1-5-13
Thom:
Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to use the "hickoryhound" to tell people about the upcoming news story concerning Grace Hospital.
Starting
this week, WBTV NewsChannel 3, will begin developing a news segment to
spotlight ongoing problems at Grace Hospital. My personal issue
involving a "process dispute" will be included, and reporters Jeff Keene
and Jamie Boll will be working on and talking to others who have had a
bad experience at Grace Hospital. If you have had ANY experience that
caused you grief or harrassed you or continues to harrass you months or
longer after the experience at Grace Hospital, Jeff Keene wants to talk
to you. Please contact Jeff at:
jkeene@wbtv.com - OR - (704) 374-3757
Jeff
wants ALL types of issues to include in the news segment, so if you
want to share yours, please contact Jeff at the email or phone number
listed here.
Sincerely,
Richard Garrison
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Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- January 6, 2013
Workers making $30,000 will take a bigger hit on their pay than those earning $500,000 under new fiscal deal - UK Mail Online - Hayley Peterson - January 4, 2013 - Middle-class workers will take a bigger hit to their income proportionately than those earning between $200,000 and $500,000 under the new fiscal cliff deal, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center... Earners in the latter group will pay an average 1.3 percent more - or an additional $2,711 - in taxes this year, while workers making between $30,000 and $200,000 will see their paychecks shrink by as much as 1.7 percent - or up to $1,784 - the D.C.-based think tank reported... Overall, nearly 80 percent of households will pay more money to the federal government as a result of the fiscal cliff deal.
FOMC Minutes: Some Fed Members Argue to End Bond Buying This Year - AP through NewsMax - January 3, 2013 - Federal Reserve policymakers expressed broad support last month for the Fed's plan to buy bonds to support the U.S. economy. But they differed over how long to keep buying bonds to drive down long-term interest rates. Minutes of the Fed's December policy meeting show that some of the 12 voting members thought the bond purchases would be warranted through the end of this year. Others felt the purchases should be slowed or stopped altogether before the end of 2013. This group was concerned that too much bond buying by the Fed might destabilize the economy. The Fed ended up approving open-ended purchases of $85 billion a month in Treasury securities and mortgage backed bonds to maintain its level of bond purchases. The minutes covered the Fed's Dec. 11-12 meeting. In a statement after the meeting, the Fed said it planned to keep a key interest rate at a record low even after unemployment falls close to a normal level — which it said might take three more years. As long as the outlook for inflation is mild, the Fed said it could keep short-term rates near zero at least until unemployment drops below 6.5 percent. The unemployment rate in November was 7.7 percent. On Friday, the government will release the rate for December. The statement was approved 11-1. Jeffrey Lacker, president of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, objected for the eighth straight time this year. Lacker has said he thinks the job market is being slowed by factors beyond the Fed's control. And he says further bond purchases risk worsening future inflation.
65 Percent Of Americans Believe That 2013 Will Be A Year Of Economic Difficulty - Michael Snyder - January 3rd, 2013 - Do you believe that economic trouble is coming in 2013? If so, you have a lot of company. According to a brand new Gallup poll that was just released, 65 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of "economic difficulty" while only 33 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of "economic prosperity". Gallup has been asking this question for a lot of years, and the percentage of Americans that are anticipating economic difficulty in the year ahead has not been this high since the early 1980s. And without a doubt, there are a whole lot of reasons to be deeply concerned about the economy as we head into the new year. But it isn't just 2013 that Americans are pessimistic about. According to the new Gallup poll, 50 percent of all Americans believe that the best days of America are behind us, and only 47 percent of all Americans believe that the best days of America are ahead of us. Those are very sobering numbers. Half the country believes that it is only downhill from here for the United States. Unfortunately, they are exactly right. Things are rapidly going to get worse for our economy and for our nation as a whole. We are going to start reaping the consequences of decades of very foolish decisions, and the pain is going to be immense. Gallup asked some other very interesting questions as well. The following are some of the other results from the poll... -68 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of rising crime rates. -57 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year in which American power will decline in the world. -82 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year in which taxes in the United States will rise.
So why are so many people so pessimistic as we enter 2013? That is a good question. I think that a lot of people are starting to wake up and are realizing the gigantic problems that are staring the U.S. right in the face. Even our friends over in Europe can see what is happening to us. We are like a former athletic champion that is now clearly on the wrong side of "middle age" and is exhibiting obvious signs of decline. We still like to think of ourselves as "the champ", but the truth is that we are fat, lazy, broken down and bankrupt. The following is a brief excerpt from an article that appeared in a major UK news source the other day...
Happy New Year Middle Class: The Fiscal Cliff Is Going To Rip You To Shreds - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - December 30th, 2012 - The middle class has quite a gift welcoming them as the calendar flips over to 2013. Their payroll taxes are going to go up, their income taxes are going to go up, and approximately 28 million households are going to be hit with a huge, unexpected AMT tax bill on their 2012 earnings. So happy New Year middle class! You are about to be ripped to shreds. In addition to the tax increases that I just mentioned, approximately two million unemployed Americans will instantly lose their extended unemployment benefits when 2013 begins, and new Obamacare tax hikes which will cost American taxpayers about a trillion dollars over the next decade will start to go into effect. If Congress is not able to come to some sort of a deal, all middle class families in America will be sending thousands more dollars to Uncle Sam next year than they were previously. And considering the fact that the middle class is already steadily shrinking and that the U.S. economy is already in an advanced state of decline, that is not good news. You would think that both major political parties would want to do something to keep the middle class from being hit with this kind of tax sledgehammer. Unfortunately, at this point it appears that our "leaders" in Washington D.C. are incapable of getting anything done. So get ready for much smaller paychecks and much larger tax bills. What is coming is not going to be pleasant.
