TEDx Hickory April 21, 2012 - Part 5 - Carroll and Carson

http://www.fullmetalchicken.com/
The Future Economy Council, Houston Harris, The Granary
Free Range Chicken Thinking 1: What Is It?
Free Range Chicken Thinking 2: Livermush

The Orchard at Altapass - Family Fun by the Bushels!
Clinchfield Railroad - Wikipedia
Overmountain Men
Overmountain Men - Altapass
More Bill Carson Stories

TEDx Hickory April 21, 2012 - Part 4 - Yoder and the Worthingtons

https://plus.google.com/115130617390933909861/posts

Puddingstone










Foothills Transition

The Sustainable Living Project 

Rainwater Harvesting

Rudy Wright's and this Council's Philadelphia moment?

A major factor in what brought Mayor Rudy Wright into office was the spending by a previous City of Hickory Administration and officials at a restaurant in Philadelphia around 1999. As I recall, thousands of dollars were spent frivolously on a dinner by these officials during the visit to this renowned Philadelphia establishment including hundreds of dollars on single bottles of wine. When Rudy Wright ran for Mayor in 2001, he used this issue to beat Pat Moss over the head with and stated that he was going to cut out the waste in Hickory City Government.

Pat Moss was former (and in 2001 the current) Mayor Bill McDonald's hand picked successor. We know the parties that were involved in bringing Mayor Wright to office back then. That is public record. This Mayor said this morning on Hal Row's show that the issue about the Tent on Union Square was a partisan political issue and seemed to state that they had kept partisan politics out of City Council meetings until recently. Although the Mayor didn't explain this, the only conclusion that I could draw is that he is referring to the typical Republican versus Democrat politics. I don't think this has anything to do with Donkey versus Elephant issues. It has everything to do with the connected versus the disenfranchised in this community.

A legitimate question was asked about the tent on Union Square... about the cost overrun and the possibility that even more money will be asked for in the near future. The lady that called in (at the 5:30 mark in the presentation below) with concerns about cost overruns concerning the tent did not say a word about the pools, but the Mayor introduced the pool subject and said that this issue was all about the pools. The Mayor seems to believe that he shouldn't have to take ownership of the process involving the Union Square structure. He is the CEO of this city and as such everything has his stamp of approval. That is the common thread between the pools and this tent project on Union Square. That he, the Council, and City Administration own these processes. When this lady was talking about "Who is Auditing this tent on Union Square?" she was not asking who was doing the accounting. She was asking why wasn't someone keeping an eye on what was going on so that we didn't incur this additional $137,000 cost overrun/expenditure? That is obvious to anyone who listened to what she asked.



The Mayor opens up a lot of questions here. Who knew what when? You decided to move forward with this project on December 20, 2011. At what point did you find out that it was going to cost $423,000 instead. If you found out that it was going to cost $423,000, then why didn't you reassess whether you should move forward with the project? If you found out in January that you were going to incur this additional expense, then why have you waited until now to come forward and make this public? That sure seems like a Bait and Switch scheme to me.

When looking at the pools that the City Council chose to demolish, Hickory Citizens emphatically stated that they wanted Aquatic recreation and this City Council denied them their desire. Charettes, more like Charades, were held and people undeniably requested Aquatic Recreation for the public and wanted it throughout the city. Remember Mayor Wright standing in that swimming pool in the USA Today? And the City was basically dishonest in this process every step of the way for two years. First they would be only closed for one summer, then they come up with this huge cost number to justify them being shut down for the foreseeable future, and then they demolish them six months later under the guise that it was a liability safety issue. When people talked about alternatives they were shut out.

That in my opinion led to this closed process involving the tent on Union Square. The consent agenda process was abused to carry out the apparent directive that this be moved through without people being allowed to have input, discuss cost-benefit analysis, competitive bidding, alternatives and to top it all off we now see that there was no architectural or engineering design built into the original structure. Who came up with the original $285,000 budget for this project that didn't take proper factors into account? This is what happens with closed processes.

The common thread between both processes is that they were manipulated towards the desires of the Mayor, Council, and City Administration who are all of one mind.

The Mayor seems to think it is alright to take a fund created to build a parking deck in downtown and use it for anything other than its directed purpose. The money in that fund should be used for its intended purpose and then the fund should be decommissioned. The fund is not called "The Union Square Capital Project Fund" and it should not be used for that purpose. That is the definition of a slush fund - Chicago style. That is a bait and switch. That is what we complain about in Washington. Why is that okay in Hickory?

Here are some questions pertaining to this issue that would be asked by a responsible "4th Estate" media party pertaining to the Parking fund. What was the balance on the parking fund last year? What is it today? Is there money left to build a parking deck now? What else has it been used for? Could we have built that parking deck if this money had not been used for other purposes?

What we have seen are not Republican or Democrat issues. They are Hickory issues. We have members of both parties that are upset with this Mayor and City Council. If anyone has made issues partisan it is this Mayor and Administration with their dictates and insistence that everything be done the way that they want without question. Anyone who questions what they do has at some point in time been deemed a radical or a trouble maker or partisan. We are supposed to take for granted that they are operating in the interest of the public without scrutiny or accountability.

During this (Hal Row) show, the Mayor talked about businesses moving forward before all of the pieces of a plan had come together, as though that is what they had done. First of all, if you invest your own money then I get your point, but you are responsible for other people's money in this process, so you should have had those architectural and engineering plans and costs established from the get-go. You didn't have the very foundation of a plan in order. All you had was an idea and you threw dollars at the idea. That is the very thing that conservatives complain about when it comes to Big Government. Businesses who operate in this fashion end up out of business. That is alright when it is your personal risk. That is not alright when you are acting as a Fiduciary. That is what we have seen from the current lot of politicians of this era; privatize profits, socialize losses. Most of us don't want to go down that path.

When we look at issues of scrutiny and accountability, let's look back at the $25,000 spent on Graffiti (May 4, 2010 - Bottom). That was two years ago and they said that they were going to come back and discuss how the money was spent six months later. Again two years later and they still have never come back before the public to reconcile the money that was spent.

