Newsletter about the City Council meeting of February 18, 2014

I began video recording the City Council in 2012, because of my desire that the City do it on their own as any modern 21st century community began doing long ago. I had people tell me that they couldn't make it to the meetings, but they would like to see what is going on. I was also told by some council members that my summaries did not truly reflect the record, so having a video/audio recording cannot be misinterpreted.

So below is the City Council meeting. With each agenda item, you can click on the links and it will take you to that specific point in the meeting. You can always drag the marker on the video display to the point in the broadcast that you are interested in seeing.

Agenda about the City Council meeting of February 4, 2014
- Go to this link if you would like more information about the Agenda items.

Highlighted Links below take you straight to that point in the video.




Special Presentations
A. Jeff Neuville, Business Development Committee – Presentation of Business Well Crafted Award to Mark Brown, Territory Sales Manager, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

(From the City Website) -  Mr. Jeff Neuville of the Business Development Committee (BDC) commented that the BDC recognizes businesses that have been in our town for 75 years or more. He recognized the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated. In 1910, 34 years before Coca-Cola became a registered trademark, the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated laid down their roots in Hickory. In 1937, the company built at their current location, near downtown Hickory. From the beginning the company has been a family business, dedicated to its employees and community. The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated is a licensed bottler for the Coca-Cola Company based in Atlanta. The company was the exclusive bottler for a six county area, and packages and distributes many beverages to over 11 States. They are the largest independent bottler of Coca-Cola products. For 104 years the business has flourished and provided jobs for Hickory residents. They also strive to being involved in the community with the focus on maintaining a hometown touch, the result is remarkable. More employee base, with over 100 employees in the Hickory area. The business helps communities in many ways, in addition to regular donations to local charities, employees helped with the construction of the Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground, with more than 40 employees volunteering time during the construction, and the company also donated drinks for the opening. Employees have also painted houses in the community, and regularly host coat and can drives. The company has a stewardship committee that focuses entirely on ways to reach out to the community. The Coca-Cola brand is ubiquitous in American culture, as American as apple pie, and as American as an All American City. We are proud that this iconic brand and company has called Hickory home for over 100 years. He asked Mr. Mark Brown, Territory Sales Manager, and Mr. Mike Watson, District Sales Manager, to the podium, and thanked them for being a part of our community, and presented them with the City’s Business Well Crafted Award.

Mr. Mark Brown thanked the Business Development Committee for honoring them. He commented think about the experience of a Coca-Cola bottle, and a lot of folks can probably think back years ago, drinking that little iconic glass bottle, and they experience that they had, the family they were with, the community that they were in. It is awesome to say that you work for the most recognizable brand in the world, not many people can say that. They are excited to be a part of this, and thanked everyone for the honor. He thanked everyone for allowing them to be a part of this community, they enjoy this community. It is actually a central hub for this area. Their home office is in Charlotte, North Carolina. They get the opportunity to show off the community a lot of times with their Vice Presidents and Presidents for the company. They will actually be in Hickory on Thursday, to show off this great community.

Mayor Wright commented that he is sure that there are not too many people who could remember buying those little bottles for six cents, and if you took the bottle back you got a penny back. That was a lot of motivation for the kids to go out and find those Coca-Cola bottles.

B. Presentation by Community Groups Requesting Appropriations from the City Council during the Next Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2014.

Catawba County Economic Development Corporation - Scott Millar  - $149,919.71
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation – Greater Hickory Classic  - Scott Millar -  $75,000
Children’s Advocacy & Protection Center - Deborah Johnson - $10,000
Habitat for Humanity - Mitzi Gellman - $7,816
Hickory Downtown Development Association - Margaret Huss Jackson - $65,000
Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau - Bebe Leitch - $25,000
SALT Block Foundation - Mark Sinclair - $100,000
United Arts Council of Catawba County - Alan Jackson - $40,010


Persons Requesting to Be Heard

Larry Pope - (From the City Website) - Mr. Larry Pope addressed Council concerning two matters. He commented that as he listened to all of the reports from the various groups who had spoken prior to him coming to the podium, he was almost at the point of changing his mind about what he wanted to talk about. What he is concerned about, is equally as important as what others have spoken about. Even though the bubble has been enlarged, and has been filled with wonderful things that are happening in our City, as usually, he has things that are not as positive, as a citizen of this great City. Inspiring Spaces is a project that is being worked on and been discussed, and there has been trips made by our City Council, and others, looking at various locations and various things. This afternoon he got off the public bus to go to the bank, right before 5:00 p.m., and as he walked down Union Square, he started thinking, it is very frustrating as a citizen who has had restrooms, that were built with taxpayer’s money on Union Square, that is not open unless there are events going on downtown, involving beer gardens, or other events at different times of the year. He hopes, and he has asked in the past, that great consideration be given to reopening those restrooms, keeping them clean, and keeping them available for citizens who might want to go to the restroom without going into an establishment and spending their money to eat or drink. He knows that there has been problems, but he also knows that there are ways to solve some of the problems that have existed in the past. When we spend an estimated $40,000 on Inspiring Spaces from Lenoir Rhyne College to 6th Street SW, NW, to build a walking trail, and other events; where are people that are going to use those trails as they visit the community, going to have a place to go to powder their nose, if their nose needs to be powdered? He knows that there has been given consideration on the problems that those restrooms, in the past experienced. But he says now is time for a change and there can be a change.