So what happened? Weren't the tax increases only supposed to be for the wealthy?
Well, that is what the politicians always promise, but it is always the middle class that ends up getting hit the hardest. In this day and age, the big corporations and the ultra-wealthy are absolute masters at avoiding taxes. For example, Facebook paid approximately $4.64 million in taxes on their entire foreign profits of $1.344 billion for 2011. That comes out to a tax rate of about 0.3 percent. Overall, the global elite have approximately 18 trillion dollars parked in offshore tax havens such as the Cayman Islands. Keep in mind that U.S. GDP for 2011 was only slightly above 15 trillion dollars.
10 things you'll pay more for in 2013 - From satellite TV to baseball tickets, here's what you'll be shelling out more cash for this year. - CNN Money - Melanie Hicken - January 4, 2013
Lincolnton Furniture Company, praised for bringing jobs back to US, closes - Charlotte Observer through the Miami Herald - Cameron Steele - January 4, 2013 - Lincolnton Furniture Company closed abruptly Thursday just one year after it was hailed by President Barack Obama as an example of the recovering U.S. economy. Furniture-making operations stopped indefinitely and only a few people will remain employed moving forward, company financial officer Ben Causey said. “I don’t know where it’s going to go exactly; we’re still evaluating our situation,” Causey said. “We just didn’t have any choice at this point.” The company was not receiving the orders it needed to sustain its operations, Causey said. “We needed more orders is really what it boiled down to,” he said. “We thought they would materialize.” Owner Bruce Cochrane, a fifth generation furniture-manufacturer, formed the company in 2011 with a $5 million investment and the hope he could make a profit off people who wanted to buy furniture made in America. It was a move that caught the attention of North Carolina officials and those in the White House. Last year, Cochrane sat with the first lady during Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address. He also joined the president and other business leaders in a discussion about how to create more jobs at home. Attempts late Thursday to reach Cochrane were unsuccessful. Causey said company officials were thankful for the support they received from the community over the past year-and-a-half.
U.S. case goods maker Lincolnton Furniture closing - Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 4, 2013
Henredon to close upholstered furniture plant in Mount Airy, N.C. - Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today - January 4, 2013 - MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — Henredon Furniture is closing an upholstered furniture plant here, according to a report in the Mount Airy News. More than 100 people will be laid off as a result of the closing, which will take place over several months. The 102,500-square-foot facility is owned by Furniture Brands International, Henredon's parent company. The Mount Airy plant's operations will be moved to a 334,000-square-foot facility near Hickory, N.C., leased by the company, the report said.
The Giant Currency Superstorm That Is Coming To The USA.
FOMC Minutes: Some Fed Members Argue to End Bond Buying This Year - AP through NewsMax - January 3, 2013 - Federal Reserve policymakers expressed broad support last month for the Fed's plan to buy bonds to support the U.S. economy. But they differed over how long to keep buying bonds to drive down long-term interest rates. Minutes of the Fed's December policy meeting show that some of the 12 voting members thought the bond purchases would be warranted through the end of this year. Others felt the purchases should be slowed or stopped altogether before the end of 2013. This group was concerned that too much bond buying by the Fed might destabilize the economy. The Fed ended up approving open-ended purchases of $85 billion a month in Treasury securities and mortgage backed bonds to maintain its level of bond purchases. The minutes covered the Fed's Dec. 11-12 meeting. In a statement after the meeting, the Fed said it planned to keep a key interest rate at a record low even after unemployment falls close to a normal level — which it said might take three more years. As long as the outlook for inflation is mild, the Fed said it could keep short-term rates near zero at least until unemployment drops below 6.5 percent. The unemployment rate in November was 7.7 percent. On Friday, the government will release the rate for December. The statement was approved 11-1. Jeffrey Lacker, president of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, objected for the eighth straight time this year. Lacker has said he thinks the job market is being slowed by factors beyond the Fed's control. And he says further bond purchases risk worsening future inflation.
65 Percent Of Americans Believe That 2013 Will Be A Year Of Economic Difficulty - Michael Snyder - January 3rd, 2013 - Do you believe that economic trouble is coming in 2013? If so, you have a lot of company. According to a brand new Gallup poll that was just released, 65 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of "economic difficulty" while only 33 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of "economic prosperity". Gallup has been asking this question for a lot of years, and the percentage of Americans that are anticipating economic difficulty in the year ahead has not been this high since the early 1980s. And without a doubt, there are a whole lot of reasons to be deeply concerned about the economy as we head into the new year. But it isn't just 2013 that Americans are pessimistic about. According to the new Gallup poll, 50 percent of all Americans believe that the best days of America are behind us, and only 47 percent of all Americans believe that the best days of America are ahead of us. Those are very sobering numbers. Half the country believes that it is only downhill from here for the United States. Unfortunately, they are exactly right. Things are rapidly going to get worse for our economy and for our nation as a whole. We are going to start reaping the consequences of decades of very foolish decisions, and the pain is going to be immense. Gallup asked some other very interesting questions as well. The following are some of the other results from the poll... -68 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year of rising crime rates. -57 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year in which American power will decline in the world. -82 percent of Americans believe that 2013 will be a year in which taxes in the United States will rise.
So why are so many people so pessimistic as we enter 2013? That is a good question. I think that a lot of people are starting to wake up and are realizing the gigantic problems that are staring the U.S. right in the face. Even our friends over in Europe can see what is happening to us. We are like a former athletic champion that is now clearly on the wrong side of "middle age" and is exhibiting obvious signs of decline. We still like to think of ourselves as "the champ", but the truth is that we are fat, lazy, broken down and bankrupt. The following is a brief excerpt from an article that appeared in a major UK news source the other day...
