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 right of this page under Main Information links is an Hickory's City Website link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the left of the page you will see the Agenda's and Minutes link you need to click. This will give you a choice of PDF files to upcoming and previous meetings.
You will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 11/15/2011 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below:
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Invocation by Rev. Calvin Vaughn, Unifour Christian Fellowship Church
Oaths of Office Ceremony
Mayor Wright administered the oath of office to Ward 1 Alderman Brad Lail, Ward 2 Alderman Bruce Meisner, and Ward 3 Alderman Danny Seaver.
Election of Mayor Pro Tempore for Calendar Year 2012 Pursuant to NC General Statutes §260A-70 and Section 2-54 of the Hickory City Code - Alderman Danny Seaver was elected as Mayor Pro Tempore.
Appointment of a City Attorney for Calendar Year 2012 Pursuant to the Hickory City Code, Section 4.151 of the Charter - Attorney John W. Crone III was reappointed as City Attorney.
Special Presentations:
A. Proclamation – Declaring Thursday, December 15, 2011 as Bill of Rights Day in the City of Hickory (Presentation to Cliff Moone) – Mr. Moone was absent so this ceremony didn’t go forward.
B. Report – Special Council Meeting Held on November 29, 2011 to Tour Downtown Development and Historic Train Depot in City of Burlington, NC - Council Members Meisner, Guess, Fox, and Patton attended along with some city staff and HDDA's Connie Kincaid. The meeting with Burlington Officials
included the City Manager, a City Council member, Downtown Director, Planning Director, Parks and Recreation Director and several staff in Parks and Recreation that handle special events.
The visit included views of the Downtown amphitheater and historic train depot, a performing arts venue, a co-op grocery store, and a larger amphitheater in a local park. Downtown Burlington's Downtown Association is funded by a business improvement district (BID tax), which taxes downtown property owners $.016 per $100 assessed value. This allows for a $150,000 annual budget from the City (50% for staffing and 50% for grants and loan programs).
The Downtown Amphitheater was built in the 1970s as part of a urban renewal program. It seats approximately 200 people and is used approximately 35 to 40 times per year for weddings, plays, church events, and art classes. The limited size is a factor for usage. More concerts have been moved to the lawn behind the Train Depot.
The Council tored a local Co-Op Grocery store, which is located at theformer site of and A&P in downtown Burlington. The Co-Op grocery store has 2,000 shareholder investors.
Another public entertainment venue looked at was the old Paramount Theater, which is the former site of local theater. It was renovated in the 1990s and is owned by the City of Burlington. . It was funded with CDBG Block Grant funds as well as city, county, arts council and private corporation dollars.
The site seats 390 people and is used as for community theater, concerts, and as a multipurpose facility. It is utilized 250 to 270 times annually.
One important part of the viability of Burlington's Downtown area includes Lab Corp, a major downtown employer.
Another public entertainment venue is named "The Jimmy" after a former employee. It was finished in 2010. Its open space seating can accommodate 2,000 to 4,000 people. It is primarily a concert space and is located approximately 1 mile from Downtown.
What City officials took away from their visit with Burlington officials: Understand who you are and what size of events make sense of your community. Burlington Parks & Recreation handles all special events at each facility. City tax dollars fund most events. There is a Time limit of 11pm for all events. They prefer individual seating rather than concrete seating at the amphitheater. Off duty police officers are present at events and they use cameras to deter crime. Have tight control over the approval process for events. “If we had it to do over again, we’d put an open, above ground venue Downtown instead of the Amphitheater,” Harold Owen, City Manager
Next Steps: City officials have studied Roanoke, VA and Burlington, NC. The next stop is Chattanooga, TN to view their downtown redevelopment along the riverfront. The purpose of these trips is to learn new ways of enhancing our community through redevelopment, use of vacant buildings and maximizing public spaces to enhance our brand and for the benefit of the community.
The Hound believes that this was a highly disappointing presentation. I can understand Burlington's feelings about who they are. They are surrounded by a huge metropolitan overlay with gigantic entertainment centers and concert venues throughout their immediate area. Arenas in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro that seat 10,000 to 20,000 people and amphitheaters that seat 5,000 to 10,000 as well as a plethora of smaller venues. We have nothing even close to that within those drives except in Charlotte. We have plenty of these micro venues, such as at the SALT Block, CVCC, and L-R. And we have parks for people to stand around while music plays. We don't have a good venue to take advantage of our geographical location or our shopping marketplace and a glorified Yesterday's (the former club) doesn't fit the ticket either.
Sometimes I just don't think The City's bureaucratic administration gets "IT." I honestly don't think that they appreciate or respect this area and they don't understand what it is. They are too busy trying to tell us what it isn't. They are supposed to physically build this area up and instead we constantly get fluff when it comes to economic marketing and so much of an attitude of doing things on the cheap. What I saw pushed during this presentation was related to doing things on the cheap and making sure that you limit yourself. There is no vision of doing anything special. If this is your mindset and intent, then please, I beg you, don't do anything at all.
I don't want the city doing what they did at the Crawdads stadium a couple months ago or the mindset that I have seen displayed related to Hickory Alive. If this is the initiation of this process, then please, I am begging you to not throw away the tax payers money, because you are headed towards a monumental failure.
What I would like to see is a public-private partnership where the city helps a public-private agency secure financing that can allow for an amphitheater venue to be built and run by the agency, but the city would have no role other that ordinances and codes. The city would be paid back by this autonomous agency and that agency can look to grow as events and time warrant.
I like the idea of the Co-op grocery store, but I believe that this role can be fulfilled by a covered marketplace (ie indoor farmer's market). This would allow local corporate food purveyors to participate along side the local farmers and would allow for more of a variety of products to be sold. Local Restaurants could use this facility as much as individuals would. I believe that this would also get buy-in from Alex Lee if they saw the big picture of what such a venue would entail. I understand this because I understand food like 99.9% of the people in this area don't, because I am a real full spectrum chef; not just a cook, a salesman, or a marketer.
In closing, I would like the bureaucrats to understand that they need to broaden their horizons of understanding to include people who are experts in their field and not just other bureaucrats who limit themselves in endeavors of creativity. Entrepreneurs look how to make things happen. They don't look for ways to see why endeavors shouldn't be approached and actions shouldn't be taken. There may be some limitations to Hickory based on Geography. (ie we aren't going to be a World Class Beach resort), but by limiting ourselves, and our horizons, we only ensure that we are going to always be sucking hind (you know what).
Consent Agenda:
A. Accept and Enter Into Minutes Certification of Votes from November 8, 2011 Election From the Catawba County Board of Elections
Ward 1 Brad Lail 959 - (88.71%) - Write-In 122 – (11.29%)
Ward 2 Bruce Meisner - 968 (88.81%) - Write-In 122 – (11.19%)
Ward 3 Danny Seaver - 947 (89.68%) - Write-In 109 – (10.32%)
B. Approval of Community Relations Council Grant Recommendations for Fall 2011
Agency - Project Title – Amount – Requested Amount – Recommended by CRC
CVCC Foundation, Inc. - Multicultural Series - $1,500 - $1,000
Humane Society of CC - Spanish Information Brochures - $1,500 - $.00
Hickory Community Theater“ By a Black Hand” NC Black Repertory Company - $2,000 - $.00
Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry - Chronic Disease Program - $2,500 - $1,000
Women’s Resource Center Women’s Life - Transition Services - $1,500 - $1,000
Clinton’s Corner of Catawba Community Development Inc. - Expansion of the Mario A. Mitchell Summer and Saturday Academy (Parenting Academy) - $1,500 - $1,000
Centro Latino (CC Hispanic Ministry) - Neighbors in Need - $1,500 - $1,000
Council on Adolescents of Catawba County, Inc. - Health Education Resource Center - $1,250 - $1,000
Total requested by all agencies - $13,250 - Total recommended for funding by CRC $6,000
C. Resolution Authorizing Preparation of Assessment Rolls and Public Hearing on Preliminary Assessment Roll for Street Improvements Petition No. 01-11 (Curb and Gutter). A petition was made on March 23, 2011, approved by City Council on April 19, 2011, and the project was completed on August 29, 2011 (Authorized Public Hearing for December 20, 2011)
D. Call for Public Hearing to Consider Entering Into an Economic Development Incentive Agreement With Punker, LLC In The Form of a Grant for the Creation of 80 Jobs and a City Incentive Package Totaling Approximately $59,150.00 Over the Next Five Years (Authorized Public Hearing for December 20, 2011)
E. Change Order No. 6 to Contract with Pizzagalli Construction Company in the Amount of $37,360 for the Northeast Wastewater Treatment Plant (NEWWTP) Upgrade Project - The NEWWTP Upgrade Project was initiated in July, 2010 at a cost of $21,569,382.50 for a complete upgrade of the facility. The current contract amount for this project is $22,057,935.50 which includes previously approved Change Orders Nos. 1 – 5. This project was established with a contingency fund in order to address unforeseen expenses that may arise, and Change Order No. 6 consists of six items. The single largest items are $11,332 for revisions to the SCADA control system for the proposed facility at the influent lift station and $9,620 for modifications to the chlorine building that will improve safety features and air flow through the building in the event of a chlorine cylinder leak. Contract change orders total $525,913 or 2.38% of the original project contract. Revised contract total to date will be $22,095,295.50.
