There’s been a good deal of chatter concerning the low rating Hickory received in the Gallup survey. The “public face” by many of the region’s leaders has been to not believe that the survey is accurate and to declare their love for the area. Well, many people do love the area and many like myself have longstanding roots here. But many people I’ve read on social media, talked to in person, or have heard conversing do feel stuck in a dead end area. And to live in denial is not helpful.We need honest assessments about where we are and what we need to do to bring vibrancy back to our community.
The Mayor and others are touting the Inspiring Spaces project as the ticket to economic revitalization. It won’t do it. There are some worthy projects on the list and some real dogs as well. And cities do need to move forward on some infrastructure improvements to keep a decent quality of life. Hickory has some great gems. I know I will leave some out but: the SALT block, the Museum of Art, the Hickory Community Theater, the Choral Society, the Western Piedmont Symphony, LR, the lake, our natural beauty, good location, climate and more….
We also have some real downsides: poor educational attainment by a large segment of the population, worse than average unemployment, wages, and household wealth. These things work in tandem to create our low rating. Poor education correlates with poor income which correlates with poor eating choices which correlates with poor health, which correlates with lower satisfaction with life and so on. We have some other negatives that I believe impact our well being that I will list below.
I don’t believe that city amenities are the key to reversing our fortunes. I will offer the following observations and hope others may add their keener analysis to my list.
First, we have a corporate community that does not build clusters. If you look at Charlotte for example, you see that they are a banking city, but they also try to add related businesses to the community like insurance companies. It’s not banking, but if you have banks, insurance companies, venture capital and related businesses you can attract talent that will work for a company, but if they want or need a change there are options and the whole sector can keep the talent pool working without having to leave town as their only option. When you have clusters, not just individual businesses, you can feed off each others ideas, talent pool, and synergies instead of being a collection of lone rangers.
Charlotte is a Duke Energy town. But they are working to build an energy cluster with some solar (manufacturing as well as generation), batteries and other related industries.
The airport (despite the management problems) is seeking to become a multimodal hub with air, railroad, and trucking being facilitated so that even goods that come by ship into Charleston can flow from this hub.
What is our corporate community doing (with city, private individuals, and investors) doing? Not much that I can see. We have MDI, a major food distributor, a tortilla manufacturer, a couple of commercial bakeries and you would think we could build on this core. What businesses are CommScope helping to move here? They are good community members and give to arts, and charity groups, but why aren't we building clusters like the old furniture and textile guys did?
Secondly, our media is pitiful. The radio does present a good local talk show, but the tv station is Mickey Mouse and shows shopping shows and drivel most of the day. I cringe to think about what someone from another city thinks when looking at our local tv to see what’s happening in Hickory. The local newspaper has no idea of investigative reporting and really won’t dig into issues in depth. Don’t look for them to win awards like the Charlotte paper anytime soon.
Thirdly, we have a risk adverse culture. Innovation depends on taking risk, and some of the most prosperous regions of the country have people who actually are proud of working on start up companies that failed, because they realize that it’s one form of education. No one likes to fail, but if you’re too scared to try you certainly aren’t going to be an innovator. We used to have a good deal of innovation, but no longer.
Fourthly, the City’s strategy of making us a ‘retirement village’ has been too successful. While they have changed their tune lately (with some kudos to the Hound for the focus on the issue), we are older and younger people have shunned Hickory. It’s too bad they didn’t have the foresight years ago to see what they have sown. Driving away a good music and entertainment community hasn’t done much to gain younger interest in Hickory. And it won’t be easy to change Hickory’s image.
Finally, and most worrisome to me is the culture of apathy. Too many people believe the “system” is rotten, not concerned with their situation, and only the “important” people will get their concerns addressed. So they either leave or accept mediocrity, getting by as best they can and chalking it up to just living in sad times.
Maybe I haven’t seen all the picture here and I don’t claim to have every solution. But, though I love this area and some of the great people I know here, we have a malaise here that I don’t find to the same degree in some of the places I visit. I believe Hickory can turn this around, but it will be lengthy and difficult. Denial won’t get us anywhere; work, commitment, and vision will.