Health Insurers Raise Some Rates by Double Digits - New York Times - By REED ABELSON - January 5, 2013 - Health insurance companies across the country are seeking and winning double-digit increases in premiums for some customers, even though one of the biggest objectives of the Obama administration’s health care law was to stem the rapid rise in insurance costs for consumers... Particularly vulnerable to the high rates are small businesses and people who do not have employer-provided insurance and must buy it on their own. In California, Aetna is proposing rate increases of as much as 22 percent, Anthem Blue Cross 26 percent and Blue Shield of California 20 percent for some of those policy holders, according to the insurers’ filings with the state for 2013. These rate requests are all the more striking after a 39 percent rise sought by Anthem Blue Cross in 2010 helped give impetus to the law, known as the Affordable Care Act, which was passed the same year and will not be fully in effect until 2014. In other states, like Florida and Ohio, insurers have been able to raise rates by at least 20 percent for some policy holders. The rate increases can amount to several hundred dollars a month. The proposed increases compare with about 4 percent for families with employer-based policies. Under the health care law, regulators are now required to review any request for a rate increase of 10 percent or more; the requests are posted on a federal Web site, healthcare.gov, along with regulators’ evaluations. The review process not only reveals the sharp disparity in the rates themselves, it also demonstrates the striking difference between places like New York, one of the 37 states where legislatures have given regulators some authority to deny or roll back rates deemed excessive, and California, which is among the states that do not have that ability.
Happy New Year Middle Class: The Fiscal Cliff Is Going To Rip You To Shreds - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - December 30th, 2012 - The middle class has quite a gift welcoming them as the calendar flips over to 2013. Their payroll taxes are going to go up, their income taxes are going to go up, and approximately 28 million households are going to be hit with a huge, unexpected AMT tax bill on their 2012 earnings. So happy New Year middle class! You are about to be ripped to shreds. In addition to the tax increases that I just mentioned, approximately two million unemployed Americans will instantly lose their extended unemployment benefits when 2013 begins, and new Obamacare tax hikes which will cost American taxpayers about a trillion dollars over the next decade will start to go into effect. If Congress is not able to come to some sort of a deal, all middle class families in America will be sending thousands more dollars to Uncle Sam next year than they were previously. And considering the fact that the middle class is already steadily shrinking and that the U.S. economy is already in an advanced state of decline, that is not good news. You would think that both major political parties would want to do something to keep the middle class from being hit with this kind of tax sledgehammer. Unfortunately, at this point it appears that our "leaders" in Washington D.C. are incapable of getting anything done. So get ready for much smaller paychecks and much larger tax bills. What is coming is not going to be pleasant.
So what happened? Weren't the tax increases only supposed to be for the wealthy?
Well, that is what the politicians always promise, but it is always the middle class that ends up getting hit the hardest. In this day and age, the big corporations and the ultra-wealthy are absolute masters at avoiding taxes. For example, Facebook paid approximately $4.64 million in taxes on their entire foreign profits of $1.344 billion for 2011. That comes out to a tax rate of about 0.3 percent. Overall, the global elite have approximately 18 trillion dollars parked in offshore tax havens such as the Cayman Islands. Keep in mind that U.S. GDP for 2011 was only slightly above 15 trillion dollars.
10 things you'll pay more for in 2013 - From satellite TV to baseball tickets, here's what you'll be shelling out more cash for this year. - CNN Money - Melanie Hicken - January 4, 2013
Lincolnton Furniture Company, praised for bringing jobs back to US, closes - Charlotte Observer through the Miami Herald - Cameron Steele - January 4, 2013 - Lincolnton Furniture Company closed abruptly Thursday just one year after it was hailed by President Barack Obama as an example of the recovering U.S. economy. Furniture-making operations stopped indefinitely and only a few people will remain employed moving forward, company financial officer Ben Causey said. “I don’t know where it’s going to go exactly; we’re still evaluating our situation,” Causey said. “We just didn’t have any choice at this point.” The company was not receiving the orders it needed to sustain its operations, Causey said. “We needed more orders is really what it boiled down to,” he said. “We thought they would materialize.” Owner Bruce Cochrane, a fifth generation furniture-manufacturer, formed the company in 2011 with a $5 million investment and the hope he could make a profit off people who wanted to buy furniture made in America. It was a move that caught the attention of North Carolina officials and those in the White House. Last year, Cochrane sat with the first lady during Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address. He also joined the president and other business leaders in a discussion about how to create more jobs at home. Attempts late Thursday to reach Cochrane were unsuccessful. Causey said company officials were thankful for the support they received from the community over the past year-and-a-half.
U.S. case goods maker Lincolnton Furniture closing - Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 4, 2013
Henredon to close upholstered furniture plant in Mount Airy, N.C. - Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today - January 4, 2013 - MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — Henredon Furniture is closing an upholstered furniture plant here, according to a report in the Mount Airy News. More than 100 people will be laid off as a result of the closing, which will take place over several months. The 102,500-square-foot facility is owned by Furniture Brands International, Henredon's parent company. The Mount Airy plant's operations will be moved to a 334,000-square-foot facility near Hickory, N.C., leased by the company, the report said.
The Giant Currency Superstorm That Is Coming To The USA.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
The Late Great Jim Valvano: Cutting Down the Nets (1987)
Thank You McCall72 from Youtube
As explained by McCall72 - A speech delivered by the late great Jim Valvano the then head coach of the NC State Wolfpack circa 1987. I've had this in my possession for a good long while. This speech was giving at the 1987 Million Dollar Round Table annual meeting.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of January 2, 2013
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 1/2/2012 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.
