John Fitzgerald Kennedy was murdered 50 years ago tomorrow. He is looked upon as being a President of distinction and significance even though he served just 1,036 days in office. His death has had a resonance in this country, because he is viewed upon as being struck down in the prime of his life.
Young people related very well with this man. His Presidency was viewed upon as a new era in this country and upon his death we went from an inspirational leader backwards to a hard man, and some would even say a crass man, in Lyndon Johnson who stole hope and ushered in years of fear, control and paranoia that still grip the Presidential office to this day. Six revolutionary seconds in Dallas changed the world forever.
John Kennedy died 966 days before I was born, but he has had a significant impact on my generation -- Generation X. You see we were born into a world of shock. Twenty years after the Greatest World War. Born into a world that could now destroy humankind in hours through the use of Atomic weaponry. We were born amongst the tumult and surrounded by the mayhem of great and significant people being murdered, because "they didn't think right." Think about Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King being murdered, just like JFK, in the prime of their lives. Think about the lost contributions. Think about how they weren't able to put their own stamp on their own works. Think about what we missed out on.
The public didn't see the Zapruder film until 1975. We see any and every form of video of every situation in life these days. The world now changes so rapidly every day. Many say that the United States lost its innocence after that day in Dallas. I think what they mean to say is that the people lost their naivete after that event and the subsequent events that followed, including the murders, Vietnam, the 1968 Chicago Democrat Convention, and Nixon's Presidency ending in Watergate.
Kennedy wasn't stuck in the old conventions. He wanted to move the country forward. I can't get into all of the non-conventional stances that he took without introducing the controversial subjects surrounding his assassination. No! I do not think that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, if he even fired a shot. Kennedy had made many enemies by standing up to and against the establishment of the time. His assassination brought the establishment back into absolute power and no one has stood against accepted conventions, to the degree that Kennedy did, since that time.
As I wrote nearly five years ago in The Hottest Places in Hell - December 30, 2008:
I watched a documentary about President John F. Kennedy this week. The man was an enigma. He wasn't stuck within a political party mindset. I truly believe that he wanted to represent all of the people and if that meant making controversial decisions, then so be it. That is most assuredly what got him killed. But, he did not live a life in fear.
JFK was a leader, who never stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing. He also didn't play the blame game. He was a visionary with a mind set towards accomplishing goals. He realized and communicated time and time again, through words and actions, that those who do not take a stand in life are relegated to a life of insignificance. He road tall and proud on that fateful day in Dallas, because he believed in his cause.
From the JFK Library online: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Dante+Quote.htm
One of President Kennedy's favorite quotations was based upon an interpretation of Dante's Inferno. As Robert Kennedy explained in 1964, "President Kennedy's favorite quote was really from Dante, 'The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality.'" This supposed quotation is not actually in Dante's work, but is based upon a similiar one. In the Inferno, Dante and his guide Virgil, on their way to Hell, pass by a group of dead souls outside the entrance to Hell. These individuals, when alive, remained neutral at a time of great moral decision. Virgil explains to Dante that these souls cannot enter either Heaven or Hell because they did not choose one side or another. They are therefore worse than the greatest sinners in Hell because they are repugnant to both God and Satan alike, and have been left to mourn their fate as insignificant beings neither hailed nor cursed in life or death, endlessly travailing below Heaven but outside of Hell. This scene occurs in the third canto of the Inferno.
In this era of Tumult, does this fit you? For all who espouse themselves to be followers of the Kennedy Ideal, how do you defend your inaction?
There is hope. Today is a new day. You can shed your neutrality today and strive for a life of significance. Ambivalence won't change anything. Contributing to our community can change everything!!!
When I think of Kennedy, I always think about the speech below. This is the John Kennedy that represents me.
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
A Statistical Analysis of the 2013 Hickory Mayoral Election
Rudy Wright won a fourth term with right at 55% of the vote. His strong showings were in the North Side precincts that we have come to expect to be represented well for the establishment in Hickory Elections. The Mayor got strong showings in Oakwood, Viewmont 1, and the Northwest Precinct. He had solid showings in College Park, Springs, Viewmont 2, and Falling Creek. He carried Mountain View and Sandy Ridge, but these precincts had smaller vote counts.
Dr. Inglefield's solid showings came from the 4th ward precincts in contiguous Hickory. He basically walloped the Mayor in Kenworth, Ridgeview, and Greenmont 577 to 121, which is 82.7% of the vote. He also solidly won Brookford. Highland and St. Stephens were toss-ups and he actually fared pretty well in Falling Creek.
In looking at these results we see momentum with several areas that could start to come into play very soon in local municipal elections. Highland is already a toss-up and will likely flip in the next election. Oakland Heights, Falling Creek, and Sandy Ridge could easily flip away from the status quo candidates. You can see that the blue collar areas of town and the areas further away from the city center are much more likely to vote against the status quo candidate. A little bit better turnout in these elections and the local establishment could get overturned easily.
If we look at this election compared to the referendum, we see that Dr. Inglefield lost about 200 votes somewhere and Mayor Wright gained about 160 somewhere. I don't think that this was a flip. The Mayor has always had a coordinated vote effort involving the people living in the assisted living centers in the community. Some of this also is due to a concerted effort to paint Dr. Inglefield as basically being a Communist -- the McCarthy effect like Harry Hipps pointed to in his comment the other day. I also think that a good many of those people that voted yes on the referendum just didn't show up and some of the people who voted for Mayor Wright hadn't shown up to vote in the referendum.
If this city council doesn't immediately work to move some issues forward for the whole of the city, then the three seats up in two years will be completely up in the air. This divided city is teetering away from the status quo due to the stagnation in the economy and other aspects of quality of life issues. There are some variables that are currently masking some of this to a certain degree, but the reality lies under a very thin skin. North Hickory is tapped out. They can't turn out much more than they have, but there is growth to be had in the disenfranchised areas of Hickory. If there is growth to be had it will come from non-traditional areas. We are going to see some very interesting local politics moving forward. Those who look to control the uncontrollable are losing their grip. They would be much better off if they would move away from the monopoly and the bullying and attempt to work and play nice with others. But as I was listening to someone say the other day, "Southern politics is all about raw power... and raw power is ugly to its core."
I wish we could move away from that, because raw power is destructive and growth comes from being constructive.
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 5 Election
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 6 Election
Dr. Inglefield's solid showings came from the 4th ward precincts in contiguous Hickory. He basically walloped the Mayor in Kenworth, Ridgeview, and Greenmont 577 to 121, which is 82.7% of the vote. He also solidly won Brookford. Highland and St. Stephens were toss-ups and he actually fared pretty well in Falling Creek.