We look at the Rental Property Task Force that was created on September 7, 2010. Its recommendations were accepted by the City Council on December 7, 2010. One recommendation was that an additional Code Enforcement Officer be hired to deal with the issues of Rental Properties and Chronic Code Violations - ie Slum Lords. Code Enforcement officials were supposed to come back after a couple of months and address priorities and necessities and the task force was to be reconvened after six months to address the Council on whether the recommendations were working. So, a year ago the Rental Property Task Force was supposed to be reconvened and come back before the Council to tell the Council and Public whether its recommendations were working and that has not happened yet.

Those are a few examples of the issues that we see in this City. It boils down to accountability. No one is attacking the Mayor's personal being. What they are addressing are issues of representation and accountability. Who does the mayor represent?

At the end of this interview Rebecca Inglefield calls up (28:15 mark in the presentation above) and talks to the Mayor about when is a good time for discussion, as in give and take with the public. The Mayor never really answers and obfuscates the question.

The Mayor doesn't seem to understand that this is an issue of trust. He and the Council are in charge of Hickory's Public Trust. How many times over the last several years have we heard politicians decry that everyone was out to get'em? How many times was it about disenfranchisement, accountability, and trust? There seems to be a disconnect here. All anyone who is questioning all of this is asking is that local government be of, by, and for the people; instead of of, by, and for the chosen few.

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- May 6, 2012

The Size And Strength of Banks Is Detrimental - The International Forecaster - Bob Chapman - May 2, 2012 - Taxes and bonds to pay for retirements, as well as all the debt and mismanagement, Apple goes offshore to hide its riches from paying taxes, Europe in a new age of austerity, Banks exerting more power than ever, manufacturing cooling as investment eases.                Real estate investors competing to buy Manhattan apartment buildings have sent prices to record highs as rental demand surges, reducing yields on the properties to the lowest in more than six years. The capitalization rate, a measure of investment return that declines as prices rise, averaged 4.4% for Manhattan multifamily buildings in first three months of this year… ‘It’s the strongest of all asset classes,’ said Doug Harmon, senior managing director at Eastdil Secured LLC… ‘There is still plenty of room to run on rents, and I see absolutely no reason why this action will or should stop anytime soon.’”                         “Illinois residents, whose income taxes rose by a record last year to help close a budget deficit, are paying the price again for the state’s fiscal mismanagement. With its pile of unpaid bills growing about 30% this year, the weakest pension-funding ratio among states and falling federal aid, Illinois and its municipalities are paying a penalty above AAA debt that’s twice their five-year average. Illinois plans to issue $1.8 billion of debt as soon as next week…”                             “U.S. municipalities from California to Florida are selling the most debt in three years to pay for their workers’ retirements in a bet that investment returns will exceed borrowing costs. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is among issuers considering a sale this year, following an offer by Pasadena, California, last month. Illinois borrowed a combined $7.2 billion in 2010 and 2011. The governments are placing taxpayers at risk by papering over pension deficits with taxable securities. The strategy can backfire if the proceeds don’t earn enough to pay off the bonds.


Business Activity in U.S. Grows at Slowest Pace Since 2009 - Bloomberg through the San Francisco Chronicle - Timothy R. Homan - April 30, 2012 - Business activity in the U.S. expanded in April at the slowest pace since November 2009, a sign that manufacturing may be cooling as business investment eases.                    The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc. said today its barometer decreased to 56.2 during the month, lower than the most pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg News survey, from 62.2 in March. Readings greater than 50 signal growth. Economists projected the gauge would fall to 60, according to the median of 55 estimates in the survey.                 A slowdown in demand may prompt companies in the U.S. to slow the rate of inventory accumulation, while exports to Europe and Asia may cool. Auto purchases may prevent a prolonged deterioration in the industry that spurred the recovery.


Disinformation On Every Front - Paul Craig Roberts.org - Paul Craig Roberts| May 4, 2012 - Some readers have come to the erroneous conclusion that the Matrix consists of Republican Party disinformation as if there is no disinformation from the left. Others think that propaganda is the business of Obama and the Democrats. In fact, propaganda from the right, the left and the middle are all part of the disinformation fed to americans.                         If I may give some examples: The other day Chuck Colson, one of the Nixon officials imprisoned for Watergate crimes, died. This gave NPR the opportunity to relive the Nixon horror.                      What precisely was the Nixon horror? Essentially, there was no such thing. Watergate was about President Nixon lying about when he learned about the Watergate burglary.                  When Nixon learned about the burglary, he did not act on it prior to his reelection, because he reasoned, rightly, that the Washington Post would blame him for the burglary, although he had nothing to do with it, in the hopes of preventing his reelection.
                         By going along with a cover-up, Nixon enabled the Washington Post to make an issue of the precise date on which Nixon learned of the burglary. White House tapes indicated that Nixon had learned of the burglary before he said he learned of it. So Nixon had permitted a cover-up and had to go, but what was the real reason?                         What was the Watergate burglary? We don’t really know. A group of men including former CIA operatives were hired by the Committee to Re-elect the President to break into a Democratic campaign office in the Watergate complex. We don’t know the purpose of the burglary. Some claim it was to wire-tap the telephones in the belief that the Democratic Party was getting re-election money from communists in Cuba or elsewhere. Others claim that the burglars were looking for a list of call girls, that compromised a White House official, as his fiancee was allegedly one of the call girls.                    Looking back from our time during which Bush and Obama have deep-sixed the US Constitution, violated numerous US and international laws, and behaved as if they were caesars unconstrained by any law or any morality, Nixon’s “crimes” appear so trivial as to be unremarkable. Yet, Nixon was driven from office and is regarded as a criminal.                      What was Watergate really about?




Unemployment rate at 8.1%, only 115K jobs added, participation rate shrinks again to new low - Hot Air - Ed Morrissey - May 4, 2012 - The April jobs report fell short of analysts expectations, as only 115,000 jobs were added.  Consensus expectations had been in the 165K-170K range, which still would have been below the rate jobs were added in February, January, and December.  While the jobless rate dropped slightly, the number of jobs added came in short of March’s disappointing level:                       So how did the jobless rate drop?  The same way it’s been dropping all along — people exiting the workforce:                  The civilian labor force participation rate declined in April to 63.6 percent, while the employment-population ratio, at 58.4 percent, changed little.                    That’s a new 30-year low in the participation rate.  Here’s the chart from the BLS for the last 30 years:

People Not In Labor Force Soar By 522,000, Labor Force Participation Rate Lowest Since 1981 - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - May 4, 2012 - it is just getting sad now. In April the number of people not in the labor force rose by a whopping 522,000 from 87,897,000 to 88,419,000. This is the highest on record. The flip side, and the reason why the unemployment dropped to 8.1% is that the labor force participation rate just dipped to a new 30 year low of 64.3%.