All materials and maps for this meeting are provide at this link:
City Council Action Agenda - January 2, 2013
Invocation by Rev. Deacon Barbara Burns, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval to surplus 2,231 Discarded Library Materials so that these materials may be given to the Friends of the Library to be sold at the Friends “Corner Book Store” at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. The sale of donated and discarded books is the primary fundraising activity of the Friends of the Library and discarded library materials comprise a significant portion of their inventory. The sale of these items ultimately benefits the library, and is an appropriate means of disposing of unneeded materials. Public Notice advertised on December 21, 2012 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
B. Approval to Declare as Surplus eighty-four (84) Scott AV-2000 Masks that can be utilized by other public safety agencies. In 2003 Scott Safety redesigned their Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) masks which improved the facial fit to the wearer and the voice amplification system. The fire department purchased the new mask (AV-3000) for all fire suppression members. The AV-2000 masks that were replaced by this new mask were taken out of service and put into storage. The City of Hickory Fire Department has received requests from Hiddenite Fire Department requesting (20) twenty AV-200 SCBA Masks and a request from Stewart-Simmons Volunteer Fire Department for (25) twenty-five masks. The currently value of each mask, per the manufacturer, is approximately $50. This request is to donate the masks to departments that request the need. Public Notice advertised on December 21, 2012 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
C. Approval to Purchase Six Specialized Police Package Emergency Vehicles. - Hickory Police Department request approval of the purchase of six rear wheel drive Chevrolet Caprice police package vehicles from Bobby Murray Chevrolet on the North Carolina State Contract at a cost of $27,458.60 per vehicle and a total cost of $164,751.60. The police department has funds budgeted in 2012-2013 CIP for replacement of police vehicles.
D. Approval to issue a pyrotechnic display permit to Hickory Crawdads. - The North Carolina Fire Code requires a mandatory operational permit for the use and handling of pyrotechnic special effects material. The Fire Prevention Bureau shall review all required documentation such as but not limited to the following: Alcohol Tobacco and Firearm’s (ATF) License, Operator and Assistant Operators Permits from North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), Site Plan, and the one million dollar liability insurance policy. The Fire Prevention Bureau will also inspect the pyrotechnics display area prior to the event to ensure compliance with NCOSFM Guidelines, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA 1123 Code for Fireworks Display, and NFPA 1126 Use of Pyrotechnics Before a Proximate Audience (if applicable) are met.
E. Approval of 2012 State Legislative Agenda. - Staff has sent to City Council a draft of the proposed 2012 State Legislative Agenda. The NC General Assembly convenes its long session on January 9, 2013. City staff, City Council and City residents and business owners will promote to our local delegation and other members the City’s priorities which will enhance the City’s opportunities for economic growth and provision of municipal services. The Legislative agenda is dynamic and may change as different proposals are discussed by the NC 2013 General Assembly and Executive Branch.
F. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 10.
1. To budget a $2,000 donation from the N.R.P.A. (National Recreation and Park Association) in the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Supplies ($1,361) and M & R Grounds ($639) line items. This donation is to purchase basketball goals at Southside Park.
2. To budget $20,000 of General Fund Contingency in the Public Buildings Maintenance and Repair line item. This amendment is to pay for installation of a 125KW generator at City Hall to provide a backup power source. Currently there is no backup power source at City Hall and there is a risk of loss of data if a power failure does occur. All work will be performed by Public Services staff.
3. To budget $9,551 of Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds in the Part-Time Salaries ($8,873) and FICA Taxes ($678) line items. This represents the reimbursement to the General Fund for the salary and tax benefits paid for a Part-Time employee to complete the grant funded duties for the smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector installation program.
4. To budget $35,880 of Community Development Block Grant revenues in the Public Buildings General Capital Improvements line item. This amendment is necessary to pay for the parking lot project at the 400 Block of South Center Street. This project will be funded with Community Development Block Grant revenues and the Community Development Block Grant Fund will reimburse the General Fund when the project is complete.
5. To transfer $38,381 of remaining revenues in excess of expenditures related to the Hickory District Court Facility in FY11-12 from the General Fund to the District Court Capital Reserve Fund.
Informational Items
A. Report of Alderman Hank Guess travel to Metropolitan Mayors Legislative Retreat in Raleigh, NC on December 12-13, 2012 (Meals - $34.18; Gas in city vehicle - $36.00; Lodging - $156.72; Registration - $120.00 and Parking - $22.00)
New Business - Public Hearing
1. (3:30) Financing Concept for the Hickory-Catawba Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade and Expansion.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Appointments to Boards and Commissions
a) (16;30) NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES - Selection of a Voting Delegate to the North Carolina League of Municipalities Advocacy Goals Conference 2013
b) (20:40) SUBCOMMITTEE ON CITIZEN INPUT AT THE BEGINNING OF MEETINGS - At it’s December 18, 2012 meeting, City Council established a subcommittee of Mayor Wright, Alderwoman Fox and Alderwoman Patton to “Decide the language for getting citizens input at the beginning of the meeting.” As a duly appointed subcommittee of its members, the meetings will be advertised and open to the public. Council can discuss the process of the subcommittee and establish a time and location for its first meeting.
Previous History on this issue.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 18, 2012 - Cliff Moone spoke once again about the process that has been instituted in relation to allowing Citizens to be heard before votes are taken in relation to second readings, Consent Agenda Items, and Departmental Reports.At the end of the meeting Council voted affirmatively to form a subcommittee to formally put this process, allowing Citizens to be Heard before votes are taken, on the Agenda.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 2, 2012 - Addendum on the CEG proposals - Proposal introduced by the Mayor outside of the constructs of the agenda
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of November 20, 2012 - Cliff Moone addressed the issue of Citizens being allowed the question items on the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. He discussed what occurred at the October 2, 2012 meeting.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 4, 2012 - Cliff Moone addresses the City Council about the Council's new policy odf making a motion to allow citizen's to address the City Council about items on the Agenda. Cliff and all members of the Citizens for Equity in Government feel that the Council is proverbially flying by the seat of their pants on this. Second they are not following proper protocol, because this is nowhere to be found on the Public Agenda, so technically it is a matter not on the Agenda and should by statute come at the end of the meeting after Citizens Requesting to Be Heard, which takes us back to square one. Hickory Inc. wants to say what's the big deal and we agree. Since it isn't a big deal, then formally put in on the agenda and quit with the ruse.