In looking at these results we see momentum with several areas that could start to come into play very soon in local municipal elections. Highland is already a toss-up and will likely flip in the next election. Oakland Heights, Falling Creek, and Sandy Ridge could easily flip away from the status quo candidates. You can see that the blue collar areas of town and the areas further away from the city center are much more likely to vote against the status quo candidate. A little bit better turnout in these elections and the local establishment could get overturned easily.
If we look at this election compared to the referendum, we see that Dr. Inglefield lost about 200 votes somewhere and Mayor Wright gained about 160 somewhere. I don't think that this was a flip. The Mayor has always had a coordinated vote effort involving the people living in the assisted living centers in the community. Some of this also is due to a concerted effort to paint Dr. Inglefield as basically being a Communist -- the McCarthy effect like Harry Hipps pointed to in his comment the other day. I also think that a good many of those people that voted yes on the referendum just didn't show up and some of the people who voted for Mayor Wright hadn't shown up to vote in the referendum.
If this city council doesn't immediately work to move some issues forward for the whole of the city, then the three seats up in two years will be completely up in the air. This divided city is teetering away from the status quo due to the stagnation in the economy and other aspects of quality of life issues. There are some variables that are currently masking some of this to a certain degree, but the reality lies under a very thin skin. North Hickory is tapped out. They can't turn out much more than they have, but there is growth to be had in the disenfranchised areas of Hickory. If there is growth to be had it will come from non-traditional areas. We are going to see some very interesting local politics moving forward. Those who look to control the uncontrollable are losing their grip. They would be much better off if they would move away from the monopoly and the bullying and attempt to work and play nice with others. But as I was listening to someone say the other day, "Southern politics is all about raw power... and raw power is ugly to its core."
I wish we could move away from that, because raw power is destructive and growth comes from being constructive.
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 5 Election
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 6 Election
Agenda about the City Council meeting of November 19, 2013
This Agenda is about the Hickory City Council meeting that will take
place on the date listed above. 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. You can also look in the upper right hand corner of the front page of the Hickory Hound and (will soon) find the link to the past history of Hickory City Newsletters.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 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.
City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - November 19, 2013
Invocation by Rev. Karla Woggon, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Ascension
Special Presentations
A. Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award by David Gissy of the Business Development Committee, to Dan Causey, President and Doyle Keever, Vice President of Keever’s Key and Repair Service
B. Neighborhood College Class Graduation
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Resolution to Surplus Library CD/DVD Display Case and to Donate the Case to the Hickory Music Factory, a Local Non-Profit Organization. - The Library requests approval to surplus a CD/DVD display case that is no longer in use or needed by the Library and to donate the display case to the Hickory Music Factory, a local non-profit organization. Public Notice advertised on November 8, 2013 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
B. Approval to Revise the Hickory Public Library’s Meeting and Conference Room Policy. - The information contained in the current Meeting and Conference Room Policy is mostly
valid; however, to avoid confusion and clarify intent, it is necessary to update the language in some areas and to eliminate a rule that no long applies. Staff requests approval of the revisions for the purpose of eliminating, revising or replacing language or rules that are no longer relevant, may be redundant, or no longer reflect the library’s actual practice.
C. Approval of “Food for Fines” Amnesty Week at the Library, December 2 – 14, 2013. - Approval of the waiver of overdue fines for library customers who donate canned food items at either Patrick Beaver Memorial Library or Ridgeview Branch Library during the two-week period of December 2-14, 2013. One can or box of food will cancel $1.00 in overdue fines, and donated items will be given to Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry.
D. Approval to Amend Lease Agreement for the Property Located at 304 3rd Street SW, Hickory. - Hickory Police Department requests approval to amend the lease agreement for the property located at 304 3rd Street SW, Hickory, leased to Ronald Andrew Jones and Jennie Nicole Frye. The original lease agreement was approved by City Council on October 1, 2013. After further review of the lease agreement it was noted that several changes were needed. The Agreement is hereby amended by correcting the name of the Landlord from the “City of Hickory Police Department” to the “City of Hickory.” Paragraph 5 of the Lease entitled RENT DUE DATE is hereby amended by deleting the paragraph in its entirety and substituting the following paragraph: RENT DUE DATE: Tenants hereby acknowledged that late payment will cause Landlord to incur costs not contemplated by this Rental Agreement. We allow for a 3 day grace period. In the event rent is not received prior to the 10th of the month, Tenant agrees to pay a $30 late fee. Neither ill health, loss of job, financial emergency or other excuses will be accepted for late payment.
E. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs. The following requests were considered by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee at their regular meeting on November 7, 2013:
Bobby & Angela Cowans were approved for recommendation to City Council for firsttime homebuyer’s assistance to purchase a house located at 828 5th Avenue SW, Hickory. They have requested $7,500 for assistance with down payment and closing costs. The First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Loan is zero interest, no payments and repaid upon sale, refinance or payoff of first mortgage.
Kisha Shuford was approved for recommendation to City Council for first-time homebuyer’s assistance to purchase a house located at 824 5th Avenue SW, Hickory. She has requested $7,500 for assistance with down payment and closing costs. The First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Loan is zero interest, no payments and repaid upon sale, refinance or payoff of first mortgage.
Habitat for Humanity, 1615 8th Street Drive SE, Hickory, was recommended to subordinate City’s 2nd mortgage to Peoples Bank due to refinance of 1st Mortgage. Applicant was approved, provided that the mortgage loan is no more than what is owed on the property. They are refinancing for a lower interest rate and lower payment. Funds are budgeted for these items through the City of Hickory’s former Rental Rehabilitation Program income received in FY 2012 and/or program income received through the City of Hickory’s Community Development Block Grant Program. Each of the following applicants is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s 2012-2013 Urgent Repair Program. This program provides qualified low income citizens with assistance for emergency-related repairs not to exceed $5,400.
Phyllis Chester, 1526 20th Street Drive NE, Hickory,
Edward Cunningham, 61 5th Street SE, Hickory,
Polly Brotherton, 63 16th Street SE, Hickory,
Lois Tse, 339 11th Street Place SW, Hickory,
Timothy Rhodes, 923 South Center Street, Hickory,
The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval of the aforementioned requests for assistance through the City of Hickory’s housing assistance programs.