95 Percent Of The Jobs Lost During The Recession Were Middle Class Jobs - The Economic Collapse Blog - Who is the biggest loser in the ongoing decline of the U.S. economy? Is it the wealthy? No, the stock market has been soaring lately and their incomes are actually going up. Is it the poor? Well, the poor are definitely hurting very badly, but when you don't have much to begin with you don't have much to lose. Unfortunately, it is the middle class that has lost the most during this economic downturn. According to Bloomberg, 95 percent of the jobs lost during the recession were middle class jobs. That is an absolutely astounding figure. Yes, some executives lost their jobs during the last recession as did some minimum-wage workers. But overwhelmingly the jobs that were lost were middle income jobs. Sadly, the limited number of jobs that have been added since the end of the last recession have mostly been low income jobs. A higher percentage of Americans are working low income jobs than ever before, and the cost of living continues to rise at a very brisk pace. This is causing an erosion of the middle class unlike anything we have ever seen in American history.                    When I was growing up I was taught that the fact that we had the largest middle class in the history of the world was evidence that our economic system was working incredibly well.                      So what does the fact that the middle class is shrinking at a very rapid pace at this point say about how well our economy is working?

Why? - 21 Unanswered Questions That They Don't Want You To Look Into - The End of the American Dream. com - Do you ever get the feeling that the mainstream media is feeding you a very watered-down and twisted version of the news? Do you ever get the feeling that the federal government does not believe that the American people can actually be trusted with the truth? It is exasperating to realize that the news that the public is being fed every single day is very heavily filtered and very heavily censored. In a world where "spin" is everything, simply telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Fortunately, the Internet has helped fuel the rise of the alternative media, and millions of Americans that are starting to wake up are turning to the alternative media for answers to their unanswered questions. Increasingly, people are becoming willing to question the orthodoxy that is being shoved down their throats by the major news networks, and that is a very good thing. The world is becoming an incredibly unstable place, and it is more imperative than ever that we all learn to think for ourselves. We live during a time of great deception, and the lies are going to get even bigger and even more bold in the years to come. If we don't know why we believe what we believe, then we are in danger of falling for just about anything.                    It is those that seek the truth that end up finding it. If you just accept the version of reality that the system wants to feed you, then you are probably going to become what the system wants you to become.                         But if you are not afraid to question everything, then you will have a chance to become everything that you were always meant to be.                     So what are some things that we should be questioning right now?

The following are 21 unanswered questions that they don't want you to look into....



The 10 things they really don’t tell you at graduation - The Washington Post - Alexandra Petri - May 3, 2012 - A piece at the Wall Street Journal has been making waves recently by billing itself as “What They Don’t Tell You At Graduation.”                      The one trouble with this piece is that all the observations seemed vaguely familiar — from graduation speeches.                     Here’s what they really don’t tell you.
 
1) Next year, you will probably be unemployed, or live in your parents’ basement, or be unemployed and live in your parents’ basement....
2) You will keep in touch with friends, but not the ones you thought....
3) When you hit a certain point in your 20s, everyone around you starts to get married, for no apparent reason and without any warning...
4) In life, no one rewards you for performing mundane tasks....
5) Regardless of anything the rampant college hookup culture has taught you, you are suddenly expected to Start Going On Dates....
6) Something strange happens to music as you age....
7) Being young isn’t everything, but it’s a good thing....
8) As Cynthia Heimel says, “There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.”
9) You have no idea how personal finance works.....
10) Some days will be better than others. Some days will be worse than others.....
11) No one in book club has ever read the book. 
   


A message from Rick Smyre the Director of "Communities of the Future."

Hi Friends....

Would encourage you to take a look at this five minute dialogue on CBS about the lose of faith in institutions and how the panel explains what is happening and why. My wife, Brownie, was the one who suggested I take a look at this because of our COTF work in many of the areas discussed in the interview.

I am having this type of conversation four days a weeks with varied organizations and people throughout the U.S. and other countries. In my opinion, the fact that so many people are now beginning to have these concerns and realizing the old institutional structures and the traditional forms of leadership (as well as the corruption of leadership only focused on self-interest) are facing challenges for which they are not prepared, are key reasons we are seeing such an explosion of interest in our COTF ideas and methods.

By the way, there will be an article about our COTF work nationally in the July/August issue of The Futurist Magazine published by the World Future Society. I sincerely appreciate the interest in and support for our work shown by Cindy Wagner, the editor of The Futurist, and Ken Hunter, Chairman of the Board of WFS.

Hope the link below connecting to the CBS interview is of interest. All my best. Rick

Hickory City Council Consent Agenda Rules -- Silence DoGood

The following two sections of code, 2-55 and 2-56 were accessed via the Hickory NC website which is linked directly to the MuniCode website. MuniCode is the compiler, printer, and repository for the Hickory City Code, if the city pays the annual fees to update the archive copy and provide for the appropriate updates.

The next item included below is North Carolina General Statute 160A-81.1. This statute was enacted by the North Carolina Legislature in 2005. It gives citizens the right to address council and sets the parameters whereby council may establish reasonable rules for such public address of council.

The last item is a definition from Black’s Law Dictionary.

As one can see from the City Ordinances referenced, there is no codified process, as provided in the Council Procedural Flyer of a process to remove items from the consent agenda. Now, does this take into account that such a process may have been adopted and passed by council and that it wasn’t added and thus amending the copy of the City of Hickory Code of Ordinances in the care of MuniCode? It does. Having said that, there is no reference to such an ordinance on the face of that flyer, if a source for the stated process exists. So the origins of the removal process is, at this point, dubious. All of that brings me to the first point. While Attorney Crone’s statement was in itself correct as to the process for adding items to the Agenda for Council, it is woefully inadequate and inapplicable insofar as the removal of items for the consent agenda is concerned. See Hickory City Code Section 2-55 (a) for Mr. Crone’s analysis. Please pay particular attention to what is missing from the City Code with regard to this process, as previously stated.

