Living Wage Calculation for Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina

Living Wage Calculation for Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina

The Living Wage Calculator, Community Economic Toolbox, and Poverty in America websites were developed by Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier and implemented by West Arete.

Eric Schultheis, a doctoral student in the Department of Urban Studies at MIT, collected, processed, and aggregated the site’s data.

Introduction to the Living Wage Calculator
In many American communities, families working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to live locally given the local cost of living. Recently, in a number of high-cost communities, community organizers and citizens have successfully argued that the prevailing wage offered by the public sector and key businesses should reflect a wage rate required to meet minimum standards of living. Therefore we have developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region. The calculator lists typical expenses, the living wage and typical wages for the selected location.

The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual must earn to support their family, if they are the sole provider and are working full-time (2080 hours per year). The state minimum wage is the same for all individuals, regardless of how many dependents they may have. The poverty rate is typically quoted as gross annual income. We have converted it to an hourly wage for the sake of comparison. Wages that are less than the living wage are shown in red.

About/History

Living Wage Calculator - Warren Pollock

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- March 9, 2014

Gerald Celente - Founder & Director, Publisher, the Trends Journal® - King World News interview - March 8, 2014 - Gerald Celente will show you the future. Forecasting trends since 1980, Mr. Celente, Founder & Director of the Trends Research Institute, is author of the highly acclaimed and best selling books, Trend Tracking and Trends 2000 (Warner Books) and publisher of the Trends Journal®. King World News interview

More Americans relocating for new jobs - Number of new hires who relocated jumped 35% in 2013 - Marketwatch - Wall Street Journal - Catey Hill - March 6, 2014 - ...To be sure, there have been some adjustments. The area is different than Cleveland—Walker jokes that his local car wash has a sign that says “no washing pig smokers,” not something one sees in Ohio. And the family is understandably a little nervous about making a whole new set of friends and leaving family behind. Still, Walker says he’s glad they made the move. “It’s so easy to get caught in the inertia of life—that is where we were—I’m glad I just found a job and decided to go.”                          Walker is part of a small but fast-growing trend: After years of staying put, the percentage of workers relocating for a new job in 2013 climbed 35% from a year prior, according to a survey released Thursday by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, which looked at people who successfully obtained a new job last year. About 13% of people who got a new job in 2013 ended up moving house, up from 9.8% in 2012. “The labor market is slowly unlocking,” says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “This shows that people are more confident with the job market, willing to move to a new place and take their chances.”                           What’s more, Challenger says this increased relocation rate is a sign that the economy is improving—specifically that the real estate market is picking up and more companies are hiring. Indeed, it’s easier to unload a home and move these days, as home prices climbed more than 10% in 2013, while foreclosure rates plummeted. “We’re going to make money on our home,” says 32-year-old Bonnie Taylor, who relocated from Las Vegas to Boston for a job in February. Plus, the unemployment rate fell from 7.9% in January to 6.7% in December. Also, 1.7% of workers voluntarily left their jobs in December, up from a mere 1.2% in 2009. “We are in a new place in the economy,” says Challenger....

Ukraine crisis: 5 financial, economic effects - USA Today - John Waggoner - March 3, 2014 - • Lower stock prices. • Higher energy prices, particularly in Europe. • Slower economic growth in Europe, because of higher energy prices. • Lower U.S. Treasury yields. • Higher gold prices.


States make end run around food stamp cuts - AP through CNBC - March 2, 2014 - Connecticut and New York have found a way around federal budget cuts that played a central role in the massive farm bill passed this month: bump up home heating assistance a few million bucks in return for preserving more than a half-billion dollars in food stamp benefits.                            The moves by Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- with the possibility that more governors could follow -- cheer social service advocates who say the deep recession and weak economic recovery have pounded low-income workers and the unemployed who rely on heating assistance and food stamps.                         The $100 billion per year farm bill cut $800 million annually in the food stamp program by ending some state practices that give recipients minimal heating assistance -- as low as $1 per person -- to trigger higher food stamp benefits. Compromise legislation requires states to give recipients at least $20 in heating assistance before a higher food stamp benefit could kick in...