F. Approval of a Joint Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority and the City of Hickory. - City Council previously approved the conveyance of the Piedmont Bus Transfer Station property from the City to the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority (WPRTA). The deed was recorded in Deed Book 3199 Page 375 on July 12, 2013 with the Catawba County Register of Deeds. After the deed was recorded, City staff and WPRTA staff were informed that that the parties needed to follow additional procedures with the conveyance in accordance with FTA guidelines. Specifically, FTA would not approve the deed’s reverter clause which states the bus transfer station (the “property”) will revert to the City in the event WPRTA ceased to operate as an entity or if WPRTA ceased using the property as a bus transfer station. Because a portion of the project was funded with federal grant dollars, the FTA has an interest or share in the remaining useful life of the property. This interest would not be automatically extinguished if the property reverted to the City. Instead the value of its share or interest would depreciate over a period of time. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes that for a period of forty years from the date of completion of the project, the City and WPRTA agree that no transfer or disposition of the property can take place without the approval of the FTA. In the event WPRTA ceases providing public transportation services, WPRTA would need to obtain the FTA’s approval before conveying the property back to the City. The MOU also establishes that the property will be used as a bus transfer station or related ancillary use.
G. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 8
1. To budget $17,792 of North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) contributions in the NCLM Conference expenditure line item. These funds are to help pay expenses associated with hosting the conference. Contributions include $15,000 from the North Carolina League of Municipalities and $2,792 from the Hickory Metro Convention Center.
2. In FY12-13 the City's "Parking Rental" revenue exceeded budget by $10,952 and the "Parking Fines" revenue exceeded budget by $4,783. This budget amendment moves these excess funds to the "Parking Capital Reserve Fund".
3. To budget $39,840 of Library Foundation Endowment Funds in the Library’s
operational budget to purchase literacy stations, furniture for the children and teen
area, programs for adult, children and nonfiction books.
4. To transfer $6,150 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the
project fund for the renovation of the former Ridgeview Public Library for use as a
meeting space and history center. The North Carolina Historic Preservation Fund is
contributing $9,000 and the InterFaith Housing Development Corporation is providing
the $6,000 required match; however the single quote came in $6,150 above the
budget; therefore the overage will be covered with Community Development Block
Grant Funds.
H. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment Number 3.
1. To accept a $6,150 transfer of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and budget in the renovation of the former Ridgeview Public Library project. The North Carolina Historic Preservation Fund is contributing $9,000 and the InterFaith Housing Development Corporation is providing the $6,000 required match toward the project; however the single quote came in $6,150 above the budget. The overage will be covered with Community Development Block Grant Funds; therefore a budget amendment is necessary
.
Informational Item
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to North Carolina League of Municipalities Executive Director Search Committee, Raleigh, North Carolina on November 1, 2013. (Parking Expense - $12; Mileage Reimbursement - $194.36)
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Rezoning Petition 13-12 for Property Located at 1024 and 1030 4th Street NE, as well as Two Vacant Lots. - Petitioner Robert Lee Combs Jr. has petitioned for the rezoning of .51 acres of property located along 4th Street NE. This property includes 1024 and 1030 4th Street NE, as well as two vacant lots. The petition is to rezone the property from High Density Residential – 4 (R-4) to General Business (C-2). This public hearing was advertised on November 8, 2013 and November 15, 2013 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. a. Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Hickory and Hickory Baseball, Inc. regarding Additional Projects to be Under-taken at L.P. Frans. Stadium. - Staff will outline what these projects are and who has responsibility for them. Additionally, there will be a budget amendment to fund the City’s additional projects in the amount of $391,000.
b. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 9. - To provide funding for additional improvement projects at L.P. Frans Stadium as described in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Hickory and Hickory Baseball, Inc. Therefore a $391,000 appropriation of General Fund balance to the L. P. Frans Stadium Capital Improvements line item is necessary.
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. You can also look in the upper right hand corner of the front page of the Hickory Hound and (will soon) find the link to the past history of Hickory City Newsletters.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 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.
City Website has changed - Here is a link to the City of Hickory Document Center
City Council Agenda - November 19, 2013
Invocation by Rev. Karla Woggon, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Ascension
Special Presentations
A. Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award by David Gissy of the Business Development Committee, to Dan Causey, President and Doyle Keever, Vice President of Keever’s Key and Repair Service
B. Neighborhood College Class Graduation
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Resolution to Surplus Library CD/DVD Display Case and to Donate the Case to the Hickory Music Factory, a Local Non-Profit Organization. - The Library requests approval to surplus a CD/DVD display case that is no longer in use or needed by the Library and to donate the display case to the Hickory Music Factory, a local non-profit organization. Public Notice advertised on November 8, 2013 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
B. Approval to Revise the Hickory Public Library’s Meeting and Conference Room Policy. - The information contained in the current Meeting and Conference Room Policy is mostly
valid; however, to avoid confusion and clarify intent, it is necessary to update the language in some areas and to eliminate a rule that no long applies. Staff requests approval of the revisions for the purpose of eliminating, revising or replacing language or rules that are no longer relevant, may be redundant, or no longer reflect the library’s actual practice.
C. Approval of “Food for Fines” Amnesty Week at the Library, December 2 – 14, 2013. - Approval of the waiver of overdue fines for library customers who donate canned food items at either Patrick Beaver Memorial Library or Ridgeview Branch Library during the two-week period of December 2-14, 2013. One can or box of food will cancel $1.00 in overdue fines, and donated items will be given to Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry.
D. Approval to Amend Lease Agreement for the Property Located at 304 3rd Street SW, Hickory. - Hickory Police Department requests approval to amend the lease agreement for the property located at 304 3rd Street SW, Hickory, leased to Ronald Andrew Jones and Jennie Nicole Frye. The original lease agreement was approved by City Council on October 1, 2013. After further review of the lease agreement it was noted that several changes were needed. The Agreement is hereby amended by correcting the name of the Landlord from the “City of Hickory Police Department” to the “City of Hickory.” Paragraph 5 of the Lease entitled RENT DUE DATE is hereby amended by deleting the paragraph in its entirety and substituting the following paragraph: RENT DUE DATE: Tenants hereby acknowledged that late payment will cause Landlord to incur costs not contemplated by this Rental Agreement. We allow for a 3 day grace period. In the event rent is not received prior to the 10th of the month, Tenant agrees to pay a $30 late fee. Neither ill health, loss of job, financial emergency or other excuses will be accepted for late payment.
E. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations for Assistance through the City of Hickory’s Housing Programs. The following requests were considered by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee at their regular meeting on November 7, 2013:
Bobby & Angela Cowans were approved for recommendation to City Council for firsttime homebuyer’s assistance to purchase a house located at 828 5th Avenue SW, Hickory. They have requested $7,500 for assistance with down payment and closing costs. The First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Loan is zero interest, no payments and repaid upon sale, refinance or payoff of first mortgage.
Kisha Shuford was approved for recommendation to City Council for first-time homebuyer’s assistance to purchase a house located at 824 5th Avenue SW, Hickory. She has requested $7,500 for assistance with down payment and closing costs. The First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Loan is zero interest, no payments and repaid upon sale, refinance or payoff of first mortgage.
Habitat for Humanity, 1615 8th Street Drive SE, Hickory, was recommended to subordinate City’s 2nd mortgage to Peoples Bank due to refinance of 1st Mortgage. Applicant was approved, provided that the mortgage loan is no more than what is owed on the property. They are refinancing for a lower interest rate and lower payment. Funds are budgeted for these items through the City of Hickory’s former Rental Rehabilitation Program income received in FY 2012 and/or program income received through the City of Hickory’s Community Development Block Grant Program. Each of the following applicants is being recommended for approval for assistance under the City of Hickory’s 2012-2013 Urgent Repair Program. This program provides qualified low income citizens with assistance for emergency-related repairs not to exceed $5,400.
Phyllis Chester, 1526 20th Street Drive NE, Hickory,
Edward Cunningham, 61 5th Street SE, Hickory,
Polly Brotherton, 63 16th Street SE, Hickory,
Lois Tse, 339 11th Street Place SW, Hickory,
Timothy Rhodes, 923 South Center Street, Hickory,
The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval of the aforementioned requests for assistance through the City of Hickory’s housing assistance programs.
F. Approval of a Joint Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority and the City of Hickory. - City Council previously approved the conveyance of the Piedmont Bus Transfer Station property from the City to the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority (WPRTA). The deed was recorded in Deed Book 3199 Page 375 on July 12, 2013 with the Catawba County Register of Deeds. After the deed was recorded, City staff and WPRTA staff were informed that that the parties needed to follow additional procedures with the conveyance in accordance with FTA guidelines. Specifically, FTA would not approve the deed’s reverter clause which states the bus transfer station (the “property”) will revert to the City in the event WPRTA ceased to operate as an entity or if WPRTA ceased using the property as a bus transfer station. Because a portion of the project was funded with federal grant dollars, the FTA has an interest or share in the remaining useful life of the property. This interest would not be automatically extinguished if the property reverted to the City. Instead the value of its share or interest would depreciate over a period of time. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes that for a period of forty years from the date of completion of the project, the City and WPRTA agree that no transfer or disposition of the property can take place without the approval of the FTA. In the event WPRTA ceases providing public transportation services, WPRTA would need to obtain the FTA’s approval before conveying the property back to the City. The MOU also establishes that the property will be used as a bus transfer station or related ancillary use.
G. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 8
1. To budget $17,792 of North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) contributions in the NCLM Conference expenditure line item. These funds are to help pay expenses associated with hosting the conference. Contributions include $15,000 from the North Carolina League of Municipalities and $2,792 from the Hickory Metro Convention Center.
2. In FY12-13 the City's "Parking Rental" revenue exceeded budget by $10,952 and the "Parking Fines" revenue exceeded budget by $4,783. This budget amendment moves these excess funds to the "Parking Capital Reserve Fund".
3. To budget $39,840 of Library Foundation Endowment Funds in the Library’s
operational budget to purchase literacy stations, furniture for the children and teen
area, programs for adult, children and nonfiction books.
4. To transfer $6,150 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the
project fund for the renovation of the former Ridgeview Public Library for use as a
meeting space and history center. The North Carolina Historic Preservation Fund is
contributing $9,000 and the InterFaith Housing Development Corporation is providing
the $6,000 required match; however the single quote came in $6,150 above the
budget; therefore the overage will be covered with Community Development Block
Grant Funds.
H. Grant Project Ordinance Amendment Number 3.
1. To accept a $6,150 transfer of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and budget in the renovation of the former Ridgeview Public Library project. The North Carolina Historic Preservation Fund is contributing $9,000 and the InterFaith Housing Development Corporation is providing the $6,000 required match toward the project; however the single quote came in $6,150 above the budget. The overage will be covered with Community Development Block Grant Funds; therefore a budget amendment is necessary
.
Informational Item
A. Report of Mayor Wright’s travel to North Carolina League of Municipalities Executive Director Search Committee, Raleigh, North Carolina on November 1, 2013. (Parking Expense - $12; Mileage Reimbursement - $194.36)
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Rezoning Petition 13-12 for Property Located at 1024 and 1030 4th Street NE, as well as Two Vacant Lots. - Petitioner Robert Lee Combs Jr. has petitioned for the rezoning of .51 acres of property located along 4th Street NE. This property includes 1024 and 1030 4th Street NE, as well as two vacant lots. The petition is to rezone the property from High Density Residential – 4 (R-4) to General Business (C-2). This public hearing was advertised on November 8, 2013 and November 15, 2013 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. a. Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Hickory and Hickory Baseball, Inc. regarding Additional Projects to be Under-taken at L.P. Frans. Stadium. - Staff will outline what these projects are and who has responsibility for them. Additionally, there will be a budget amendment to fund the City’s additional projects in the amount of $391,000.
b. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 9. - To provide funding for additional improvement projects at L.P. Frans Stadium as described in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Hickory and Hickory Baseball, Inc. Therefore a $391,000 appropriation of General Fund balance to the L. P. Frans Stadium Capital Improvements line item is necessary.
Monday, November 18, 2013
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 6 Election
Jill Patton ran unopposed in this race. She received 88% of the vote in her election and 70.61% of all ballots cast in the election.
About a week before election day Mike Huttman decided he was going to run a write-in campaign. Other than friends, most people don't know who Mike Huttman is. The vast majority of people who voted for Mike are people who have had contact with him. He received 330 votes (7% of the votes cast), which is pretty impressive for such a low profile campaign. Besides Mr. Huttman, there were 95 other write-in votes. So in total you see that there were 425 write-in votes in this race, which is 8.9% of all votes cast.
What is very interesting about the voting in this ward is the number of people who did not vote. Over 20% of the people, 982 no-votes, in the at-large election did not vote in this particular election. In Ridgeview over 50% of the people did not vote; in Brookford over 30% of the people did not vote; in College Park, Kenworth, Highland, Longview north and south, and St. Stephens 1 and 2 over 20% of the people did not vote in this election. In every other precinct, except a couple where fewer than ten people voted, there were at least 10% of the people who did not cast a vote in this particular ward election.