Hickory Metro 2014 - Tied for 4th Most Miserable in the United States
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Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting - April 1, 2014
Agenda about the City Council meeting of April 1, 2014
Not much of interest at Council last night. Mayor Wright and Alderman Meisner were not present. This meeting lasted less than an hour. I continue with the item of interest from the Consent Agenda.
1) Consent Agenda "Item C". Looks like they are going to find a way to finance the renovation of the "Olde Hickory Mill" building. You can see this building off to the left when traveling south on Hwy 127 after passing the Railroad underpass.
Google Map Street View
Google Map Satellite Overhead Shot
Department of Commerce - NC Rural Development - Building Reuse Grants
The Hound's Notes - Bob Vollinger informed me at City Council tonight that this is the Historic Lyerly Mill. According to this website it is being marketed as a $12 million mixed-use property with Delphi Development, Zapolski Real Estate LLC.
Old Mill New Use - Hickory Daily Record - John Dayberry
Lyerly Mill Hickory - Google
This property is part of the Wingfoot District that was proposed by Pete Zagaroli back in 2010. This is the third redeveloped property that falls within that footprint; as does the proposed $27 million Main Avenue project.
From the City Council meeting of January 5, 2010
Named for Greek God Hermes
or Roman God Mercury
Map Below of the Winged Foot District
A - Hollar Crossing
B - Moretz Mills
C - Olde Hickory Mill (Lyerly Mill)
Not much of interest at Council last night. Mayor Wright and Alderman Meisner were not present. This meeting lasted less than an hour. I continue with the item of interest from the Consent Agenda.
1) Consent Agenda "Item C". Looks like they are going to find a way to finance the renovation of the "Olde Hickory Mill" building. You can see this building off to the left when traveling south on Hwy 127 after passing the Railroad underpass.
Google Map Street View
Google Map Satellite Overhead Shot
Department of Commerce - NC Rural Development - Building Reuse Grants
The Hound's Notes - Bob Vollinger informed me at City Council tonight that this is the Historic Lyerly Mill. According to this website it is being marketed as a $12 million mixed-use property with Delphi Development, Zapolski Real Estate LLC.
Old Mill New Use - Hickory Daily Record - John Dayberry
Lyerly Mill Hickory - Google
This property is part of the Wingfoot District that was proposed by Pete Zagaroli back in 2010. This is the third redeveloped property that falls within that footprint; as does the proposed $27 million Main Avenue project.
From the City Council meeting of January 5, 2010
3. Council Discussion Regarding “Wingfoot District” Redevelopment Plan; a Business District and Association Promoting Economic Development Through Residential, Commercial and Industrial Redevelopment - The Wingfoot District concept was briefly presented to City Council during its recent Council Staff Retreat in December, 2009. Since then, discussion has continued regarding planning for the redevelopment of the area between Highway 127 and the new Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard, encompassing certain areas. Pete Zagaroli envisions a partnership with the City of Hickory and private investors to develop a design plan for redevelopment including improvements to public infrastructure. This plan does not fall under the guidelines of the City’s Vacant Building Revitalization Grant, but City Staff recommends the City consider the concept of redevelopment planning since one of the goals of the Operation No Vacancy initiative is to create redevelopment plans for sub-areas within the Commercial Revitalization Area. Staff recommends that Council discuss and identify policy issues related to the City expanding it’s revitalization efforts to include design planning and financing methods and partnerships to implement plans for public infrastructure improvements in redevelopment areas.
Pete Zagaroli addressed the council, he stated that he was coming before the council as both a citizen and a designer. He is looking to create some synergies to spur economic development in the area and move things forward. His focus tonight was on conceptual ideas.
The name comes because the district area he is looking to revitalize is in the shape of a winged foot. In the district, there are eight buildings that are historically significant to the textile and hosiery industry. His concept involves the history, but it is not a historical district that he is promoting. He is promoting a business district that promotes economic development through residential, commercial, and industrial redevelopment. The area is around Lenoir-Rhyne and Mr. Zagaroli believes that is is the most significant gateway into downtown.
