The Future Economy Council, Houston Harris, The Granary

The following FEC meeting was held at The Granary on November 19, 2009, which is Houston Harris's building that houses his businesses Pixel Space and InterOpsis. There are also other businesses located within this structure. The building is on Main Avenue across from Lenoir-Rhyne University.This is a beautifully restructured building. It is a wonderful metaphor for what Hickory was and what it can be transformed into.

Below I give a brief summary of what direction the meeting took. For specific details you will need to download the audio and listen. These are excellent, and in many ways, cutting edge discussions. I think that when we look back at these times, in the future, that we will see that many seeds were sown during these discussions and that these discussions bore the fruit of the future. But in the end, time will tell and it is our task to carry these ideas to fruition.

Part 1 - audio
Introductions were made. Terry Bledsoe had some opening comments. He talked about the Master Capacity Builder program. He stated that he believed the FEC has begun to mature and gave examples how. He talked about being at the Economic Development Corporation's meeting the previous week. At that meeting it was stated that 41.8% of all private investment in North Carolina in 2009 has come to Catawba County this year. He also had some information about business closings in Catawba County, in which he stated 6 businesses have closed in the last two years -- some people were stating that these were not valid statistics. Nathan Huret stated that the numbers show that businesses have reduced (employment), but not left. Steve Ivester stated that people are concerned, but not defeated. Terry stated that the EDC is focused on industry, but they are looking for other opportunities for development. Nathan stated that the EDC is looking for emerging trends and they would like for people to contact them with/about interesting opportunities and/or articles.

Part 2 - audio
Dr. John Brzorad talked about Agriburbia and introduces the topic. Rick Smyre addresses the positives of local food production. Doug Rongo and myself (Thom Shell) talk about the economic and capital infusion of foreign investment into the local area. Harry Hipps talks about new energy investment in our local area. Terry Bledsoe speaks about the Agricultural resource Center and saving local farms. Dr. Brzorad talks about building a relationship with the farmers in the area. Steve Ivester says we will have to change local zoning and tax policy. Houston Harris asks how do we support this? Harry Hipps talks about what is being done in Polk county and Nathan states that Rutherford county is doing the same thing.

Part 3 - audio
Houston Harris started talking about his businesses Pixel Space and InterOpsis. He stated that it is very difficult to say what they are. They touch IT, Marketing, sales, Infrastructure/Workflow deliverable engagements... He spoke about how he deals with part-timers and free-lancers to do the job. He needs networks of people who have certain skills. They touch people and projects everywhere. He explains the global nature of his business.

Pixelspace is about interaction architechture. They create brochures, create IT projects consisting of measurables, create web pages, resource mode. Houston's businesses operate in a 24-hour environment. They use traditional and new media channels to get messages out and create interaction points. Ultimately they have to identify who they are talking to, how are they going to attract them, how are they going to inform them... Once they identify prospects, then they turn to sales.

Part 4 - audio
InterOpsis is about what a company's web operations should be doing. How to increase web presence, increase conversions, generate leads, improve visitor experience, are you setting the right tone, are you communicating with your customer properly. Houston stated that they use many analytical software tools for measurables to find the "sweet spot." You need high level stakeholders to buy into this in order for it to be effective. InterOpsis does not require you to use Pixelspace.

Houston talks about how his building "the Granary" works. He wants to fill the gap for people who need a a professional space, but don't want to break the bank (affordable). He states that it is not an incubator, because they aren't subsidizing businesses. They are a communal (shared space) arrangement. This building allows people to have a personal space to have meetings, without having a huge expense.

Part 5 - audio
The Granary - The goal is 3 phases. Number one is to get the exterior up-fitted and get more parking. Houston's companies are an anomaly, because only about 10% of his clientele are from Hickory. The Granary will be home to multiple diverse businesses, but he currently has space available and will be further developing the building as needed. Houston also talked about his dealings with the city on grants and on license fees. He stated that Entrepreneurs work in the gray area and the city operates in a process of black and white.