F. Acceptance of Bid and Award to Triangle Contractors, Inc. for the Moose Club Pump Station Demolition in the Amount of $15,842 - The Moose Club Pump Station serves the Cripple Creek Basin and the area in and around Glen Hilton Park. It is located adjacent to a Lakeland Park area of Northwest
Hickory. The pump station is in need of exterior renovations due to a failing roof over the wet well and corresponding odor issues. The roof has also degraded to the point that it could pose a safety risk if individuals were to get inside the fenced area. While this work is being done, the Public Utilities Dept. would like to repaint the station and tear down some adjacent structures so that the site is more appealing to the neighbors. The pump station is mechanically well kept. The roof will be replaced in a separate project. This project is not budgeted; therefore, the funds are proposed to be allocated from the Water
and Sewer Fund Capital Reserve.
G. Acceptance of Bid and Award to Brushy Mountain Builders, Inc. for the Water Treatment Facility Bolt Replacement Project in the Amount of $27,947.50 - The water treatment facility was last upgraded in the early 1990’s with an official startup in 1993. Components of this facility are now reaching 19 years of continuous service and require more extensive maintenance and replacement of 4,468 bolts located on the discharge pipe from the finish water filters to the clear wells. The bolts require replacement due to corrosion and the essential nature of their function to ensure reliability of the piping. This project is the first step necessary for rehabilitation of the pipe gallery including repainting of the piping and replacing some minor electrical components. The bolts/nuts/washers are being purchased separately ($12,102.13) and provided to the contractor in order to reduce the cost of the overall project. This project is budgeted, and .
H. Budget Ordinance Amendments
1. To budget $1,381 of Miscellaneous Revenue in the Fire Department Departmental Supply line item. These funds were received from Mountain Recycling, Inc. for the sale of salvaged metal from surplus Engine 14.
2. To budget a $600,000 check from the State of North Carolina Department of Commerce (One North Carolina Fund) in the Economic and Community Development Incentives line item. This check is a first partial payment for CheckFree Services Corporation (Fiserv). The City of Hickory will disburse this
money to the company and as stated in the Performance Agreement, the money will be used in accordance with Senate Bill 27, Page 247, and Section 31.
3. To appropriate $15,842 of Water and Sewer Capital Reserve to the Water and Sewer Maintenance Repair of Equipment line item. This appropriation is necessary to pay Triangle Contractors, Inc. for exterior renovations to the pump station due to a falling roof over the wet well. The roof will be replaced in a separate project to follow immediately after this one. This project includes painting the station structure that has become weathered and to remove the brick structures that are no longer in use. The exterior maintenance will improve the appearance of the Moose Club Pump Station.
Informational Items
A. Report of Alderman Hank Guess’s travel to attend the CityWorks(X)po in Roanoke, VA on October 27-29, 2011 (registration - $505; room - $246.30; per diem - $44.30)
B. Report of Alderwoman Sally Fox’s travel to attend the CityWorks(X)po in Roanoke, VA on October 27-29, 2011 (registration - $505; room $246.30; per diem - $44.30)
C. Report of City Manager Mick Berry’s travel to attend the CityWorks(X)po in Roanoke, VA on October 27-29, 2011 (registration - $505; room $246.30; per diem - $44.30)
D. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to attend the 2011 NCLM Annual Conference in Raleigh, NC on October 24-25, 2011 (registration - $277; room - $235.65; per diem - $34; mileage - $191.40; parking - $12)
E. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to attend the National League of Cities Congress of Cities in Phoenix, Arizona on November 8-13, 2011 (registration - $435; airfare - $349.80; room - $583.35; per diem - $284; mileage - $53.04)
F. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to Boca Raton, Florida for an Economic Development Site Visit on November 3-4, 2011 (room - $124.32; airfare - $619.90; per diem - $115.46)
New Business - Public Hearings:
1. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 21, Section 21-13, “Use of Weapons” Regarding Firearms in City Parks - *Council voted 6 to 1 to approve Ordinance Amendment Exhibit 2 which complies with state law and allows concealed handguns in all park areas. A new state law passed in the last General Assembly Session will require the City of Hickory to amend its ordinance which bans firearms in city parks. Session Law 2011-268, which became effective December 1, 2011, amends Article 14, Chapter 14 of the General Statutes which pertains to various laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina. Staff presented two concealed handgun permit ordinance options to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their November 8, 2011 meeting. The first ordinance, which Staff recommended to be endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, prohibits concealed handguns in certain specified park areas. The second ordinance simply complies with state law and allows concealed handguns in all park areas. Six (6) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council the first ordinance option. Four (4) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council, the second ordinance option. Staff recommends approval of the local ordinance which prohibits concealed handguns in certain park areas. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on November 23, 2011.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 6, 2011 -- Addendum on Concealed Carry in Hickory Parks and Recreation Facilities
2. Fifth Amendment to Tower Lease with AT&T Wireless for City’s Tower Located at Public Services Facility - AT&T Wireless wishes to extend the current lease agreement for antenna space on the guyed-wire tower located at the Public Services Facility. The original tower lease with AT&T began in 1996. AT&T Wireless approached the City to extend the lease and requested a reduction in rent, which the City refused. They then requested an extension to the current agreement (expires in 2014) that would continue at the same rate (no increase). The new amendment will allow AT&T to continue leasing tower space for two additional five year extension terms upon expiration of the current lease terms. This would guarantee income at the current rate until 2019. Staff recommends approval. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on November 23, 2011. Jeff Brittain presentation. The City gave Unanimous Consent.
General Comments
Mayor Wright stated he liked the downtown market in Burlington, and he would like for people to have the ability to purchase groceries in downtown Hickory. Alder Fox stated that Burlington sold $20,000 worth of shares for the downtown market. Mayor Wright stated that when he attended the NCLM Conference in Phoenix, AZ, he saw a virtual supermarket where people go in one day, place their orders for grocery items, pay for them, and the groceries are delivered back to that location the next day. That process is not without cost either (combination of grants, other tax funding, stockholders, etc.). He stated he would like for the City to look at any such possibilities, because he didn’t feel that there is a way to encourage a full grocery store to locate downtown until they feel the circumstances are right.
Alder Patton stated she had the opportunity to attend the Choral Society Concert on Saturday afternoon, and she stated the City is truly blessed with arts and talent... the City supports the Arts Council and it is well worth it. Mayor Wright stated that it speaks well for our community, that with modest support, we are able to keep the Arts Center, the Science Center, the symphony, the Choral Society, etc.
Alderman Guess stated he attended the Exodus House Christmas Parade this past Saturday, and there was a good turnout with a lot of good food and fellowship. He was the
Closed Session Per NC General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(1)(5) to consult with the attorneys regarding the following: (Action on these items, if any, will occur in Open Session)
A. Approval of Closed Session Minutes of November 15, 2011 – NCGS §143-318.11(a)(1)
B. Discussion Regarding Potential Acquisition of Real Property – NCGS §143-318.11(a)(5)
No action was taken upon return to open session.
The Hounds Final Note : There were well over 100 people that showed up for this meeting. The vast majority showed up for the Concealed Carry Ordinance issue. While it is great that they showed up to support something that meant so much to them and it is a validation that standing up for ones rights is imperative towards the protection of those rights and liberties, it is disheartening to see these one issue advocates disappear as soon as their issue has been dealt with. As soon as the decision was rendered 3/4ths of the attendees flooded out immediately.
First, to file out so abruptly and noisily as the meeting continues is not good etiquette. I am not picking on the gun right's supporters. I have seen this countless times over the past three years. But, what people never look at is the big picture. You need to take interest in the body of work of our local governance. You need to pay attention to your neighbor's issue and look out for their interests. We need to look out for one another. One of the things I despise most in life is when I hear people tell me , "That doesn't effect me." It makes me cringe, because it is a selfish attitude and it shows ignorance, a lack of compassion, and a lack of understanding for the complexity of life.
Remember you deserve the government that you get and when the majority of society doesn't care, then why should we expect our representatives to care what we think? Why should they expect to be held accountable? And what do those who don't participate or only care about one issue have to complain about?