 Mr. Pope stated that under Title Two, of the American’s with Disabilities Act Section 504, it is incumbent of this City to provide information that he is going to ask for, and he wants it to go in the minutes of this meeting as part of the agenda packet. He would like to have the name, the address, physical address of every City Employee at Public Works, City Police Department, and any other employees employed by this City who travel our streets on a daily basis. The other thing that he is requesting is he wants to know, in writing, in the past three years from tonight back three years what workshops were provided to City employees, the names of those City employees that attended the workshops and what those workshops were for, and who provided the workshops as the instructor, during the period that the employee attended them. He has had a situation to happen, that it makes it imperative that this information be given to him, and that he has an opportunity to look at the training of City employees, because he knows that there are a lot of things as a citizen of this City with a disability, that he runs across on a daily, weekly basis, and he is told that no matter what it is not safe. That the City has to be made aware of it, and they have “X” number of days to correct whatever the problem is. He said in response to that, what happens, are you notified after injury occurs to a citizen. Before the injury occurs you have City employees that should be trained to recognize barriers that exist on our sidewalks. He is making a formal request under Title Two of ADA for that information.
 
Mayor Wright asked staff to see what information that Mr. Pope has requested is required to be presented to him under the public records act, to the extent that is required, let’s make it available to him.

Consent Agenda

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution Confirming and Levying Assessments Along a portion of 10th Avenue NE – Petition No. 02-12 - Chuck Hansen presentation

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of a Resolution of Support for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments’ Investing in Manufacturing Communities Program Application and Presentation by Andrea Surratt on the IMCP Grant Investigation Manufacturing Community Partnership.

Hound: Not much went on other than the Status Quo at this meeting. The appropriations presentations were the same as every year.

An Addendum to Reality

I appreciated this awesome e-mail response to Land of the Greed and the Home of the Slaves - I will keep the author Anonymous, but I agree with what was stated and wanted to share it. There is a lot of thought and intellect put into this response and it will fly over 90%+ of this community's heads.



Dear Thom,

It’s always darkest before the dawn. No more posting in the middle of the night!

I think you might be getting off on the wrong track when you say that “working class” people are at the mercy of the “white collar” people. This divisionary tactic is one we must not fall for. We are all in this together and we have to be careful that we do not encourage division between classes, races, religions, age groups, etc. We need to recognize the real enemy: the international cabal of the corrupt banksters, the corporatocracy, the oligarchy, whatever name you want to use. No matter how you name them, they are still corrupt gangsters outside of the law who do whatever they like and whose power needs to be utterly broken.

This relatively small group of people intends to destroy the world country by country by gaining total control of the populations and then remaking the world according to their own plans and they have been stealthily working at it for many years. Remember that these people are not Americans, no matter what their passport might say. They are motivated only by power and control. Their immediate concern is to crush all competition and they have no moral compass to distinguish right and wrong. Their goal is a “new world order,” which they intend to control for their own benefit. The people will truly be slaves, as you said.

All media is controlled by them through just a handful of corporations: television, radio, print, and film. Through the media they have been able to brainwash Americans with their propaganda and through poisoning our water, food and environment they have made us weaker and less able to resist. But something has blossomed fairly recently that has caused them concern and slowed their plans: the Internet. The internet gave rise to the alternative media and people can learn the truth for the first time. The global cabal want to control the internet too and will do everything in their power to obtain this control. This is where we must stop them and this is where you have been playing an important part, Thom.

I know your focus is local, right here in Hickory and that is what we need; but Hickory’s economic problems can be traced back to these people and you must never let your readers forget this. Their jobs were destroyed by a combination of technology and NAFTA.

Several experts say that today we have the technology to give every person in the world the basic things they need to live a decent life. The global elite is controlling the technology and they intend to use it for themselves and to their benefit only. We have the technology to enable people to work only a few days a week if it were allowed to flower. They want one world government controlled by them and a max of 2 million people on the planet.