He based the model on Downtown Durham (which is seeing a renaissance). The district would tie the university to downtown. It will create a better gateway to downtown. the historical significance would tie in with our current historic districts and promote them and future preservation. The importance comes from the private sector. In the district, owners have spent money on drawings and redevelopment. As an estimate, the expenditures have been in the $300k-$400k range. He would like to see the city to appropriate funds towards the design work of the infrastructure within the district. He feels the private investment has to start first.
The proposed redevelopment expenditures are $11,213,714 and another $2.9 million on top of what has already been done. To isolate an area creates exclusivity. More than anything this will expedite the private investment. There is no commitment to put the infrastructure in place, only a commitment to design. If successful here, then it can be implemented elsewhere in the city. He is not meaning to slight other areas in town, but he feels this is the most important area as far as gateways.
Alder Fox thanked Mr. Zagaroli his enthusiasm and stated that she thoroughly enjoys his plans. She asked if Mr. Zagaroli had looked into how Durham had financed their downtown revitalization? Zagaroli stated that he had not, but he has intentions of doing so next week. Time is critical and this area needs a morale boost. People don't always believe what they hear and read, but they believe what they see. If we can have something tangible, then this is an overall goal that he can show a potential client. He knows that they have a lot of work (to do), the city is feeling the pain that we all are feeling. He thinks if we can find some momentum. The private sector is looking to move forward. They need the end users a reason to come here. We need to focus where it will be noticed first and the momentum can work outside of that. If we try to fix the overall area or problem, there are 700 empty buildings in Catawba County; that is too daunting a task. Let's try to fix 20 buildings and that can move outward. Then move over to west Hickory. The reason why the initiative hasn't worked on the west side is because the initiative needs to come from the private sector. The people in his district are ready to move on this and make it better, If you know that your neighbors are ready to invest and raise the value of their building, then you are going to be more willing to invest in your own property. The public part comes after that.
He is meeting with Federal and State officials to see what grants are available through them. Any money left over will be spent on aesthetics. Sewer, water, and other infrastructure is already available. If you put $2 million into raw land, it will go towards infrastructure and then there is not much left. These redevelopment projects are diamonds in the rough.
Alder Patton asked if they had applied for Operation No Vacancy grants? and he stated that they have. Further conversations went into Grants available. And Mr. Zagaroli stated that he hoped the city would not look at this as "Zagaroli Construction." What he is looking for is help with infrastructure. It is up to private business to development their building, but it is the city's responsibility to create the streetscape. He understands that everyone in afraid (of investment), but he feels that we can create morale and momentum, and give a reason to reinvest in ourselves and our community.
Alderman Lail stated that there was no doubt in his mind that with the completion of 8th street NE, that bisects this district, city council should have input on what this does look like. If we can create the district that is special and unique, then it has potential for these old buildings. Zagaroli says that this can be the ultimate in mixed-use. He wants to see it truly incorporate all of the facets. This will work within the city's protocol and guidelines from day one. These funds would be qualifying and based upon expectations.
Alderman Lail interjected that he might be piggybacking on what Sally stated earlier. There is a mechanism that city council has to facilitate this kind of development. It is called Business Improvement Districts (BID). It is a true public-private partnership that has demonstrated success throughout the State of North Carolina. Alder Fox stated that she was going to instruct staff to call Durham and find out what kind of financing they use. Durham's downtown district is huge, There are BIDs in more than just downtowns. They are in historic and business districts and it is a true public-private partnership. She believes that Mr. Zagaroli is a little ahead of council, but they are looking for means to finance these types of areas. There is a rural grant that is population specified (the Rural center Pre-Development Grant). She wants staff and council to look into these grants.
Mr. Zagaroli stated that he would do anything to move this forward. He would look into whatever grants are available, but to be frank, he can't keep moving forward on this gratuitously. Alder Fox stated that they needed to find this out and they need to do their homework and it may take a couple of months to do that homework. Alderman Lail sated that this idea is great because it focuses on the heitage of our Furniture and Textile history. Mr. Zagarili stated that this is part of a bigger picture. This isn't just about Hickory, it's about the region. There is 110 years of our history locked up in these buildings that can be lost forever. The story can create a novelty and interest. That can get people to move here.