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Friday, December 9, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 6, 2011 -- Addendum on Concealed Carry in Hickory Parks and Recreation Facilities
New Business - Public Hearings:
1. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 21, Section 21-13, “Use of Weapons” Regarding Firearms in City Parks - A new state law passed in the last General Assembly Session will require the City of Hickory to amend its ordinance which bans firearms in city parks. Session Law 2011-268, which became effective December 1, 2011, amends Article 14, Chapter 14 of the General Statutes which pertains to various laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina. Staff presented two concealed handgun permit ordinance options to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their November 8, 2011 meeting. The first ordinance, which Staff recommended to be endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, prohibits concealed handguns in certain specified park areas. The second ordinance simply complies with state law and allows concealed handguns in all park areas. Six (6) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council the first ordinance option. Four (4) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council, the second ordinance option. Staff recommends approval of the local ordinance which prohibits concealed handguns in certain park areas. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on November 23, 2011.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 1
Presentation by Mac McCleod, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Hickory. He addressed the current City Ordinance
Option One – Restricted (Not Adopted) - State Law requires that specific areas be identified
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 2
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 3
Sprinkle Lawson next spoke stated that the bigger issue was where we were not going to allow citizens/families to protect themselves to not protect themselves from criminal elements. In these restricted areas, we are telling the criminal element that there is no threat or deterrent for their criminal behavior or actions in these zones. " I do not think that is the message you want to send." He spoke about the incident that took place at Virginia Tech a few years ago where 36 students were murdered and 25 were injured because of restricted rights. One concealed carry owner may have been able to save lives.
Mayor Wright next allowed attendees to raise their hands in support of conceal carry. 40 people raised their hands in support.
Speaking in support of the proposal to restrict conceal carry in the Parks and Recreation Centers was David Turman. He stated that he wasn't armed with statistics, but was there to voice his opinion. He spoke of the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. He is personally not aware of crime problems at the parks and recreation centers. The question he poses is why would we introduce to the environment designed for family fun and recreation, the risk of death or injury from a loaded gun when there is no conceivable gain from the change. He is not anti-gun. he hopes the council can remove the emotion and politics and decide what is in the best interest of the citizens who get the most benefit from our parks and Recreation Centers. Mr. Turman was the only attendee who raised his hand against concealed and carry.
Jay Adams spoke in rebuttal, he understands the sensibilities stating that he does attend soccer events and people do get inflamed at those events, but statistics are important. People started out saying that there would be gunfights in parking lots over parking spaces... everybody would be carrying heat. This is just not the way it works. Less than one percent of the population will even choose to get a permit. Out of that less than one percent, a small fraction will be carrying a firearm at any given time. It is the deterrent value. The notion that a criminal is actually a pretty cowardly figure who carries a firearm to have an advantage. If he goes into an area where a person may be carrying a firearm, his desire to work his mission is chilled. He understands the emotions. The statistics have been carefully scrutinized.
In Sur-Rebuttal he spoke of the issue of liability if an accident happens. he said he doesn't study the topic. He doesn't have the statistics. He is just offering an opinion.
The Council then took up debate with Alderman Danny Seaver moving that the Council adopt what the State of North Carolina states, which was seconded. Alder Patton stated that she personally opposes any firearm for citizens. That is her personal opinion. She dislikes firearms and what it says for our society to have people arm themselves in a park or anywhere else to protect themselves... Her constituents, not cut and paste anonymous e-mails, have had no influence on her decision. Those who identified themselves to voice their opinions, the majority of constituents who she does represent, want to be able to carry firearms in parks.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 4
Attorney Crone asked for verification that the Council wanted to enact the second option. City Manager Berry stated that both options are consistent with state law. The Council has to enact one of the options, because the current ordinance is no longer consistent with State law. Alderman Seaver stated that his motion was noi restriction, whatever the State law allows... the Constitution states that the Citizens have the right to bear arms.. it does not say exactly where. Alderman Seaver stated that he had seen videos on Youtube where gangsters and gangster wannabes were flashing guns and some of those happened to be in parks... he added that he didn't think they were all concealed carriers.
Alderman Guess said that 16 years ago, when this law was initiated, that you had many of these same arguments with people saying that our State would turn into the Wild, Wild West with all kinds of crime activity and all kinds of accidental discharges.. That hasn't been true... He made a call to Sheriff Coy Reid who stated that he has no recollection of a citizen with a concealed carry permit being involved in a serious allegation of shooting injury or someone being killed... there have been a few minor incidences. In Catawba County there are slightly over 5,000 people with a concealed carry permit. At one time he was a concealed carry instructor. he knows about the training and what it takes to get the permit. He believes that if people are nrestricted in carrying a firearm, then the criminal element will prey upon that.
Mayor Wright added that he has a concealed carry permit, but he does not carry. He wanted to see what was involved in getting it. You have to spend time, money, and effort to get it. Neither of the options do anything about his number one concern, which is home safety. He thinks that parks are safer with law abiding citizens having the possibility to carry arms versus criminals knowing that citizens don't have the right to have any. The Mayor went on to say that the reason why they aren't arguing against fully unrestricted use, when it comes to some prohibited buildings (such as municipal buildings) is because parks are a different animal.
Alderman Meisner asked about what gun owners have to do when it comes to different local communities. How does the Firearm carrier know? Alderman Lail stated that you have to post restrictions. The default position is that firearms are allowed in city parks and recreational facilities. The Mayor added that posting is a tricky issue unless they are restricted in all park facilities.
Alder Fox commented in dissention that she raised two children who took part in park activities, She is a walker, who walks all over town. She does not feel any safer because someone else is carrying a gun. She talked about taking a courageous stand, because she is opposed to allowing guns in parks. She stated that they have a fine recreational staff and incidents of crime are at a minimum. She had a constituent call who shook their head that this was even a discussion. Mayor Wright stated that he looked at all of the criminal acts in the park and it is a whole lot more than he expected. Alderman Seaver questioned how this would be enforced... It is six pages long and not every area of the parks is prohibited... It will lead to some real sticky situations (with the first option).
The Council voted 6 to 1 (Alder Fox) to allow Concealed Carry Gun Owners to carry their guns in the Parks and Recreation facilities.
The Hound believes that the Council made the right decision here. One has to appreciate Alder Fox standing her ground in her beliefs and Alder Patton listening and following through with the wishes of her constituency. This is a tough issue, but personally I believe in the second amendment. I do believe that it is a deterrent. And I do believe that the North Carolina Legislature believes that it is the right of the citizens of this State to protect themselves.
Those advocates who spoke in favor of the right to carry a weapon as a right came prepared with statistics, logical reasoning, and firm resolve. The one gentleman who opposed the right to carry admitted that he had no supporting material and basically his opinion was based upon feelings. We see this all of the time and, in my opinion, it is no way to make a decision. The people who have permits have expressly shown themselves to be solid citizens who meet steep requirements and obligations in order to obtain the privilege of holding this permit. As was addressed, criminals aren't accountable to these standards. These restrictions would mean nothing to them and give them a playground for their activities.
Peoples' fear of guns is illogical. What else do we ban? Do we ban knives? Do we ban household solvents and other chemicals that can be used to make explosives? There are a multitude of things that can be used as weapons.What would be better is to teach people about firearms and firearm safety and rid ourselves of the needless anxiety involving firearms. And we need to fully prosecute those who would utilize a firearm as a tool in the commission of an aggressive violent criminal action.
1. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 21, Section 21-13, “Use of Weapons” Regarding Firearms in City Parks - A new state law passed in the last General Assembly Session will require the City of Hickory to amend its ordinance which bans firearms in city parks. Session Law 2011-268, which became effective December 1, 2011, amends Article 14, Chapter 14 of the General Statutes which pertains to various laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina. Staff presented two concealed handgun permit ordinance options to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their November 8, 2011 meeting. The first ordinance, which Staff recommended to be endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, prohibits concealed handguns in certain specified park areas. The second ordinance simply complies with state law and allows concealed handguns in all park areas. Six (6) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council the first ordinance option. Four (4) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council, the second ordinance option. Staff recommends approval of the local ordinance which prohibits concealed handguns in certain park areas. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on November 23, 2011.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 1
Presentation by Mac McCleod, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Hickory. He addressed the current City Ordinance
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.He then went into the legislation enacted by the State of North Carolina, which has been rewritten:
"§ 14-415.23. Statewide Uniformity.The state law gives local governments an option.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to prescribe a uniform system for the regulation of legally carrying a concealed handgun. To insure uniformity, no political subdivisions, boards, or agencies of the State nor any county, city, municipality, municipal corporation, town, township, village, nor any department or agency thereof, may enact ordinances, rules, or regulations concerning legally carrying a concealed handgun. A unit of local government may adopt an ordinance to permit the posting of a prohibition against carrying a concealed handgun, in accordance with G.S. 14-415.11(c), on local government buildings and their appurtenant premises. A unit of local government may adopt an ordinance to prohibit, by posting, the carrying of a concealed handgun on municipal and county recreational facilities that are specifically identified by the unit of local government. If a unit of local government adopts such an ordinance with regard to recreational facilities, then the concealed handgun permittee may, nevertheless, secure the handgun in a locked vehicle within the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or area within or on the motor vehicle. For purposes of this section, the term "recreational facilities" includes only the following: a playground, an athletic field, a swimming pool, and an athletic facility."