What can we do? Keep exposing the FED cartel and boycott their banks. Boycott the news networks and do everything we can to use and protect the Internet and keep it free. Support a strong military for defense only and speak out when you see it used aggressively abroad to destabilize nations. Make your home and car as self-sustainable as possible. Put no faith in the political system as we know both sides of the aisle, all branches and all levels have been co-opted by the global elite. When you keep it real (as you said), you will know that you can’t believe anything they tell you and you will have to do your own research.

Here in Hickory we need information about what’s really going on and I depend on the Hickory Hound to supply the information. I want to see the maps, drawings, renderings of Inspiring Spaces as well as information about the costs. Your recording of the Council meetings got things started, but now you can scale back and just make comments on parts that concern you. It looks like a lot of work and you could use your energy elsewhere. I’m really pleased to see the changes in the HDR now that we have a new editor and he has hired two new reporters. He promised more election coverage and it seems he is trying to carry through. Considering who owns the paper, he probably has to walk a fine line, but he wants to do a good job.

What we need is a critical mass of people who understand what’s going on behind the scenes and simply don’t fall for the standard explanations they are given. You have played an important part in waking me up. Primary elections are coming up soon and we need more information about who is running. Greg Brannon was a Constitutionalist who recently was brought to court on corruption charges from an incident in the past. No matter what they say, I feel he was deliberately knocked out of the race by the powers that be. They are very much afraid of the “Tea Party” and continue to seek to destroy it. It’s things like this we need to expose.

Have a good week and get some sleep!

Land of the Greed and the Home of the Slaves

The every man for themselves economy created has been fomented by the Merkin Oligarchy. Michael Douglas in the movie Wall Street said that "Greed is Good" and I swear to God that this is a Creed that many of the people at the top in this country have chosen to live by.

I guess if you're driving a luxury car, living in a luxury house, and have a detached white collar job with some security and decision making authority, then you think everything is hunky-dory and what is everyone complaining about. There are a lot of us out here that have been on a steady economic slide downwards with stagnant incomes and ever increasing expenses who are at the mercy of you white collar folks... and you folks never seem to suffer the consequences of your bad decisions like the rest of us do. If you think I'm lazy come say it to my face. If you think I've caused my problems, then please come say it to my face. Whomever you believe is not worthy, say it to their face. If you don't really want to know how I am, then don't ask.

I've still got to put together my State of Hickory 2014 and it has been hard to put together, because it isn't fun to talk about. My lone surviving grandparent had a stroke back in January and she isn't getting better. To be honest, I haven't gotten used to my other grandmother not being around, because she was basically my lifeline basically up until she died. My mother isn't in great shape and she has been helping my grandmother, which isn't easy on her... and no, we don't want anyone's help, because we know they want a ton of money. They basically want to take what little we have left.

I'm sick of it all to be frank and I've decided that besides work, I don't want much of anything to do with anyone in this community. I'll take care of my house, the best I can, and get by the best I can, but I expect every year from here on out to be worse than the last, not because I want it to be, but because of the way this place is. I have a cloud that hangs over me that makes me wonder at what point I lose everything.

I'm up here at 4am thinking about life. I'm not up because of some physical or mental disorder. I'm up because I can't get thoughts out of my mind -- all of the bad. And you will be happy to know that the stress exudes from my soul. How does someone who never wins and never gets what they want enjoy life?

We have people at the top of this community that want to tell us that our message isn't positive enough. I think we have too many sales people running this community. When they tell me this story about how great things are, they don't come off as convincing... they come off as full of it -- and I think the more vulgar term is more appropriate. I don't have confidence in these people. Sales people are only interested in selling things... making commissions... a quick fix... junkies. I'm not a junky - The Greed.

I want to see us build an economy here. I want to see some stability... security... ecosystem... progress... quality of life. I wish I could be a leader, a crusader, but this area doesn't create leaders. It chews those kinds of people up and spits them out. No one wants cutting edge, pioneer types of people here. Control freaks want people they can control, don't allow competition, and repress everything around them including themselves. If you step out, they will try to cage you. - The Slaves.

Personally, I'm going to tell it like I see it. If you don't like it, then go get blitzed or whatever you need to do to escape reality, because keeping it Real is the only thing helping me to survive at this point. So you have two options. Come cuss me out or leave me alone, because I'm not you. I'm me.

Lessons Never Learned

I looked at the Hickory Daily Record poll related to the Glorified Sidewalk along Main Avenue and the Railroad track that they are proposing to spend $27.5 million on. I told you during the election that Hickory Inc. is going to raise your taxes. They said so on May 21, 2013 at the Hickory City Council meeting..