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 5 Election
About a week before election day Mike Huttman decided he was going to run a write-in campaign. Other than friends, most people don't know who Mike Huttman is. The vast majority of people who voted for Mike are people who have had contact with him. He received 330 votes (7% of the votes cast), which is pretty impressive for such a low profile campaign. Besides Mr. Huttman, there were 95 other write-in votes. So in total you see that there were 425 write-in votes in this race, which is 8.9% of all votes cast.
What is very interesting about the voting in this ward is the number of people who did not vote. Over 20% of the people, 982 no-votes, in the at-large election did not vote in this particular election. In Ridgeview over 50% of the people did not vote; in Brookford over 30% of the people did not vote; in College Park, Kenworth, Highland, Longview north and south, and St. Stephens 1 and 2 over 20% of the people did not vote in this election. In every other precinct, except a couple where fewer than ten people voted, there were at least 10% of the people who did not cast a vote in this particular ward election.
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 5 Election
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- November 17, 2013
10 Facts About The Growing Unemployment Crisis In America That Will Blow Your Mind - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - November 10th, 2013 - Did you know that there are more than 102 million working age Americans that do not have a job? Yes, I know that number sounds absolutely crazy, but it is true. Right now, there are more than 11 million Americans that are considered to be "officially unemployed", and there are more than 91 million Americans that are not employed and that are considered to be "not in the labor force". When you add those two numbers together, the total is more than 102 million. Overall, the number of working age Americans that do not have a job has increased by about 27 million since the year 2000. But aren't things getting better? After all, the mainstream media is full of headlines about how "good" the jobs numbers for October were. Sadly, the truth is that the mainstream media is not being straight with the American people. As you will see below, we are in the midst of a long-term unemployment crisis in America, and things got even worse last month. In this day and age, it is absolutely imperative that people start thinking for themselves. Just because the media tells you that something is true does not mean that it actually is. If unemployment was actually going down, the percentage of the working age population that has a job should actually be going up. As you are about to see, that is simply not the case. The following are 10 facts about the growing unemployment crisis in America that will blow your mind... #1 The percentage of working age Americans with a job fell to 58.3 percent in October. The lowest that number has been at any point since the year 2000 is 58.2 percent. In other words, there has been absolutely no "jobs recovery". During the last recession, the civilian employment-population ratio dropped from about 63 percent to below 59 percent and it has stayed there for 50 months in a row. Will the percentage of working age Americans with a job soon drop below the 58 percent mark?...
Americans’ Participation in Labor Force Hits 35-Year Low - CNSnews - November 12, 2013 - The percentage of American civilians 16 or older who have a job or are actively seeking one dropped to a 35-year low in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Federal Reserve Is Monetizing A Staggering Amount Of U.S. Government Debt - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - November 14th, 2013 - The Federal Reserve is creating hundreds of billions of dollars out of thin air and using that money to buy U.S. government debt and mortgage-backed securities and take them out of circulation. Since the middle of 2008, these purchases have caused the Fed's balance sheet to balloon from under a trillion dollars to nearly four trillion dollars. This represents the greatest central bank intervention in the history of the planet, and Janet Yellen says that she does not anticipate that it will end any time soon because "the recovery is still fragile". Of course, as I showed the other day, the truth is that quantitative easing has done essentially nothing for the average person on the street. But what QE has done is that it has sent stocks soaring to record highs. Unfortunately, this stock market bubble is completely and totally divorced from economic reality, and when the easy money is taken away the bubble will collapse. Just look at what happened a few months ago when Ben Bernanke suggested that the Fed may begin to "taper" the amount of quantitative easing that it was doing. The mere suggestion that the flow of easy money would start to slow down a little bit was enough to send the market into deep convulsions. This is why the Federal Reserve cannot stop monetizing debt. The moment the Fed stops, it could throw our financial markets into a crisis even worse than what we saw back in 2008.
The problems that plagued our financial system back in 2008 have never been fixed. They have just been papered over temporarily by trillions of easy dollars from the Federal Reserve. All of this easy money is keeping stocks artificially high and interest rates artificially low. Right now, the Federal Reserve is buying approximately 85 billion dollars worth of U.S. government debt and mortgage-backed securities each month. We are told that the portion going to buy U.S. government debt each month is approximately 45 billion dollars, but who knows what the Fed is actually doing behind the scenes. In any event, by creating money out of thin air and using it to remove U.S. Treasury securities out of circulation, the Federal Reserve is essentially monetizing U.S. government debt at a staggering rate. But Federal Reserve officials continue to repeatedly deny that what they are doing is monetizing debt. For instance, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart strongly denied this back in April: "I object to the view that the Fed is monetizing the debt". How in the world can Fed officials possibly deny that they are monetizing the debt? Well, because the Fed is promising that it is going to eventually sell back all of the securities that it is currently buying. Since the Fed does not plan to keep all of this government debt on its balance sheet indefinitely, that means that they are not actually monetizing it according to their twisted logic.
Federal Reserve Whistleblower Tells America The REAL Reason For Quantitative Easing - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder, on November 12th, 2013
Spot The Striking Similarity - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden November 16, 2013
As young people hunker down, homeownership dips - CBS Moneywatch - Erik Sherman - November 15, 2013 - Americans are changing their housing habits in ways that could affect the U.S. economy. Younger people are becoming less mobile and are less inclined to buy a place to live, while broader homeownership numbers are down, according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. An Associated Press analysis found that percentage of young adults who move to a new locale has hit a 50-year low. Only just over 23 percent of people ages 25 to 29 moved in the past year, down from roughly 25 percent the previous year and the lowest figure since 1963. Why are younger adults passing on buying a home? Likely because the weak job market, stagnant wages and high levels of college loan debt are keeping them in existing apartments with roommates or living with their parents. The homeownership rate between 2010 and 2012 was nearly 65 percent, a 1.7 percent decline from the 2007 to 2009 period, according to the Census Bureau. It is difficult to tell how much of the drop is due to young adults not purchasing homes or to other factors. The time range coincided with the economic recession, a rash of property foreclosures that followed the housing crash and a significant tightening of credit. All three factors likely contributed to people being unable to afford homes or to losing the homes that they already had. Another finding in the Census Bureau analysis was that the median home value in the U.S. decreased between 2007 and 2012. What is surprising is that some areas weathered the decline, and a few even saw an increase in medium home values: 28 states saw a decline in median home value, but 19 states actually experienced an increase.