Option One – Restricted (Not Adopted) - State Law requires that specific areas be identified
ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-13 USE OF WEAPONS OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HICKORY.Option 2 - Unrestricted (Adopted)
WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of Chapter 21 bans the carrying of handguns and other weapons, concealed or not concealed, into all municipal building and facilities, by all persons, other than law enforcement officials; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 (“S.L. 2011-268”), which goes into effect December 1, 2011, now limits municipalities authority to regulate handguns in parks; and
WHEREAS, S.L. 2011-268 now permits individuals with concealed carry permits to bring concealed handguns into municipal parks and recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, S.L. 2011-268 also permits municipalities to adopt ordinances prohibiting individuals with concealed carry permits from bring handguns into specifically identified municipal recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances absolutely prohibits persons from carrying handguns and other weapons openly or concealed into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots; and
WHEREAS, the City Staff and City Council desire to Section 21-13 of the City of Hickory Code of Ordinances to be in conformity with S.L. 2011-268.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HICKORY, THAT SECTION 21-13 OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, CODE OF ORDINANCES IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: Amended
SECTION 21-13 (c)
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.
SECTION 21-13(d)
Except for the recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection, it is lawful for any person with a permit to carry a concealed handgun into municipal parks and their respective parking lots.
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a concealed handgun into the municipal parks and recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection. Persons with lawful concealed carry permits may secure a handgun in a locked vehicle within the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or area within or on a motor vehicle at the municipal parks and recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection.
CIVITAN PARK – 460 17 th Avenue NE
Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Court; Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, concession stand and restroom facility; Playground
CLIFF TEAGUE PARK – 1125 C Avenue SE
Tennis Court/ Playgrounds; Outdoor Basketball Court
FAIRBROOK OPTIMIST PARK – 1560 4 TH Avenue SE
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas; scorebooth/ concession/restroom facility; Playground
GEITNER/ROTARY PARK – 2035 12 th Street Drive, NW
Geitner Building
GLENN C. HILTON JR. MEMORIAL PARK – 2000 6 th Street, NW
Playgrounds; Disc Golf Course
HENRY FORK RIVER REGIONAL RECREATION PARK – 5655 Sweet Bay Lane
Soccer Fields, including spectator seating areas and concession/restroom facility; Playgrounds; Alpine Tower
HICKORY CITY PARK – 1515 12 th Street Drive NW
Tennis Courts
HICKORY OPTIMIST PARK – 751 2 nd Avenue SW
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and restroom facility; Playground; Outdoor Basketball Court; Tennis Court
JAYCEE PARK – 1515 12 th Street Drive, NW
Baseball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, batting cage and concession/restroom facility; Outdoor Basketball Court; Playground; Jaycee Park Building
KIWANIS PARK – 805 6 th Street SE
-Baseball Fields, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, batting cage and concession/restroom facility; Outdoor Basketball Court; Playgrounds; Tennis Court
NEILL W. CLARK JR. RECREATION PARK - 3404 6 th Street Drive, NW
Soccer Fields, including spectator seating areas; Outdoor Basketball Courts; Playground; Neill Clark Main Building; Neill Clark Gym
SOUTHSIDE HEIGHTS PARK – 1400 2 nd Street, SW
Playground; Multipurpose Field; Outdoor Basketball Court
STANFORD PARK – 1451 8 TH Street Drive, NE
Softball/Baseball Fields, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility;
Playgrounds; Skatepark; Outdoor Basketball Court; Highland Recreation Center
TAFT BROOME PARK - 115 7 TH Avenue, SW
Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Courts; Playgrounds; Putting Green; Samuel W. Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field, including spectator seating area, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility; Brown Penn Recreation Center; Ridgeview Recreation Center; Brown Penn Senior Citizens Center
WEST HICKORY PARK – 830 16 th Street, SW
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility; Playground; Outdoor Basketball Court
WESTMONT RECREATION CENTER – 1316 Main Avenue Drive, NW
Westmont Recreation Center; Westmont Senior Citizens Center; Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Court; Outdoor Shuffleboard Courts; Playground
WINKLER PARK – 2500 Clement Blvd, NW
L.P. Frans Stadium; Winkler Activity Center; Winkler Homeplace; Winkler Museum; Playgrounds
SECTION 21-13 (e)
Except as provided in subsection (d), it is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry any other type of firearm or other weapons concealed or otherwise into all municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their respective parking lots.
Section 2: Severability.
If any portion of this Section is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.
Section 3: Repealed.
All ordinances or provisions of the Hickory City Code of Ordinances which are not in conformance with the provisions of the Amendment occurring herein are repealed as of the effective date of this Ordinance.
Section 4: Effective Date.
The amendments to this Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-13 USE OF WEAPONS OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HICKORY.Mac addressed the vote of the Parks and Recreation Commission, in which 6 people voted for option one and 4 people voted for option 2. The Mayor asked if any members did not vote or were absent? The answer was 2 members were absent.
WHEREAS, Section 21-13(c) bans the carrying of handguns and other weapons, concealed or not concealed, into all municipal building and facilities, by all persons, other than law enforcement official; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 (“S.L. 2011-268”) now permits individuals with concealed carry permits to bring handguns into certain municipal properties, including recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Senate Bill also permits municipalities to adopt ordinances restricting individuals with concealed carry permit from bring handguns into specified recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill goes into effect December 1, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances absolutely prohibits persons from carrying handguns and other weapons openly or concealed into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots; and
WHEREAS, the City Staff and City Council desire to Section 21-13 of the City of Hickory Code of Ordinances to be in conformity with Senate Bill.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HICKORY, THAT SECTION 21-13 OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, CODE OF ORDINANCES IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: Amended
SECTION 21-13 (c)
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.
SECTION 21-13(d)
Section 21-13 (c) shall not apply to the premises of municipal parks or other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots with regard to the carrying of handguns by persons with lawful conceal carry permits. Persons with concealed carry permits may carry concealed handguns onto the premises of municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots. Section 21-13 (d) shall solely apply to the carrying of handguns. It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry other types of firearms or other weapons into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their respective parking lots.
Section 2: Severability.
If any portion of this Section is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.
Section 3: Repealed.
All ordinances or provisions of the Hickory City Code of Ordinances which are not in conformance with the provisions of the Amendment occurring herein are repealed as of the effective date of this Ordinance.
Section 4: Effective Date.
The amendments to this Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 2
Bob Meek, President of the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club, spoke of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Club's Board of Directors on December 5, 2011:
Whereas the City Council meeting of December 6, 2011 will decide upon the provisions of North Carolina Statute 14 and pro vised by House bill 650 as to whether to restrict the rights of the citizens of Hickory who legally hold concealed carry permits from exercising their right to carry in certain areas owned by and under control of the City of Hickory;
Wheras the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club incorporated with 375 members stands as one of the largest conservation, shooting and hunting sports clubs in North Carolina with members from all walks of life including doctors, judges, lawyers, dentists, CEOs, small business owners, trades people, farmers, retirees, policeman, firemen, EMTs, and various other working people believing that every citizen has the right to exercise their full Second Amendment right calls upon the Hickory City Council to refrain from making any additional restriction upon this right even though allowed under house bill 650;
Whereas there is a body of evidence that indicates that the criminal elements of society targets thes gun free areas and commit their crimes; and whereas only law abiding citizens would adhere to any additional restrictions imposed by the City of Hickory. Further restrictions would make citizens of Hickory more at risk of becoming a victim of violent crime;
Whereas we believe that every citizen has the right to self defense. Presence of law abiding citizens, who are legally carrying firearms, would enhance the safety of, not endanger, the citizens of Hickory.
Therefore be it resolved that the Officers and Board of Directors of the Catawba County Wildlife Club respectfully request that the city Council of Hickory take no action to restrict the rights of citizens under provisions of North Carolina House Bill 650
Mr. Meek went on to state that he is a concealed carry instructor. It is a requirement for membership to the Club. The people who have one have taken training in the law, both in use of deadly force and concealed carry. They have demonstrated proficiency with the use of a firearm under State Law and they have had a criminal background check performed by the Sheriff's Department. In the 16 years North Carolina has had concealed handgun carry has been in effect, approximately 399,000 permits have been issued with slightly less than three-tenths of one percent of these permits being revoked for any reason.
Nancy Meek was the next person to speak. She stated that she is a student of History and has a degree in it. She has studied citizen rights...What happens when citizens have rights and what happens when those rights are taken away. She holds dear the right to defend herself... She spoke of the significant training that permit holders must go through. "We can have no alcohol in our body to carry a firearm.... Police cannot be everywhere... A rising crime rate doesn't look good for Economic Development.
Jay Adams spoke next. When Mac submitted his presentation, he made a recommendation, but there was very little information that supported a logical reason for restricting the carry in certain areas. In 1987 there were 8 states that had concealed carry provisions. Today there are 49 states that have these provisions. It has been a tremendous success. In 1997, Professor John Locke of the University of Chicago, an economist, wrote this book. It offers a lot of evidence as to how concealed carry will reduce crime. His research has been validate even though it has been seriously attacked by people on the left. He further went into mental images of the possibility of accidental discharge of a weapon versus firearms as crime deterrents... "There are no statistically relevant reports of weapons misuse of weapons by concealed license owners... A vote to restrict conceal carry is ideologically anti-gun."