Part 6 - audio
Steve Ivester spoke about the semantics of manufacturing and Value Added Goods. Value Added Services are as valuable as anything else. Danny Hearn stated that we want to identify and create more Houston Harris's and Michael McNeely's. How do we go about that? Houston spoke of mentoring and stated how important it is to be around people with experience. He talked about collaboration and connections and developing skills, being open and sharing. He wants to be able go see people face-to-face and sometimes that is hard to do in a global operation, such as his.

He had some excellent ideas about the bandwidth of personal communication and relationships and chemistry. I stated that there is a lot of fear around here, because the new world is not built around structure, so people feel a sense of loss. Houston agreed, but also stated that creative people don't like structure and they need to have someone with structure around them to keep them focused. I stated that I believe that the (regimented) structure is going to have to be broken down. Houston says that he believes that it is going to break down automatically, life does that. It's about learning to adapt and being willing to adapt. Terry stated that what Houston stated about face-to-face interaction and the global world seem to be conflicts, how does he do this? Houston stated he just does it. He does what he has to do. I asked about the effectiveness of teleconferencing. Jay Adams talked about learning to listen and choose your words carefully. You figure it out as you go and it's hard to capture what the techniques are. Houston said a lot of it has to do with the age of who you are communicating with. The younger person trusts the new system and the older guy wants to look you in the eye and see if you are full of it.

Houston talked about "Free Range Chicken thinking." He says he wants to be the oldest rooster in the yard. Their life is different from a coup raised chicken, they want to survive. They are lean, they have to move fast, they've got to find some food, they've got to run from that ax, eventually they will get caught, but the free range chicken has an attitude about survival. They adapt and try new things. Thinking is about finding those things and keeping your brain in this mode of what's new -- I can't be afraid of this.

Rick Smyre close - audio
What Houston has expressed is the Creative Molecular Economy. How does Catawba County develop a brand as cutting edge to the rest of the country? We need to seed the concepts. Rick discusses this and ties in what we have said into the principles of developing connections, collaborative efforts, the creative molecular economy, and Master Capacity Building.

Project3P Blog

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 15, 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 12/15/2009 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below

Invocation by Chaplain Robert Ford of Frye Regional Medical Center


Special Presentations:
Presentation of Diplomas by Mayor Wright to the 2009 Neighborhood College Graduating Class - Mandy Pitts had a few remarks. This is the largest class they ever had with 32 people graduating. Alderman Hank Guess was a graduate. Mandy gave a brief synopsis of each graduate. Mary Boone, one of the graduates, took to the podium and spoke congratulating Council and administration for superb management and fiscal responsibility. "The constant tug of war between finances and need and the juggling of federal, state, county, and city resources to meet the need of all of our citizens was truly eye opening." City Manager Mick Berry had a few comments where he expressed his thoughts about citizenship and thanked the graduates for their participation. The Mayor next spoke and stated that 1 out of 200 citizens participate on city boards. He says that we will see a lot of these folks nominated to these positions. He states that they (governance) is very open and wants to hear from these people.

Presentation of Proclamation to Dr. Robert Bisanar Declaring December 15, 2009 as “Bisanar Optometry Day” in the City of Hickory - The Mayor stated that they, Oakwood Vision Services (Bisanar Optometry), are celebrating 100 years of service in Hickory. There have been 3 generations of family members who have served the area. It is one of our city's oldest businesses. George Bisanar, Allan Bisanar, and now Robert Bisanar have continued this practice.

Approval of Minutes:
A. Regular Meeting of December 1, 2009
B. Special Meetings of December 7 & 8, 2009 - This was the yearly retreat that focused on agendas for the upcoming year.

Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to D & H Real Estate, LLC in the Amount of $1,084 - The property was listed by both Burke and Catawba counties for 2007 and 2008 and therefore, D & H Real Estate, LLC paid taxes in both counties. Following discussions between both counties, Catawba County inactivated the listing in 2009 and therefore, D & H Real Estate, LLC requests a tax refund for taxes paid for 2007 and 2008 to Catawba County. Information has been verified pursuant to the Catawba County Tax Office.

B. Approve Resolution Approving Proposed Amendments to the Western Piedmont Council of Government’s (WPCOG) Charter Pertaining to Purchasing of Real Property

C. Approval of Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance Through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs - John D. Little of 629 9th Avenue Drive, SE is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan program in the amount not to exceed $10,000. Funds are budgeted for this through the City’s former Rental Rehabilitation Program income received in FY 2008 and/or program income received through the City’s Community Development Block Grant Program. Geraldine Flood of 417 2nd Street Place, SE, is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s Urgent Repair Program in an amount not to exceed $5,000. Funds are budgeted for this through the City’s Community Development Department funding received in FY 2009-10.

D. Approve Contract With C.W. Williams Fire Equipment Specialists For The Purchase of a Fire Apparatus Pumper in the Amount of $489,873 - On December 1, 2009 City Council awarded C.W. Williams the bid for the City’s purchase of a fire apparatus pumper to replace Fire Engine 7 in the amount of $489,873 Engine 7 has been appropriated for replacement in the Capital Improvement Project Fund of the Fire Department for FY 2009-10. A budget amendment in the amount of $289,873 has been submitted to finalize this purchase.

E. Approve Community Appearance Grant to Michael Shane Motley Located at 829 8th Avenue, NE in the Amount of $3,572.50 - Michael Shane Motley owns property located at 829 8th Avenue, NE which is currently occupied by Foothills Mortgage. Mr. Motley has applied for a Community Appearance Grant in the amount of $3,572.50. Said grant will be used to resurface the front concrete porch, repair brickwork, replace windows and replace two (2) vents. These upgrades will give the building a new more attractive appearance. The Community Appearance Commission reviewed the application on November 23, 2009 and found it met the criteria and unanimously approved the grant application.

F. Approve Community Appearance Landscape Grant to Michael Shane Motley Located at 829 8th Avenue, NE in the Amount of $2,432.50 - Michael Shane Motley owns property located at 829 8th Avenue, NE which is currently occupied by Foothills Mortgage. Mr. Motley has applied for a Community Appearance Landscape Grant in the amount of $2,432.50. Said grant will be used to resurface the asphalt parking lot. The Community Appearance Commission reviewed the application on November 23, 2009 and found it met the criteria and unanimously approved the grant application.

G. Approve Community Appearance Grant to Jack Sipe Construction Co. Located at 840-850 Highland Avenue, NE in the Amount of $5,000. - Jack Sipe Construction Co. owns property located at 840-850 Highland Avenue, NE and has applied for a Community Appearance Grant in the amount of $5,000. Said grant will be used to assist in replacing the fascia along the outside of the entire building. The Community Appearance Commission reviewed the application on November 23, 2009 and found it met the criteria and unanimously approved the grant application.

H. Approve Resolution to Discard Library Materials to the Friends of the Library for Their Fourth Saturday Book Sales From January, 2010 – June, 2010 - The Friends of the Library collect donated books and other materials throughout the year for their book sales which will be held from January, 2010 – June, 2010. The donated books and materials are out of date, in poor condition or are no longer needed to meet the collection development goals of the library. There are 1,694 discarded library materials to be donated. The proceeds ultimately benefit the library, which is an appropriate means of disposing of unneeded materials.

I. Budget Ordinances

1. Budget a total of $45 of Library donations ($25-Dr. Kathy J. Ivey and $20-Judith Lavin Ivester)

2. Appropriate $1,923 toward Police Department Overtime. This revenue is the November payment from Catawba County Mental Health for a portion of an Officers time spent when accompanying involuntary commitment patients.