The Hound's Comment:
This was a straight forward meeting that lasted right around 30 minutes. Of course the "Citizens Requesting to be Heard" item is the real issue of the moment. I hold out hope that the Mayor will be cooperative in allowing citizens to speak about items on the agenda before votes take place. It is only a big deal because of certain processes that occurred over the last few years. It isn't a big deal to allow the public to be heard before decisions are made that affect them. It is the right thing to do.
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 1/2/2012 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.
All materials and maps for this meeting are provide at this link:
City Council Action Agenda - January 2, 2013
Invocation by Rev. Deacon Barbara Burns, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval to surplus 2,231 Discarded Library Materials so that these materials may be given to the Friends of the Library to be sold at the Friends “Corner Book Store” at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. The sale of donated and discarded books is the primary fundraising activity of the Friends of the Library and discarded library materials comprise a significant portion of their inventory. The sale of these items ultimately benefits the library, and is an appropriate means of disposing of unneeded materials. Public Notice advertised on December 21, 2012 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
B. Approval to Declare as Surplus eighty-four (84) Scott AV-2000 Masks that can be utilized by other public safety agencies. In 2003 Scott Safety redesigned their Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) masks which improved the facial fit to the wearer and the voice amplification system. The fire department purchased the new mask (AV-3000) for all fire suppression members. The AV-2000 masks that were replaced by this new mask were taken out of service and put into storage. The City of Hickory Fire Department has received requests from Hiddenite Fire Department requesting (20) twenty AV-200 SCBA Masks and a request from Stewart-Simmons Volunteer Fire Department for (25) twenty-five masks. The currently value of each mask, per the manufacturer, is approximately $50. This request is to donate the masks to departments that request the need. Public Notice advertised on December 21, 2012 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
C. Approval to Purchase Six Specialized Police Package Emergency Vehicles. - Hickory Police Department request approval of the purchase of six rear wheel drive Chevrolet Caprice police package vehicles from Bobby Murray Chevrolet on the North Carolina State Contract at a cost of $27,458.60 per vehicle and a total cost of $164,751.60. The police department has funds budgeted in 2012-2013 CIP for replacement of police vehicles.
D. Approval to issue a pyrotechnic display permit to Hickory Crawdads. - The North Carolina Fire Code requires a mandatory operational permit for the use and handling of pyrotechnic special effects material. The Fire Prevention Bureau shall review all required documentation such as but not limited to the following: Alcohol Tobacco and Firearm’s (ATF) License, Operator and Assistant Operators Permits from North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), Site Plan, and the one million dollar liability insurance policy. The Fire Prevention Bureau will also inspect the pyrotechnics display area prior to the event to ensure compliance with NCOSFM Guidelines, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA 1123 Code for Fireworks Display, and NFPA 1126 Use of Pyrotechnics Before a Proximate Audience (if applicable) are met.
E. Approval of 2012 State Legislative Agenda. - Staff has sent to City Council a draft of the proposed 2012 State Legislative Agenda. The NC General Assembly convenes its long session on January 9, 2013. City staff, City Council and City residents and business owners will promote to our local delegation and other members the City’s priorities which will enhance the City’s opportunities for economic growth and provision of municipal services. The Legislative agenda is dynamic and may change as different proposals are discussed by the NC 2013 General Assembly and Executive Branch.
F. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 10.
1. To budget a $2,000 donation from the N.R.P.A. (National Recreation and Park Association) in the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Supplies ($1,361) and M & R Grounds ($639) line items. This donation is to purchase basketball goals at Southside Park.
2. To budget $20,000 of General Fund Contingency in the Public Buildings Maintenance and Repair line item. This amendment is to pay for installation of a 125KW generator at City Hall to provide a backup power source. Currently there is no backup power source at City Hall and there is a risk of loss of data if a power failure does occur. All work will be performed by Public Services staff.
3. To budget $9,551 of Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds in the Part-Time Salaries ($8,873) and FICA Taxes ($678) line items. This represents the reimbursement to the General Fund for the salary and tax benefits paid for a Part-Time employee to complete the grant funded duties for the smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector installation program.
4. To budget $35,880 of Community Development Block Grant revenues in the Public Buildings General Capital Improvements line item. This amendment is necessary to pay for the parking lot project at the 400 Block of South Center Street. This project will be funded with Community Development Block Grant revenues and the Community Development Block Grant Fund will reimburse the General Fund when the project is complete.
5. To transfer $38,381 of remaining revenues in excess of expenditures related to the Hickory District Court Facility in FY11-12 from the General Fund to the District Court Capital Reserve Fund.
Informational Items
A. Report of Alderman Hank Guess travel to Metropolitan Mayors Legislative Retreat in Raleigh, NC on December 12-13, 2012 (Meals - $34.18; Gas in city vehicle - $36.00; Lodging - $156.72; Registration - $120.00 and Parking - $22.00)
New Business - Public Hearing
1. (3:30) Financing Concept for the Hickory-Catawba Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade and Expansion.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Appointments to Boards and Commissions
a) (16;30) NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES - Selection of a Voting Delegate to the North Carolina League of Municipalities Advocacy Goals Conference 2013
b) (20:40) SUBCOMMITTEE ON CITIZEN INPUT AT THE BEGINNING OF MEETINGS - At it’s December 18, 2012 meeting, City Council established a subcommittee of Mayor Wright, Alderwoman Fox and Alderwoman Patton to “Decide the language for getting citizens input at the beginning of the meeting.” As a duly appointed subcommittee of its members, the meetings will be advertised and open to the public. Council can discuss the process of the subcommittee and establish a time and location for its first meeting.