My next premise is one of general concern and focuses on how this council and administration ignores, or without due regard, fails to update its ordinances relevant to current legislative law and mandates. I’m referring to the law that was passed in 2005 that provides for units of local government to have a time set aside at each public meeting of the governing body to give the public access to council and comment about what’s on that individuals’ mind. This is not a time for interaction or debate, but a time to listen. Too many people try to use it as a time for redress or to engage council and that simply isn’t the case. To seek redress, there is a process that begins by getting on the agenda, outlined by Mr. Crone and by Section 2-55 of the Hickory City Code. But I digress. My point here is, the public address provision was passed in 2005 and the Hickory City Code has not been updated to include it. That’s 7 years folks. Yes, the Council for the City of Hickory has provided that time it appears during each meeting session, they are so detailed oriented so as to lay down the outline of their meeting agendas in an ordinance, but so concerned about State law to make provision in their code to mirror state law or to set the guidelines by which persons may address council during each meeting session. The absence of a set of codified rules says to me that it will be arbitrary and not uniform insofar as addressing council is concerned and quite possibly hinge on who is addressing council. And I think every member now sitting on council was a member in 2005 with the exception of Mr. Guess. There is just no excuse. While Section 2-56 does make provision for addressing council, it is outdated and does not comply with the criteria outlined in NCGS § 160A-81.1.

So that’s my little contribution to this debate. Once again, Hickory City Council is following rules or applying rules to others that are inapplicable or non-existent at least, by the references they themselves provide. Then they leave certain items open for spot interpretation so that they may discern who may or may not dance at their party, if you will. Over and over and over again, rules don’t seem to apply or exist. And when they exist, the legality of the rules existing and being used are likewise a point of contention. The Great State of Hickory… once again strikes fear and intimidation into the hearts of the governed. I’m so proud!

Sec. 2-55. - Agenda.
(a) The city manager shall prepare the agenda for the meeting. A request to have an item of business placed on the agenda must be received by the city clerk or the city manager by 5:00 on the Wednesday preceding the meeting. Only those matter included upon the agenda may be considered at a council meeting, except that the council may, by motion, second and majority vote, agree to consider other matters.

(b) Items shall be placed on the agenda according to the order of business as follows:

(1) Call to order.
(2) Invocation.
(3) Approval of minutes.
(4) Approval of second readings.
(5) Consent agenda.
(6) Items removed from consent agenda.
(7) Unfinished business.
(8) Information items.
(9) New business.

a. Public hearings.
b. Department reports.
c. Presentation of petitions and requests.
d. Recognition of persons requesting to be heard.

(10) Matters not on agenda (requires majority of council to consider).
(11) General comments by council of a non-business nature.
(12) Closed session (if needed).
(13) Adjournment.

(c) The agenda shall include, for each item placed on it, as much background information on the subject as is available and feasible to reproduce. A copy of all proposed ordinances shall be attached to the agenda. Each council member shall receive a copy of the agenda, and it shall be available for public inspection and/or distribution when it is distributed to the council members.

(d) All persons requesting an item to be placed on the agenda shall state the purpose and subject matter. If the city manager is of the opinion that the request is improper and should not be placed on the agenda, he shall make a notation at the end of the agenda, giving a short summary of the request and the reasons he feels it is improper to be considered. The council, if it so desires, may consider the matter as a matter not on the agenda as set forth above.
(Code 1981, § 2-1(d); Amend. No. 3, 8-18-98)

Sec. 2-56. - Public address to council.
When conducting public hearings, considering ordinances and otherwise considering matters wherein the public has a right to be heard, when it appears that there are persons present desiring to be heard, the mayor shall require those opposing and favoring the proposed action to identify themselves. Each side of the matter shall be given equal time. Those opposing the proposed action shall be allowed 15 minutes for presentation, followed by 15 minutes for those favoring the action, with the opponents then to have five minutes for rebuttal and the proponents to then have five minutes for sur-rebuttal. Those persons on either side shall have the right to divide their allotted time among them as they may choose. The council, by majority vote, may extend the time for each side equally. On matters in which the person desiring to address the council does not have a legal right to speak, the council shall determine whether it will hear the person. The refusal to hear a person desiring to speak may be based upon grounds that the subject matter is confidential, that its public discussion would be illegal, that it is a matter not within the jurisdiction of the council or for any other cause deemed sufficient by the council. Any person allowed to speak who shall depart from the subject under discussion or who shall make personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks, or who shall become boisterous while addressing the council shall be declared out of order by the mayor, or by vote of the council, and barred from speaking further before the council unless permission to continue shall be granted by a majority vote of the council, under such restrictions as the council may provide.


160A‑81.1. Public comment period during regular meetings.
The council shall provide at least one period for public comment per month at a regular meeting of the council. The council may adopt reasonable rules governing the conduct of the public comment period, including, but not limited to, rules (i) fixing the maximum time allotted to each speaker, (ii) providing for the designation of spokesmen for groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions, (iii) providing for the selection of delegates from groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions when the number of persons wishing to attend the hearing exceeds the capacity of the hall, and (iv) providing for the maintenance of order and decorum in the conduct of the hearing. The council is not required to provide a public comment period under this section if no regular meeting is held during the month. (2005‑170, s. 3.)

Excerpted from “The Hickory Hound” blogsite as a true and accurate representation of an instructional and informational pamphlet provided to citizens relating to the City of Hickory and Hickory City Council Meetings.

“The Consent Agenda is the first portion of the City Council Agenda and includes items which are considered to be routine by the City Council. These items are enacted by one motion with no discussion unless a council Member or a citizen requests an item to be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate discussion. The Mayor will ask if anyone present wishes to remove an item from the Consent Agenda at which time anyone present can ask for that to be done. As a citizen, if you wish to have an item removed from the Consent Agenda for discussion, please just stand and voice your desire to the Mayor and Council.”

Agenda. “Memoranda of things to be done as items of business or discussion to be brought up at a meeting; a program consisting of such items.” (Black’s Law Dictionary. 6th. West Publishing Company, ST. Paul, MN. 1990.)