Plunging mall traffic is killing some restaurants and stores - CBS MoneyWatch - Kim Peterson - March 6, 2014 - Shopping malls are slowly turning into ghost towns, and that's taking a toll on the stores and restaurants inside of them.                   Nowhere is this more apparent than in the mall food court. Several fast-food chains that were once a primary source of sustenance for bored teens are crumbling, unable to stay in business as shoppers spend their money elsewhere.                     The latest victim is Sbarro, the pizza and pasta chain that was a staple at mall food courts. The company could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as early as next week, The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.                   In mid-February, the company announced it would be closing 155 of its 400 North American stores, most of which are located in malls and airports. The company is buckling under $140 million in debt....


Everything must go: There's a flood of store closings - CNN Money - Chris Isidore - March 7, 2014 - Brick and mortar chain stores died this week, after a long illness. Born along Main Street, raised in shopping malls across post-World War II America, the traditional store enjoyed decades of good health, wealth and steady growth. But in recent years its fortunes have declined. Survived by Amazon.com and online outfits too numerous to list.                          It may be too soon to write brick-and-mortar's obituary, but it's not looking good.....                            

U.S. House votes to delay Obamacare penalty for non-enrollment - Reuters through Yahoo - David Morgan and Thomas Ferraro - March 5, 2014 - The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to delay for one year the tax penalty Americans will pay under President Barack Obama's healthcare law if they decline to enroll in health coverage.                     The vote, part of a Republican election-year attack strategy against the 2010 healthcare law known as Obamacare, marked the 50th time House Republicans had passed legislation to try to repeal or dismantle it.                       The measure to delay the tax penalty passed by a vote of 250-160, with 27 Democrats joining with 223 Republicans to back the legislation. The bill is certain to go nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate and would face a White House veto even if it succeeded.

Companies shrink workforces in February, ISM says - Employment gauge in services index falls to lowest level since Marketwatch - Wall Street Journal - Jeffry Bartash - March 5, 2010 -  The companies that employ roughly 80% of American workers grew more slowly in February and their workforces contracted for the first time in more than two years, according to a survey of executives.                         The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing index dropped to 51.6% last month from 54% in January. While readings over 50% signal more companies are expanding instead of shrinking, the index fell well short of the 53% forecast of economists polled by MarketWatch.                        The index is compiled from a survey of senior executives who buy supplies for their companies. The latest results show that service companies such as retailers, health-care suppliers and hotels stumbled in February and unusually poor weather was partly but not entirely to blame. 

No Jobs, No Economy, No Prospects For Peace Or Life — Paul Craig Roberts - March 7, 2014 -
Over the decades various administrations, seeking to improve their economic record, monkeyed with economic statistics to the point that the statistics are no longer meaningful.                         According to Friday’s (March 7) payroll jobs report, the US economy created 175,000 new jobs in February. If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I’ll let you have at a good price.
Even if 175,000 jobs were created in February–remember now, February was a cold month whose low temperatures are used to explain poor housing and retail sales performance, yet somehow created 40,000 more jobs than needed to keep up with population growth–that is an insufficient amount to drop the unemployment rate.                          To see how screwed up US economic statistics are, consider the reported unemployment rate (U.3) of 6.7 percent in comparison with the fact that there are about 6 million Americans who have been unable to find a job and are no longer counted as unemployed. These millions of unemployed are not included in the reported rate of unemployment.
John Williams (shadowstats.com) reports that the true rate of US unemployment is around 23 percent.
Rather than examine the issue, the presstitute financial media trumpets the government’s propaganda. In America there is no more of a financial media, except for Pam Martens and Nomi Prins, than a print and TV media.                              The Economic Policy Institute reports that there are 1,360,000 unemployed men and women under 25, 2,8000,000 unemployed men and women aged 25-54, and 1,640,000 unemployed men and women 55 and over who are not counted as unemployed, because they have been unable to find a job after searching a long time and have given up looking.
Just as “your” government and “your” prostitute media lie to you about Ukraine, Putin, Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Palestine, NSA, spying, torture, 9/11, Obamacare, and literally everything under the sun, “your” government lies to you about the economy and hides from you the perilous state of your economic existence. If you are not among the One Percent, you have no future in America.                        Let us have a look at the 175,000 claimed jobs. Are these the promised high-paying jobs of the “New Economy” that Washington and its economists pimps guaranteed us would take the place of the offshored manufacturing and tradable professional service jobs?                       Afraid not. In the many years that I have been observing the monthly payroll jobs reports and the BLS’s future jobs projections, I have never seen even one of the “New Economy” jobs. They simply do not exist. Yet, the economics profession, an extremely deluded collection of morons, still believes in these jobs....