3. Appropriate $41,800 of General Fund to the Police Department Capital Outlay of Buildings. This appropriation is necessary to pay Moss-Marlowe Building Co. Inc., for construction of a new range house at the Police Department Firing Range. The proposed target upgrades at the Firing Range require a building to house the operator and controls for the target system. This project is a permanent upgrade for the facility and supports a long-term usage of the facility. This appropriation represents a part of the remaining Police Federal Forfeiture Reimbursement balances from previous years that have rolled into General Fund balance at year-end.

4. Transfer $8,000 from the Stormwater Division Other Professional Services line item to the Information Technology Maintenance and Repair of Equipment line item. This transfer represents the Stormwater Divisions share of the contributions to pay for the GIS/ESRI contract unlimited seat license (USL). ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) is the leader in commercial GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software. GIS is a software application that specializes in land-use analysis. It combines points, lines and polygons to overlay these unique points in space onto a map. This geographic information is combined with other data to produce a highly useful visual representation (flow of water, density of buildings, size/location of pipes, demographic info, etc.). As the demand for GIS has grown, we have begun generating more data and discovering more uses. This contract for an ELA (Enterprise License Agreement) will allow the City of Hickory to have unlimited use of all ESRI GIS software. Today we pay on a per-user basis which restricts our ability to effectively roll out these services.

5. Appropriate $289,873 of Rural Fire District Designated Funds, which reside in General Fund to the Rural Fire District vehicle capital outlay line item. This amendment is needed to pay for a pumper apparatus to replace Engine 7, which was purchased in 1993 and has reached its intended frontline service. City Council approved the bid for this purchase at their last meeting. The 1993 Engine 7 apparatus will be utilized an additional five years as a reserve pumper.

Informational Items:
A. City Manager Berry’s Travel to the 2009 NCLM Annual Conference in Greenville, NC From October 25 – 27, 2009; hotel - $125.40; registration - $335; per diem - $40; City Vehicle Fuel - $37.25

B. City Manager Berry’s Expenses for the Alliance for Innovation 2009 East Manager’s Forum in Durham, NC From November 4 – 5 , 2009; registration - $99

C. Mayor Wright’s Travel to the 2009 Congress of Cities & Exposition in San Antonio, TX From November 10 – 15, 2009; hotel - $1,253.90; registration - $530; per diem - $260; mileage - $57.20; airfare - $402.70; other expenses - $78.39

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Report by Hickory Police Department Regarding Sweepstakes Gaming in the City of Hickory - The Hickory Police Department researched sweepstakes gaming regarding the four (4) known types of sweepstakes gaming businesses operating within the City, what other surrounding jurisdictions have encountered, how they were addressed and what the NC General Statutes contains regarding these types of operations. Lieutenant Reed Baer made the presentation about cyber sweepstakes. In July 2007 the General Assembly passed a law to remove video gaming machines from the state. The law requires the removal of any machine that requires a deposit of any coin, token, credit card, debit card or other method of payment to activate play on the machine. Before the law could come into effect owners of these machines began modifying them into machines that would qualify under the sweepstakes laws. Lottery and sweepstakes gaming is not illegal. The sweepstakes system invites patrons to purchase internet access on computers that have gaming software on them. The gaming software is a secondary function of the machines. You are paying a fee to utilize the computer.

The vendors state that the software simulate a game of chance and upon winning one of these games the customer can obtain a predetermined sweepstakes prize at the counter of the establishment. In most case this is points that can be redeemed for cash. Individuals go into the business and set up an account on the computer. the fee is considered an entry (or sweepstakes fee). This is very similar to how the lottery is won.

In 2008 the General Assembly passed a law to ban these sweepstakes machines. The law was bogged down because of the inability to find a way to ban these games without also banning online sweepstakes sponsored by retail businesses and other implications to the State Education Lottery. In March 2008, police agencies went in and charged vendors with violations. The laws were deemed to be too broad under North Carolina statutes and a preliminary injunction has been put in place that is currently in effect today. Law officers are also prevented from saying that these activities are illegal. The gaming devices are computers with actual windows software. Officers are prevented from saying that. A Wake county judge has further stated that the General Assemblies legislation is unconstitutional. Our local District Attorney is not offering an official opinion at this point. Local Ordinances face the same issue, because this would pose the same issues that the General Assembly faces.