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 1, 2012

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 5/1/2012 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below:

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

Invocation by Rev. David E. Roberts II of Morning Star First Baptist Church


Special Presentation:  Mayor Wright presented a proclamation to City Clerk Pamela S. Tallent in recognition of Municipal Clerks Week. (April 29, 2012 - May 5, 2012)

Consent Agenda: All items below are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council
Member so requests. In which event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and
considered under Item VII.

* Rebecca Inglefield requested that Items F. and G. be removed from the Consent Agenda for discussion. Following discussion concerning procedure for removing items from Consent Agenda, Council approved the Consent Agenda with the exception of Items F. and G.
As covered in the Addendum to this meeting

The Hound: A message was passed along to the Hound in relation to Consent Agenda Items on Public Meeting Agendas and the Implementation of Public Policy. It is obvious to most that the Consent Agenda process has been abused by the City Administration and by proxy through the unspoken inferred affirmation of consent of the City Council as a way of muting public discussion of relevant issues that deserve public debate and scrutiny.

....items belong on a consent agenda only if they are noncontroversial and all on the board agree.  If anyone considers something even questionable in this regard, they should ask that the item be removed from the consent agenda.  Integral to using a consent agenda is that all board members receive the materials for it well enough in advance that they know whether they belong on the agenda or not. 

I sense there is a bigger issue -- that of record keeping and advance notice of items to be included on the agenda of a meeting.  Advance notice usually is required by statute for public boards – as are records of all work sessions that result in formal action.  These issues are significant whether or not a consent agenda is used. ....

David O. Renz, Ph.D.

Beth K. Smith/Missouri Chair in Nonprofit Leadership

Chair, Department of Public Affairs

Henry W. Bloch School of Management

University of Missouri – Kansas City

5100 Rockhill Road, Bloch 310

Kansas City, Missouri 64110-2499

The Hound wants you to remember that John Crone basically said that we have to notify the City Manager that we want a Consent Agenda item removed on the Wednesday before the meeting, when that Agenda has never been issued on the internet before Friday before the meeting since I started paying attention to all of this nearly 4 years ago.  There is no way that could be considered ethical. 

John Crone is not the final arbiter for this or any matter. He is not a judge. He is the City Council's attorney and there to render his interpretation of the law (codes and ordinances) for the City Council's benefit and give them advice. He does not work in the interests of the citizens of Hickory. The action the Council takes is their responsibility in the end. Any public policy they issue is their responsibility, not their attorney's or the City Manager's. Arnita Dula is the City Staff's (Administration's) attorney. The people of Hickory (and their interests) are not legally represented at that bench. The only way that the people of Hickory are legally represented in matters of public policy is when they bring an attorney, who represents legal action, before the City Council to force the City Council's hand when necessary.
 
A. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to William Dennis Granger in Fairview Cemetery

B. Transfer of Cemetery Deed from City of Hickory to Peggy R. Yancey in Oakwood

C. Automatic Aide Response Contract with St. Stephens Fire Department in the Amount of $3,348 Per Month ($40,176 Yearly) for Fifty-Nine Months Beginning July 1, 2012 - The automatic aide contract with St. Stephens Fire Department is a predetermined response to specific areas within the City of Hickory municipal limits in the northeast and northwest quadrants for structure alarms and structure fire calls received within the designated areas. The contract identifies the response using fire apparatus, personnel, and equipment maintained and operated by the St. Stephens Fire Department. The contract also identifies a standard of cover for response on a daily basis, type of apparatus response, use of resources, scene management, communications, performance criteria, training and annual evaluation of performance outcomes. The fiveyear contract is effective from July 1, 2012 through May 31, 2017. The City will pay St. Stephens Fire Department the amount of $3,348 per month, or $40,176 per year,
during the agreement period. A budget amendment is not required. .


D. Amendment to Traffic Ordinance for the Farmers Market to Include Ordinance No. 11-15 With a Time Change and Then to Move the Farmers Market “No Parking” Area to Accommodate the New Union Square Pavilion Location Once Complete - The Farmers Market hours have changed this year and will start the season at the same location as last year. Once the Union Square Pavilion Project is complete, the Farmers Market will relocate, thus requiring a change in the “no parking” hours and location. This amendment will change the “no parking” hours to Wednesdays – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Saturdays – 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. during the Farmers Market season, as well as on November 17 and 24, 2012 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. When the Union Square Pavilion Project is complete, the “no parking” location will move to the spaces south of Union Square on the north side of the parking lot road connecting the east and west parking lots as well as along the west parking lot to include the first three (3) angled parking spaces, at which point the previous parking ordinance, No. 11-15, will become null and void.

E. Budget Ordinance Amendments
1. To budget $185 of Library donations from several donors in the Library Books line item.
2. To budget $850 of Unity Fair donations in the Unity Fair expenditure line item. The Unity Fair is part of the International Spring Fest.
3. To budget $400 of Miscellaneous Police revenue in the Police Department Professional Services line item. These funds were paid by outside law enforcement agencies who participated in leadership training session at the Hickory Police Department. Agencies include Conover, Newton, Catawba County and the NCSBI (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation).
4. To appropriate $694 of Local Government Revenue and budget in the Police Department Overtime line item. This payment is revenue that funds a portion of an Officers time spent when accompanying involuntary commitment patients.
5. To budget $87 of Miscellaneous Revenue in the Fire Department Maintenance and Repair of Vehicles line item. These funds were received from Mountain Recycling, Inc. for the sale of scrap metal.
6. To budget $2,752 of Parks and Recreation donations in the Recreation Supplies line item. These funds are designated for Lacrosse Supplies (Uniforms).
7. To budget $1,950 of Parks and Recreation donations in the Departmental Supplies line item to pay for T-shirts for the Zahra Baker Playground volunteers.
8. To accept a $159 transfer of Multi-year Grant Project funds to the General Fund. The North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program grant allowed $14,000 for the purchase of 4 lidars, however the cost was less. Therefore the $159 of unused local matching funds will transfer back to the General Fund.
9. To accept a $90 transfer of Multi-Year Grant Project funds to the General Fund. $90 of the Federal Seizure Funds for the FY11 Edward Byrne JAG was not used on the project due to a sales tax certification submission. Therefore the funds need to be returned as Federal Seizure Funds for future purchases.
10. To transfer and budget $500 of Community Appearance Commission funds to the Recycling Departmental Supplies line item. This transfer is to pay for the tent rental for Earth Day activities at the SALT Block.
11. To transfer $66,000 of Capital Reserve Investment Earnings to the Stormwater Fund. This transfer is necessary to pay for several drainage projects that urgently need to be completed due to failures. They include 36th Ave. NW: slip line approximately 50 feet of 36" diameter storm drain, Clement Blvd. NW at 20th St. NW, remove and replace failed 18-foot deep catch basin and 8th St. Court NW 2900 block remove and replace failed corrugated metal cross culvert.

F. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21

1. To appropriate $137,940 of Capital Reserve Parking Fund and transfer to the Canopy Project. This budget amendment is explained in Departmental Report No. 3. Following discussion, Council unanimously voted to approve Item F.

As covered in the Addendum to this meeting

G. Capital Project Ordinance Amendment No 1

1. To accept a $137,940 appropriation of Capital Reserve Parking Fund Balance and budget in the Canopy Project construction line item. Following discussion, Council unanimously voted to approve Item G.

As covered in the Addendum to this meeting


H. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment No. 10
1. To transfer $159 of Multi-year Grant Project funds to the General Fund. The North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program grant allowed $14,000 for the purchase of 4 lidars, however the cost was less. Therefore the $159 of unused local matching funds will transfer back to the General Fund.
2. To accept a $90 transfer of Multi-Year Grant Project funds to the General Fund. $90 of the Federal Seizure Funds for the FY11 Edward Byrne JAG was not used on the project due to a sales tax certification submission. Therefore the funds need to be returned as Federal Seizure Funds for future purchases.
3. To transfer $13,975 of Contingency to the Maintenance and Repair of Equipment line item in the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Multi-Year Grant Project. This transfer is necessary to cover charges for the approved change orders.

I. Special Event Application for Public Property Events - Tourism Day Celebration Scheduled on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Union Square

Items Removed from Consent Agenda: Items F. and G.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Second Reading - Amendment to Traffic Ordinance for the Farmers Market to Include Ordinance No. 11-15 With a Time Change and Then to Move the Farmers Market “No Parking” Area to Accommodate the New Union Square Pavilion Location Once Complete - Staff requests approval on second reading so that the ordinance can be enforced in a timely manner.

2. Presentation on Inspiring Spaces Plan Proposal - This is a presentation on the Inspiring Spaces Plan proposal that is a city-wide planning process to develop a list of construction projects, their associated costs and implementation schedule for improving the appearance and functionality of streets, parks and public areas of Hickory. Projects will include but not be limited to: the redesign of some intersections or streets to improve pedestrian connectivity, additional sidewalks and bikeways, landscaping and street trees, wayfinding signage, city gateway signage and landscaping, public art or amenities such as fountains or a splash pad in key locations across the city, street lighting and street furniture, and other similar initiatives. Businesses and entrepreneurs seek a community that has been spruced up. It communicates Hickory’s brand message of Life. Well Crafted and is a key tool for economic development. Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt's presentation.



During the City Council's visits to Burlington, Chattanooga (TN), Asheville, Greenville (SC), and Roanoke (VA), the City Council engaged community leaders about how they transformed their community after a long period of economic decline. Ms. Surratt pointed to several themes. 1) Public investment in the public spaces of their city. 2) A focus on economic Development and Redevelopment. 3) Providing venues and programming for outstanding special events and 4) Engaging the philanthropic community for their support of activities and projects that will enhance the city.

A quote was shown related to Greeneville, SC: I started a business in Greeneville in 1991 when it was stagnant. A city has the bones - the structure - the character of buildings that are the heart and soul of the community, and credit must be given to programming Cities have a responsibility beyond the fundamentals (safety, cleanliness, underground, wires), and must elevate to what people want.

A City-wide planning process to develop a list of construction projects, their associated costs and implementation schedule for improving the appearance and functionality of streets, parks, and public areas of Hickory. Businesses and entrepreneurs seek a community that has been spruced up. It is a key tool for economic development. Items Ms. Surratt discussed for development/redevelopment include redesign of some intersections or streets to improve pedestrian connectivity, additional sidewalks and bikeways, landscaping and street trees, Wayfinding and Gateways, Public Art, street lighting and furniture...

The most important aspect of this plan is the role it plays in  bringing jobs and people here. Economic Development and Redevelopment happen in places where the quality of life stands out among the competitors. Ms. Surratt talked about the process beginning with Recommendations, Detailed Plans, Estimated Costs, and Renderings.\

A steering Committee will be appointed by City Council. The Plan will take 7 to 8 months to complete. Projects will be prioritized. Implementation of the Plan will be over a 1 to 10 year period. The projects from the plan will be paid for through debt financing.

 
3. Request for Additional Funding from the Capital Reserve Parking Fund and Consolidate Public Service Department Expenditures into the Union Square Pavilion Project - The project scope broadened when the project moved into the engineering phase in January. The increase in the contract with Neill Grading is $58,852, and the consolidation of Public Services Department expenses is $59,288. The remaining cost is an estimate of $25,000 for outdoor furniture for the space. on two readings for additional funding from the Capital Reserve Parking Fund and consolidation of Public Services Department Expenditures into the Union Square Pavilion Project in the amount of $137,940 for Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21 and Capital Project Ordinance Amendment No. 1. As covered in the Addendum to this meeting related to the structure on Union Square.




Andrea Surratt's presentation stated that they had a preliminary estimate of the costs and a time table, which was very ambitious, but they were optimistic. They had a design based on the original scope of the work. Since that time they have been meeting on a weekly basis... City Staff, the designer, the contractor, the Farmer's market, and HDDA. They have been going over the details of the final design with the engineering and construction work as it has unfolded.

What they found is that they got the project off the ground.. met the start date and were strong out of the gate... That lead to a series of meetings with the engineers that created a spinal structure that is going in today. That structure is more complex than the original estimate and preliminary design that they had... They are working as fast as they can and as best as they can...

As the project has evolved, the scope of the project has evolved as to who can use it and how it can benefit the community has really sprawled. It has been a very exciting process. It has challenges as you go through the details. She talked about issues with loads due to the thickness of the poles and the span of the sails. They did not know that before. When they presented to you they were working off an estimate with a preliminary design...