Average Wage Growth Slowest in 5 years - Breitbart - Mike Flynn - March 5, 2014 - Friday's report from the Labor Department that the economy added 175,000 jobs in February was better than economists expected. After two very weak reports in December and January, expectations had been lowered for job creation in the month. While the overall number of jobs added was good news, details in the report give caution for future job growth. For the month, average weekly wages grew at their slowest pace in 5 years, suggesting no real future growth in the economy.                                      Average weekly earnings for production and non-supervisory employees actually fell in the month to $682.65 from just over $683 in January. For all employees, average weekly earnings inched up about 60 cents to $831.40. Those earnings are up just 1.3% since last February, the slowest annual growth since the recovery began in 2009.                   Annual growth in average weekly earnings has been declining since 2010. In that year, average earnings grew 2.9%. Growth in the next three years dropped to 2.3%, 2.1% and 1.6% respectively. February's increase in average wages was just 1.3% higher than the year before.                        Part of the slowdown in wage growth is likely attributable to the drop in hours worked each week. In the past year, 17 of 19 industry sectors tracked by the Labor Department experienced a decline in the average number of hours worked each week.                     With wage growth generally stagnant, it is hard to envision a pick-up in economic activity as we enter Spring. Consumer spending accounts for around three-quarters of economic activity. With wages growing slower than consumer inflation, it is hard to see a sharp uptick in consumer spending.

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of March 4, 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 March 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.



Invocation by Reggie Longcrier

Special Presentations
A. Presentation of FY 2014-2015 Board and Commission Work Plans. Presenters will be allotted no more than five (5) minutes to make their presentations to Council.
Board/Commission Presenter
1. Library Advisory - Board Kathy Ivey
2. Citizens’ Advisory Committee - Mike Holland - Dave Leonetti
3. Community Appearance Commission - Steve Bowman
4. Community Relations Council - Neal Orgain
5. Hickory International Council - Hani Nassar
6. Hickory Regional Planning Commission - Brian Frazier
7. Hickory Youth Council - Toni Abernathy - Dave Leonetti
8. Historic Preservation Commission - Larry Triplett
9. Parks and Recreation Commission - Tony Wood
10. Public Art Commission - Brian Frazier
11. Recycling Advisory Board - Norm Meres
12. Business Development Committee - Alan Jackson

B. Inspiring Spaces Committee Update - Presentation by Andrea Surratt, Assistant City Manager

Persons Requesting to be Heard:
Larry Pope

Consent Agenda:  


New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. -  Re-Opening of the Public Hearing continued to this date from February 4, 2014
Chuck Hanson - Public Services Director

Skipper Smith - Owner of Catawba Paper Box - Opposes the Closing of E Avenue
Fan Smith - Opposes the Closing
Lisa Valdez - Attorney for the Smith's
Andy Rhoney - Sales and Marketing Director for CPB 
- others spoke also

John Moretz - Owner of Moretz Mills, LLC - Speaking for closing E street
Corey Gaines - Gaines Motor Lines - Trucking Consultant/Driver 
Ryan Edwards - Southeast Retirement Planners, Inc - Prospective Tenant
Ellie Bradshaw - Attorney for Mr. Moretz

Meg Locke - Owner of Hollar Crossing - wants the groups to come to an agreement
Ted Cooke - Speaks about the reality of the roads in the area and access and transition of property to future purposes.

