Ward Specific Voting - You can Be the Difference!!!

The numbers are getting close on having enough signatures to bring about a special election, which would allow the community to have a say in how the City Council is elected. That process was not allowed to occur when the current system was manipulated into existence by the City Council in 1967 and implemented in 1970. This change would directly impact how Council Members represent their ward. We think it would positively impact the big picture and city wide governance.

What is clear from the issues that we have seen over the last several years is that the current system does not encourage accountability. What it does is encourage Bloc Voting constituencies that allow certain wards to dictate policy in other wards and we believe that it causes ambivalence towards development in certain wards thereby harming the viability of the City as a whole. And as Hickory goes so goes the Metro regional area.

So if you want to do something that will create a major impact on the area, then print out and fill out the petition linked below. Once you have done this contact me at hickoryhound@gmail.com and tell me where I can pick up this signed petition or dial 828-612-8448 so that we can move forward. We are getting close to having enough signatures and your signature could be the one that puts us over the top.

You can be the person that makes a difference in our future by doing this today. You can help bring government back to the people. Peace be with you and may this cause be blessed.

• In a true ward system, voters in each ward choose their own representative; it’s more democratic because local voters have a bigger say in who represents their wards.
• A true ward system allows more citizens to consider running for office because it is less expensive to run an election in one ward than to run city-wide; we’ll get some new perspectives and fresh ideas on city council.
• A true ward system makes representatives more accountable because they live and work in the same community where their constituents live so they have daily contact with their voters.
• True ward system elections are less expensive for taxpayers because only half the polls have to be open each election year.

The City Council could make this change simply with their vote, but they are happy with the status quo. We think the voters should decide how they want their elections run, and that's where we need your help.

Will you print out and sign the attached petition and mail back to us? It will take you less than 5 minutes and will make a HUGE improvement in future elections.

Click here to download the petition.

Other registered voters in your house and neighborhood can also sign the petition. If you prefer, I can mail you a petition and a stamped envelope to return it in - just reply to my email (cjane@rayandcjane.com) with your request.

I know you believe in fair and representative government; if you have questions about how the true ward system will make that happen, please call me any time at 828-612-8448.

1961 -- A lesson in Hickory's History

1967 - How we got where we are today

The History of At-Large voting in Hickory - The HDR articles and Council Minutes Documents

Hal Row's First Talk - CEG discussion about Ward Specific Voting - The Interview

Help Bring Fair Representation Back to the City of Hickory

Mayor Wright - Hal Row - Ward Specific Elections

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- May 20, 2012

$12,984--Increase in Debt Per Household Since First 2011 Bipartisan Spending Deal - CNS News.com - Terence P. Jeffrey - May 18, 2012 - The White House and the congressional leaders of both parties in Congress have begun maneuvering this week over the issue of the federal debt and what to do when the government hits the latest statutory limit on that debt--$16.394 trillion—which Congress and the president agreed to when they cut a deal on the debt limit last August. The federal debt is currently $15.709 trillion, or about $685 billion below the limit.                   The first spending deal the White House and leaders of both parties in Congress made last year was on March 2. On that day, the president signed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded past March 4, when the previous continuing resolution, passed by a lame-duck Congress in late 2010, expired.


John Williams: The Real Unemployment Rate: 22% – Not 8.1% - The coming fiscal cliff: hyperinflation on track for 2014 - Lew Rockwell.com - James J. Puplava - May 16, 2012 -    JIM: Joining me on the program today is John Williams of Shadow Government  Statistics.                     And John, before we get into a real big issue that’s going to hit the economy January 2013, I want to talk about the front page of your website. And you have two graphs that are available publicly and one is the unemployment rate where you have U3, U6 and then SGS, which is your own. Let’s talk about those numbers, what they mean for our listeners and the differences between them. [1:11]

JOHN: Sure. I’ve been a consulting economist for 30 years. What I’ve found over the decades is that the government’s reporting has moved further and further away from common experience, and really, the average guy has got a pretty good sense of what’s going on. If you feel the economy is not as strong as the government is saying or that inflation might be higher than what they’re reporting, you’re most likely right because you’re dealing with the real world.                  The numbers use to deal much closer to real world experience.                    And with the unemployment number, if you, let’s say, went around the entire country and asked everyone whether he or she was unemployed, you’d get an immediate answer. Most people have a pretty strong opinion as to what’s up, they have a job; they know what’s going on. But if you put all those numbers together, you’d come up with a much higher unemployment rate than the government reports, or at least the headline government number to date. So that’s all due to definition.                  In order to be counted in the headline unemployment rate – and keep in mind, the government actually publishes six levels of unemployment. The third level they call U3 is the headline number – you have to obviously be out of work and willing and able to take a job, but you have to have actively looked for work in the last four weeks. There are people who’ve stopped looking for work after a period of time when there are just no jobs to be had, yet they’d take a job if it were available, and they otherwise consider themselves unemployed. They want a job; they are willing and able to work. And again, they’d take it as soon as it was offered. If you haven't been looking in the last four weeks, the government will count you as a discouraged worker so long as you've looked for work in the last year.                     If you haven't actively looked for work in the last year, they don’t count you at all.                       Before 1994, anybody who was a discouraged worker, irrespective of the period of time, was counted as a discouraged worker. So that where you have the U3 unemployment rate at, I believe it’s 8.2% in March, the government’s broadest number U6 (which includes what I call the short term discouraged workers, those who have given up looking for work, but not for more than a year) and also includes people who work part-time for economic reasons (they can’t get a full-time job, they want a full-time job but you know, no full-time job is available) that’s running up somewhat over 14%.                          And what I do is I add to that my estimate of the longer term discouraged workers – those who have been discouraged more than a year. That puts you up over 22%.                    What happens here is the people who are unemployed roll out of the U3 level; they become discouraged because there are no jobs to be had, and so they go into the U6 level.                 And after a year, they roll out of the U6 level in terms of going into another world that the government does not count. I still estimate them, so my number is broader than the government’s number. So when you see the unemployment rate dropping, yet the broader measures are rising or staying at near historic levels, you do not have an economic recovery and that’s what we’re showing. [4:26]