She talked about the multi-use of this project not just for a Farmer's market or casual use sitting underneath. This replaces a stage that has had great useful life, but this is a formal space with the right lighting, electrical, and seating.She talked about the lighting, stating that it was thought that this stage would be used mostly in the day and it wasn't thought that it would be used at night. The lighting wasn't thought through at that early stage back in December... She talked about thinking about the safety of that space at night and the ambiance created with people and performances out there. She said that outdoor seating had not been factored in.

She thanked the public services staff and the work they have done. She talked about the 100 year old utilities underneath the space. They had to redo foundations and dig holes deeper. To offset costs they wanted to ensure that city staff could do as much as possible. She talked about the things that we take for granted on Union Square. Where we could add value we have done that. Thinking about the security of that space, security cameras have been relocated. The cannon was refurbished...

She stated that our City Crews are making this happen in the best manner, because this is our Front Porch.


The Hound believes that the people of Hickory have been asleep at the wheel and it has allowed the city to be hijacked. Hickory is in some of our hearts and for others it is a cash cow. And these people are going to milk it for all it's worth until a significant amount of people start pushing back.

This presentation dripped with a redundancy of platitudes. The real issues come about related to the fact that these people didn't have a clue about what they were doing. I know for a fact that there are people in this community that could have been brought together to brainstorm a plan of attack that would have gotten us something that would have been for the best structurally and met the culture of the buildings on Union Square. That would have happened in an open process. Announce what you would like to do, without the outcome decided before the process begins, and let people show their creativity and ingenuity. You wonder why things aren't happening around here. Read the above. These people stifle creativity. They think their bureaucratic B.S. is creative. Anyone paying the least bit of attention sees right through it.

Now, take this example and look at the prior presentation on "Inspiring Spaces." Do you trust these people with that process? Do they have your trust to do what is right? Go back to that December 20, 2011 meeting. Ms. Surratt says here that the design presented at that December 20, 2011 meeting was a preliminary design. Did they present the information that night as a preliminary design that might have to be reassessed going forward? Did they give a clue that they were understating the cost of this structure by at least 35%?

If these people can never admit to mistakes and all they can do is fudge language, then how can you invest your future in them?


Recognition of Persons Requesting To Be Heard
As covered in the Addendum to this meeting

A. Rebecca Inglefield, , inquired about the proper way to remove items from the Consent Agenda, the procedure by which Council can conduct a public hearing, how to request information regarding budget line items, and she expressed her disapproval of the funds appropriated for the Union Square Pavilion Project.

B. Mr. Cliff Moone,  stated that he wanted a clarification of the second motion made by Alderman Lail concerning the confusion over the way the Council Agenda cover sheet explains the process to remove an item from the Consent Agenda. He stated that citizens need to know about the process so that the citizenry can make comments at the appropriate times. City Attorney Crone stated that he agreed with Mr. Moone, and he could promise that the City will clean up the misinformation or elaborate on the procedure for the next agenda. Mr. Moone stated that as long as it is done, he thought everyone would be happy. He stated he wished that some Council Members had been at Grace House when the poverty tour came through because there was a lot of information from folks in our city who are suffering, many of them homeless and looking for ways to make it in our city.

C. Mr. Walter Witherspoon,  stated that on December 21, 2011, the Council approved $285,000 to put up a farmers market, with the name changing to the canopy project, and now it’s called the Union Square Pavilion. He asked if all of these names are for the same project. The City was involved and had a contingency fund, but the request for the additional funds wipes that out completely. He asked if this was considered initially or was the City in such a hurry to get the structure up that it lost foresight. He asked that Council think about that before they voted.

General Comments
A. Mayor Wright announced that this week, the City of Hickory was named as a Playful City USA Community for the second year. Hickory is one of 213 communities in the United States and one of 7 in North Carolina to receive this designation. He stated that he was proud that the citizens of the community have shown such great spirit, which was a great factor in this recognition.

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 1, 2012 -- Rebecca Inglefield requests items F & G be removed from the Agenda

When it was time for the Council to pass the Consent Agenda, Attorney Rebecca Inglefield stood up and asked that Items F and G be removed from the Agenda. The Mayor stated that she had a right to speak at the meeting to which Attorney Inglefield stated verbatim what is written on the front page of the Council Agenda Pamphlet displayed below.

Attorney John Crone stated that what it says on the pamphlet is wrong and that a citizen must call the Wednesday prior to a City Council meeting to ask permission to be placed on the agenda and that it is up to the discretion of the City Manager as to whether he deems their issue important enough to place on the Agenda.

The Hound wants to ask how you are supposed to address a point of contention you may have when the Agenda Packet is not released on the website until the previous Friday at the earliest? Are we supposed to have mental telepathy? And why is the City Manager given this autonomy to make such an overarching decision, when he has a vested interest in the Agenda packet??? And this has been on the agenda pamphlet for years, if this has been wrong then tell me why it has gone this long without being corrected? Is it that they want to control and stifle dissent at any costs?

In the end, thanks to the cooler head of Alderman Brad Lail, it was decided to allow the removal of the item from the Consent Agenda and allow Attorney Inglefield to address the Council in what would be the end of the meeting.



Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt spoke in two addresses of the City Council that I will discuss later in the regular City Council Newsletter. The first issue was about a "Inspiring Spaces Plan Proposal" and then the second was related to the structure being built on Union Square:

Request for Additional Funding from the Capital Reserve Parking Fund and Consolidate Public Service Department Expenditures into the Union Square Pavilion Project (Exhibit IX.B.3.)

The project scope broadened when the project moved into the engineering phase in January. The increase in the contract with Neill Grading is $58,852.00, and the consolidation of Public Services Department expenses is $59,288.00. The remaining cost is an estimate of $25,000.00 for outdoor furniture for the space.

Staff recommends approval on two readings for additional funding from the Capital Reserve Parking Fund and consolidation of Public Services Department Expenditures into the Union Square Pavilion Project in the amount of
$137,940.00 for Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21 and Capital Project Ordinance Amendment No. 1.

The above is related to the issue of the items F & G that Attorney Inglefield asked to be removed from the Agenda as per a citizens right according to the information on the front page of the Agenda pamphlet:

F. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21 (Exhibit VII.F.)
1. To appropriate $137,940 of Capital Reserve Parking Fund and transfer to the Canopy Project. This budget amendment is explained in Departmental Report No. 3.