Currently in the City of Hickory, the first of these businesses opened in July 2008. There are currently five of these establishments open, with three in Northeast Hickory and two in Southeast Hickory. The largest business has approximately 25 of these machines available. the computers are networked together. The police have responded to five calls involving these establishments.

What are other cities doing? Shelby has tried several things. They wrote a local ordinance, but because of the judicial rulings they cannot administer the law. Burlington did raid one of the operations and seized the machines, but they were forced to return the machines and are no longer enforcing any actions. Cities are now waiting to see what the General Assembly is going to decide to do about these operations.

Alderman Meisner asked about age requirements? Lt. Baer stated that all of the establishments require patrons to be 18 years old and none of them serve alcohol. Alderman Meisner asked if these were free standing Businesses? Lt. Baer stated that all but one were located in a strip mall setting, only one is a free standing building. Alderman Seaver asked about if they have to report winnings for tax purposes? They don't have to report to law enforcement, but patrons are responsible for reporting winnings according to tax laws. The Mayor interjected that they can pay up to $499 per day as a way of avoiding the IRS. The Mayor further compared this gaming to retail product sweepstakes. He also said that this reaffirms his belief that there should not be a lottery.

The Hound thinks that this once again shows that we are a Nation of Men and Not of Laws. Whatever happened to Common Sense. It is obvious that these are gambling establishments and this state has since its inception regulated gambling. I was given a tip by many of my mentors over the years, "Follow the Money." Who are the people that own these businesses and where are they from and what are their associations in this state?

Next, I would like to see the city look into collecting sales tax from these sales of "Sweepstakes Fees" or see if that isn't permissible, then our do nothing representatives from this area need to introduce and support legislation that will allow us to create a special tax to collect revenue off of these operations. And if those legislators aren't willing to do so, then it is time to start looking for someone who will represent our ideals.

The City and County get revenue when McDonald's sells a sandwich or the grocery store has a giveaway, and the Education Lottery is supposed to operate under the guise of a Public Service (sort of non-profit), but these little hole in the wall gambling centers are all about easy money for the for profit vendors. Look where these things are sprouting up. They prey upon the poor. It's just like the "cash for gold" stores. In the end they lead to crime and perpetrate needless anxieties and broken dreams.

To me, there is nothing wrong with little wagers for fun, but there should never be pressure or stress involved. It is all about Personal Responsibility. Those who have it end up throwing good money after bad towards those who don't.

P.S. I think Lieutenant Baer's report on this was top-notch. He could not have laid this issue out any more precisely.

2. Update on the Stormwater Mapping Project - Stormwater mapping is a requirement by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater project through the US Environmental Protection Agency. The City had contracted with the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) earlier this year to prepare an inventory of the entire stormwater infrastructure located within the rights of way. The City will benefit significantly from the data collected containing the location, size and condition of stormwater infrastructure. Terry Watts of the WPCOG made the presentation. The deadline for this project is June 30, 2010. First, they determined which area of the city to collect the data in, then they used a GPS unit to collect the field data, and verified the collective features. The Global Positioning System (GPS) allows one to accurately determine positions on earth using signals from satellites. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) take data collected from the GPS and creates an intelligent database map.

Mr. Watts next showed a Power Point presentation of the project and photos of the entire project to date. Alder Patton saw a picture of a stormwater culvert lid and asked if data had shown what percentage of these lids might need to be repaired? Mr. Watts stated that at this time he did not know what the percentage was, but there are documented repairs that will be scheduled over time. He further stated that the number of drainage ditches in the city being studied is 40,000 and the project is 60% completed and will be finished on time. The winter months will be used to walk the creeks and mount the outfalls. They also will be looking for the ends of pipe culverts located in weeds and kudzu. This map will serve as a resource to the street condition for maintenance purposes. Alder Lail asked if this will be a layer on the GIS system? Mr. Watts said possibly, but they are going to have to find out if this is permissable by the Department of Homeland Security.