Melvin Woodward simply spoke about the restriction of his rights and wondered where it ends.. The criminals care nothing about these laws... it means nothing to them. He doesn't understand taking the ability to defend himself away.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 3
Sprinkle Lawson next spoke stated that the bigger issue was where we were not going to allow citizens/families to protect themselves to not protect themselves from criminal elements. In these restricted areas, we are telling the criminal element that there is no threat or deterrent for their criminal behavior or actions in these zones. " I do not think that is the message you want to send." He spoke about the incident that took place at Virginia Tech a few years ago where 36 students were murdered and 25 were injured because of restricted rights. One concealed carry owner may have been able to save lives.
Mayor Wright next allowed attendees to raise their hands in support of conceal carry. 40 people raised their hands in support.
Speaking in support of the proposal to restrict conceal carry in the Parks and Recreation Centers was David Turman. He stated that he wasn't armed with statistics, but was there to voice his opinion. He spoke of the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. He is personally not aware of crime problems at the parks and recreation centers. The question he poses is why would we introduce to the environment designed for family fun and recreation, the risk of death or injury from a loaded gun when there is no conceivable gain from the change. He is not anti-gun. he hopes the council can remove the emotion and politics and decide what is in the best interest of the citizens who get the most benefit from our parks and Recreation Centers. Mr. Turman was the only attendee who raised his hand against concealed and carry.
Jay Adams spoke in rebuttal, he understands the sensibilities stating that he does attend soccer events and people do get inflamed at those events, but statistics are important. People started out saying that there would be gunfights in parking lots over parking spaces... everybody would be carrying heat. This is just not the way it works. Less than one percent of the population will even choose to get a permit. Out of that less than one percent, a small fraction will be carrying a firearm at any given time. It is the deterrent value. The notion that a criminal is actually a pretty cowardly figure who carries a firearm to have an advantage. If he goes into an area where a person may be carrying a firearm, his desire to work his mission is chilled. He understands the emotions. The statistics have been carefully scrutinized.
In Sur-Rebuttal he spoke of the issue of liability if an accident happens. he said he doesn't study the topic. He doesn't have the statistics. He is just offering an opinion.
The Council then took up debate with Alderman Danny Seaver moving that the Council adopt what the State of North Carolina states, which was seconded. Alder Patton stated that she personally opposes any firearm for citizens. That is her personal opinion. She dislikes firearms and what it says for our society to have people arm themselves in a park or anywhere else to protect themselves... Her constituents, not cut and paste anonymous e-mails, have had no influence on her decision. Those who identified themselves to voice their opinions, the majority of constituents who she does represent, want to be able to carry firearms in parks.
Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 4
Attorney Crone asked for verification that the Council wanted to enact the second option. City Manager Berry stated that both options are consistent with state law. The Council has to enact one of the options, because the current ordinance is no longer consistent with State law. Alderman Seaver stated that his motion was noi restriction, whatever the State law allows... the Constitution states that the Citizens have the right to bear arms.. it does not say exactly where. Alderman Seaver stated that he had seen videos on Youtube where gangsters and gangster wannabes were flashing guns and some of those happened to be in parks... he added that he didn't think they were all concealed carriers.
Alderman Guess said that 16 years ago, when this law was initiated, that you had many of these same arguments with people saying that our State would turn into the Wild, Wild West with all kinds of crime activity and all kinds of accidental discharges.. That hasn't been true... He made a call to Sheriff Coy Reid who stated that he has no recollection of a citizen with a concealed carry permit being involved in a serious allegation of shooting injury or someone being killed... there have been a few minor incidences. In Catawba County there are slightly over 5,000 people with a concealed carry permit. At one time he was a concealed carry instructor. he knows about the training and what it takes to get the permit. He believes that if people are nrestricted in carrying a firearm, then the criminal element will prey upon that.
Mayor Wright added that he has a concealed carry permit, but he does not carry. He wanted to see what was involved in getting it. You have to spend time, money, and effort to get it. Neither of the options do anything about his number one concern, which is home safety. He thinks that parks are safer with law abiding citizens having the possibility to carry arms versus criminals knowing that citizens don't have the right to have any. The Mayor went on to say that the reason why they aren't arguing against fully unrestricted use, when it comes to some prohibited buildings (such as municipal buildings) is because parks are a different animal.
Alderman Meisner asked about what gun owners have to do when it comes to different local communities. How does the Firearm carrier know? Alderman Lail stated that you have to post restrictions. The default position is that firearms are allowed in city parks and recreational facilities. The Mayor added that posting is a tricky issue unless they are restricted in all park facilities.
Alder Fox commented in dissention that she raised two children who took part in park activities, She is a walker, who walks all over town. She does not feel any safer because someone else is carrying a gun. She talked about taking a courageous stand, because she is opposed to allowing guns in parks. She stated that they have a fine recreational staff and incidents of crime are at a minimum. She had a constituent call who shook their head that this was even a discussion. Mayor Wright stated that he looked at all of the criminal acts in the park and it is a whole lot more than he expected. Alderman Seaver questioned how this would be enforced... It is six pages long and not every area of the parks is prohibited... It will lead to some real sticky situations (with the first option).
The Council voted 6 to 1 (Alder Fox) to allow Concealed Carry Gun Owners to carry their guns in the Parks and Recreation facilities.
The Hound believes that the Council made the right decision here. One has to appreciate Alder Fox standing her ground in her beliefs and Alder Patton listening and following through with the wishes of her constituency. This is a tough issue, but personally I believe in the second amendment. I do believe that it is a deterrent. And I do believe that the North Carolina Legislature believes that it is the right of the citizens of this State to protect themselves.
Those advocates who spoke in favor of the right to carry a weapon as a right came prepared with statistics, logical reasoning, and firm resolve. The one gentleman who opposed the right to carry admitted that he had no supporting material and basically his opinion was based upon feelings. We see this all of the time and, in my opinion, it is no way to make a decision. The people who have permits have expressly shown themselves to be solid citizens who meet steep requirements and obligations in order to obtain the privilege of holding this permit. As was addressed, criminals aren't accountable to these standards. These restrictions would mean nothing to them and give them a playground for their activities.
Peoples' fear of guns is illogical. What else do we ban? Do we ban knives? Do we ban household solvents and other chemicals that can be used to make explosives? There are a multitude of things that can be used as weapons.What would be better is to teach people about firearms and firearm safety and rid ourselves of the needless anxiety involving firearms. And we need to fully prosecute those who would utilize a firearm as a tool in the commission of an aggressive violent criminal action.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
We are on the hook for FRAUD!!! by the Banksters
60 Minutes - Part 1 - Countywide Mortgage Fraud
60 Minutes - Part 2 - Citibank Mortgage Fraud
The Hound: I am sure that many of you have seen the 60 Minutes pieces from Sunday. Wow!!! That nailed it. Countrywide and CitiGroup aren't the exception, they are the rule. The issue isn't just Sarbanes-Oxley. The issue is the corruption of our financial system from the top to the bottom.
The Executive Branch is corrupted. The Congress is corrupted. The Department of Justice is corrupted. The Securities and Exchange Commission is corrupted. Wall Street is out of control and run by a what amounts to organized crime. Everyone of the above groups have profited and the American people have been shafted. The Rich get richer and the Middle Class continues to be decimated.
What happens if you are broke and don't pay your taxes or write a bad check? And that probably amounts to anywhere from tens of dollars to maybe a few thousand. The Government will come jail you, because they don't respect you. They feed off of the weak. Yet, these people have stolen millions, billions, and trillions and they aren't even being questioned. That says it all, doesn't it?
We look to the European crisis and the bailout by The United States Federal Reserve. This wasn't done in the American people's interest. This was done to protect the hides of those invested in the Ponzi Economy. I question Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner's manhood. They throw these daggers into America's economic system and don't have the guts to face issues of accountability in relation to what they and their cohorts have done. They are flailing away, buying time, in the face of an economic breakdown crisis. The World economic system is unraveling before our very eyes. Our government and our economy has been hijacked by these people who have been deemed to be smarter and better than "We the People." This leadership who has no common sense and thus no common intelligence.
You have people like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsoring unconstitutional, anti-Liberty legislation to protect the hides of Legislators who feel that they should never be held accountable. Hey South Carolina, it is time that you wake up!!! You talk about smaller government and individual self-reliance and then you keep re-electing this big nanny state liberal just because he runs as a Republican. Lindsey Graham is 180 degrees opposite of what the Reagan movement was supposed to represent!!!
It is time to get back to some checks and balances. I don't want to lose the functionality of the Federal Government, but right now it has gone rogue. It isn't that it is directionless. It has a direction, but that direction is an Anti-Liberty and Globalist initiative. People compartmentalize issues. Look at the overall picture. They are destroying the value of the currency. That is a hidden tax. Right now it means that the money you worked for last year buys 10% less and the money you are earning this year will probably be worth 20% less next year. They cook the books and tell you inflation is only 3%, so seniors relying on Social security are going to see their already limited purchasing power further eroded. And inflation compounds and feeds off of itself over time. The dollar from 1913, when the Federal Reserve was created, is worth 1-cent today. A gold double eagle was $20 then and had held that value for 60 years. Today it is trading at over 85 times that value ($1,710). It is time to take steps to stabilize our financial system and it is obvious that the current power structure has no interest in restoring a system to "We the People." Their actions show that they are only interested in protecting themselves and their connected cronies. And folks, they obviously aren't very good at it.