***Rebuttals***

***City Council Deliberation*** - City Council Decides to table the Public Hearing until the city Council meeting on March 18, 2014



Hound on the Meeting: - Thoughts about the Hickory City Council meeting of March 4, 2014

The issue of the evening was the Public Hearing for the Petition by Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. - On December 6, 2013, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, Attorneys at Law, presented a petition on behalf of Moretz Mills LLC, one of the property owners of property abutting a portion of E Avenue SE, requested the City to abandon a portion of this right-of-way.

This turned into the Moretz Mills Development project owned by John Moretz versus Catawba Paper Box owned by Skipper Smith. Mr. Moretz wants E Avenue closed because he is redeveloping his building and incorporating a parking lot across the street and he wants his customers to be able to cross the street without concern for traffic.

Mr. Smith's business received a Hickory Well Crafted Business Award on April 16, 2013. His business uses that street as an access road to accept (ingress) and deliver (egress) goods to his business. Currently it isn't a busy street and there are only a few trucks coming through the area per day, but he believes that this street is vital to the health of his business. This road gives them complete and direct access to Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard leading to I-40 and beyond.

Mr. Moretz's building project is very important to the revitalization of that area. He is investing $10+ million in this project and already has 11 tenants who have signed up to lease spaces.  He says he is willing to help redesign street access for trucks to use F Ave Dr SE, instead of E Ave SE.

This issue was to come before the Council back on February 4, but time was allowed for the two organizations to continue to negotiate. Staff, the Attorneys, and the Council agreed to punt the issue to tonight.

Each side brought forth new proposals on this evening during the public hearing and both sides made valid points; but there was also some rhetoric and hyperbole, as one would expect. It was clear that most of the Council was uncomfortable about making a decision on this night and both parties had expressed that they had positive proposals on the table. I think both sides expected the Council to pick their particular proposal.

The Council voted 4 (Mayor Wright, Hank Guess, David Zagaroli, and Jill Patton) to 3 (Brad Lail, Bruce Meisner, and Danny Seaver) to give these two organizations one last chance to come to an amicable agreement over the next 2 weeks.

The Hound: After listening to each side, I think that Wright, Seaver, Zag, and Patton did the right thing here. These people do need to come to an agreement. If we are going to see revitalization and the community moving forward, then we are going to have to work together on progress. There is nothing wrong with giving people every opportunity to do the right thing. If they come to an agreement, then everyone wins. If they don't, then someone's feelings will be hurt.

Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting

The issues that I found interesting before the meeting weren't even discussed that much.

1) The presentations of the Boards and Commissions were basically carbon copies of the previous years plans with tweaks based upon upcoming events.

2) Inspiring Spaces was glossed over, but Ms. Surratt did say the document plan is online:

City's Inspiring Spaces Page -
http://www.hickorync.gov/department/board.php?structureid=162

3) The issue of the evening was the Public Hearing for the Petition by Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. - On December 6, 2013, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, Attorneys at Law, presented a petition on behalf of Moretz Mills LLC, one of the property owners of property abutting a portion of E Avenue SE, requested the City to abandon a portion of this right-of-way.

This turned into the Moretz Mills Development project owned by John Moretz versus Catawba Paper Box owned by Skipper Smith. Mr. Moretz wants E Avenue closed because he is redeveloping his building and incorporating a parking lot across the street and he wants his customers to be able to cross the street without concern for traffic.

Mr. Smith's business received a Hickory Well Crafted Business Award on April 16, 2013. His business uses that street as an access road to accept (ingress) and deliver (egress) goods to his business. Currently it isn't a busy street and there are only a few trucks coming through the area per day, but he believes that this street is vital to the health of his business. This road gives them complete and direct access to Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard leading to I-40 and beyond.

Mr. Moretz's building project is very important to the revitalization of that area. He is investing $10+ million in this project and already has 11 tenants who have signed up to lease spaces.  He says he is willing to help redesign street access for trucks to use F Ave Dr SE, instead of E Ave SE.

This issue was to come before the Council back on February 4, but time was allowed for the two organizations to continue to negotiate. Staff, the Attorneys, and the Council agreed to punt the issue to tonight.