Obamacare rollout: Doctors concerned about patients, care, fees - CBS News - Wyatt Andrews - November 11, 2013
You may need to prepare for higher gasoline prices - CNBC Market Insider - Sharon Epperson - November 13, 2013 - The slide in gasoline prices has finally stalled. Nationally, gasoline prices rose for the first time in nearly two weeks on Wednesday. The national average price for regular gasoline jumped nearly a penny overnight to $3.19 a gallon, according to AAA, marking its biggest one-day gain since Oct. 16 and first increase in 12 days. This bounce comes just after prices around the nation had fallen to their lowest levels since February 2011. Abundant supplies and sluggish demand contributed to the sharp fall in gas prices recently—and prices are still declining in some parts of the country. In 10 states in the South Central region, the average price of gasoline statewide is below $3 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.
Retailers brace for a tough holiday season - CNN Money = Hibah Yousuf - November 11, 2013 - The holidays may not be so merry and bright this year ... for retailers. Sales growth during the fourth quarter is shaping up to be the weakest since 2008, according to predictions from Morgan Stanley. Same-store sales, a key metric that measures sales at store locations open at least a year, are expected to grow a mere 1.6% from a year ago during the fourth quarter, Morgan Stanley estimates. Last year's holiday sales were up 3.5% from the fourth quarter of 2011. The 1.6% figure excludes sales at troubled J.C. Penney (JCP, Fortune 500). That's because J.C. Penney is expected to offer deep discounts to try and get back on track after a disastrous drop in sales last year. As a result, J.C. Penney may not have that tough a time beating last year's low bar. And its results could skew the overall sales figures for the industry. Related: Outrage over Kmart's Thanksgiving decision Why will sales be sluggish this year? The culprit appears to be weak consumer confidence. While Americans have more to spend thanks to a rising stock market, higher home values and low gas prices, they're not so willing to part with their cash..
US consumers tapped out as holidays approach - CNBC - John W. Schoen - Novemner 8, 2013 - American shoppers have a way of rallying when the holidays roll around. But years after the Great Recession, consumers' budgets remain badly squeezed by flat wages, higher payroll taxes and a weak job market. "It's been a tough year for consumers overall," said Target Chief Financial Officer John Mulligan. "They started the year with the payroll tax increase, and lower and middle-income consumers bore the brunt of that. They were already stressed. The economy has improved slowly over time, but it's been a choppy recovery for sure." Choppy indeed. With the economy growing at just 2.2 percent since the recession ended in June 2009, there aren't enough good-paying jobs for the millions of Americans out of work or looking for more hours. Much of the growth in new jobs is in relatively low-wage, low-skilled industries such as retailing and restaurants. Even with the growth in those sectors, there aren't enough jobs to go around—and won't be until overall growth picks up.
Have We Lost Our Common-Sense? - OfTwoMinds.com - Charles Hugh Smith - November 16, 2013 - The only way to keep the status quo from imploding is to banish common-sense. I was surprised to find that many people took my satire/parody last month seriously: Obama Administration Proposes 2,300-Page "New Constitution"(October 10, 2013). A number of people wrote me asking for the source of the story, and others chastized me for not labeling the essay "satire/parody," as so many others didn't seem to get the joke. (The permanent link was constitution-parody10-13.)
NC drug manufacturing plant closing - AP through Bloomberg - November 12, 2013 -
LINCOLNTON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina pharmaceutical plant will be closing, putting about 310 people out of work. Actavis PLC said Monday it will take until the middle of 2015 to close the plant in Lincoln County, which makes creams and ointments. The prescription drug manufacturing will be moved to the company's plant in Salt Lake City. Manufacturing of over-the-counter drugs including creams, children's ibuprofen and analgesic suppositories, will be switched to a third-party contractor.
King World News Interview with David Stockman, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan Administration and an implementer of Supply side Economics. - David Stockman Interview link
Americans’ Participation in Labor Force Hits 35-Year Low - CNSnews - November 12, 2013 - The percentage of American civilians 16 or older who have a job or are actively seeking one dropped to a 35-year low in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Federal Reserve Is Monetizing A Staggering Amount Of U.S. Government Debt - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - November 14th, 2013 - The Federal Reserve is creating hundreds of billions of dollars out of thin air and using that money to buy U.S. government debt and mortgage-backed securities and take them out of circulation. Since the middle of 2008, these purchases have caused the Fed's balance sheet to balloon from under a trillion dollars to nearly four trillion dollars. This represents the greatest central bank intervention in the history of the planet, and Janet Yellen says that she does not anticipate that it will end any time soon because "the recovery is still fragile". Of course, as I showed the other day, the truth is that quantitative easing has done essentially nothing for the average person on the street. But what QE has done is that it has sent stocks soaring to record highs. Unfortunately, this stock market bubble is completely and totally divorced from economic reality, and when the easy money is taken away the bubble will collapse. Just look at what happened a few months ago when Ben Bernanke suggested that the Fed may begin to "taper" the amount of quantitative easing that it was doing. The mere suggestion that the flow of easy money would start to slow down a little bit was enough to send the market into deep convulsions. This is why the Federal Reserve cannot stop monetizing debt. The moment the Fed stops, it could throw our financial markets into a crisis even worse than what we saw back in 2008.
The problems that plagued our financial system back in 2008 have never been fixed. They have just been papered over temporarily by trillions of easy dollars from the Federal Reserve. All of this easy money is keeping stocks artificially high and interest rates artificially low. Right now, the Federal Reserve is buying approximately 85 billion dollars worth of U.S. government debt and mortgage-backed securities each month. We are told that the portion going to buy U.S. government debt each month is approximately 45 billion dollars, but who knows what the Fed is actually doing behind the scenes. In any event, by creating money out of thin air and using it to remove U.S. Treasury securities out of circulation, the Federal Reserve is essentially monetizing U.S. government debt at a staggering rate. But Federal Reserve officials continue to repeatedly deny that what they are doing is monetizing debt. For instance, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart strongly denied this back in April: "I object to the view that the Fed is monetizing the debt". How in the world can Fed officials possibly deny that they are monetizing the debt? Well, because the Fed is promising that it is going to eventually sell back all of the securities that it is currently buying. Since the Fed does not plan to keep all of this government debt on its balance sheet indefinitely, that means that they are not actually monetizing it according to their twisted logic.