Previous History on this issue.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 18, 2012 - Cliff Moone spoke once again about the process that has been instituted in relation to allowing Citizens to be heard before votes are taken in relation to second readings, Consent Agenda Items, and Departmental Reports.At the end of the meeting Council voted affirmatively to form a subcommittee to formally put this process, allowing Citizens to be Heard before votes are taken, on the Agenda.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 2, 2012 - Addendum on the CEG proposals - Proposal introduced by the Mayor outside of the constructs of the agenda
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of November 20, 2012 - Cliff Moone addressed the issue of Citizens being allowed the question items on the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. He discussed what occurred at the October 2, 2012 meeting.
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 4, 2012 - Cliff Moone addresses the City Council about the Council's new policy odf making a motion to allow citizen's to address the City Council about items on the Agenda. Cliff and all members of the Citizens for Equity in Government feel that the Council is proverbially flying by the seat of their pants on this. Second they are not following proper protocol, because this is nowhere to be found on the Public Agenda, so technically it is a matter not on the Agenda and should by statute come at the end of the meeting after Citizens Requesting to Be Heard, which takes us back to square one. Hickory Inc. wants to say what's the big deal and we agree. Since it isn't a big deal, then formally put in on the agenda and quit with the ruse.
The Hound's Comment:
This was a straight forward meeting that lasted right around 30 minutes. Of course the "Citizens Requesting to be Heard" item is the real issue of the moment. I hold out hope that the Mayor will be cooperative in allowing citizens to speak about items on the agenda before votes take place. It is only a big deal because of certain processes that occurred over the last few years. It isn't a big deal to allow the public to be heard before decisions are made that affect them. It is the right thing to do.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Hickory City Council Meeting - January 2, 2013 - Video Presentation
The Following is a video presentation of the Hickory City Council meeting of January 2, 2013.
Lower right hand square in the Youtube box takes you to full screen mode.
The big discussion of the night was about the subcommittee consisting of Mayor Wright, Alderwoman Fox and Alderwoman Patton to “Decide the language for getting citizens input at the beginning of the meeting.” As a duly appointed subcommittee of its members, the meetings will be advertised and open to the public. Council can discuss the process of the subcommittee and establish a time and location for its first meeting.
It looks like this meeting will occur on Monday January 14, 2012 at 9:30am. They did not mention where the meeting will take place but it will be a public meeting. This discussion begin at 20:40.
Lower right hand square in the Youtube box takes you to full screen mode.
The big discussion of the night was about the subcommittee consisting of Mayor Wright, Alderwoman Fox and Alderwoman Patton to “Decide the language for getting citizens input at the beginning of the meeting.” As a duly appointed subcommittee of its members, the meetings will be advertised and open to the public. Council can discuss the process of the subcommittee and establish a time and location for its first meeting.
It looks like this meeting will occur on Monday January 14, 2012 at 9:30am. They did not mention where the meeting will take place but it will be a public meeting. This discussion begin at 20:40.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Cutting off the GOP Gravy Train
Peter King: Halt donations to House GOP
This is what I have done for the past few years. I have given no money to the GOP. One of the reasons why I haven't given any money is because I don't have it and what little money I do have to give has gone to help the Church and some individual causes.
I received a phone call on Saturday asking for a contribution to "Activate" my GOP membership. I told the guy I wasn't giving them a damned thing. First off, the only reason I answered the phone was because I thought it was a family member, because my family was in town, but if this guy was going to talk it up, then I was going to give him a piece of my mind.
I could tell that he was going over a schematic list... if I say this, then you say that type of thing. The first thing out of his mouth was about the Fiscal Cliff and how we need to beat back the Democrats to get the governments finances under control. I told him the Fiscal Cliff was a joke and we've gone over the cliff long ago. I told him that our party has contributed to this as much as the Democrats. We just initiated and pushed through a $677 billion Defense Authorization Program and how much is Homeland Security costing us? I fully support our troops, but in 2001 I wasn't signing on to wars that would last forever. I feel duped by all of that stuff. Hell, we blow things up to build them back again to blow them up again... How much is that costing along with giving billions to Warlords all over the Near and Far East?
Then he switches and says he understands my anger. Yeah, we need to get some of our guys out of there, how he is AWAKE, but we can only do that by supporting the party. Sounded like Bush telling us how the only way to save the free market system was through policies that interfered with the operation of the free market. I gave him Harry's line about "if you keep doing what you're doing, you're gonna get what you've got."
Can you give $100... Our party was fully instrumental in destroying my community's Industrial base through all of these "Free for All" trade agreements like GATT, the WTO, and NAFTA, why should I support that?
Can you give $50... My party turned a blind eye on immigration and worked with Democrats to allow an influx of people who have helped, along with the one way trade agreements, to diminish my ability to earn income, then they fuss about people not working or being on food stamps. That helps Democrats look good, because at least they say they don't want people being homeless or starving to death. Hey Republicans, why not work to bring decent paying jobs back to America? Then you will have a right to tell people to work or starve. Right now you just come across as apathetic idiots and hypocrites.