Each side brought forth new proposals on this evening during the public hearing and both sides made valid points; but there was also some rhetoric and hyperbole, as one would expect. It was clear that most of the Council was uncomfortable about making a decision on this night and both parties had expressed that they had positive proposals on the table. I think both sides expected the Council to pick their particular proposal.

The Council voted 4 (Mayor Wright, Hank Guess, David Zagaroli, and Jill Patton) to 3 (Brad Lail, Bruce Meisner, and Danny Seaver) to give these two organizations one last chance to come to an amicable agreement over the next 2 weeks.

The Hound: After listening to each side, I think that Wright, Seaver, Zag, and Patton did the right thing here. These people do need to come to an agreement. If we are going to see revitalization and the community moving forward, then we are going to have to work together on progress. There is nothing wrong with giving people every opportunity to do the right thing. If they come to an agreement, then everyone wins. If they don't, then someone's feelings will be hurt.

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- March 2, 2014

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts - King World News Interview - March 1, 2014 - Former US Treasury Official, Co-Founder of Reaganomics, Economist & Acclaimed Author - Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is an American economist, a columnist and recent author of “The Failure Of Laissez Faire Capitalism” -  Dr. Roberts speaks about the Implosion of the Soviet Union during the Reagan - Bush Administrations. The Ukraine's problems have been created by the Western Central Banking Cartel.  The rebels who have taken over Ukraine are Nazis. Their are ethnic issues involved here. The incompetence of the U.S. Government can lead to a Nuclear confrontation.



Ukraine War Could Cause Huge Oil Price Spike - Wall St. 24/7 - Douglas A. McIntyre - March 2, 2014 - ... It takes very little in terms of global political conflicts, weather, or tightened supply to press the price of crude higher. One big hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, racing toward Texas refineries can trigger it. So can any hint that OPEC might throttle supply. Tensions in the Middle East seem to affect oil prices almost annually, if not more often.                        Russia supplies much of the oil and natural gas for Europe. In September 2013, a dispute between Russia and Belarus caused anxiety about the export of crude by the huge nation. Europe has no easy way to replace this supply. If the West imposes sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, Russia may retaliate with a cut in oil and gas exports to undermine Europe’s resolve.                      The question is how much a war between Russia and Ukraine would move oil prices higher. There is no formula to count it. However, the more violent the conflict, the more likely that the move upward would be sharp.                  Crude oil in the United States currently trades at about $102 a barrel. It has bounced between that level and $90 for a year. So far, the $100 price has not effected gas, oil, and petrochemical prices enough to dent the economies of the developed nations. If the 2008 oil spike, which pushed crude above $120 a barrel for about three months, is any indication, GDP among these countries could be hurt by much higher prices. The victims would range from drivers to transportation companies and airlines. And the ripple caused by high petrochemical prices, which effect a broad range of industries, is too large to calculate.


Memo to Obama: This Was Their Red Line! - Contra Report - David Stockman - March 2, 2014 - In 1783 the Crimea was annexed by Catherine the Great, thereby satisfying the longstanding quest of the Russian Czars for a warm-water port. In fact, over the ages Sevastopol emerged as a great naval base at the strategic tip of the Crimean peninsula, where it became home to the mighty Black Sea Fleet of the Czars and then the commissars.                          For the next 171 years Crimea was an integral part of Russia—a span that exceeds the 166 years that have elapsed since California was annexed by a similar thrust of “Manifest Destiny” on this continent, thereby providing, incidentally, the United States Navy with its own warm-water port in San Diego. While no foreign forces subsequently invaded the California coasts, it was most definitely not Ukrainian and Polish riffles, artillery and blood which famously annihilated The Charge Of The Light Brigade at the Crimean city of Balaclava in 1854; they were Russians defending the homeland.                        And the portrait of the Russian ”hero” hanging in Putin’s office is that of Czar Nicholas I—who’s brutal 30-year reign brought the Russian Empire to its historical zenith, and who was revered in Russian hagiography as the defender of Crimea, even as he lost the 1850s war to the Ottomans and Europeans. Besides that, there is no evidence that Putin does historical apologies, anyway.                           In fact, its their Red Line. When the enfeebled Franklin Roosevelt made port in the Crimean city of Yalta in February 1945 he did know he was in Soviet Russia. Maneuvering to cement his control of the Kremlin in the intrigue-ridden struggle for succession after Stalin’s death a few years later, Nikita Khrushchev allegedly spent 15 minutes reviewing his “gift” of Crimea to his subalterns in Kiev in honor of the decision by their ancestors 300 years earlier to accept the inevitable and become a vassal of Russia...