There Are 100 Million Working Age Americans That Do Not Have Jobs - The Economic Collapse Blog - The unemployment crisis in America is much worse than you are being told. Did you know that there are 100 million working age Americans that do not get up in the morning and go to work? No wonder why it seems like there are so many people that do not have jobs! According to the federal government, there are 12.6 million working age Americans that are considered to be "officially" unemployed, but there are another 87.8 million working age Americans that are not working either. The federal government considers those Americans to be "not in the labor force" so they are not included in the unemployment rate. In fact, this is one of the key ways that the government manipulates the unemployment numbers. The Obama administration would have us believe that the unemployment rate is going down and that that since the start of the last recession about as many Americans have left the labor force as we saw during the entire decades of the 1980s and 1990s combined. Of course that is a bunch of nonsense, but that is what the Obama administration would have us believe. The truth is that the percentage of working age Americans that are employed is just about the same right now as it was two years ago. It was incredibly difficult to get a job back then and it is incredibly difficult to get a job right now. So don't believe the hype that things are getting much better. If you still do have a good job, you might want to hold on to it tightly, because there is not much hope that things are going to improve significantly any time soon.                       The first chart that I have posted below shows the total number of "officially" unemployed workers in America. According to the Federal Reserve, that number is currently 12,673,000. This chart makes it look like the employment picture in America is getting significantly better....

But if you dig deeper into the numbers you quickly see that this is not true. A lot of those workers that were formerly classified as "unemployed" have now been moved into the "not in labor force" category. Since the start of the last recession, the number of Americans not in the labor force has risen by more than 8 million according to the Obama administration. The total number of working age Americans not in the labor force now stands at 87,897,000....

So when you add 12,673,000 and 87,897,000, you get a total of 100,570,000 working age Americans that do not have jobs.                  Yes, there are certainly millions upon millions of working age Americans that do not have jobs and that do not want jobs.                      But you have to be delusional to believe that there are nearly 88 million working age Americans that do not have jobs and that do not want jobs.


The wrecking ball of hidden inflation and Fed based strategies – food inflation far outpacing overall inflation and eating away at the purchasing power of 46,000,000 Americans on food stamps. - My Budget 360.com - The Federal Reserve has openly called for a steady growth of inflation. This almost dogmatic view on inflation is problematic because it is detached to the lack of wage growth being experienced by working and middle class families. What you do not hear articulated from the Fed is that they would like to encourage wage inflation as well. The inflation growth is really a shadow bailout of the banking sector in our economy that still requires billions and billions of dollars for horrible bets and poorly placed gambles. If the beat of inflation marches on, these debts can be washed away simply because purchasing power is lost moving forward. Yet this is bad policy for the vast majority of Americans. Inflation has crept into the daily lives of Americans because of this policy. Food prices have increased steadily while energy remains expensive. The cost to go to college still continues to increase in spite of a bubble in student debt. Inflation is a double-edged sword and the Fed is aggressively pursuing this option largely to aid their banking allies.

Inflation is already here for working and middle class Americans

Inflation is already hitting the wallets of most Americans. - After the liquidity crisis and trillions of dollars infused into the system, inflation is now on an upward march:

Since 2010 the inflation rate in food has far outpaced the rate of inflation overall. With so many Americans struggling to get by this is being felt in many ways on a daily basis. Anyone shopping at the store realizes how much more expensive food items have become. You also see disinflation where you pay the same price but get less because of creative packaging:

“(Country Consultant) Tropicana orange juice: 64 oz. container is now 59 oz. – a 7.8 percent reduction.

Ivory dish detergent: 30 oz. bottle is now 24 oz. – 20 percent reduction

Kraft American cheese: 24 slice package now holds 22 slices – 8.3 percent reduction

Scott toilet tissue: 115.2 sq. ft. now 104.8 sq. ft. – 9 percent reduction

Chicken of the Sea salmon: 3 oz. can now 2.6 oz. – 13.3 percent reduction”

JPMorgan’s Trading Loss Is Said to Rise at Least 50% - Dealbook.com - NELSON D. SCHWARTZ and JESSICA SILVER-GREENBERG - May 16, 2012 - The trading losses suffered by JPMorgan Chase have surged in recent days, surpassing the bank’s initial $2 billion estimate by at least $1 billion, according to people with knowledge of the losses.                When Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s chief executive, announced the losses last Thursday, he indicated they could double within the next few quarters. But that process has been compressed into four trading days as hedge funds and other investors take advantage of JPMorgan’s distress, fueling faster deterioration in the underlying credit market positions held by the bank.                     A spokeswoman for the bank declined to comment, although Mr. Dimon has said the total paper trading losses will be volatile depending on day-to-day market fluctuations.