This is about communication and moving forward and trying to achieve the same goal. He would move forward on this himself, but he cannot afford to. He wants to move forward as quickly and efficiently as possible. The council decided to discuss this issue at the same workshop in which they will discuss graffiti. Further Manager Berry asked the council to think about prioritizing some of these agenda items at the upcoming retreat.
Named for Greek God Hermes
or Roman God Mercury
Map Below of the Winged Foot District
A - Hollar Crossing
B - Moretz Mills
C - Olde Hickory Mill (Lyerly Mill)
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- March 30, 2014
North Carolina Had More Job Losses Than Any Other State - Wall Street Journal - Jonathan House - March 28, 2014 - North Carolina led the U.S. in job losses last month, a sign of stress for a state scaling back its support for its jobless residents. The Tar Heel State shed a seasonally adjusted 11,300 jobs in February from the prior month as it continues to grapple with the decline of its traditional manufacturing, tobacco and textile industries, according to new Labor Department figures released Friday. Employment increased in 33 states, while it decreased in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, payrolls rose 175,000 in February. North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage point to 6.4%, one the nation’s largest declines, though the fall was primarily the result of a shrinking labor force. The number of people either working or looking for work declined by 64,000 people from February 2013, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Some economists attribute North Carolina’s workforce exodus to the expiration in July of long-term unemployment benefits that require the unemployed to continue searching for jobs. A year ago, its unemployment rate stood at 8.6%. North Carolina’s employment data have been scrutinized closely since U.S. lawmakers let a federal program for long-term benefits expire Dec. 28. So far there’s been no clear evidence that large numbers of people across the country are leaving the job market following the expiration of the federal benefits program. The nation’s labor force grew by more than half a million people in February and the unemployment rate ticked up to 6.7%.
Hickory Metro 2014 - Tied for 4th Most Miserable in the United States - March 25, 2014 - Gallup through Hickory Hound - March 25, 2014 - The Hound: From dead last in 2010 to 5th worst last year to tied with three cities for 4th worst this year. We aren't the worst in any category this year, but we skew towards the bottom in every category, which includes obesity, exercise, eating fruits and vegetables, smoking, stress, and the uninsured.
Is College A Waste Of Time And Money? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - March 26th, 2014 - Are you thinking of going to college? If so, please consider that decision very carefully. You probably have lots of people telling you that an "education" is the key to your future and that you will never be able to get a "good job" unless you go to college. And it is true that those that go to college do earn more on average than those that do not. However, there is also a downside. At most U.S. colleges, the quality of the education that you will receive is a joke, the goal of most colleges is to extract as much money from you and your parents as they possibly can, and there is a very good chance that there will not be a "good job" waiting for you once you graduate. And unless you have someone that is willing to pay your tuition bills, you will probably be facing a lifetime of crippling student loan debt payments once you get out into the real world. So is college a waste of time and money? In the end, it really pays to listen to both sides of the debate.
Personally, I spent eight years at U.S. public universities, and I really enjoyed those times.
But would I trade my degrees today for the time and money that I spent to get them?
Absolutely...
Will the fixed-rate mortgage become extinct? - CNBC - Jeff Cox - March 26, 2014 - While homes will evolve considerably over the next 25 years, it is the way homes are purchased that will bear the heftiest transformation. As the current path progresses, mortgage financing will look worlds apart from its current form. The government won't be offering the same guarantees as it's been for generations, big banks won't have the same incentives to get in the business, and borrowing rates will be considerably higher as regulation continues to increase. Interviews with numerous pros in the business paint a picture of big changes to come—not all of them consumer-friendly. Most spring from a dual dynamic of the government seeking to avoid calamities like the one that triggered the financial crisis in 2008 and the industry trying to innovate and continue to profit in a more restrictive environment. "Even in normal times, we are going to see in all likelihood higher rates, particularly for less-than-stellar borrowers," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com, which provides consumers with information about the latest borrowing data and trends. "Anybody who's got a smaller down payment, some weakness in their credit history or isn't fully documented is going to face the hurdle of higher interest rates and potential limited credit availability." That may not sound like a terribly bad thing to some ears....