Kiev Fascist Clique Reeling Under Russian Counterstrokes; Obama Must Back Off; Merkel, Ashton, Fabius, Sikorski, Steinmeyer Exposed as Coup Plotters - Tarpley.net - Webster G. Tarpley, Ph.D. - World Crisis Radio - March 1, 2014

New home sales hit five-and-a-half year high in January - Reuters - Lucia Mutikani - February 26, 2014 - Sales of new U.S. single-family homes surged to a 5-1/2-year high in January, possibly easing concerns of a sharp slowdown in the housing market.                       The Commerce Department said on Wednesday that sales jumped 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000 units, the highest level since July 2008.                           December's sales were revised up to a 427,000-unit pace from the previously reported 414,000-unit rate. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast new home sales, which are measured when contracts are signed, falling to a 400,000-unit pace in January.

Sales in the Northeast soared 73.7 percent to a seven-month high, while the South recorded a 10.4 percent rise in transactions to a more than five-year high.                           These regions along with the Midwest have experienced unusually cold weather that has been blamed for holding back economic activity. Sales tumbled 17.2 percent in the Midwest last month, while rising 11 percent in the West.                           New homes are a small segment of the housing market, which lost momentum in the second half of last year following a run-up in mortgage rates and a shortage of properties for sale.                           Higher borrowing costs and home prices mean that properties are less affordable for many, especially as income growth remains tepid.                    Yields on 10-year and 30-year Treasuries rose after the release of the housing data, while U.S. stocks were trading broadly higher.                      A separate report on Wednesday showed applications for loans to purchase homes fell 4 percent last week from a week earlier, hitting their lowest level since 1995.

Sales of previously-owned homes tumbled to a 1-1/2 year low in January and housing starts recorded their biggest decline in nearly three years last month, according to data last week.

That raised concerns that the sector, which is key to the economy's recovery, was slowing down sharply.                       New home sales rose 2.2 percent compared with January 2013. For all of 2013, sales were the highest since 2008.                          Last month, the supply of new houses on the market was unchanged at 184,000 units.                        New house inventories are likely to remain lean for a while as builders complain about a lack of lots, materials and skilled labor. With household formation falling sharply last year, housing activity could remain constrained for a while.                    The median price of a new home last month rose 3.4 percent to $260,100 from January 2013. The pace of price increases, however, has slowed in recent months.                         At January's sales pace it would take 4.7 months to clear the supply of houses on the market. That was the fewest months since June and was down from 5.2 months in December.                       A supply of 6.0 months is normally considered a healthy balance between supply and demand.                    (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao)

Agenda about the City Council meeting of March 4, 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:

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 - March 4, 2014

The Hound's Notes:
1) Special  Presentation B is about the Inspiring Spaces Initiative - Hickory Inc. went to Charlotte on Friday. John Tinkelenberg of the Hickory Daily Record did a special report on this "Retreat". Here is a link to the report  - Uncertainty still blankets Inspiring Spaces initiative.

2) Possible development of the property at the Cloninger Mill Proposed Park site? - I find item I of the Consent Agenda interesting. Economic Development Agreement with MAB American.
Found this from Streetinsider.com - November 13, 2014 - Inland Real Estate Corporation (NYSE: IRC) announced that it has entered into a joint venture to develop grocery-anchored shopping centers in select markets throughout the southeastern United States with MAB American Retail Partners, LLC, an affiliate of Melbourne, Australia-based MAB Corporation. The five-year development program will target demographically strong metropolitan areas in the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C. and could result in the construction of as many as 20 new grocery-anchored shopping centers with a total market value of as much as $325 million. MAB Corporation is a privately owned property development company and fund manager that has completed in excess of $2 billion in projects, including retail, office, multi-family and industrial, at locations throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