JPMorgan unit has $100bn of risky bonds - Financial Times of London - Sam Jones in London and Tracy Alloway and Tom Braithwaite in New York - May 18, 2012 - The unit at the centre of JPMorgan Chase’s $2bn trading loss has built up positions totalling more than $100bn in asset-backed securities and structured products – the complex, risky bonds at the centre of the financial crisis in 2008.                 These holdings are in addition to those in credit derivatives which led to the losses and have mired the bank in regulatory investigations and criticism.            The unit, the chief investment office (CIO), has been the biggest buyer of European mortgage-backed bonds and other complex debt securities such as collateralised loan obligations in all markets for three years, more than a dozen senior traders and credit experts have told the Financial Times.            The bank has said its derivative activities were intended primarily to help balance risks on its overall balance sheet, but the revelation that it has built up other large, risky positions is likely to raise further questions about the CIO’s remit.


The Obama Economy Is Wrecking NASCAR - According to a new study - The Weekly Standard - Michael Warren - May 15, 2012 - The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has been considered America’s fastest growing sport, quickly becoming a national phenomenon. But a new economic study shows even NASCAR’s powerful engines haven’t been able to keep up with the Obama-era economy.               The study, from the pro-market think tank Public Notice and Race Fans 4 Freedom, finds that the economic downturn of the last several years has directly affected how NASCAR fans watch and enjoy their sport. Since 2009, race attendance per year has fallen below 4 million people, and the number has been declining severely as the unemployment rate has skyrocketed. The cost of attending—with higher gas prices, less disposable income, and diminished financial security—has increased.                       According to the study, the value of the sport, too, is threatened by the poor economy, with the stock prices of racing team companies plummeting in the last five years and sponsors pulling back on funding cars.


Paul Krugman admits to the Depression - He is a Democrat Party extremist, but the message is clear that we aren't in a recovery. We are in a Depression. He sloshes through the interview with Democrat Dogma and ideology, but his viewpoint is worthwhile.  Krugman is quick to cut Obama slack and call Republicans liars and. Folks, we have to meet somewhere in the middle. Say no to Austerity. Say no to Cronyism. Say yes to targeted spending on infrastructure and human capital and rein in "Free for All" trade and the Gambleholic Banksters.

The Millenium Dome - A lesson to be learned

(The Hound) : The following is what happens when projects are implemented in a closed process with decision making kept within bureaucratic structures. The process goes from an idea that hasn't been properly vetted to a project that has to be rethought and redeveloped on the fly to a process that revolves around political face saving, instead of the project itself. And it ends up costing a lot more than the initial estimates. A whole lot more in reassessed and unintended consequences and costs. This does not mean that the public doesn't want progress or to nitpick every project. It means that the public wants to be included in open and transparent processes. When Government includes the people in a forthright process you will still have a few detractors, but you will also have invested in legitimacy from the masses.

 (From Wikipedia) - The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium. Located on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East London, England, the exhibition was open to the public from 1 January to 31 December 2000. The project and exhibition was the subject of considerable political controversy as it failed to attract the number of visitors anticipated, with recurring financial problems. All of the original exhibition and associated complex has since been demolished. The dome still exists, and it is now a key exterior feature of The O2. The Prime Meridian passes the western edge of the Dome and the nearest London Underground station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee Line.

Dome disaster has swallowed millions - The Telegraph - September 6, 2000

Millennium Dome -  Politics.uk.com


What Should Have Gone Into the Millennium Dome? British History - Wall Street Journal - Iain Martin - August 27, 2010

5 Ways Process Is Killing Your Productivity - FastCompany.com - Lisa Bodell May 15, 2012

Here are five ways process can kill production: 

1. Empowering with permission--but without action:It’s not empowering when people are given more responsibility, yet must still obtain an unreasonable number of approvals and sign-offs to get anything done. This signals a lack of trust.
2. Leaders focused on process instead of people: In an effort to standardize and sanitize everything we do, nothing at work is personal anymore. Leaders look to processes, not people, to solve problems--and it doesn’t work. Where’s the inspiration, the vision? This signals a lack of humanity.
3. Overdependence on meetings: “Collaborative” and “inclusive” are corporate buzzwords, but productive teamwork does not require meetings for every single action or decision. People become overwhelmed and ineffective when they are always stuck in meetings. This signals that politics have taken precedence over productivity.
4. Lack of (clear) vision: Great companies need a grand vision and important goals. Too often, companies have vision or mission statements laden with jargon but devoid of meaning. This signals a lack of purpose.
5. Management acts as judge, not jury: If the purpose of a meeting is to think, create, or build, management has to stop tearing people down when they propose new ideas or question the status quo. This signals a lack of perspective and openness.