Pearson furniture plant closing in High Point; 86 jobs lost - WXII (Winston-Salem) - March 27, 2014 - The longtime Pearson Co. home furnishings plant on Progress Avenue will close later this year, the second plant in the area that will be closed by the company that took over the lines of bankrupt Furniture Brands International late last year. Heritage Home Group this week informed employees of the Pearson plant that the factory will close in stages through the end of August. The closure of the factory, founded under previous owners in 1942, will affect 86 local employees. “We regret to inform you that business circumstances will force us to close our Heritage Home Group Pearson Co. location. As required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 (WARN), this letter serves to give you 60 days’ advance notice of the closing,” according to a letter from Heritage Home Group, a copy of which was obtained by The High Point Enterprise. In January, Heritage Home Group announced it would close Thomasville Plant C and Thomasville Plant C-Area 100 in Davidson County, eliminating 84 jobs. The two plant closings in Thomasville also were blamed on adverse business conditions by Heritage Home Group executives. The plant closings by Heritage Home Group come as the company reportedly is being courted by High Point recruiters to relocate its corporate headquarters from its longtime home in St. Louis to here. The trade publication Furniture Today last week reported that Heritage Home Group intends to relocate its corporate office to High Point, though neither company officials nor city or High Point Market officials have publicly discussed or confirmed the move. Late last year, KPS Capital Partners announced the formation of a new company, Heritage Home Group, which acquired Furniture Brand International’s assets for $280 million. Furniture Brands’ holdings included Thomasville Furniture, Drexel Heritage, Broyhill, Lane, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Lane Venture, Maitland-Smith and La Barge brands.
NASA Predicts "Irreversible" COLLAPSE of Society
NASA has stated what we've all known for some time now. The inevitable will occur at some point in the future. When a society has accumulated too much debt and the wealth is in the hands of too few people, the world will turn upside down. Chaos will occur. Mass civil unrest will take place. Those prepared will fare best in this new era.
NASA Models Predict Total Societal Collapse: “Irreversible” - SHTFPlan.com - Mac Slavo - March 25th, 2014 -
Hickory Metro 2014 - Tied for 4th Most Miserable in the United States - March 25, 2014 - Gallup through Hickory Hound - March 25, 2014 - The Hound: From dead last in 2010 to 5th worst last year to tied with three cities for 4th worst this year. We aren't the worst in any category this year, but we skew towards the bottom in every category, which includes obesity, exercise, eating fruits and vegetables, smoking, stress, and the uninsured.
Is College A Waste Of Time And Money? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - March 26th, 2014 - Are you thinking of going to college? If so, please consider that decision very carefully. You probably have lots of people telling you that an "education" is the key to your future and that you will never be able to get a "good job" unless you go to college. And it is true that those that go to college do earn more on average than those that do not. However, there is also a downside. At most U.S. colleges, the quality of the education that you will receive is a joke, the goal of most colleges is to extract as much money from you and your parents as they possibly can, and there is a very good chance that there will not be a "good job" waiting for you once you graduate. And unless you have someone that is willing to pay your tuition bills, you will probably be facing a lifetime of crippling student loan debt payments once you get out into the real world. So is college a waste of time and money? In the end, it really pays to listen to both sides of the debate.
Personally, I spent eight years at U.S. public universities, and I really enjoyed those times.
But would I trade my degrees today for the time and money that I spent to get them?
Absolutely...
Will the fixed-rate mortgage become extinct? - CNBC - Jeff Cox - March 26, 2014 - While homes will evolve considerably over the next 25 years, it is the way homes are purchased that will bear the heftiest transformation. As the current path progresses, mortgage financing will look worlds apart from its current form. The government won't be offering the same guarantees as it's been for generations, big banks won't have the same incentives to get in the business, and borrowing rates will be considerably higher as regulation continues to increase. Interviews with numerous pros in the business paint a picture of big changes to come—not all of them consumer-friendly. Most spring from a dual dynamic of the government seeking to avoid calamities like the one that triggered the financial crisis in 2008 and the industry trying to innovate and continue to profit in a more restrictive environment. "Even in normal times, we are going to see in all likelihood higher rates, particularly for less-than-stellar borrowers," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com, which provides consumers with information about the latest borrowing data and trends. "Anybody who's got a smaller down payment, some weakness in their credit history or isn't fully documented is going to face the hurdle of higher interest rates and potential limited credit availability." That may not sound like a terribly bad thing to some ears....