Can you give $25... The Republican Party says it is against unions, but they run the party like it's a union. Everybody is supposed to wait their turn and be seen, but not heard. This is as much our country as it is the bigwigs. They aren't going to get that until we show them that. I believe in a Meritocracy. I like the best ideas to come forward... the cream to rise to the top. One of the points of the Contract with America in 1993 was the idea of term limits. The idea that citizens would serve a few years and then go back home to rejoin society as a citizen - to be like everyone else as one of the people. When the Republicans won the majority, this was pushed to the background and rarely heard of again,. The Congress continued with their special salaries, special healthcare, special pensions, and other special privileges and amenities, while most of the rest of society has continued to decline... No I am not going to give you any money to continue on with your party and these policies.
Can you give anything... You don't get it. Back when I was making decent money and expenses were a lot less, I gave you money. That is how I got on this list. I gave you money, because I had it and I believed in the cause and the agenda you were espousing. And you took my money and you worked against my interests, because my money didn't amount to a hill of beans compared to that of the spoiled, effeminate Wall Street and Main Street Nutthuggers. You didn't do what you said you were going to do. I'll tell you what. When you do what you said you were going to do all of those years ago and you accomplish what you promised me and you begin working in my interests (the majority of the working public's interests), then I might feel like giving you some money and better yet, I might be able to afford to give you some money.
Til then GOOD BYE!
This is what I have done for the past few years. I have given no money to the GOP. One of the reasons why I haven't given any money is because I don't have it and what little money I do have to give has gone to help the Church and some individual causes.
I received a phone call on Saturday asking for a contribution to "Activate" my GOP membership. I told the guy I wasn't giving them a damned thing. First off, the only reason I answered the phone was because I thought it was a family member, because my family was in town, but if this guy was going to talk it up, then I was going to give him a piece of my mind.
I could tell that he was going over a schematic list... if I say this, then you say that type of thing. The first thing out of his mouth was about the Fiscal Cliff and how we need to beat back the Democrats to get the governments finances under control. I told him the Fiscal Cliff was a joke and we've gone over the cliff long ago. I told him that our party has contributed to this as much as the Democrats. We just initiated and pushed through a $677 billion Defense Authorization Program and how much is Homeland Security costing us? I fully support our troops, but in 2001 I wasn't signing on to wars that would last forever. I feel duped by all of that stuff. Hell, we blow things up to build them back again to blow them up again... How much is that costing along with giving billions to Warlords all over the Near and Far East?
Then he switches and says he understands my anger. Yeah, we need to get some of our guys out of there, how he is AWAKE, but we can only do that by supporting the party. Sounded like Bush telling us how the only way to save the free market system was through policies that interfered with the operation of the free market. I gave him Harry's line about "if you keep doing what you're doing, you're gonna get what you've got."
Can you give $100... Our party was fully instrumental in destroying my community's Industrial base through all of these "Free for All" trade agreements like GATT, the WTO, and NAFTA, why should I support that?
Can you give $50... My party turned a blind eye on immigration and worked with Democrats to allow an influx of people who have helped, along with the one way trade agreements, to diminish my ability to earn income, then they fuss about people not working or being on food stamps. That helps Democrats look good, because at least they say they don't want people being homeless or starving to death. Hey Republicans, why not work to bring decent paying jobs back to America? Then you will have a right to tell people to work or starve. Right now you just come across as apathetic idiots and hypocrites.
Can you give $25... The Republican Party says it is against unions, but they run the party like it's a union. Everybody is supposed to wait their turn and be seen, but not heard. This is as much our country as it is the bigwigs. They aren't going to get that until we show them that. I believe in a Meritocracy. I like the best ideas to come forward... the cream to rise to the top. One of the points of the Contract with America in 1993 was the idea of term limits. The idea that citizens would serve a few years and then go back home to rejoin society as a citizen - to be like everyone else as one of the people. When the Republicans won the majority, this was pushed to the background and rarely heard of again,. The Congress continued with their special salaries, special healthcare, special pensions, and other special privileges and amenities, while most of the rest of society has continued to decline... No I am not going to give you any money to continue on with your party and these policies.
Can you give anything... You don't get it. Back when I was making decent money and expenses were a lot less, I gave you money. That is how I got on this list. I gave you money, because I had it and I believed in the cause and the agenda you were espousing. And you took my money and you worked against my interests, because my money didn't amount to a hill of beans compared to that of the spoiled, effeminate Wall Street and Main Street Nutthuggers. You didn't do what you said you were going to do. I'll tell you what. When you do what you said you were going to do all of those years ago and you accomplish what you promised me and you begin working in my interests (the majority of the working public's interests), then I might feel like giving you some money and better yet, I might be able to afford to give you some money.
Til then GOOD BYE!
I told you so -- The Fiscal Farce
It is time folks. It is time to decide. Do you want to look in the mirror and see a tool and a fool or are you going to say No More... No More.
Folks, the charades that we have seen have destroyed the Republic. I told you they were going to make a deal and I told you that it was going to be bad. I am not arguing for arguments sake. I understand in negotiations that you have to compromise. I am not an idiot.
What we see is that at a time when we have grown the National Debt by over $6 trillion in 4 years, we are ready to further expand that. Like I pointed to a few weeks ago, you could actually see the National debt balloon to $22 trillion to $32 Trillion in the next 4 years. That is just by extrapolating the exponential numbers that we have seen over the last 8 years.
All it takes to break the dollar is a little blip up in interest rates. If interest rates go back to where they were in 2000, then our economy will be fully decimated. Bear with me.
The Federal Funds Rate
In other words the Fed Funds rate is the Interest Rate at which Intrabank Lending takes place at the shortest term basis (Daily). How much interest you earn or pay on a loan is based upon this rate. How much interest the Government earns or pays is based upon the Fed Funds Rate. It always costs more to take a loan out than you will earn in interest, because of the inherent risk associated with payback.