MAB Rosenthal - MAB American



Invocation by Susan Smith Walker, Assistant Pastor, Exodus Missionary Outreach Church


Special Presentations
A. Presentation of FY 2014-2015 Board and Commission Work Plans. Presenters will be allotted no more than five (5) minutes to make their presentations to Council.
Board/Commission Presenter
1. Library Advisory Board Kathy Ivey
2. Citizens’ Advisory Committee Mike Holland
3. Community Appearance Commission Steve Bowman
4. Community Relations Council Neal Orgain
5. Hickory International Council Hani Nassar
6. Hickory Regional Planning Commission Brian Frazier
7. Hickory Youth Council Toni Abernathy
8. Historic Preservation Commission Larry Triplett
9. Parks and Recreation Commission Tony Wood
10. Public Art Commission Brian Frazier
11. Recycling Advisory Board Norm Meres
12. Business Development Committee Alan Jackson

B. Inspiring Spaces Committee Update

Consent Agenda:
A. Special Event/Activities Application for Cornerstone Cares 5K Run/Walk, Allison Crouse, Executive Assistant, Cornerstone Health Care, Saturday, April 5, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Union Square, Downtown Hickory, Sails on the Square.

B. Special Event/Activities Application for Hickory Oktoberfest 2014, Connie Kincaid, Executive Director, Hickory Downtown Development Association, October 9, 2014 at 6:00 a.m. to October 12, 2014 at 11:00 p.m. (times include set-up and clean-up). Staff recommends approval with public safety stipulation that the event closes at 10:00 p.m. and alcohol sales stop at 9:30 p.m.

C. Acceptance of Offers to Purchase and Contracts for Properties Located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of Offers to Purchase and Contracts for properties located at 1840 and 1845 Waterbury Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The properties were originally purchased by the City because they were on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the properties are no longer needed. Tax value for 1840 Waterbury Court is $27,600, and 1845 Waterbury Court is $27,300. Ioan Aron, and wife Carmen Aron are interested in purchasing these lots in order to construct single family dwellings. They are offering $15,000 per lot.
Notice of Upset Bid was advertised on February 7, 2014 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area. No upset bids were received for the properties.

D. Acceptance of Offer to Purchase and Contract for Property Located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. - Staff requests consideration of an Offer to Purchase and Contract for property located at 1747 Whitewater Court, in the Waterford Hills Subdivision. The property was originally purchased by the City because it was on the route of the proposed Southern Cross-Town Thoroughfare. The route for the future thoroughfare has since been amended, and the property is no longer needed. Tax value for 1747 Whitewater Court is $29,700. Mark Schudde is interested in purchasing the lot because it is adjacent to his home. He is offering $16,500 for the lot. Notice of Upset Bid was advertised on February 7, 2014 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area. No upset bids were received for the properties.

E. Acceptance of an Offer to Purchase and Contract for Properties Located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE, the City owns 10.7143% Interest in the Lots - Staff requests consideration of the Offer to Purchase and Contract for properties located at 11 3rd Street SE, 17 3rd Street SE, 21 3rd Street SE, and 27 3rd Street SE. The Patrick Beaver Memorial Library was one of eight beneficiaries of the will of George L. Lylerly, Jr. In July 2009, the trustee presented the beneficiaries with the option to accept an $8,000 offer to purchase the property or the option to approve the distribution of the property. Council rejected the offer to purchase and approved the distribution of the property from the trust at the July 21, 2009 Council meeting. The City of Hickory was conveyed a 10.7143% interest in the lots. Tax values for the properties are as follows: 11 3rd Street SE, $8,500; 17 3rd Street NE, $9,700; 21 3rd Street SE, $11,900; and 27 3rd Street SE, $12,600. In January 2013, staff received an offer to purchase the property for $44,386 from Prism Commercial Real Estate on behalf of the buyer, Tony Jarrett. All eight owners of the property must consent to the offer to purchase. The City’s share will be $4,755.65.
Notice of Upset Bid was advertised on February 7, 2014 in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area. No upset bids were received for the properties.