3. Submission of Letter to Senator Kay Hagan on the City of Hickory’s Position Regarding Legislation Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Employees - North Carolina is internationally recognized as one of the leading states in the US for well-managed local government, through the council-manager form of government as well as its fiscal responsibility provided for by the NC Local Government Commission. It is also attractive to existing business for its designation as a right-to-work state and its AAA bond rating. These features are part of the package of assurances that attract new business and industry to NC. Federal Legislation continues to threaten to force collective bargaining on all employers in NC without regard to how the change will affect the local economy. - Collective bargaining for public safety employees will adversely affect productivity and efficiency, employee morale and local government budgets. North Carolina will lose a key competitive advantage in the international marketplace for business recruitment and retention. These factors will have a direct impact on the taxpayer and ultimately the local economy. City Manager Berry stated that there is a concern that this legislation is going to be slipped into a defense spending bill to get it approved. Warren Wood made the presentation. He stated that there is a letter in Council files addressing this issue. City Council has opposed this type of legislation for years. Collective Bargaining is prohibited by state law in North Carolina. The Public Safety employer/employee Cooperation Act is pending in the U.S. House and Senate. It would allow police officers and firefighters to have more union rights and force local officials to recognize the union. It would change the face of labor relations. Senator Hagan has been supportive of this legislation.

The National League of Cities, The National Association of Counties, The National Sheriff's Association, The International Association of Chiefs of police, The International Municipal Lawyers Association are against this legislation. The International Association of Firefighters and the Fraternal Order of Police support this issue. Attaching the bill avoids hearings, amendments, or stand alone votes.

The Mayor asked why the Police and Firefighters are being separated from other government workers? Mr. Wood said this is being done under the justification of Homeland Security. The mayor said that this would mean that when budgeting is done that there will have to be two sets of pay rates for employees. These public safety officials' local union would be allowed to bargain with the local government. If they cannot agree on a contract, then the issue would go to a mediator.

The Hound is getting tire of this, but in a sickening sense I hope it passes. The bottom line is that we don't have to put up with it, but no one is willing to take it head on like it should be. At some point in time there is going to be a clash of wills on these issues. I don't think it will come from Hickory's Status Quo, go with the flow mentality. It will take leadership with intestinal fortitude and I've been getting a gut feeling that it ain't gonna be pretty. Many times Intestinal Fortitude develops from pain and tyranny.

The bottom line is that the 10th Amendment to the Constitution is being willfully and constantly violated and if you aren't willing to challenge the usurpation of our Constitution, then you are aiding and abetting criminal activity, because upon a Bible you took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

The Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The Tenth Amendment restates the Constitution's principle of federalism by providing that powers not granted to the national government nor prohibited to the states by the constitution of the United States are reserved to the states or the people. Will you tell me where the Constitution gives the Federal Government the right to tell States, Counties, and Municipalities how they are going to practice labor relations or any of the other myriad of mandates that Washington has foisted upon State and local Government?

Under Nullification, North Carolina has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law which is unconstitutional. Yes, it will take a paradigm shift in political philosophy to make this happen, but a broken economy certainly can be that agent of change. And the quickest way to break our economic system is to keep piling more spending on top of a broken budget. Can you remember a few short months back, when our state had a $4 billion shortfall? It will be as bad or worse this coming year. Has anyone seen any evidence of the federal or state governments cutting back spending?

Kay Hagen is not going to represent North Carolina. She has already proven that. I'm ambivalent about this one. You better go at this one from every angle. This is not a time for the meek, laid back, or lazy. You better have plans A through Z ready. Be prepared for dollars to be worthless, because our government is doing nothing to stop it.

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