REPORT: Bill Clinton collected $50k a month from Corzine's MF GLOBAL...
PAPER: Fed may give money to IMF to help euro zone...
Guantánamo for US citizens? Senate bill raises questions
60 Minutes - Part 2 - Citibank Mortgage Fraud
The Hound: I am sure that many of you have seen the 60 Minutes pieces from Sunday. Wow!!! That nailed it. Countrywide and CitiGroup aren't the exception, they are the rule. The issue isn't just Sarbanes-Oxley. The issue is the corruption of our financial system from the top to the bottom.
The Executive Branch is corrupted. The Congress is corrupted. The Department of Justice is corrupted. The Securities and Exchange Commission is corrupted. Wall Street is out of control and run by a what amounts to organized crime. Everyone of the above groups have profited and the American people have been shafted. The Rich get richer and the Middle Class continues to be decimated.
What happens if you are broke and don't pay your taxes or write a bad check? And that probably amounts to anywhere from tens of dollars to maybe a few thousand. The Government will come jail you, because they don't respect you. They feed off of the weak. Yet, these people have stolen millions, billions, and trillions and they aren't even being questioned. That says it all, doesn't it?
We look to the European crisis and the bailout by The United States Federal Reserve. This wasn't done in the American people's interest. This was done to protect the hides of those invested in the Ponzi Economy. I question Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner's manhood. They throw these daggers into America's economic system and don't have the guts to face issues of accountability in relation to what they and their cohorts have done. They are flailing away, buying time, in the face of an economic breakdown crisis. The World economic system is unraveling before our very eyes. Our government and our economy has been hijacked by these people who have been deemed to be smarter and better than "We the People." This leadership who has no common sense and thus no common intelligence.
You have people like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsoring unconstitutional, anti-Liberty legislation to protect the hides of Legislators who feel that they should never be held accountable. Hey South Carolina, it is time that you wake up!!! You talk about smaller government and individual self-reliance and then you keep re-electing this big nanny state liberal just because he runs as a Republican. Lindsey Graham is 180 degrees opposite of what the Reagan movement was supposed to represent!!!
It is time to get back to some checks and balances. I don't want to lose the functionality of the Federal Government, but right now it has gone rogue. It isn't that it is directionless. It has a direction, but that direction is an Anti-Liberty and Globalist initiative. People compartmentalize issues. Look at the overall picture. They are destroying the value of the currency. That is a hidden tax. Right now it means that the money you worked for last year buys 10% less and the money you are earning this year will probably be worth 20% less next year. They cook the books and tell you inflation is only 3%, so seniors relying on Social security are going to see their already limited purchasing power further eroded. And inflation compounds and feeds off of itself over time. The dollar from 1913, when the Federal Reserve was created, is worth 1-cent today. A gold double eagle was $20 then and had held that value for 60 years. Today it is trading at over 85 times that value ($1,710). It is time to take steps to stabilize our financial system and it is obvious that the current power structure has no interest in restoring a system to "We the People." Their actions show that they are only interested in protecting themselves and their connected cronies. And folks, they obviously aren't very good at it.
REPORT: Bill Clinton collected $50k a month from Corzine's MF GLOBAL...
PAPER: Fed may give money to IMF to help euro zone...
Guantánamo for US citizens? Senate bill raises questions
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- December 4, 2011
Lies, Damned Lies, and (Unemployment) Statistics - SHTF.com - Mac Slavo - December 2nd, 2011 - 1) Tens of thousands of people have given up searching for work, so they don’t count as part of the labor force anymore - When people stop looking for work they are considered to no longer be participating in the labor force, which means that the BLS ratios are adjusted to reflect a better overall employment rate. 2) Many of the jobs created are likely seasonal - As retailers got sold a bill of goods about the economic recovery, they hired more workers for the holidays. Chances are that many of those jobs are temporary. 3) The government’s more realistic measure of unemployment is still above 15% - There are several ways the government measures employment data. The “U-6,” which is the broadest available measure, counts the total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force. According to the BLS, this statistic decreased from the previous month, but is still sitting at a whopping 15.6%. 4) The Unofficial unemployment rate remains in Great Depression territory - Over the years the government has created all sort of formulas and methods of calculating statistic like unemployment to provide a watered-down, best-case version to the general public, especially in times of crisis. In reality, however, if we were to calculate unemployment numbers the way they were counted as recently as 1994, we would be looking at a starkly different picture. According to John Williams of Shadowstats.com, the actual unemployment rate in the United States is in excess of 22%. That’s one in five Americans who are without meaningful labor. 5) Europe’s debt, monetary system and the stability of their Union is on the brink of collapse - Over the last several months we’ve seen what happens to global stock markets when the European debt crisis hits the news cycle. European and US central banks have been able to stave off a complete meltdown for now, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that they won’t be able to hold the center much longer. The EU as we know it today will not exist in its current form in the very near future. When their monetary and financial systems collapse there will be a substantial financial and economic impact here in the United States. Those are Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s words, not ours. 6) Consumers are spending, but they are spending from savings not income - The primary reason why employers hire more laborers is because they are growing. GDP is growing sluggishly by official accounts (and is in negative territory when adjusted for inflation). Consumers, it seems, are still spending. But an alarming report says that “consumers spent more while earning less. Many had to dip into their savings to make up the difference.”
Fed’s Fisher Says U.S. Risks ‘Social Unrest’ Amid Rising Federal Deficits - Bloomberg - Steve Matthews - December 2, 2011 - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher said today that the U.S. risks “social unrest” if it doesn’t bring the federal debt under control. “Our debt burden is larger than that of Europe. We are headed in the wrong direction,” Fisher told the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council. “If we don’t bring it under control, we will have social unrest.” Fisher said the Federal Reserve would not allow inflation to rise as a way to cushion the impact of rising deficits. The U.S. lost its last stable outlook from the three-biggest credit- ranking companies when Fitch Ratings lowered the nation’s outlook to negative on Nov. 28 following the so-called congressional supercommittee’s failure to agree on deficit cuts. “Deficits matter for what we do at the Fed,” Fisher said. “Economists have found structural deficits raise long-term interest rates” and “create political pressure” on central banks. “Running the printing presses to pay today’s bills leads to much greater problems,” including a surge in inflation. “We will never let that happen at the Federal Reserve, never,” he said. “Stable prices go hand in hand with achieving sustainable growth.” ...... “There are too many people out of work, too much unemployment, too much underemployment,” Fisher said. At the Fed, “We have filled the gas tank. Someone has to press on the accelerator” with fiscal and regulatory policies.
Will the Fed's move to help Europe hurt the U.S.? - CBS Moneywatch - Mark Thoma - November 30, 2011 - Is there any possible downside? As a taxpayer, will it cost me money to help the Europe mess? Since these are loans between central banks -- the U.S. Fed will not lend to any foreign banks directly -- there is essentially no risk to the U.S. If the Fed makes a loan to the European Central Bank, and the ECB lends the money to a bank that later fails, it is the ECB that is on the hook for losses, not the U.S. The European Central Bank would still be obligated to pay back the U.S. in full. The other possible downside is that the short-term expansion in the Fed and other central bank balance sheets that would come with these loans will stoke inflation fears. But since these loans have an expiration date (i.e. the balance sheet will be expected to contract at some point in the future), this shouldn't be a big problem. Finally, note that while this move can ease financial market conditions, it does nothing to address the underlying problems creating those conditions. So this is no substitute for the difficult decisions that Europe must make to overcome its troubles.
Audit of the Federal Reserve Reveals $16 Trillion in Secret Bailouts - The Silver Bear Cafe - Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, and various other bankers vehemently opposed the audit and lied to Congress about the effects an audit would have on markets. Nevertheless, the results of the first audit in the Federal Reserve’s nearly 100 year history were posted on Senator Sander’s webpage earlier this morning. $16,000,000,000,000.00 had been secretly given out to US banks and corporations and foreign banks everywhere from France to Scotland. From the period between December 2007 and June 2010, the Federal Reserve had secretly bailed out many of the world’s banks, corporations, and governments. The Federal Reserve likes to refer to these secret bailouts as an all-inclusive loan program, but virtually none of the money has been returned and it was loaned out at 0% interest. Why the Federal Reserve had never been public about this or even informed the United States Congress about the $16 trillion dollar bailout is obvious - the American public would have been outraged to find out that the Federal Reserve bailed out foreign banks while Americans were struggling to find jobs.
The list of institutions that received the most money from the Federal Reserve can be found on page 131 of the GAO Audit and are as follows..