Here are some points:

1) Remember that the Mayor said that the number being talked about was $80 million for beautification -- He said it at a Democrat meeting. I think he thought they would be receptive, because that's how the Fox News disciples think. Republicans automatically against spending money. Democrats automatically for spending money.

2) Look at the chart above. Former Alder Sally Fox said let's raise taxes now and let's fund Inspiring Spaces now. I appreciated her courage and her honesty. The others hemmed and hawed, because they were running for re-election. I think Sally knew she wasn't going to run. Those that were going to run knew that in Hickory, NC that they could not run on a tax increase. They wanted to keep it as hush-hush as possible. They should have been pushed on their obvious scheme. I tried. Oh well!

On that night, City Manager Mick Berry is saying they will need 1.5 cents for expected losses of Revenue and Operational Increases. They need at least 1-cent to repave the roads. And he talks about a three-pronged Economic Competitiveness plan and proposes that they need 4-cents for Hickory's portion of Innovate Catawba's Sites and Building plan plus Redevelopment plus Inspiring Spaces.

Here's the kicker. Mr. Berry lowballed his estimates. Look at those numbers:

4-cents for Hickory's portion of Innovate Catawba's Sites and Building plan plus Redevelopment plus Inspiring Spaces. He proposes $20 million for all of that. Now Hickory Inc. has come forward and they are asking for $27.5 million for just one project of one portion of their Economic Competitiveness plan. Do you see that this doesn't add up?

So, how much does that increase that "necessary" property tax increase? Absolutely more than 4-cents. And please remember that on their last project, they said that the Structure on Union Square was going to cost $285,000 and it ended up costing (what they will admit to) nearly $500,000. If they say this project is going to cost $27.5 million, then how much is it really going to cost?

You can see that to do what is proposed, your property tax is going up by at least 10-cents per $100.

3) Andrea Surratt, who has been in charge of this process, initially said that this plan was about jobs and population growth, but the only things we have heard mentioned are revitalized infrastructure.  I have been told that the Inspiring Spaces Advisory Committee had no input on this Main Street Project and they were surprised when City Staff came forward with it and yet we are told back on July 9, 2013 that the advisory committee is prioritizing the projects.

I am going through my files to pinpoint the remark. At one point, during the beginning of this process and along the time the structure on Union Square was being completed, Ms. Surratt said that this (Inspiring Spaces Project)  wasn't about Downtown; that Downtown had just been focused on with "the Sails" project. They were looking to redevelop and uplift other areas of the city -- this link points to where she said something along those lines - Highland Recreation Center meeting about Inspiring Spaces - November 13, 2012. 

What do you call this project? It is yet another focus on Downtown. I will be magnanimous by saying this was disingenuous.

The Hound:  Most of the RINOs, the DINOs, and the TPINOs all got together and re-elected the Status Quo back in November. These people don't understand the constructs and principles of their parties. It's just about a convenience and the contest. Everyone forgets about the governance part. 

I've heard people grousing and grumbling around here for years about the lack of direction, but they don't do anything to change their circumstances. Frankly, I'm tired of it. I've spent a lot of time over the years pointing out pure and simple reality. The bottom line is there is no accountability around here and there is a lot of nasty, lowball, petty politics. It sure isn't the stomping grounds of intellectuals, that's for sure.

It doesn't matter if 80% of the people are against it, these people, as far as I can tell, are going to build this sidewalk no matter what; just like they did their "Sails on the Square". Whether they pass the bond referendum or not, they are going to build this $27.5 million sidewalk. If the referendum does not pass, then they will have to do it piece meal. That means a little bit at a time for you devout worshipers of party politics. Taxes are going up no matter what.

If changing the way things are is Liberal, then I am guilty. If maintaining the Status Quo and doing the same things over and over again and hoping for a better result is Conservative, then I want nothing to do with it. We gave you a platform to get this whole community moving and it was rejected. You voted for "We're gonna do whatever we want and if you don't like it tough." Enjoy.

P.S. And I don't hate Hickory. The things I love are my family, God, loyal friends, freshness, fresh food, the ocean, mountain streams, underdogs, selflessness, hardworking ordinary people, justice, honor, integrity, intellectuality...

And I hate everything that is the opposite of that.

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- February 23, 2014

X22 Report - Current Economic Collapse News Brief – Episode 297 - February 22, 2014


The Hickory Daily Record - February 22, 2014
What do you think about the city of Hickory’s $27.5 million proposal to build a park / walking trail on Main Avenue as part of its Inspiring Spaces project?