Today, because of Federal Reserve System manipulation, the Ded Funds interest rate is .1%. If you look back to 2007, that rate was 5.5% and back in 2000 it was 6.24%. Right now we are servicing the National Debt at an interest rate that floats somewhere near this rate through the sale of Treasury notes. When they tell you that they are going to raise the National Debt, that means that they are going to auction off more of these notes to the public Market. Other sovereign governments have been buying these notes (China, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia). Your Social Security is invested in these instruments. All of your financial institutions (Banks, Insurance Companies, Mutual Funds, and Pension Funds) are invested heavily in these instruments. And the Federal Reserve is even purchasing these funds from themselves, while this money already essentially has no backing.
All it takes is for one of these big institutions to start selling their holdings and/or demand a higher interest rate to invest and our problems will grow exponentially.
Last year the interest on the National debt was nearly $360 Billion ($359,796,008,919.49). If you round off that our average debt for 2011-12 was $15.5 trillion, then we paid an average interest rate of around 2.3% on the National Debt. What if interest rates were to go back closer to their historical average of around 4, 5, or 6%?
That would mean that we would easily see a doubling of the interest paid annually on the National Debt. That could easily take interest payments up to $700 Billion a year or higher. We are already running annual deficits of over $1 trillion over the past 4 years. If you start adding another $300 billion in interest, then you will never get that number down.
The biggest effect of all of this is that it is debasing the currency. Think of dollars as shares in a Corporation called the United States of America. The more of those dollars that are issued, the less the value of each share, especially when the value of the company isn't increasing.
I can go on and on about this, but what I presented is a lot to ponder. You might think everything is alright, because you have hitched your wagonj to the news media and the politicos. Oh they will tell you how the Gross Domestic Product grew at 3.1% last quarter, but they aren't factoring in inflation (resulting from the debasement of the currency) or the fact that much of that growth is accounted for through government spending paid for by increased debt.
And all the while, they continue on with their games, while kicking the can down the road. There is a reckoning steaming towards us. We're already over the cliff. I believe we are days (if not hours) away from the markets reacting very negatively.
Message to Congressman McHenry -- Get Rid of Boehner! It is time for him to go. He doesn't get it.
Folks, the charades that we have seen have destroyed the Republic. I told you they were going to make a deal and I told you that it was going to be bad. I am not arguing for arguments sake. I understand in negotiations that you have to compromise. I am not an idiot.
What we see is that at a time when we have grown the National Debt by over $6 trillion in 4 years, we are ready to further expand that. Like I pointed to a few weeks ago, you could actually see the National debt balloon to $22 trillion to $32 Trillion in the next 4 years. That is just by extrapolating the exponential numbers that we have seen over the last 8 years.
All it takes to break the dollar is a little blip up in interest rates. If interest rates go back to where they were in 2000, then our economy will be fully decimated. Bear with me.
The Federal Funds Rate
Wikipedia - In the United States, the federal funds rate is the interest rate at which depository institutions actively trade balances held at the Federal Reserve, called federal funds, with each other, usually overnight, on an uncollateralized basis. Institutions with surplus balances in their accounts lend those balances to institutions in need of larger balances. The federal funds rate is an important benchmark in financial markets.[1][2]
In other words the Fed Funds rate is the Interest Rate at which Intrabank Lending takes place at the shortest term basis (Daily). How much interest you earn or pay on a loan is based upon this rate. How much interest the Government earns or pays is based upon the Fed Funds Rate. It always costs more to take a loan out than you will earn in interest, because of the inherent risk associated with payback.
Today, because of Federal Reserve System manipulation, the Ded Funds interest rate is .1%. If you look back to 2007, that rate was 5.5% and back in 2000 it was 6.24%. Right now we are servicing the National Debt at an interest rate that floats somewhere near this rate through the sale of Treasury notes. When they tell you that they are going to raise the National Debt, that means that they are going to auction off more of these notes to the public Market. Other sovereign governments have been buying these notes (China, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia). Your Social Security is invested in these instruments. All of your financial institutions (Banks, Insurance Companies, Mutual Funds, and Pension Funds) are invested heavily in these instruments. And the Federal Reserve is even purchasing these funds from themselves, while this money already essentially has no backing.
All it takes is for one of these big institutions to start selling their holdings and/or demand a higher interest rate to invest and our problems will grow exponentially.
Last year the interest on the National debt was nearly $360 Billion ($359,796,008,919.49). If you round off that our average debt for 2011-12 was $15.5 trillion, then we paid an average interest rate of around 2.3% on the National Debt. What if interest rates were to go back closer to their historical average of around 4, 5, or 6%?
That would mean that we would easily see a doubling of the interest paid annually on the National Debt. That could easily take interest payments up to $700 Billion a year or higher. We are already running annual deficits of over $1 trillion over the past 4 years. If you start adding another $300 billion in interest, then you will never get that number down.
The biggest effect of all of this is that it is debasing the currency. Think of dollars as shares in a Corporation called the United States of America. The more of those dollars that are issued, the less the value of each share, especially when the value of the company isn't increasing.
I can go on and on about this, but what I presented is a lot to ponder. You might think everything is alright, because you have hitched your wagonj to the news media and the politicos. Oh they will tell you how the Gross Domestic Product grew at 3.1% last quarter, but they aren't factoring in inflation (resulting from the debasement of the currency) or the fact that much of that growth is accounted for through government spending paid for by increased debt.
And all the while, they continue on with their games, while kicking the can down the road. There is a reckoning steaming towards us. We're already over the cliff. I believe we are days (if not hours) away from the markets reacting very negatively.
Message to Congressman McHenry -- Get Rid of Boehner! It is time for him to go. He doesn't get it.
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