Hank Paulson's Inside Jobs - Reuters - Felix Salmon - November 29, 2011 - What on earth did Hank Paulson think his job was in the summer of 2008? As far as most of us were concerned, he was secretary of the US Treasury, answerable to the US people and to the president. But at the same time, in secret meetings, Paulson was hanging out with his old Goldman Sachs buddies, giving them invaluable information about what he was thinking in his new job. The first news of this behavior came in October 2009, when Andrew Ross Sorkin revealed that Paulson had met with the entire board of Goldman Sachs in a Moscow hotel suite for an hour at the end of June 2008. He told them his views of the US and global economies, he previewed a market-moving speech he was about to give, and he even talked about the possibility that Lehman Brothers might blow up. Maybe it’s not so surprising that Goldman Sachs turned out to be so well positioned when Lehman did indeed do just that a few months later. Today we learn that the Goldman meeting in Moscow was not some kind of aberration. A few weeks later, on July 28 2008, Paulson met with a who’s who of the hedge-fund world in the headquarters of Eton Park Capital Management — a fund founded by former Goldman superstar Eric Mindich.
"6 Shocking Revelations About Wall Street's "Secret Government" - Top officials willfully concealed the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts from Congress and the public - AlterNet - Les Leopold - November 30, 2011 - We now have concrete evidence that Wall Street and Washington are running a secret government far removed from the democratic process. Through a freedom of information request by Bloomberg News, the public now has access to over 29,000 pages of Fed documents and 21,000 additional Fed transactions that were deliberately hidden, and for good reason. (See here and here.) These documents show how top government officials willfully concealed from Congress and the public the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts that enriched the few and enhanced the interests of giant Wall Streets firms. Here’s what we now know:
Despite earmark ban, lawmakers try to give money to hundreds of pet projects - Wahington Post - Kimberly Kindy - November 29, 2011 - Members of the House and the Senate attempted to pack hundreds of special spending provisions into at least 10 bills in the summer and fall, less than a year after congressional leaders declared a moratorium on earmarks, congressional records show. Despite recurrent calls to crack down on earmarks, the practice had reached a peak before the moratorium. The Congressional Research Service found that earmark spending nearly tripled over a 15-year period, to $31.9 billion in 2010, the year before the ban.
Fed’s Fisher Says U.S. Risks ‘Social Unrest’ Amid Rising Federal Deficits - Bloomberg - Steve Matthews - December 2, 2011 - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher said today that the U.S. risks “social unrest” if it doesn’t bring the federal debt under control. “Our debt burden is larger than that of Europe. We are headed in the wrong direction,” Fisher told the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council. “If we don’t bring it under control, we will have social unrest.” Fisher said the Federal Reserve would not allow inflation to rise as a way to cushion the impact of rising deficits. The U.S. lost its last stable outlook from the three-biggest credit- ranking companies when Fitch Ratings lowered the nation’s outlook to negative on Nov. 28 following the so-called congressional supercommittee’s failure to agree on deficit cuts. “Deficits matter for what we do at the Fed,” Fisher said. “Economists have found structural deficits raise long-term interest rates” and “create political pressure” on central banks. “Running the printing presses to pay today’s bills leads to much greater problems,” including a surge in inflation. “We will never let that happen at the Federal Reserve, never,” he said. “Stable prices go hand in hand with achieving sustainable growth.” ...... “There are too many people out of work, too much unemployment, too much underemployment,” Fisher said. At the Fed, “We have filled the gas tank. Someone has to press on the accelerator” with fiscal and regulatory policies.
Will the Fed's move to help Europe hurt the U.S.? - CBS Moneywatch - Mark Thoma - November 30, 2011 - Is there any possible downside? As a taxpayer, will it cost me money to help the Europe mess? Since these are loans between central banks -- the U.S. Fed will not lend to any foreign banks directly -- there is essentially no risk to the U.S. If the Fed makes a loan to the European Central Bank, and the ECB lends the money to a bank that later fails, it is the ECB that is on the hook for losses, not the U.S. The European Central Bank would still be obligated to pay back the U.S. in full. The other possible downside is that the short-term expansion in the Fed and other central bank balance sheets that would come with these loans will stoke inflation fears. But since these loans have an expiration date (i.e. the balance sheet will be expected to contract at some point in the future), this shouldn't be a big problem. Finally, note that while this move can ease financial market conditions, it does nothing to address the underlying problems creating those conditions. So this is no substitute for the difficult decisions that Europe must make to overcome its troubles.
Audit of the Federal Reserve Reveals $16 Trillion in Secret Bailouts - The Silver Bear Cafe - Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, and various other bankers vehemently opposed the audit and lied to Congress about the effects an audit would have on markets. Nevertheless, the results of the first audit in the Federal Reserve’s nearly 100 year history were posted on Senator Sander’s webpage earlier this morning. $16,000,000,000,000.00 had been secretly given out to US banks and corporations and foreign banks everywhere from France to Scotland. From the period between December 2007 and June 2010, the Federal Reserve had secretly bailed out many of the world’s banks, corporations, and governments. The Federal Reserve likes to refer to these secret bailouts as an all-inclusive loan program, but virtually none of the money has been returned and it was loaned out at 0% interest. Why the Federal Reserve had never been public about this or even informed the United States Congress about the $16 trillion dollar bailout is obvious - the American public would have been outraged to find out that the Federal Reserve bailed out foreign banks while Americans were struggling to find jobs.
The list of institutions that received the most money from the Federal Reserve can be found on page 131 of the GAO Audit and are as follows..
Citigroup: $2.5 trillion ($2,500,000,000,000)View the 266-page GAO audit of the Federal Reserve(July 21st, 2011): http://www.scribd.com/doc/60553686/GAO-Fed-Investigation
Morgan Stanley: $2.04 trillion ($2,040,000,000,000)
Merrill Lynch: $1.949 trillion ($1,949,000,000,000)
Bank of America: $1.344 trillion ($1,344,000,000,000)
Barclays PLC (United Kingdom): $868 billion ($868,000,000,000)
Bear Sterns: $853 billion ($853,000,000,000)
Goldman Sachs: $814 billion ($814,000,000,000)
Royal Bank of Scotland (UK): $541 billion ($541,000,000,000)
JP Morgan Chase: $391 billion ($391,000,000,000)
Deutsche Bank (Germany): $354 billion ($354,000,000,000)
UBS (Switzerland): $287 billion ($287,000,000,000)
Credit Suisse (Switzerland): $262 billion ($262,000,000,000)
Lehman Brothers: $183 billion ($183,000,000,000)
Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom): $181 billion ($181,000,000,000)
BNP Paribas (France): $175 billion ($175,000,000,000)
and many many more including banks in Belgium of all places
Hank Paulson's Inside Jobs - Reuters - Felix Salmon - November 29, 2011 - What on earth did Hank Paulson think his job was in the summer of 2008? As far as most of us were concerned, he was secretary of the US Treasury, answerable to the US people and to the president. But at the same time, in secret meetings, Paulson was hanging out with his old Goldman Sachs buddies, giving them invaluable information about what he was thinking in his new job. The first news of this behavior came in October 2009, when Andrew Ross Sorkin revealed that Paulson had met with the entire board of Goldman Sachs in a Moscow hotel suite for an hour at the end of June 2008. He told them his views of the US and global economies, he previewed a market-moving speech he was about to give, and he even talked about the possibility that Lehman Brothers might blow up. Maybe it’s not so surprising that Goldman Sachs turned out to be so well positioned when Lehman did indeed do just that a few months later. Today we learn that the Goldman meeting in Moscow was not some kind of aberration. A few weeks later, on July 28 2008, Paulson met with a who’s who of the hedge-fund world in the headquarters of Eton Park Capital Management — a fund founded by former Goldman superstar Eric Mindich.
"6 Shocking Revelations About Wall Street's "Secret Government" - Top officials willfully concealed the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts from Congress and the public - AlterNet - Les Leopold - November 30, 2011 - We now have concrete evidence that Wall Street and Washington are running a secret government far removed from the democratic process. Through a freedom of information request by Bloomberg News, the public now has access to over 29,000 pages of Fed documents and 21,000 additional Fed transactions that were deliberately hidden, and for good reason. (See here and here.) These documents show how top government officials willfully concealed from Congress and the public the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts that enriched the few and enhanced the interests of giant Wall Streets firms. Here’s what we now know:
- The secret Wall Street bailouts totaled $7.77 trillion, 10 times more than the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) passed by Congress in 2008.
- Knowledge of the secret bailout funds was not shared with Congress even while it was drafting and debating legislation to break up the big banks.
- The secret funding, provided at below-market rates, gave Wall Street banks an additional $13 billion in profits. (That’s enough money to hire more than 325,000 entry level teachers.)
- The secret loans financed bank mergers so that the largest banks could grow even larger. The money also allowed banks to step up their lobbying efforts.
- While Henry Paulson (Bush’s Secretary of the Treasury) was informing Congress and the public that only minor reforms were needed to protect Fannie and Freddie from collapse, he met secretly with leading Wall Street hedge fund managers -- among them his former colleagues at Goldman Sachs -- to alert them that he was about to nationalize the giant mortgage companies – a move that would eradicate nearly all the stock value of the companies. This information was enormously valuable because it allowed these hedge funds to short Fannie and Freddie and thereby make a fortune.