Great idea. I’m fine with raising property taxes to fund it. 15.9% 
Let’s scale it down first. 6.6% 
We could find better uses for the money. 70.4% 
I don’t care at all about new parks. 7.1% 


Is the housing recovery losing steam? - Fortune/CNN.com - By Christopher Matthews - February 19, 2014 - The latest data suggest that the promised construction boom may not materialize...                    But Wednesday morning the Census Bureau released data showing that, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, only 880,000 new homes had begun construction in January, 16% below the revised December estimate of 1,048,000 and 2% below the January 2013 rate of 898,000...

Expert Warns of Hyperinflation: “The American Way Of Life Will Be Destroyed” - SHTFPlan.com - Mac Slavo - February 17th, 2014 -If there’s one thing that’s certain about what’s happening in the world right now  it’s that uncertainty is pervading every aspect of the global economy. From fabricated employment statistics and consumer spending reports to obscene levels of debt and a failing domestic monetary policy, the writing is on the wall.                According to top Casey Research analyst Marin Katusa, who has met with energy ministers and business leaders in over 100 countries, it’s only a matter of time before the world’s reserve currency goes the way of the German Reichsmark and Zimbabwe Dollar.                 What we’re talking about here is nothing short of an outright collapse of our banking system, hyperinflation of the US dollar, and a complete destruction of the world as we have come to know it. This is a must-watch for those trying to understand what’s happening with the economic landscape, how to position yourself for an unprecedented paradigm shift in how Americans live their lives, what to expect as this crisis unfolds, and how to find opportunities when everyone else is in panic mode.


29 Percent Of All U.S. Adults Under The Age Of 35 Are Living With Their Parents - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - February 19th, 2014 - Why are so many young adults in America living with their parents?  According to a stunning Gallup survey that was recently released, nearly three out of every ten adults in the United States under the age of 35 are still living at home with Mom and Dad.  This closely lines up with a Pew Research Center analysis of Census data that looked at a younger sample of Americans which found that 36 percent of Americans 18 to 31 years old were still living with their parents.  That was the highest level that had ever been recorded.  Overall, approximately 25 million U.S. adults are currently living at home with their parents according to Time Magazine.  So what is causing all of this?  Well, there are certainly a lot of factors.  Overwhelming student loan debt, a depressing lack of jobs and the high cost of living are all definitely playing a role.  But many would argue that what we are witnessing goes far beyond temporary economic conditions.  There are many that believe that we have fundamentally failed our young people and have neglected to equip them with the skills and values that they need to be successful in the real world.                  More Americans than ever before seem to be living in a state of "perpetual adolescence".  As Gallup noted, one of the keys to adulthood is to be able to establish independence from your parents...


Gold Even More Bullish Under Yellen Than Bernanke or Greenspan! 

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- February 16, 2014

Poll: Americans have little faith in government - Associated Press - CHARLES BABINGTON and JENNIFER AGIESTA — January 2, 2014 - Americans enter 2014 with a profoundly negative view of their government, expressing little hope that elected officials can or will solve the nation's biggest problems, a new poll finds.                          Half say America's system of democracy needs either "a lot of changes" or a complete overhaul, according to the poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 1 in 20 says it works well and needs no changes.                   Americans, who have a reputation for optimism, have a sharply pessimistic take on their government after years of disappointment in Washington.                        The percentage of Americans saying the nation is heading in the right direction hasn't topped 50 in about a decade. In the new poll, 70 percent lack confidence in the government's ability "to make progress on the important problems and issues facing the country in 2014."...                   On the economy, an area historically driven by the private sector, the poll finds a clear public desire for active government. Fifty-seven percent of Americans say "we need a strong government to handle today's complex economic problems."
Even among those who say "the less government the better," 31 percent feel the nation needs a strong government to handle those complex problems.                      Americans don't feel terribly optimistic about their own economic opportunities. Although 49 percent say their standard of living surpasses their parents', most are broadly pessimistic about the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. And they are mixed on whether people like them have a good chance to improve their standard of living.                          Few are hopeful that the pieces are in place for the government to improve. About half are pessimistic about the country's ability to produce strong leaders generally. And 61 percent are pessimistic about the system of government overall and the way leaders are chosen...


The Return of Mercantilism - Azizonomics - John Aziz - January 10, 2013


David Stockman - King World News Interview - February 13, 2014 - David Stockman was the head of the Office of Management and Budget during the Reagan Administration. In this interview he addresses the manipulation of the Money Markets by the Fed and how these artificial manipulations, such as Quantitative Easing, are going to have and will continue to have a resoundingly bad effect on World Money Markets. (King World News Interview)



Factory Production in U.S. Falls by Most Since 2009 - Bloomberg - Jeanna Smialek - February 14, 2014 - Factory production in the U.S. unexpectedly declined in January by the most since May 2009, adding to evidence severe winter weather weighed on the economy.                       The 0.8 percent decrease at manufacturers followed a revised 0.3 percent gain the prior month that was weaker than initially reported, figures from the Federal Reserve showed today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 0.1 percent advance. Total industrial production dropped 0.3 percent even as utility output climbed the most in almost a year.
Assembly lines slowed last month as colder weather tempered production, the Fed said, showing a pause in the momentum of an industry that’s helped bolster the economy. A pickup in capital spending and faster hiring that drives consumer purchases will be needed to spur production gains.