G. Capital Project Ordinance Amendment No 1 (Exhibit VII.G.)
1. To accept a $137,940 appropriation of Capital Reserve Parking Fund Balance and budget in the Canopy Project construction line item.

After Ms. Surratt finished with her presentation, Attorney Inglefield came back to the podium and presented her concerns and she was followed by Cliff Moone and Walter Witherspoon. The Council then unanimously approved the additional expenditures on the project. Alderman Lail expressed regrets about the process that has taken place with this project, but stated that we cannot halt the project at this point and that he believes that the structure will be a good addition to Union Square.



Below are some of the points made by Attorney Inglefield, Reverend Moone, and Walter Witherspoon:

1. At the 3:37 mark Atty. Inglefield asks about the appropriate way to ask for a line item request of the canopy project. She was told that she needed to put it in writing by Mayor Wright and Atty. Crone and Atty Crone went on to say that the City is welcome to all such requests and will provide the information.

2. Atty. Inglefield next asked about the cost of the fabric for the structure to which Council members either could not or would not provide stating that it would be a matter of public record. Next she asked about the maintenance cost of the structure. Atty. Crone stated that this was not a time for back and forth discussion, but the city is real easy to get along with. Put the request in writing and they will follow up. He said that the city is very open about all of this.

3. Atty. Inglefield stated that when we realized that these additional items related to engineering would be necessary in January, then that would have been the perfect time to stop and reassess the project and decide if we wanted to spend the additional money. She related the issue to the swimming pools and agencies, such as harbor House, that have needs. She talked to the Mayor about comments in the past that he made that the pools were bulldozed, because they were frills. She asked if public swimming pools would be part of an inspiring space. The mayor stated that this was not a debate... not a time for give and take... The Mayor said it was her turn to talk and their turn to listen. Atty. Inglefield went into specifics about agency needs that are going unanswered by the Council.

4. Cliff Moone wanted a clarification about Ald. Lail's second motion related to the front page of the Agenda pamphlet. Atty Crone stated that that the issue would be cleaned up... he agreed that the language should be cleaned up and citizens need to understand the procedure. Rev. Moone also went into the issue of the Poverty Tour that came through the city that no one from Council attended. He didn't know if they hadn't been invited.

5. Walter Witherspoon asked about all of the names that have been given to the structure. He has three documents. One document calls the structure the Farmer's market. A second calls it a canopy structure. A third calls it the Pavilion project. Are these one project or seperate projects... are these the budgetary names? He wants these issues squared away in his mind. He sees that the city is involved... now heavily involved... there was a contingency fund of $25,000 and now it is $137,000. That is 35 to 40% higher than the original price. Was this considered initially. Were we in such a hurry to get the structure up that we lost foresight... that we didn't have objection. With rust going on here that sounds like money down the drain to me. There should be more public input. When you vote think about those things.

The Consent Agenda was reconsidered, except for F and G, and passed by the City Council. Discussion took place related to the structure on Union Square and Alderman Lail stated his approval of the project, but stated that looking with hindsight he should have asked more question and he does regret the process. They don't have a whole lot of options other than to move forward with the project. Mayor Wright made statements along with Alder Patton related to their approval of the project.

The Hound: The only person that had input in this project that has said anything that relates to understanding of the issue was Alderman Lail when he stated that he regretted the process. And that is the first person that is a City Government official that has gotten it. It seems like a few of these people think they are Overlords instead of representatives. 99% of the people aren't against a structure being built on Union Square. What they are tired of is this regime's by hook or by crook governance. Open government is what this nation was built upon and when it works best. What was open about this process. The cost overruns and every fault with this project has been related to the process.

A friend said something profound tonight. The City of Hickory Government throws a dart at a blank wall and runs up to the wall and paints a bullseye around it (the dart)... The end justifies the means... The cart is before the horse... The outcome is decided before the process begins. In any large successful business organization you would be fired for something like this.

I read the Hickory Daily Record's preview for this meeting and the headline was "Donations, budget changes at Hickory City Council meeting." Reading further into the short summation there was zero mention about this $137,000 being added to the $285,000+ that was already appropriated for this structure. What is up with that? They talked about the poverty tour, but they won't talk about the priorities of this city's leadership. A leadership that chooses to constantly favor the well to do and connected over those who are struggling. And don't think the other media outlets around here deserve a pass either. Their priorities and personal favoritism has played right into the hands of all of this ill advised decision making.

Honestly, I hope God's peace, love, and mercy find shelter for us all.

Now up to $420,000+ for the Tent on Union Square
Union Square Canopy Cost Figures
$285,000+ : Bang for the Buck???
Hickory Farmer's Market questions the Big Tent on Union Square - March 17, 2012
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of January 3, 2012
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 20, 2011 -- Addendum on Union Square's largest Awning yet - $285,000

I want to tell you all, now that this has happened, that we have been planning this since the night of December 20, 2011. We read that front page and realized that the key was there the whole time. We didn't think the Council understood the procedures of the ordinance and would do exactly what happened tonight. I mean they reacted point blank as we thought they would tonight. We are not bragging about this. All we want is open government, which means open processes and level playing fields without conflicts of interests and deals behind the scenes. It is that simple!

Attorney Crone stated that the city welcomes all public information requests and is easy to work with. I have been told otherwise, but according to the State of North Carolina it is our information and their responsibility to provide it to us. Below is a template to request information from the City of Hickory:

Place the Date on this line (ex: January 1, 2012)

Ms. Arnita Dula
Staff Attorney
City of Hickory
N. Center Street
Hickory, North Carolina 28601


Dear Ms. Dula, This letter is a request for all public documents pertaining to (The issue that you would like information on). I am entitled to the public information that I am requesting according to Chapter 132 of the General Statutes of the State of North Carolina’s General Assembly.

According to the North Carolina Public Records Law, “The public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions are the property of the people.” Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in my attempt, as a public citizen, to understand the facts of this issue.


Thank You,
(Your Signature Here)

Name
Address
City
Phone Number for contacting you

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hounds Advice: If under any circumstances you are given the runaround, I want you to contact us at hickoryhound@gmail.com. We want to publicize such incidents and get to the root cause of why the City would not willingly provide the information.