- While Timothy Geithner was head of the NY Federal Reserve, he argued against legislative efforts by Senator Ted Kaufman, D-Delaware, to limit the size of banks because the issue was “too complex for Congress and that people who know the markets should handle these decisions,” Kaufman recalls. Meanwhile, Geithner was fully aware of the enormous secret loans while Senator Kaufman was kept in the dark. Barney Frank, who was authoring key bank reform legislation was also not informed of the secret loans. No one in Congress was told.
Meet 5 Big Lenders Profiting From the $1 Trillion Student Debt Bubble (Hint: You Know Some of Them Already) - AlterNet - Sarah Jaffe - November 28, 2011 - ...the dramatization of what happens upon graduation to many of America's students was spot-on. Despite a few moves by the Obama administration in past years and even recent months to lessen the burden of student loans, many graduates are still saddled with more debt than they can conceivably pay back and have little hope of finding a good job in the current economy. The talk of debt refusal or debt strikes, as I reported just recently, has ratcheted up along with the momentum of the Occupy Wall Street movement, as the occupiers made the connection between Wall Street bankers and student debt--right down to the bailouts, as student lenders received a bailout of their own from the federal government, which handed over billions in taxpayer dollars to the banks and lenders in exchange for loans that could no longer be sold on the secondary market. “Student loans are among the most lucrative you can make because the borrower has no protections and the creditor is afforded extraordinary powers,” noted Andrew Ross, NYU professor and labor expert, at the student debt press conference. Ross spoke, too, of the need for professors to work in solidarity with the students on this issue since their salaries are paid through the debt of their students. “Our public universities, once the democratic gold standard worldwide, are increasingly and ruinously dependent on debt financing from the people they are supposed to serve,” he said.
So just who are the lenders profiting from the massive student debt load? You already know some of the names: JP Morgan Chase, U.S Bank, Citi, Bank of America. Others are non-bank student lenders. What all of them have in common, though, is that their practices are shrouded in secrecy. 1) Sallie Mae 2) Wells Fargo 3) Discover 4) NelNet 5) JP Morgan Chase
Despite earmark ban, lawmakers try to give money to hundreds of pet projects - Wahington Post - Kimberly Kindy - November 29, 2011 - Members of the House and the Senate attempted to pack hundreds of special spending provisions into at least 10 bills in the summer and fall, less than a year after congressional leaders declared a moratorium on earmarks, congressional records show. Despite recurrent calls to crack down on earmarks, the practice had reached a peak before the moratorium. The Congressional Research Service found that earmark spending nearly tripled over a 15-year period, to $31.9 billion in 2010, the year before the ban.
Massachusetts' Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against 5 Big Banks involving Fraudclosure!
Nomi Prins - Former Goldman Sachs Exec - SGT Report - Part 1
Nomi Prins - Former Goldman Sachs Exec - SGT Report - Part 2
Friday, December 2, 2011
2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit - Building Entrepreneurial Communities - January 11, 2012
The Hound: The following information was sent to me by Danny Hearn, the President of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. It has been stated that this is the most important business meeting scheduled for 2012. It will help to pave the way for an eventual strategic plan for Catawba County . I hope that you will make a special effort to attend. Below is the agenda of the meeting that will take place at the Crowne Plaza. It is very important that we do everything we can to create an entrepreneurial atmosphere in this region that will enable stakeholders to create new and expanded jobs for the area. Please RSVP right away. You can register online or there is a form that can be printed and filled out and sent, faxed, or delivered to the Chamber of Commerce. I'll be attending and I hope you will join me.
The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
and
North Carolina Partners in Innovation
Present
2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit
Building Entrepreneurial Communities
Crown Plaza 1385 Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd SE , Hickory , NC
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
7:45-8:15 a.m. Registration & Breakfast
8:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon Program
$25 per person
RSVP required: 828 328-6000 Ext 228
This summit convenes leaders and stakeholders from throughout the Metro area who can impact the vitality of our entrepreneurial climate. This event is intended for entrepreneurs, corporate and civic leaders, public and higher education, government and community organizations. Put your voice into the discussion to move the region’s “Entrepreneurial Action Plan” forward.
8:15 am Welcome & Opening Perspectives
Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, President, Catawba Valley Community College
Dr Jane Everson, Chairman, NC Partners in Innovation
8:30 am Entrepreneurial Development is Collaboration
Ted Abernathy, Executive Director, Southern Growth Policies Board
9:00 am Entrepreneurial Communities - What Are They, Really?
Discussion Facilitator:
William Parrish, Regional Director, NC Small Business & Technology Development Center
What does an entrepreneurial community looks like? What does current research indicate to be key characteristics of entrepreneurial communities? How does our region compare?
9:45 BREAK
10:00 am Entrepreneurial Community Success Stories
Discussion Facilitator:
Ted Abernathy
Specific examples of what best-in-class communities have done to nurture/enhance entrepreneurial environments, to attract growth companies, and to develop collaborative networks? Which of these activities are realistic and feasible for our Metro area?
10:40 am The Funding Landscape – Rules of the Game
Discussion Facilitator:
Bill Parrish
What are the capital source needs of entrepreneurial regions? What funding sources exist for our region? What other options/alternatives are needed? Which ones make sense for our region?
11:10 am Priorities & Next Steps
Discussion Facilitator:
Ted Abernathy
You will help to identify Key Priorities, Action Steps, and the Collaborative Leadership to enable the advancement of our region’s entrepreneurial development plan.
12:00 noon C H A R G E ! ! ! (Getting on with it)
Presented in cooperation with: Alexander County Chamber of Commerce; Appalachian State University; Burke County Chamber of Commerce; Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute; Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce; Catawba Valley Community College; Mountain State University; North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies; North Carolina State University; NC Small Business Technology and Development Center; Northwest Area Health Education Center of Wake Forest School of Medicine; University of North Carolina at Charlotte- Extended Academic Programs; Western Carolina University; Western Piedmont Community College and Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board
Business Exhibitors: The Best of the Metro Area
Food Systems: The Produce Lady (NC Cooperative Extension); Foothills Fresh and Berry Farms
Manufacturing: Sypris Technologies; Kellex and Manufactured in North Carolina
Technologies: My Catawba County ; Gopherwood Studios and
Go PriceDrive.com
Sustainable Industries: L & S Recycling; Opportunity Threads; The Biodiesel Research, Testing and Production Facility and Advanced Hydrogen Technologies Corp.
The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
and
North Carolina Partners in Innovation
2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit
Building Entrepreneurial Communities
Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Time: 7:45-8:15 a.m. Registration & Breakfast
8:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon Program
Cost: $25 per person
Location: Crown Plaza , 1385 Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd SE , Hickory NC
RSVP Required
Phone: 828.328.6000 Ext 228 Fax: 828.328.1175
_____________________________________________________________________________
2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit
Registration Form – Deadline to register is Friday, January 6, 2012
Please register the following persons from our company/institution at $25 per person
Company/Institution _____________________________________________ phone______________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________________
Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________
Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________
Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________
Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________
□ Enclosed please find my check
□ Please charge my _______Visa _______ Mastercard _______ American Express
Name on Card __________________________________________ Exp. Date _____________________
Account Number ________________________________________ Sec. Code _____________________
Return to: Catawba County Chamber of Commerce or Fax: 828.328.1175
2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit
PO Box 1828
Hickory NC 28603
G. Daniel Hearn, IOM, CCE
President/CEO
Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
tel: 828.328.6000 ext.230
cell: 828.612.0967
fax: 828.328.1175
President/CEO
Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
tel: 828.328.6000 ext.230
cell: 828.612.0967
fax: 828.328.1175
www.catawbachamber.org
www.startsomethinghere.com
A Special THANK YOU to our 2011 Chairman Circle Sponsors!
Chairman Level: Catawba Valley Medical Center , Duke Energy, Frye Regional Medical Center , Hickory Living Magazine, Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs P.A.
Director: CenturyLink & CenturyLink Yellow Pages
Advisor: CommScope, Inc., Hickory Daily Record, Pat Appleson Studios, Inc, Peoples Bank, Sophie Woman’s Magazine, von Drehle Corporation
Benefactor: Charter Business, GDS Republic Services of North Carolina, Observer News Enterprise, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hickory, Piedmont Natural Gas
Supporter: Bank of Granite, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Broome Associated Insurance, Canteen Vending, Capital Concepts Financial Group, Carolina West Wireless, Constant Contact, Corning Cable Systems, Davidson, Holland, & Whitesell & Co., PLLC, Dedicated Transportation Group, Dixon-Hughes, Draka Communications, Edward Jones - Merry Boone, General Dynamics, Graystone Eye, Hickory Mechanical, HK Research, Manpower, Mountain 1st Bank & Trust, Poppelmann Plastics USA, LLC, Realty Executives of Hickory, Resource Partners, LLC, Steele Rubber Products, Target Distribution Center, The Jackson Group, Walmart- Conover & Hickory, Williamsburg Partners, LLC, ZF Lemforder
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