No Janet Yellen, The Economy Is NOT “Getting Better” - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - February 11th, 2014 - On Tuesday, new Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen went before Congress and confidently declared that "the economic recovery gained greater traction in the second half of last year" and that "substantial progress has been made in restoring the economy to health".  This resulted in glowing headlines throughout the mainstream media such as this one from USA Today: "Yellen: Economy is improving at moderate pace".  Sadly, tens of millions of Americans are going to believe what the mainstream media is telling them.  But it isn't the truth.  As you will see below, there are all sorts of signs that the economy is taking a turn for the worse.  And when the next great economic crisis does strike, most Americans will be completely and totally unprepared because they trusted our "leaders" when they told us that everything would be just fine...
 
-Prominent retailers are closing hundreds of stores all over the United States.  Things have gotten so bad that some are calling this a "retail apocalypse"...

• JC Penney, which lost $586 million in three months in 2013, is planning to close 33 stores in 19 states and lay off 2,000 people. JC Penney’s stock has lost 84 percent of its value since February 2012.
• Sears has decided to shut down its flagship store in Downtown Chicago, and it has closed 300 stores in the United States since 2010. Stock analyst Brian Sozzi noted that Sear’s inventory levels have fallen by 23.7 percent since 2006. He also noted that Sears had $4.4 billion in cash and equivalents in 2005 but $609 million in cash and equivalents in 2012. Sozzi, who calls himself a guerrilla analyst, has a blog full of disturbing pictures of empty Sears stores.
• Macy’s, one of the few retail success stories, is planning to close five stores and eliminate 2,500 jobs.
• Radio Shack is preparing to close 500 stores, according to The Wall Street Journal.
• Best Buy recently closed 50 stores and eliminated 950 jobs at stores in Canada.
• Target announced plans to eliminate 475 jobs and not fill 700 empty positions to reduce costs.
• Aeropostale is planning to close 175 stores.
• Blockbuster has closed down all of its stores.

The US Participation Rate Is At A 35 Year Low: This Is How It Looks Broken Down By State - Zero Hedge - Tyler Durden - February 14, 2014 - After years of being roundly ignored by the mainstream media, and certainly by self-important economists, the issue of labor force participation is suddenly up front and center, especially now that the Fed itself finds itself scrambling to explain the humiliation of hitting its 6.5% unemployment "forward guidance" threshold without proceeding to tighten as it said it would initially when it launched QEternity in December 2012.                    Incidentally, we predicted precisely this when we said in December 2012 that "using a simple forecast, based on LTM trends across all key employment metrics reveals something very troubling, for the Fed and stocks that is: the 6.5% unemployment rate will be breached in July 2013! Now granted that is simply idiotic, and there is no way that the US economy could possibly recover that fast, but that is precisely what is implied based on the ongoing collapse in the Labor Force Participation, and the concurrent plunge in the Labor Force Participation rate, which has been the biggest marginal driver for the unemployment rate, far more than the number of people who have jobs, or are unemployed (readers can recreate our calculation on their own in 10 minutes with excel)."
Granted, we were off by six months, but we were spot on about the reason why the unemployment threshold number was hit so quickly, instead of as the Fed has originally predicted, some time in 2015/2016.

We will see more Layoffs - X22 Report - Hickory Hound - February 13, 2014
X22 Report - Episode 289 - February 13, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of February 18, 2014

This Agenda is about the Hickory City Council meeting that took 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:

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  City Council Agenda - February 18, 2014

Invocation By Rev. David Roberts, Morning Star First Baptist Church


Special Presentations
A. Jeff Neuville, Business Development Committee – Presentation of Business Well Crafted Award to Mark Brown, Territory Sales Manager, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

B. Presentation by Community Groups Requesting Appropriations from the City Council during the Next Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2014. The Council will not take action tonight. Action will be taken when the Council considers the City’s annual budget in May or June. These presentations are made so Council Members can ask questions or make comments about the requests. Presenters will be allotted no more than five (5) minutes to make their presentations to Council. Organization Presentation - By - Amount Requested
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation - Scott Millar  - $149,919.71
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation – Greater Hickory Classic  - Scott Millar -  $75,000
Children’s Advocacy & Protection Center - Deborah Johnson - $10,000
Habitat for Humanity - Mitzi Gellman - $7,816
Hickory Downtown Development Association - Margaret Huss Jackson - $65,000
Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau - Bebe Leitch - $25,000
SALT Block Foundation - Mark Sinclair - $100,000
United Arts Council of Catawba County - Alan Jackson - $40,010