When people’s jobs depend on meeting metrics and maintaining the status quo, can you fault them for their reluctance to expend any energy toward creation and invention?

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 15, 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 5/15/2012 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. Paul Birkedal, Chaplain, Lutheran Homes

Special Presentations:
A. Proclamation Regarding Charlotte Motor Speedway’s May Race to Education and Declaring May 19-27, 2012 as Kurt Busch Week in the City of Hickory

B. Presentation of Proclamation to Scott Caskaddon in recognition of his bravery and quick thinking at a car fire on May 3, 2012

C. Presentation of Proclamation to Chief of Police Tom Adkins Declaring the Week of May 13-19, 2012 as National Police Week in the City of Hickory

* Chief Adkins accepted the award and mentioned Gerald Wayne Maynard who passed away in 1977. 163 officers dies last year in the line of duty. One every 53 hours. He stated that each day these officers go out they are the line between those who abide by the law and those who commit crimes and disorder in our community.


D. Proclamation Declaring May 14-20, 2012 as “National Tourism Week” in the City of Hickory

* Bebe stated that citizens in our area save on average $117 in taxes each year, because of this industry.


E. Hickory Downtown Development Association’s “Community Vision for Downtown Hickory 2017” (Presentation by Rodney Swink, former Director of the North Carolina Main Street Program) - Four point approach of organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring. Participating communities saw an increase of $800 million as a result. Communities without direction are like businesses without a plan. They are doomed to waste time, money, and effort. This is a shared effort between downtown and neighborhoods, business and civic interests.


F. Council Policy Regarding Consent Agenda Procedure -
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 15, 2012 -- Addendum on Consent Agenda Policies & Public Participation


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 VIII.

** At this point in the meeting, Larry Pope, a citizen of Hickory, approached the podium and began speaking regarding his request that Council Members discuss every item on the consent agenda before voting individually on each item. Mr. Pope stated that he asked for reasonable accommodations as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mayor Wright declared Mr. Pope out of order several times, and Mr. Pope continued speaking. Council voted unanimously to recess the meeting, and after approximately 10 minutes, the meeting was reconvened. Mr. Pope continued, and Mayor Wright again declared Mr. Pope out of order, and informed Mr. Pope that the meeting was not the place to discuss the issue, and that Mr. Pope had legal recourse through the courts. City Attorney Crone then stated that disrupting a public meeting is a misdemeanor, and that Mr. Pope had been given ample time to speak and ruled out of order several times. Mr. Pope stated that he wanted a tape of the meeting, and he returned to his seat.





A. Call for Public Hearing on the City Manager’s FY2012-2013 Recommended Budget (Authorize Public Hearing for June 5, 2012) The 2012-2013 Recommended Budget has been distributed to City Council as required by law and is available for review in the Office of the City Clerk, Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and Ridgeview Library. *Alderman Lail moved, it was seconded and unanimously resolved, that Item A. be removed for discussion. City Manager Berry explained that this was simply a call for a public hearing on the budget. A public hearing will be held at the June 5th Council Meeting, at which time citizens may make public comment.

B. Future Annexation Agreement – Jimmy and Joyce Scott – 3131 7th Avenue SE – Forest Heights Subdivision (Catawba County PIN 3722-15-63-0572) - Jimmy and Joyce Scott have requested connection to the City’s water and sewer system without being annexed. They have agreed to be annexed at some time in the future when the City finds it economically feasible to do so. The property is located at 3131 7th Avenue SE, which is just off of Tate Boulevard behind Catawba Valley Medical Center in the Forest Heights Subdivision. None of the other properties in the subdivision have been annexed into the city limits. While the property is adjacent to the city limits, access to the property is through two streets not located within the city limits. Annexing one property of the subdivision is not economically feasible at this time. Staff recommends approval of the future annexation agreement.

C. Future Annexation Agreement - Joseph and Grace Vaught – 2906 Springs Road NE – Part of the E. H. Killian Property Division (Catawba County PIN 3723-06-48-8144) - Joseph and Grace Vaught have requested connection to the City’s water and sewer system without being annexed. They have agreed to be annexed at some time in the future when the City finds it economically feasible to do so. The subject property is somewhat isolated from other portions of the corporate boundary of Hickory. Small satellite annexations are located across Springs Road NE and further to the north and south of the property. Water and sewer services are available to serve the property, but do to its proximity to the principal corporate boundary, Staff does not recommend immediate annexation. Staff recommends approval of the future annexation agreement.

D. Proclamation Declaring May 20 – 26, 2012 as “National American Public Works Week” in the City of Hickory

E. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs - The following request was considered by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee at their regular meeting on May 3, 2012:
 Marcia Taylor, 3333 Blue Sky Court SE, Newton, was awarded a City of Hickory Housing Rehabilitation Loan. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval for assistance not to exceed $7,000 for repairs to her home. Assistance would be in the form of a 3% interest loan for a 10 year period. Funds are budgeted for these items through the City of Hickory’s Rental Rehabilitation Program income received in FY 2009 and/or program income received through the City of Hickory’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval of the above request.