Pearson furniture plant closing in High Point; 86 jobs lost - WXII (Winston-Salem) - March 27, 2014 - The longtime Pearson Co. home furnishings plant on Progress Avenue will close later this year, the second plant in the area that will be closed by the company that took over the lines of bankrupt Furniture Brands International late last year. Heritage Home Group this week informed employees of the Pearson plant that the factory will close in stages through the end of August. The closure of the factory, founded under previous owners in 1942, will affect 86 local employees. “We regret to inform you that business circumstances will force us to close our Heritage Home Group Pearson Co. location. As required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 (WARN), this letter serves to give you 60 days’ advance notice of the closing,” according to a letter from Heritage Home Group, a copy of which was obtained by The High Point Enterprise. In January, Heritage Home Group announced it would close Thomasville Plant C and Thomasville Plant C-Area 100 in Davidson County, eliminating 84 jobs. The two plant closings in Thomasville also were blamed on adverse business conditions by Heritage Home Group executives. The plant closings by Heritage Home Group come as the company reportedly is being courted by High Point recruiters to relocate its corporate headquarters from its longtime home in St. Louis to here. The trade publication Furniture Today last week reported that Heritage Home Group intends to relocate its corporate office to High Point, though neither company officials nor city or High Point Market officials have publicly discussed or confirmed the move. Late last year, KPS Capital Partners announced the formation of a new company, Heritage Home Group, which acquired Furniture Brand International’s assets for $280 million. Furniture Brands’ holdings included Thomasville Furniture, Drexel Heritage, Broyhill, Lane, Henredon, Pearson, Hickory Chair, Lane Venture, Maitland-Smith and La Barge brands.
NASA Predicts "Irreversible" COLLAPSE of Society
NASA has stated what we've all known for some time now. The inevitable will occur at some point in the future. When a society has accumulated too much debt and the wealth is in the hands of too few people, the world will turn upside down. Chaos will occur. Mass civil unrest will take place. Those prepared will fare best in this new era.
NASA Models Predict Total Societal Collapse: “Irreversible” - SHTFPlan.com - Mac Slavo - March 25th, 2014 -
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Agenda about the City Council meeting of April 1, 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 - April 1, 2014
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hound's Notes:
1) Consent Agenda "Item C". Looks like they are going to find a way to finance the renovation of the "Olde Hickory Mill" building. You can see this building off to the left when traveling south on Hwy 127 after passing the Railroad underpass.
Google Map Street View
Google Map Satellite Overhead Shot
Department of Commerce - NC Rural Development - Building Reuse Grants
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invocation by Rev. Charles Kyker, Pastor, Christ Church
Special Presentations
A. Proclamation for Fair Housing Month to Regina Jenkins, Realty Executives, on behalf of the Catawba Valley Association of Realtors
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
A. Matthew Church, Regarding Outside Rates for Water Fees
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of a Proclamation for Arbor Day, April 26, 2014.
B. Call for Public Hearing – for Consideration of the Community Development Block Grant 2014 Annual Action Plan. (Authorize Public Hearing for April 15, 2014)
C. Authorizing a Resolution for the Rural Economic Development Division North Carolina Department of Commerce Building Reuse Program Project “Old Hickory Mill” Building Reuse Application.
D. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 21.
1. To budget a $25 Library donation in the Library Programming line item for Senior Bingo.
2. To transfer $7,500 from General Fund Contingency to the Economic Incentive line item. This transfer is to fund the first incentive payment of $7,500 to Turbotec per the incentive agreement.
3. To transfer a total of $55,000 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Collection System line item ($20,000) and to the Distribution line items ($35,000). This transfer is necessary to cover overages in Overtime and Fuel expenses, caused by the 07-27-13 storm that FEMA will not reimburse.
4. To transfer $54,000 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Sewer Treatment line item. This transfer is necessary to cover expenses for the remainder of the year for the treatment and processing of sanitary sewer that is transported to Conover from Hickory for treatment prior to discharge.