F. Approval of the Contract for J.W. Grading to Demolish Structures Deemed to be Unsafe or Uninhabitable by the Police Department Code Enforcement Unit. - Since the creation of the Police Department Code Enforcement Unit in July of 2008 the unit has been responsible for approximately 190 demolitions with only three of these going before the City Council. Although demolitions by the city are not carried out on a regular basis J.W. Grading would provide the most cost effective solution for any potential demolitions. The lowest bidder for the city contract is J.W. Grading with a bid of $2.23 per square foot. Staff requests approval of the demolition contract to J.W. Grading.

G. Call for Public Hearing – to Amend 2012 and 2013 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plans. (Authorize Public Hearing for March 18, 2014)

H. Certificate of Sufficiency and Preliminary Resolution Relative to Street Improvements along a Portion of 627 8th Street Drive NW – Petition No. 01-14 (Authorize Public Hearing for April 1, 2014)

I. Call for Public Hearing – to Consider Economic Development Agreement with MAB American for the Development of City Owned Property at Cloninger Mill Road and NC 127. (Authorize Public Hearing for March 18, 2014)

J. Call for Public Hearing – To Consider Economic Development Agreement with Cornerstone United Inc., and Piedmont Wagon Properties, LLC for the Property Located at 1020 Main Ave. NW, Hickory. (Authorize Public Hearing for March 18, 2014)

K. Acceptance of an Offer of Dedication of Public Street Right-of-Way (14th Avenue NE, formerly Austin’s View). - The City has been presented with an offer of dedication for a portion of 14th Avenue NE. The section of roadway was previously constructed and inspected. However, the City was not able to assume maintenance of the street because the right-of-way for the street was never dedicated. The street and the larger residential development are now under new ownership and have formally dedicated the street right-of-way, and provided an offer for public dedication. These actions were done so by the recordation of a dedication and closure plat, which is recorded in Plat Book 73, at Page 90 of the Catawba County Registry.
The North Carolina General Statutes, as well as the City’s Land Development Code, require that street rights-of-way offered for dedication be officially accepted for public use by resolution of the elected governing body. Staff recommends City Council approve the resolution accepting the offer of dedication for the segment of 14th Avenue NE, as shown on Plat Book 73, at Page 90 of the Catawba County Registry.

L. Approval of the 2014 Loan Agreement with the National Museum of the United States Air Force. - The City has taken part in the US Air Force’s Static Display Program for many years whereby certain aircraft are on loan to the City for display by the Hickory Aviation Museum. There are no City budgetary requirements under this agreement. The Hickory Regional Airport currently has on loan two aircraft that fall under this agreement. Staff requests approval of the 2014 Loan Agreement with the National Museum of the United States Air Force under their Static Display Program.

M. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 16.
1. To budget a $5,596 insurance claim payment in the Traffic Division M&R Traffic Signals line item. This insurance claim payment is for damage to a signal box at 4th St. NW and 2nd Ave. NW on January 13, 2014.
2. To appropriate $20,000 of General Fund Contingency and transfer to the Airports Other Professional Services line item. These funds are needed to cover the ongoing legal fees related to the former FBO’s (Fixed Based Operator’s) bankruptcy.

N. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 17.
1. To transfer $193,000 of General Fund-Appropriated Fund Balance to the Stormwater Fund’s Contracted Services line item. This transfer is needed to pay for storm drain cleaning and repair under 7th St. SE. The 96 inch storm drain pipe under 7th St. SE became filled with debris material and approximately 25 feet of the pipe has been damaged as a result of poor maintenance of the upstream property's drainage system. The repair to the damaged section of the pipe will include installing a concrete gunite lining. The NCDOT (North Carolina Department of Transportation) has informed the upstream property owner that drainage system failure must be addressed at once.

New Business - Public Hearings
1. Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. - On December 6, 2013, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, Attorneys at Law, presented a petition on behalf of Moretz Mills LLC, one of the property owners of property abutting a portion of E Avenue SE, requested the City to abandon a portion of this right-of-way.
This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on January 10, January 17, January 24, and January 31, 2014. An additional advertisement for the continuation of the public hearing was published February 21, 2014.

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.