F. Amendment to NC DOT/Division of Aviation Block Grant/VISION 100 Grant No. 36237.66.3.1 for Construction of New Aviation Fuel Farm at Hickory Regional Airport With this amendment, the City will accept $474,918 in grant funds and commit to a city match of $52,768 - The City of Hickory received an e-mail on March 19, 2012 from the NC DOT Airport Project Manager that states that the Division of Aviation approves Hickory Regional Airport to use the airport’s non-primary entitlement (VISION 100) funds to construct the new aviation fuel farm. This funding includes existing and future VISION 100 funds consistent with the grant modification requested today which will be made available to the City as they are received from the FAA fund allocations as long as all current programs continue. The next fund allocation from the FAA is anticipated to be in the August, 2012 timeframe. The new fuel farm will allow the airport to have additional fuel storage capacity enabling the City to extend lower and more competitive fuel prices to its customers. Staff recommends approval.

G. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 22
1. To budget $800 of Unity Fair donations in the Unity Fair expenditure line item. The Unity Fair is part of the International Spring Fest.
2. To budget $185 of Library donations from several donors in the Library Books line item.
3. To appropriate $18,066 of Miscellaneous Insurance Claim Payment from Trident Insurance Company and budget in the Fleet Maintenance-Maintenance and Repair of Vehicles line item.
4. To appropriate $52,768 of Transportation Fund Balance and transfer to the Hickory Regional Airport Fuel Farm Project. $52,768 represents the 10% City grant match required by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).

H. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment No. 11
1. To accept and appropriate $474,918 in FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) grant revenue and to transfer $82,558 in existing FAA grant revenue to be utilized for the construction phase of the Hickory Regional Airport Fuel Farm Project. A City grant match of $52,768 is also required. Once this Grant Project Ordinance Amendment is approved, construction can begin.


New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 23
This budget ordinance amendment budgets $900,000 for Jet A and 100 Low Lead wholesale bulk fuel purchases which are then resold through the Hickory Regional Airport’s retail fueling operation. This budget amendment is required to keep the revenues and expenditures of the Airport's fuel inventory in compliance with statutory budget requirements. This budget amendment was not done earlier in the year due to uncertainty about the volume of fuel the Airport would be purchasing/selling on a monthly basis. We now have 5 months of financial history which allows us to make this budgetary projection.

Assistant City manager Warren Wood presented the information. The City took over rthe FBO on December 9, 2012. The City had to move fast to make sure there were no disruptions. Moved fast to set up funds to operate the airport. Start up enterprise...  Not a whole lot of data to go on. Knew personnel and some operational numbers, didn't have financial numbers. Have been building a financial history. Using this for budget projections for this year and next year. Did not budget the purchase of wholesale aviation fuel that will be resold as part of the aviation fueling operation. They had a projection that they could back into, but they weren't sure because they had never done it before and weren't sure that they could rely on the previous FBO's numbers.

Historic responsibilities of the city include runway, ground, building, tenants, control tower, and fire station no. 4. FBO responsibilities are service related and include fuel and hangar management. They will contract out maintenance. They are providing red carpet service for base and transient customers. Customer service is a big emphasis.

Currently have two fuel farms. North Ramp has 100 low lead (12,000 gallons) and Jet A fuel (12,000 gallons).  South Ramp has just Jet A fuel (12,000 gallons). Action tonight creates a new fuel system that will even accept credit card purchases. It will be 100,000 gallons of 100 Low Lead and 12,000 gallons of Jet A fuel.  This will help with after hour purchases that were not available before. This gives a third option.

They are selling between 30,000 and 40,000 gallons of fuel per month. This mis self funding because you are buying wholesales and selling retail. They have to agree with this or they can't sell the fuel. Alderman Guess and Alder Patton both stated that they have heard nothing but good things from people that utilize the airport. The mayor concurred.

The Hound has heard nothing but good things about the city's operation of the airport and is glad that the city finally took over the FBO and believes that this will help with its future viability.


2. Resolution of Support – NC Main Street Solutions Grant Application for Redevelopment of Hollar Hosiery Property Located at 883 Highland Ave SE, Hickory - The Main Street Solutions Fund Program is administered by the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance, and its purpose is to provide maximum support to small businesses in designated North Carolina Main Street Communities. The program is intended to strengthen the economy of the municipality and its role as a regional growth and employment hub. This is accomplished by leveraging the state’s resources for small business development spurring private investment, and by providing economic development planning assistance and coordinated grant support. The City of Hickory must be the recipient of the grant funds and must administer the grant. A total of $200,000 is available, and it is a 2 to 1 match – 2 local/private dollars for every dollar of grant funding. In order to apply for the entire amount, the Hollar Project will need to show a minimum of $400,000 in local and private funds. In addition, the project will need to maintain 8 full time jobs. The vacant building grant match funds ($30,000) can be used towards the local match as the City’s contribution, as well as all of the private funds put into the project by the project partners and the tax credit investors. City Staff must attend a mandatory workshop in Raleigh in order to apply for the grant. The grant application is due before the end of May. Staff requests approval of the resolution in support of submitting Hollar Hosiery for the Main Street Solutions Grant.

Andrea Surratt presentation. Will create a key destination point on LR Boulevard in traveling to the LR Campus. Owner Equity around $500,000, bank loan is $2.9 million, and investor proceeds will be around $2.1 Million. Total project is $6.4 million.