New Business - Public Hearings1. Consideration of Text Amendment (TA) 14-01 to the City’s Land Development Code. - On an annual basis the Planning and Development Services Department conducts a review of the City’s Land Development Code to determine if amendments are needed. During its current review staff has identified a number of recommended amendments to Articles 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 of the City’s Land
Development Code. Many of the proposed amendments to Articles 2 and 6 of the Land Development Code are required due to the passage of new or revised laws by the North Carolina General Assembly, while the remainder represent modifications staff believes will better serve development within the City of Hickory. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on March 21, and March 28, 2014.
2. Public Hearing to Install Curb and Gutter along a Portion of the West Side of the 600 Block of 8th Street Drive NW. - The City Clerk has received a petition from the owner of property along the west side of the 600 block of 8th Street Drive NW to install curb and gutter along a portion of their street as per Section 29-2 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances. The signature on the petition represent 100% of the property owners affected, and 100% of the property footage affected. Staff requests approval of the Resolution directing that the street improvement project be undertaken. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on March 21, 2014.
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 - April 1, 2014 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hound's Notes:
1) Consent Agenda "Item C". Looks like they are going to find a way to finance the renovation of the "Olde Hickory Mill" building. You can see this building off to the left when traveling south on Hwy 127 after passing the Railroad underpass.
Google Map Street View
Google Map Satellite Overhead Shot
Department of Commerce - NC Rural Development - Building Reuse Grants
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invocation by Rev. Charles Kyker, Pastor, Christ Church
Special Presentations
A. Proclamation for Fair Housing Month to Regina Jenkins, Realty Executives, on behalf of the Catawba Valley Association of Realtors
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
A. Matthew Church, Regarding Outside Rates for Water Fees
Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of a Proclamation for Arbor Day, April 26, 2014.
B. Call for Public Hearing – for Consideration of the Community Development Block Grant 2014 Annual Action Plan. (Authorize Public Hearing for April 15, 2014)
C. Authorizing a Resolution for the Rural Economic Development Division North Carolina Department of Commerce Building Reuse Program Project “Old Hickory Mill” Building Reuse Application.
D. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 21.
1. To budget a $25 Library donation in the Library Programming line item for Senior Bingo.
2. To transfer $7,500 from General Fund Contingency to the Economic Incentive line item. This transfer is to fund the first incentive payment of $7,500 to Turbotec per the incentive agreement.
3. To transfer a total of $55,000 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Collection System line item ($20,000) and to the Distribution line items ($35,000). This transfer is necessary to cover overages in Overtime and Fuel expenses, caused by the 07-27-13 storm that FEMA will not reimburse.
4. To transfer $54,000 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Sewer Treatment line item. This transfer is necessary to cover expenses for the remainder of the year for the treatment and processing of sanitary sewer that is transported to Conover from Hickory for treatment prior to discharge.
New Business - Public Hearings1. Consideration of Text Amendment (TA) 14-01 to the City’s Land Development Code. - On an annual basis the Planning and Development Services Department conducts a review of the City’s Land Development Code to determine if amendments are needed. During its current review staff has identified a number of recommended amendments to Articles 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 of the City’s Land
Development Code. Many of the proposed amendments to Articles 2 and 6 of the Land Development Code are required due to the passage of new or revised laws by the North Carolina General Assembly, while the remainder represent modifications staff believes will better serve development within the City of Hickory. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on March 21, and March 28, 2014.
2. Public Hearing to Install Curb and Gutter along a Portion of the West Side of the 600 Block of 8th Street Drive NW. - The City Clerk has received a petition from the owner of property along the west side of the 600 block of 8th Street Drive NW to install curb and gutter along a portion of their street as per Section 29-2 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances. The signature on the petition represent 100% of the property owners affected, and 100% of the property footage affected. Staff requests approval of the Resolution directing that the street improvement project be undertaken. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on March 21, 2014.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Hickory Metro 2014 - Tied for 4th Most Miserable in the United States
The Hound: From dead last in 2010 to 5th worst last year to tied with three cities for 4th worst this year. We aren't the worst in any category this year, but we skew towards the bottom in every category, which includes obesity, exercise, eating fruits and vegetables, smoking, stress, and the uninsured.
