. Jake Sipe Construction has applied for such a grant in the amount of $23,000 to assist in the renovation of the facility to use for general business use. The property owner plans to invest approximately $46,000 to renovate the exterior of the building, to include installation of new fascia, pave parking areas, landscape, repairs of two loading dock doors and to clean, re-point and repair the brick exterior. The Redevelopment Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval.

Approval of Community Relations Council Grant Recommendations for Fall 2009 - Requesting Agency - Project – Total Project Cost – Grant Request Amount – CRC Recommended Amount

Dayspring Ministries of Hickory - Parakleo’s Reading Enhancement Program – Resident children of Hickory (SE, SW) – Enhance reading skills for the children of the community. Purchase learning cd’s, books and listening centers - TPC-$31,600 GRA-$1,500 CRCRA - $500 – to purchase a listening center

Morning Star Summer Enrichment Camp - Enrich the Lives of Youth and Curb Summer Learning Loss – Area children who attend camp. Funds will be used to provide snacks at no additional cost to parents. Need copy paper, crayons and general supplies TPC-$5,137 GRA-$1,000 CRCRA-$1,000

Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry - Vision Screening and Prescription Eyeglasses - Low and moderate income uninsured residents of Hickory; vision screening and eye glasses for qualifying Hickory residents TPC-$75,000 GRA-$5,000 CRCRA-$1,050

Hickory Museum of Art - Torn from Home – Outreach for After School Project – 120 students, family and eventually 6500 visitors to exhibit, including a large number of children TPC-$13,790 GRA-$950 CRCRA-$950

Girls on the Run of Catawba Valley - Girls on the Run Scholarship – Girls ages 8-15 in Hickory schools. Qualified scholarship for eligible children of Hickory. Programming expenses for 75 children that would be unable to participate. TPC-$13,100 GRA-$1,500 CRCRA-$1,500

CVCC Foundation, Inc. Hickory 10 – Minority college students; assist minority college students to stay in college; Hickory 10 funds to assist minority students on a case by case basis: car repair, utilities, rent, medical, etc. TPC-$11,000 GRA-$1,000 CRCRA-$500

Hickory Community Theater - Rug-Bug Theatre @ HCT Bi-lingual Project – ESL students in elementary school; Bilingual Theater production for children and by children TPC-$7,300 GRA-$1,000 CRCRA-$500

CRCRA Total $6,000

Approve Resolution in Support of the National Park Service Locating its New Over mountain Victory National Historic Trail Headquarters and Visitors Center Near Historic Quaker Meadows in Morganton, North Carolina

Approve Contribution to The David M. Lawrence Professorship With a Donation in the Amount of $2,500 - David M. Lawrence joined the faculty of the Institute of Government in 1968 and will be retiring in December 2009. Local Governments around the state are combining to raise $333,000 to establish a professorship at the Institute of Government in honor of Mr. Lawrence. David Lawrence has substantially contributed to the tradition of good, sound and open government in North Carolina. His legislative consulting has literally changed the way governments do business in the state. He drafted the original version of North Carolina’s open meetings law and comprehensive rewrite of general laws affecting county government and contributed to many laws dealing with local government finance, including tax increment finance legislation. Contributions from cities with a population similar to Hickory is $2,500. Staff recommends a donation in the amount of $2,500.

Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 11
1. To budget a $1,000 Library Donation from the North Carolina Community Foundation (Catawba Valley Community Foundation/Catawba Valley Unrestricted Endowment) and budget in the Library Departmental Supplies item to purchase equipment and software.

2. To appropriate $2,171 of General Fund Balance and budget in the Planning Department's Vacant Building Revitalization Grant line item. This appropriation provides matching funds to assist Richard and Jill Noble and Timothy and Rhonda Reid in their renovation of a building located at 588 11th Street NW. The applicants plan to invest approximately $2,171 in eligible project expenses to renovate the exterior of the building. Other improvements include parking lot expansion, installation of new windows, a new garage door, a new porch railing, plumbing upgrades and landscaping.

3. To appropriate $23,000 of General Fund Balance and budget in the Planning Department's Vacant Building Revitalization Grant line item. This appropriation provides matching funds to assist Jack Sipe Construction in their renovation of a building located at 844 Highland Ave. SE. Plans are to renovate the building for general business use. The applicant will invest approximately $46,000 to renovate the exterior of the building. In addition, the applicant will install new fascia, pave parking areas, landscape the area, repair two loading dock doors, and clean, and repair the brick exterior of the building.

4. To transfer $5,020 from the Police Department Capital Vehicles line item to the M/A Com Radio System project equipment line item. This transfer is to pay for the purchase of a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) for the new radio system. To transfer $5,020 from the Police Department Capital Vehicles line item to the M/A Com Radio System project. This transfer is to pay for the purchase of a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) for the new radio system.

5. To appropriate $30,000 of General Fund Balance and transfer to the Stormwater Fund-Other Professional Services line item. This appropriation is to fund a contract with the Western Piedmont Council of Governments for assistance in development and implementation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase ll public education and outreach program.

Informational Items:
Report of Alderwoman Hoyle’s Travel to the 2009 Congress of Cities & Exposition in San Antonio, TX From November 9 – 15, 2009; hotel - $1,569.12; airfare - $437.70; registration - $1,020; per diem - $283.50; other expenses - $102

Report of Alderwoman Patton’s Travel to the 2009 Brownfields Conference in New Orleans, LA From November 14 – 18, 2009; hotel – 609.16; airfare - $237.70; per diem - $253; other expenses - $93 (Alderwoman to reimburse City $40 toward per diem expenses)

New Business: - Departmental Reports:
1. Approve Purchase of Replacement Fire Engine 7 and Award Bid to Vendor Who Meets Required Specifications Set Forth by the Hickory Fire Department - The Hickory Fire Department requests City Council to approve the purchase of replacing Fire Engine 7, which was originally purchased in 1993. In order to meet the deadline to purchase this equipment prior to December 15, 2009, staff had not yet received bids (at the time of Council Agenda preparation) from vendors due to the City’s Invitation to Bid did not go out until November 18, 2009. Official bid opening was conducted on November 30, 2009. Due to a December 2009 deadline for ordering a fire apparatus with a 2007 compliant diesel emission engine, staff requests two readings be held on December 1, 2009 to meet the chassis and engine order deadline. Bid tabulation and bids will be available to City Council on December 1, 2009 for consideration. Funds have been budgeted for this item in FY 2009-10. Deputy Fire Chief George Byers made the presentation and explained why there was only one bid. His summary basically showed that the costs of this equipment ($487,886) is in line with other similar equipment purchased in the area. Those units were purchased in Rocky Mount and Charlotte. One of the reasons behind the second reading is because they want to beat the deadline of new emission standards, set for 2010, that will increase the price of this equipment by over $30,000. The Mayor asked why the Chief thought there was only one bid? Chief Byers stated that one company is Illinois didn't bid because the body configuration does not work well with their engine. Anchor-Richey, highly recommends the unit being purchased. The other dealer is in between franchise agreement, so they couldn't make any agreements on contracts that would beat the deadline. The Metrolina dealer is tied up in equipment with Charlotte and probably can't handle a deal with supplying any more equipment at this time. Chief Byers further explained the fine service that has been supplied by this company in the past. He says that they are very reliable. The Council gave unanimous consent.