Skull Coast to Dock in Hickory - NC Brewing.orp - April 20, 2012 
New Brewery on Tap - Observer News Enterprise - Michael Willard - April 27, 2012 - (Good Article explains the vision) 
Old Hosiery Building behind the Granary - Houndvision on Youtube - September 13, 2009

Recognition of Persons Requesting To Be Heard
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 15, 2012 -- Addendum on Consent Agenda Policies & Public Participation

A. Jody Inglefield spoke regarding the Mayor’s comments on a morning radio show and stated that he is disappointed that the opportunity for a citizen to remove an item from the consent agenda is not more democratic and open. He also asked that Council Members speak into the speakers because it is hard for citizens to hear. He further he didn’t think it would be difficult to put the proposed budget on the internet so that citizens can view it.

B. Rebecca Inglefield also spoke on the Mayor’s comments on the morning radio show and hoped that the process regarding the consent agenda can be clarified. She discussed the need for a public pool, and continued by discussing other very real needs in the city.

C. Walter Witherspoon spoke about the cost of the downtown structure and the need for a swimming pool. He discussed a document whereby the City Manager stated that the City will save $825,000 by not operating the pools, with the downtown structure costing a million and a half dollars.

D. Jimmy Davis commented about two general ways of looking at city government – how it is set up and how it functions. He stated that the citizens elected Council Members to serve their interests and to take care of business. The citizens gave Council Members their votes and trust them; therefore, they want to look at the official action.

General Comments
A. Alderman Seaver invited everyone to attend the Kiwanis Pancake Feast this weekend at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Viewmont and support the children of Catawba County.

B. Alderman Guess invited everyone to attend the event at the Zahra Baker Playground on Saturday at 11:00 am. Mayor Wright added that he looks forward to the benefits that the playground will provide for young people in the future.

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 15, 2012 -- Addendum on Consent Agenda Policies & Public Participation

Council Policy Regarding Consent Agenda Procedure - Presentation by City Manager Mick Berry -



The Hound on the Deal: I am sorry that I have to be dead level forward about these issues. My intention is not about attacking the City Manager. It is talking about Principles of Governance. Sometimes I am told by people in positions of power that I don't understand. Here is the deal. If I don't understand something, then it is your responsibility to educate me. That doesn't mean that I am going to just regurgitate what you say. We already have several media representatives to do that. That is the reason the Hound came into existence.

Now, I'm sorry, but I think the City Manager was talking passed the issue and frankly those who read this blog have already seen me address this. He is talking about Citizen Participation in Terms of Public Hearings. He is reiterating the points that he has already made in the Hickory Daily Record:

1) He says this is a review not a recommendation for changes. This is the code of the Council per 1998.
2) The Consent Agenda is part of the Agenda code and he doesn't just make that up.
3) You can get on the Agenda the prior Wednesday before a City Council Meeting.
4) The Agenda comes out on the internet for all to see the Friday before the meeting, so there is public notice.
5) He talks about how most items placed on the Agenda come through the Departments and cites examples.
6) He goes over the process for Citizens requesting to be Heard. Done by noon on Friday to be in the Agenda, but that isn't a Deadline, you can sign up at the meeting.
7) He went into the issue of second readings, which he stated is unique to the City of Hickory for binding decisions.
8) He talked about changes to be made to the cover sheet. Which he states shows the rules of the meeting verbatim.
9) Public Hearings have their own set of rules. They have added a suggestion sheet to the agenda pamphlet.
10) Talks about the address of city council is not a dialogue or debate. From a staff standpoint they don't know the question ahead of time. They don't want to answer with misinformation or tell the wrong thing. It is an opportunity to voice concerns. They will get right back with the citizen. This is not a time for an exchange back and forth.

The Hound wants to reiterate that this was not about policies of City Council meetings. The people that I associate with as a collective know just as much if not more than the City Council about the processes of City Council meetings. How do you think this maneuver happened to start with? 

The Brass Tax is that the Consent Agenda has been abused. Items that deserve to have a public discussion have been put on the Consent Agenda to keep debate from occurring before a vote is taken. It may not say that the City Manager can't put $423,000 of spending on a Consent Agenda, but it also doesn't say that you can and the people that I have spoken to believe that nothing where tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent should ever go on the Consent Agenda. It is about Representation and Accountability. The rest of this discussion about how citizens are to address the council is apples and oranges stuff.

Citizens Requesting to Be Heard

Dr. Joseph Inglefield - He stated that he is disappointed that the opportunity to approach the Council before the meeting to have an item removed from the consent agenda is not more Democratic and more open. He said it is hard to hear the council and he thinks it is important that they speak into the microphone so that we can hear them. It is important that we hear what they say and that is part of what Mr. Pope is after. (The Hound - I will address Larry's standoff with the council in the full newsletter). He says that the proposed budget should be available on the internet. Still hasn't had an answer about when can we have a dialogue. People come before the council because this is the only opportunity we have to speak publicly. We think the City Council should go on the record. That does not happen in one-on-one situations. It is more Democratic and open.