Federal Reserve Whistleblower Tells America The REAL Reason For Quantitative Easing - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder, on November 12th, 2013
Spot The Striking Similarity - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden November 16, 2013
As young people hunker down, homeownership dips - CBS Moneywatch - Erik Sherman - November 15, 2013 - Americans are changing their housing habits in ways that could affect the U.S. economy. Younger people are becoming less mobile and are less inclined to buy a place to live, while broader homeownership numbers are down, according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. An Associated Press analysis found that percentage of young adults who move to a new locale has hit a 50-year low. Only just over 23 percent of people ages 25 to 29 moved in the past year, down from roughly 25 percent the previous year and the lowest figure since 1963. Why are younger adults passing on buying a home? Likely because the weak job market, stagnant wages and high levels of college loan debt are keeping them in existing apartments with roommates or living with their parents. The homeownership rate between 2010 and 2012 was nearly 65 percent, a 1.7 percent decline from the 2007 to 2009 period, according to the Census Bureau. It is difficult to tell how much of the drop is due to young adults not purchasing homes or to other factors. The time range coincided with the economic recession, a rash of property foreclosures that followed the housing crash and a significant tightening of credit. All three factors likely contributed to people being unable to afford homes or to losing the homes that they already had. Another finding in the Census Bureau analysis was that the median home value in the U.S. decreased between 2007 and 2012. What is surprising is that some areas weathered the decline, and a few even saw an increase in medium home values: 28 states saw a decline in median home value, but 19 states actually experienced an increase.
Why hardly anyone signed up for Obamacare - Hint: It has nothing to do with tech glitches at HealthCare.gov - Marketwatch - Jonnelle Marte - November 17, 2013 - It may seem surprising that just 106,000 Americans managed to enroll in Obamacare, choosing a health plan through the new state or federally run insurance exchanges. That is, until one considers human nature. Though the enrollment is about 1.5% of the 7 million people expected to buy coverage through the exchanges next year, and well below expectations for the first month, experts say there’s reason to think our procrastination may be as much to blame as bad programming. People typically approach healthcare open enrollment in waves, with a burst of people, usually about 15% of participants, signing up at the start of the enrollment period and then a huge rush of purchases happening toward the end of the period, says Tony DeNucci, a managing director with Towers Watson, a professional services company. “There are people who aren’t paying attention and don’t want to deal with it until the last minute,” says DeNucci. The type of person who enrolls in next year’s insurance plan six weeks in advance is also the type of person who files their tax return in January. About 22% of people make insurance decisions in the last two days of open enrollment periods, health officials said during a media call Wednesday. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, also attributed some of the delay to the idea that consumers often take their time making health insurance decisions. “Insurance is very different than buying a toaster,” Sebelius said during the call. “As more people shop and talk things over with their families we expect these numbers to rise.” ALSO SEE: Should you keep your health insurance plan?
Even people who signed up for insurance on Oct.1—to the extent that they were able to given technical setbacks on HealthCare.gov and some of the state-run exchanges—won’t be covered until Jan. 1, and won’t have a premium payment until roughly Dec. 15. It wouldn’t be surprising, financial experts say, if many people were waiting to get closer to that moment of gratification to take action. “People are often reactive rather than proactive,” says Taylor Gang, a principal at Evensky & Katz, a wealth management firm based in Coral Gables, Fla.
Obamacare rollout: Doctors concerned about patients, care, fees - CBS News - Wyatt Andrews - November 11, 2013
You may need to prepare for higher gasoline prices - CNBC Market Insider - Sharon Epperson - November 13, 2013 - The slide in gasoline prices has finally stalled. Nationally, gasoline prices rose for the first time in nearly two weeks on Wednesday. The national average price for regular gasoline jumped nearly a penny overnight to $3.19 a gallon, according to AAA, marking its biggest one-day gain since Oct. 16 and first increase in 12 days. This bounce comes just after prices around the nation had fallen to their lowest levels since February 2011. Abundant supplies and sluggish demand contributed to the sharp fall in gas prices recently—and prices are still declining in some parts of the country. In 10 states in the South Central region, the average price of gasoline statewide is below $3 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.
Retailers brace for a tough holiday season - CNN Money = Hibah Yousuf - November 11, 2013 - The holidays may not be so merry and bright this year ... for retailers. Sales growth during the fourth quarter is shaping up to be the weakest since 2008, according to predictions from Morgan Stanley. Same-store sales, a key metric that measures sales at store locations open at least a year, are expected to grow a mere 1.6% from a year ago during the fourth quarter, Morgan Stanley estimates. Last year's holiday sales were up 3.5% from the fourth quarter of 2011. The 1.6% figure excludes sales at troubled J.C. Penney (JCP, Fortune 500). That's because J.C. Penney is expected to offer deep discounts to try and get back on track after a disastrous drop in sales last year. As a result, J.C. Penney may not have that tough a time beating last year's low bar. And its results could skew the overall sales figures for the industry. Related: Outrage over Kmart's Thanksgiving decision Why will sales be sluggish this year? The culprit appears to be weak consumer confidence. While Americans have more to spend thanks to a rising stock market, higher home values and low gas prices, they're not so willing to part with their cash..
US consumers tapped out as holidays approach - CNBC - John W. Schoen - Novemner 8, 2013 - American shoppers have a way of rallying when the holidays roll around. But years after the Great Recession, consumers' budgets remain badly squeezed by flat wages, higher payroll taxes and a weak job market. "It's been a tough year for consumers overall," said Target Chief Financial Officer John Mulligan. "They started the year with the payroll tax increase, and lower and middle-income consumers bore the brunt of that. They were already stressed. The economy has improved slowly over time, but it's been a choppy recovery for sure." Choppy indeed. With the economy growing at just 2.2 percent since the recession ended in June 2009, there aren't enough good-paying jobs for the millions of Americans out of work or looking for more hours. Much of the growth in new jobs is in relatively low-wage, low-skilled industries such as retailing and restaurants. Even with the growth in those sectors, there aren't enough jobs to go around—and won't be until overall growth picks up.
Have We Lost Our Common-Sense? - OfTwoMinds.com - Charles Hugh Smith - November 16, 2013 - The only way to keep the status quo from imploding is to banish common-sense. I was surprised to find that many people took my satire/parody last month seriously: Obama Administration Proposes 2,300-Page "New Constitution"(October 10, 2013). A number of people wrote me asking for the source of the story, and others chastized me for not labeling the essay "satire/parody," as so many others didn't seem to get the joke. (The permanent link was constitution-parody10-13.)