Consent Agenda:
A. Approval to Issue a Pyrotechnic Display Permit to Hickory Crawdads. - Mark Seaman, General Manager of the Hickory Crawdads has submitted a request to obtain permission to have a public fireworks display on the following 2014 dates: April 11; May 23; June 6, 17, 27; July 4, 25; and August 8, 15, 22. The following would be rain out dates: April 12; May 24; June 7, 28; July 5, 26; and August 9, 16, 23. 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. The Fire Prevention Bureau will also inspect the pyrotechnics display area prior to the event to ensure compliance with all guidelines and codes.

B. Approval to Issue a Pyrotechnic Display Permit to Hickory Motor Speedway. - Kevin Piercy, General Manager of the Hickory Motor Speedway has submitted a request to obtain permission to conduct public fireworks displays on the following 2014 dates: June 28; July 5, 26; and September 13. The following would be rain out dates: July 12 or 19; July 27 or August 2; and September 14, 27 or October 25. 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. The Fire Prevention Bureau will also inspect the pyrotechnics display area prior to the event to ensure compliance with all guidelines and codes.

C. Approval of First Amendment to an Agreement between the Western Piedmont Council of Governments and the City of Hickory for Assistance in Supporting the Western Piedmont Stormwater Partnership. - Staff requests approval of the First Contract Amendment to revise the “Time of Performance” schedule in the current agreement between the City of Hickory and the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Public Education program through the Western Piedmont Stormwater Partnership. The Time of Performance schedule would be revised such that all work would be completed during the period of January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2014.

D. Approval of Annual Auditing Contract with Martin Starnes & Associates in the Amount of $51,500. - The City of Hickory has utilized the services of Martin Starnes & Associates for the past five years with excellent results. The North Carolina Local Government Commission (LGC) does not require formal bid for auditing services due to the professional relationship formed between auditors and clients over an extended work history. The Secretary of the Local Government Commission approves all local government contracts and invoices for audit or audit-related work. The LGC requires approval of the auditing contract on an annual basis. Last year the City of Hickory approved a three year renewal contract with Martin Starnes & Associates. The annual renewal ending June 30, 2014 will be the second year of this contract. Staff requests approval to accept the renewal of the annual contract for auditing services with Martin Starnes & Associates for fiscal year ending June 30, 2014 in the amount of $51,500.

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 February 6, 2014:
 Tillis and Lucille Rendleman, 131 5th Avenue SW, Hickory, were awarded a City of Hickory’s 
Housing Rehabilitation Loan. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee recommends approval for assistance not to exceed $10,000.00 for repairs to their house. Assistance would be in the form of a 3% interest loan for a 10 year period.

Funds are budgeted for these items through the City of Hickory’s 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 2013 Urgent Repair Program. This program provides qualified low income citizens with assistance for emergency-related repairs not to exceed $5,400.
 Susan Nelson, 531 21st Avenue NE, Hickory,
 Mildred Williams, 29 7th Avenue SE, Hickory,


F. Special Event/Activities Application for Charity Chase Half Marathon, Bruce Felkins/Charity Chase President and Mandy Pitts/Charity Chase Vice President, Sunday, June 1, 2014 from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 13.1 miles in NE/NW Hickory with start on Main Avenue near Elk’s Lodge and finish in Union Square.

G. Special Event/Activities Application for National Day of Reason 2014 (Hickory, NC Rally), Gene Elliott, President, Hickory Humanist Alliance, Thursday, May 1, 2014 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Union Square Common.

H. Special Event/Activities Application for Taste of Hickory, Kirby Dodd, Gary Young, Mandy Pitts, Tri Chairs of local event to promote Taste. Well Crafted.; Lady Elks/Hickory Elks Club #1654 and City of Hickory, Life. Well Crafted. Brand. Sunday, May 18, 2014 from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at L.P. Frans Stadium concourse at Winkler Park.

I. Special Event/Activities Application for Corporate Challenge, Angela Smith, Senior Recreation Programmer, Tuesday, March 11, 2014 from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Union Square.