Rebecca Inglefield - Talked about the (Hal Row) radio program and the Hickory Hound and how she thought it was just great that you could hear what was said. The mayor stated on Hal Row's show that whatever changes were made would be clarified in the interest of greater transparency and greater citizen involvement not less. We can ask that anything be removed from the consent agenda, but as she understands it it has to be (removed) by a majority vote. There is no guarantee that a citizen will have any kind of direct impact.

She talked about the Mayor on Hal Row talking about being in the sign business and understanding wind loads through a computer program. The mayor also said that there were no efforts to conceal the costs of the structure. She was encouraged to request public records and the staff was prompt. She asked for a detailed item list of what has been paid for so far, but unfortunately she can't understand what she received and it appears that only $30,000 has been spent and she isn't sure why they asked for the additional amount of money. The current balance is $275,000. She isn't clear as to why there had to be an additional infusion of money into the project. She asked if they would respond or should she put in an additional request.

She next addressed the Inspiring Spaces project. The public will be invited to be involved and she is looking forward to that. She said she would put a request in writing to request the itemized expenditures and budget (for the structure downtown) so that she can understand this next time, but also who is on the committee to choose the name.

Three minutes was called and Walter Witherspoon said that he would yield his time and the Mayor stated that yielding time is not covered in our Code.

Rebecca asked when is the time to discuss the issues we want to discuss, when is the time? Hal Row asked you that and you didn't answer it. The Mayor says you have it right now. Rebecca states there is no discussion. The Mayor says you have my cell phone. Rebecca says In public with the whole Council with the public involved on the record. When is the time to do that?

She talks about the December 20, 2011 meeting and states that it is fascinating. It was stated there that we have plenty of money. When we bulldozed the pools, we had plenty of money then to bring the pools up to code. We had $1.8 million in the parking fund and over $8 million in the capital reserve fund. The Mayor clarified on the radio that there are no legal restrictions to the parking fund. That money could have been used to fix up the swimming pools. The Mayor retorted by asking if "are you going to be able to wrap this up."

She stated that the Mayor had said that the pools were the very first matter on the agenda for Parks and Rec. We are looking for that as part of the Inspiring Spaces. She talked about grocery stores and Ridgeview being a "Food Desert." That is a part of the health downfall we see in our community. She talks about Exodus Homes lack of budget. She says she is glad to see that there is money to go ahead and do that now.

She finished by talking about the $30,000 survey to see if the city wanted pools and people from every quadrant of the city said yes. The Parks and Rec has changed the priority, because of the city council.


Walter Witherspoon stated he was there for the Downtown structure. Mr. Lail said it might have been a little hasty, in the paper the other day, and he appreciates him speaking out on it. He sees six members there and one member stuck up. On the swimming pool item from May 18, 2010. The City manager reports in his proposed budget that we are going to save $825,000 on the pools. Two years hence, we are talking about one and a half million dollars Where is that money?

Jimmy Davis asked to speak. He spoke about the responsibilities of government. He talked about two important questions. Who have out elected and appointed officials been helping and Why?

There are two ways to look at our city government -- It's structure and it's function. Structure equals the city charter. It is important to ask about function. What our people have or have not done this side of those structures both as individuals and as a group. We put you there to serve our interests and take care of our business. We gave you our vote and our trust so therefore we want to look closely at your official action on issues that are important to us.

When you look at the City Government function you look at two broad categories -- fiscal and legislative. The first has to do with city money. Who gets our tax money and the second has to do with the laws and acts of the Mayor and City Council.


The Hound enjoyed these addresses of the Council. There were certainly some nuggets to think about there. Yes, the sound is terrible in the Council chambers and something should have been done about that long ago. Second, the $1.8 million balance in the parking fund is a very interesting number. That is one heck of a slushy there. I understand Walter' question. It isn't pools every year, so it wouldn't be $1.5 million, but if it is $825k plus operations, then it would be a about a million and we would certainly like to know how we have benefited from that money not being spent. We certainly don't see any money being spent on much of anything other than the Tent being paid for by the Slushy funds. And Jimmy posed some pretty good questions there. Oh and we are working towards bringing you these Council meetings in more of a 21st Century fashion. Hope someone cares.


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

The Socialist Republic of Hickory HooDoo (Part 2)

So we have to go through a Council Member to get an item removed from the Consent Agenda and if they don't agree, then it won't be pulled from the Consent Agenda. Again, what do these people have against citizens having a voice. They state that they are worried about the process being abused over petty issues. We are upset because this Council has consented to allowing the City Manager to abuse the Consent Agenda process and way to go Hickory Daily Record for once again toting the city's water without asking a freaking critical question. The HDR continually shows in the end whose side they are on.

From Harry Hipps: The "fix" they have articulated is that you can talk to a council member before the meetings if you want something removed from the consent agenda. They are supposed to hang out in the lobby or in chambers to listen to citizens prior to  going in to conduct business. The problems are: 1) the council member may be disinterested and not inclined to support the citizen's request, 2) the council member has no time to research the concern or reflect on any new facts or perspectives that may come to light, 3) the conversation with the council member is informal and is not publicly recorded which doesn't allow for other citizens learning of the concern and is wide open for a misinterpretation or denial of the private conversation held, 4) the citizen still doesn't have the opportunity to voice their concern and would probably do so more passionately and comprehensively than the council member who just had something dropped in their lap, and finally, 5) the members probably have a consensus position already and it would be an uphill climb to stop and reverse an immanent action.