NC drug manufacturing plant closing - AP through Bloomberg - November 12, 2013 -
LINCOLNTON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina pharmaceutical plant will be closing, putting about 310 people out of work. Actavis PLC said Monday it will take until the middle of 2015 to close the plant in Lincoln County, which makes creams and ointments. The prescription drug manufacturing will be moved to the company's plant in Salt Lake City. Manufacturing of over-the-counter drugs including creams, children's ibuprofen and analgesic suppositories, will be switched to a third-party contractor.
King World News Interview with David Stockman, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan Administration and an implementer of Supply side Economics. - David Stockman Interview link
Saturday, November 16, 2013
A Statistical Analysis of the Hickory Ward 5 Election
Below is the statistical spreadsheet analysis of Ward 5. David Zagaroli won big and was going to win big all along. There obviously was no discussion of city issues in a public forum. I won't get into further analysis related to Joe Brannock due to his legal issues. The interesting thing you will see here is that around a quarter or more of the people in the South and West Hickory Precincts (Ward 4) did not vote in this election.You will see this pattern carry forward. North Hickory, in large numbers votes in South Hickory ward elections. South Hickory, in large numbers (a statistical anomaly compared to the whole), does not vote in North Hickory wards. You still do see throughout that many people obviously choose not to vote in wards other than their own. Otherwise you would have 90%+ participation in every precinct in every election.
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
The Electoral Reality of Ward 4 in Hickory
Friday, November 15, 2013
What a sad state of affairs Hickory
This morning's Hickory Daily Record... what a sad state of affairs. I wouldn't trust you know who as far as I could throw him. And y'all know that wouldn't be very far.
The other day I had three people send me a copy of a post on facebook where "He Who's Name Shall Not Be Spoken (HWNSNBS)" was saying that someone (he didn't express a name) who didn't even live in Hickory and blamed all of their life's problems on him was behind the Tumblr account, so I messaged him.
Would any of you like to see that correspondence? In which HWNSNBS says, "Who said I was talking about you?"
I do believe that the Tumblr account was over the top in the beginning, but the subject matter of late has been very relevant. He pointed to several issues, including money spent on sod for "the Sails" project that couldn't have possibly all been used for the Sails Project. He showed where they have a $12,000 camera pointed at a mural on Union Square, but they say they can't afford to record and televise City Council meetings on the local public access channel. He points to several issues involving their little "Hickory United" Political Action Committee... And in general the guy has really toned down the profanity.
As far as the discriminating against Mormon Claims, it shows how far HWNSNBS will go to justify anything and everything that goes on at City Hall. In twelve years, he apparently believes he and Hickory Inc. haven't made a mistake yet.
I pointed Mr. Tinkelenberg towards some very relevant topics, such as the misappropriation of parking fund money to build those "Sails". I pointed out that the past editor of the HDR had sat on the naming committee and that seemed like a Conflict of Interest to me. That to me seemed to slant the paper's opinion and reporting on that project.
Let's talk about that "Southern Desk" property over in west Hickory. You know, that building that was talked about a couple years ago. They seem to have forgotten all about that property. There has been a lot of crime that has ramped up over there. There was a woman attacked over there a couple weeks ago and left for dead. It was reported in the HDR. The guy that robbed the Mayor's wife lived a couple blocks from there. The person who robbed the Community One Bank last year. He lived a couple blocks from there. That is just naming a few of the many incidents in that vicinity. Why do I pay attention to this??? Because I have a family member that lives over there and I am sick and tired of seeing that area put on the backburner, because they aren't viewed as having any political clout. Hickory Inc. doesn't give a d*** about the people that live over there.
Let's talk about the $25,000 spent on Graffiti removal a few years ago where they said they would report back to the public and they never did.
This wouldn't even be in the paper if it wasn't about HWNSNBS's feelings. Is the goal to form a Posse against me? I feel sorry for those who have allowed themselves to be duped. Where are the priorities??? He's the guy who is going to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction? This guy is the person who is going to lead us forward???
HWNSNBS thinks I'm behind all of this? I guess that simplifies things into something he can deal with. He needs to go sit in front of a mirror and reflect on life and get real.
The other day I had three people send me a copy of a post on facebook where "He Who's Name Shall Not Be Spoken (HWNSNBS)" was saying that someone (he didn't express a name) who didn't even live in Hickory and blamed all of their life's problems on him was behind the Tumblr account, so I messaged him.
Would any of you like to see that correspondence? In which HWNSNBS says, "Who said I was talking about you?"
I do believe that the Tumblr account was over the top in the beginning, but the subject matter of late has been very relevant. He pointed to several issues, including money spent on sod for "the Sails" project that couldn't have possibly all been used for the Sails Project. He showed where they have a $12,000 camera pointed at a mural on Union Square, but they say they can't afford to record and televise City Council meetings on the local public access channel. He points to several issues involving their little "Hickory United" Political Action Committee... And in general the guy has really toned down the profanity.
As far as the discriminating against Mormon Claims, it shows how far HWNSNBS will go to justify anything and everything that goes on at City Hall. In twelve years, he apparently believes he and Hickory Inc. haven't made a mistake yet.
I pointed Mr. Tinkelenberg towards some very relevant topics, such as the misappropriation of parking fund money to build those "Sails". I pointed out that the past editor of the HDR had sat on the naming committee and that seemed like a Conflict of Interest to me. That to me seemed to slant the paper's opinion and reporting on that project.
Let's talk about that "Southern Desk" property over in west Hickory. You know, that building that was talked about a couple years ago. They seem to have forgotten all about that property. There has been a lot of crime that has ramped up over there. There was a woman attacked over there a couple weeks ago and left for dead. It was reported in the HDR. The guy that robbed the Mayor's wife lived a couple blocks from there. The person who robbed the Community One Bank last year. He lived a couple blocks from there. That is just naming a few of the many incidents in that vicinity. Why do I pay attention to this??? Because I have a family member that lives over there and I am sick and tired of seeing that area put on the backburner, because they aren't viewed as having any political clout. Hickory Inc. doesn't give a d*** about the people that live over there.
Let's talk about the $25,000 spent on Graffiti removal a few years ago where they said they would report back to the public and they never did.
This wouldn't even be in the paper if it wasn't about HWNSNBS's feelings. Is the goal to form a Posse against me? I feel sorry for those who have allowed themselves to be duped. Where are the priorities??? He's the guy who is going to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction? This guy is the person who is going to lead us forward???
HWNSNBS thinks I'm behind all of this? I guess that simplifies things into something he can deal with. He needs to go sit in front of a mirror and reflect on life and get real.
Food for thought
"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." - Jimmy Dean
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