J. Approval of Resolution of Tentative Award for Eastwood Subdivision Sanitary Sewer Lines. - The Public Utilities Department and Catawba County Environmental Health identified three areas as areas of concern in 1998 as a part of the future service areas for the City of Hickory Sanitary Sewer System. Staff originally applied for State Revolving Grant funds for completion of this project April 1, 1999. After a number of years, NCDENR Division of Water Quality and NC Construction Grants and Loans issued final approval of the Preliminary Engineers Report on May 10, 2010 and approved the project for funding through State Revolving Grant Funds in the amount of $2,946,042.99. The project consists of three identified concentrations of residential housing that have historical problematic septic systems within the existing City of Hickory ETJ and accessible to existing City of Hickory sanitary sewer lines. Eastwood Subdivision is the first component of the overall project to be bid and ready for award. This Resolution of Tentative Award is a required step for NCDENR-DWR Infrastructure Finance Section funded projects. Upon approval of the project bids by NCDENR- DWRIFS after receipt of this Resolution of Tentative Award and Engineer’s Bid Certification, a request for Bid Acceptance and Award will be sent to City Council for further action. Staff recommends City Council approval of this Resolution of Tentative Award for Eastwood Subdivision Sanitary Sewer Lines Project to Neill Grading and Construction, Inc.

K. Approval of Change Order Three to Jimmy R. Lynch & Sons for the Hickory-Catawba
Wastewater Treatment Plant (HCWWTP) Upgrade Project. - The City of Hickory Public Utilities Department initiated the HCWWTP Upgrade Project in February 2013. The current contract amount is $10,292,237.19 which includes previously approved Change Order 2. The project was established with a contingency fund in order to address unforeseen expenses that may arise. Change Order 3 consists of six (6) items with one (1) item being a deductive change from the project and five (5) items being added due to permitting or unforeseen construction issues. The single largest item that is included in this change order is $6,918.71 for payment of undercut of poor soils and replacement with stone in the area of the waste loading station. The only material change is for $940.50 for galvanizing the hoist rail to prevent dis-similar metal corrosion. The deductive item totals $1,485.00 for substitution of a NEMA 3R rated Switchgear in-lieu of the NEMA 12 Switchgear that was intended in the design. Contract Change Order 2 was previously approved for $11,532.76. Contract Change Order total to date would be $83,563.08, including Change Order 1, 2 and 3 or 0.82% of
the original project contract. Revised contract total to date will be $10,303,220.08. The City of Hickory and Catawba County will split all expense equally at 50% each according to the Contract. Staff requests Council approval of Change Order 3 to Jimmy  R. Lynch & Sons, Inc. in the amount of $10,982.89 for the Hickory-Catawba Wastewater Treatment Plant (HCWWTP) Upgrade Project.

L. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 15.
1. To budget $3,000 from the Friends of the Library in the Departmental Supplies line item for the new teen area.

2. To appropriate $4,530 of General Fund Balance (Funds reserved from the State of North Carolina Un-Authorized Substance Tax revenue) and budget in the Police Department's Departmental Supplies line item. This amendment is necessary to purchase DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) workbooks, shirts for graduation and other items needed for graduation. Funds are made available to the Police Department from the State and remain in General Fund Balance until appropriated.

3. To budget a $4,951 insurance claim payment in the Traffic Division M&R Traffic Signals line item. This insurance claim payment is for damage to a utility pole and traffic light signal that occurred on 01-13-14.


Informational Item
A. Special Meeting of the City Council which was scheduled and posted for February 11th
was cancelled due to weather and rescheduled to Friday, February 28, 2014.

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution Confirming and Levying Assessments Along a portion of 10th Avenue NE – Petition No. 02-12 - The City Clerk received a petition from the owners of the properties along 10th Avenue NE to install curb and gutter along a portion of their street per Section 29-2 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances. The City Council adopted a Resolution Directing the Street Improvement Project be Undertaken on December 18, 2012 and the work was completed on June 24, 2013. The Preliminary Assessment Roll for Petition 02-12 has been prepared based on the curb and gutter constructed along 10th Avenue NE. Staff recommends that the Resolution Confirming and Levying Assessment be approved. Advertised  February 7, 2014.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of a Resolution of Support for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments’ Investing in Manufacturing Communities Program Application and Presentation by Andrea Surratt on the IMCP Grant Investigation Manufacturing Community Partnership. - The Western Piedmont Council of Governments is leading the application process for the IMCP (Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership). It is a federal initiative designed to accelerate the resurgence of  manufacturing. It is a partnership of various federal cabinet departments/agencies. Through this challenge, 12 communities will be designated “Manufacturing Communities”. This designation provides:
 Preferred consideration for $1.3 billion in federal dollars and assistance
 A cabinet department/agency point of contact to help access federal economic development funding
 Branding and promotion under the “Manufacturing Community” designation
 Additional possible consideration for EDA Challenge Grants
The deadline for the application is March 14, 2014.