Again, we see the control freak mentality. Citizens can't vote and we're just asking to comment. The power of the vote still rests with the council members and they really want to act without question. The abusing of the process argument is a straw man. Yes, it could happen, but they could restrict the abusers time or even call them out of order and have them removed from the podium. I don't see this happening often, though there is the possibility it could happen. Which begs the question: Should we risk the occasional outburst to increase public participation? My answer: yes.

Sad sad sad. But it befuddles me that they are so scared of losing control. Once again Rudy promises better and we get worse. And this man ran unopposed.

The Hound: If it is such a bad thing for the people of Hickory to have a voice within their governance and the only governmental process that is afforded is through the directives of an established Commissar with no checks and balances, then we no longer live under the established principles in which this nation was founded. Although I have no voice in any matters related to our governance and the people of Hickory have shown an unwillingness to take ownership of their personal role in the format of Republican Democracy, I would like to suggest that we do away with the outdated and unrecognized creed of the Pledge of Allegiance. Liberty and Justice for all - what kind of fantasy world is that?

Who are we pledging to anyway? Honestly, the real pledge should be to serve oneself and those who can personally enrich us. That is what we have seen in this country. I won't stand for this Anthem, but I think many would be more comfortable with its theme. Its not the words. Its the attitude.



And this is cynical, but it comes from frustration in dealing with By Hook or By Crook Governance.

City of Hickory HooDoo about Consent Agenda Process & Citizens

We need Citizens at the City Council Meeting this Tuesday night. Reading the May 15, 2012 City Council meeting Agenda Packet online surely does not make it appear that the City Manager, the Mayor, and City Council are going to make the removal of Consent Agenda items a more Democratic Process as the Mayor stated on Hal Row's show last week. It sounds like they are just going to remove the language allowing the Citizens to remove the items.

First of all, this is being presented as a Special Presentation. Once again they use a process that does not allow Citizen input. Special Presentations do not allow Citizen input. This is once again presented on Friday afternoon to where no one grasps it until the weekend is wrapping up and 48 hours before the meeting. That is the reason they put it out on Friday, hoping no one will pay attention. What is up with these people? Are they against the Democratic process and more in favor of manipulation of structures of governance?

First of all, by presenting this in a formal document, I believe that they are being dishonest with the public through obfuscation. Anyone utilizing the Removal of Consent Agenda Items process precedent as set forth on the City Council Agenda Pamphlet is not asking for a Public Hearing, they are following a process that has been endorsed by the Council for years. The issue is that someone has finally utilized the process and the City Council does not like it and they want to quickly sweep it under the rug before it settles into accepted normalcy.

When the City Administration's words state about the changing of the cover sheet,

  "We hope this cover sheet is clear and easy to understand and will help citizens effectively participate in City government."

It needs to be understood that we believe this change gives the appearance of an attempt to make the Council meetings even less citizen friendly, and is obviously an attempt make the civic process less responsive to citizen input. Furthermore, politically, it looks like a way to avoid public debate on issues potentially important to the community. The above statement was true with the way things were/are now prior to the impending changes. The entire Council needs to be dressed down on this issue Tuesday night. What do these Council members have against the citizens they say they represent?

Look at the wording in the City Council Agenda packet where it says Alderman Lail made "comments at the May 1, 2012 Council meeting for staff to rectify the erroneous information related to consent agenda items that was written on the cover sheet of the council agenda’s available to the public at council meetings." No! Alderman Lail made a motion and then was interrupted by City Manager Mick Berry and they never revisited the motion, because the Mayor said that he took it as more of a comment. It is all recorded. Once again they are making rules up to suit their personal agenda.

They are trying to say for a citizen to remove a Consent Agenda item that it must be as a petition through the City Manager through the "Public Hearing" process. We aren't asking for a public hearing. The Consent Agenda obviously has nothing to do with public hearings. And again, how are we supposed to ask to be placed on the agenda on Wednesday in response to items on an Agenda that doesn't come out until Friday on the internet?

Also on the radio (Hal Row's show), Rudy Wright said that the council didn't want citizens abusing the process by pulling items that were (paraphrasing) petty in nature. If that was our goal, then would we have not done this before now? We waited nearly five months for the City Manager to attempt another HooDoo through illegitimate process. A $285k or $137k item does not belong on the Consent Agenda. It doesn't matter whether they are using their Parking Slush Fund or not. That is the reason why we stood up. This is an important issue that citizens deserve to have input on and they wanted to railroad this through and they don't want anyone to be able to introduce resistance and push back to their personal agenda.

As has been stated, this is an issue of Precedent. No matter how the language found its way onto the pamphlet, this became the rule through practice, until someone had the audacity to use it. So, while it may not have been 'officially' adopted through vote of council, and that is certainly not the gospel given that, "Staff was unable to find when that rule was included," it became inclusive through practice until Rebecca Inglefield stood up and used it.

Hickory City Council Agenda packet for May 15, 2012 - Beginning on Page 10