How do we work on fixing thour Health?
Platform for a 21st Century Hickory - an Agenda on Health and Wellness
(Tuesday, March 25, 2014 Updated 08:30 AM ET)
Provo-Orem, Utah, Leads U.S. Communities in Well-Being - San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., tops large communities - Gallup - Dan Witters
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Provo-Orem, Utah, has the highest Well-Being Index score (71.4) in the U.S. across 189 communities Gallup and Healthways surveyed in 2012-2013. Also in the top 10 are Boulder, Colo.; Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.; Honolulu, Hawaii; and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.
At 59.5, Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio, is the only community with a Well-Being Index score below 60. Huntington-Ashland also trailed all other metros in 2008, 2010, and 2011; its score of 58.1 in 2010 remains the lowest on record across five reporting periods spanning six years of data collection.
Charleston, W.Va., has the second-lowest score of 60.0. Redding, Calif.; Spartanburg, S.C.; Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas; and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.; round out the bottom six -- with the last three communities tied with a score of 62.2. None of these metro areas are strangers to the bottom 10 list, with each community having appeared at least once on the list in a prior reporting period.
The regional breakdown in well-being scores is largely consistent with Gallup and Healthways state-level results, which find well-being generally higher in the Midwest and West, and lower in the South. West Virginia, which is home to at least a portion of the two lowest-rated metro areas (Huntington-Ashland and Charleston), ranked last in the nation for well-being among states for the fifth consecutive year in 2013. The state of California ranked 17th in overall well-being in 2013, but nevertheless boasts three metros in the top 10 for 2012-2013.
The Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) described in this article are defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In many cases, more than one city is included in the same MSA, and the same MSA can cross state borders (such as Huntington-Ashland). All reported MSAs encompass at least 300 completed surveys in 2012-2013, and Gallup has weighted each of these samples to ensure it is demographically representative of that MSA.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index score is an average of six sub-indexes, which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The overall score and each of the six sub-index scores are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where a score of 100 represents the ideal. Gallup and Healthways have been tracking these measures daily since January 2008
Our Individual (Hickory-Lenoir-Marganton) Rankings:
Obesity - 28.7% of the people in our area. (Best: Boulder, Colorado 12.4% - Worst: Huntington, Ohio 39.5%)
Exercise - 48.1% of the people in our area. (Best: Anchorage, Alaska 62.3% - Worst: Lafayette, Louisiana 43.4%)
Eat Produce Frequently - 54.6% of the people in our area. (Best: Olympia, Washington 65.7% - Worst: McAllen, Texas 46.7%)
Smoke - 30.1% of the people in our area. (Best: Provo, Utah 7% - Worst: Charleston, Wesy Virginia 34.3%)
Daily Stress - 57.7% of the people in our area. (Best: Gainesville, Florida 48.5% - Worst: Naples, Florida 70.3%)
Uninsured - 23.2% of the people in our area. (Best: Springfield, Massachusetts 4.6% - Worst: McAllen, Texas 51.2%)
From 2013 - Hickory Metro - 5th Most Miserable in the United States - March 27, 2013
From 2010 - Hickory - The lowest well being in the United States of America - November 1, 2010
Monday, March 24, 2014
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- March 23, 2014
Dying Memphis Neighborhood Foretells Next U.S. Crisis: Mortgages - Bob Ivry - March 21, 2014 - ... Hope for advancement was that much tougher for most people to sustain after 2008. And just as the crisis was no accident but rather a tragic convergence of stupidity and poor oversight, so too were its consequences a result of calculation. Just about all the behavior by the biggest banks and their Washington regulators described in this book occurred after the 2008 financial crisis. The book is divided into seven chapters, each corresponding to one of Catholicism’s seven deadly sins. Wall Street’s seven sins -- size, secrecy, regulatory capture (when government supervisors identify more with the industry they police than with the people they’re supposed to protect), excessive pride, complexity, impunity, and a predatory greed -- risk the second avoidable economic cataclysm of the baby boom era...
The Federal Reserve Seems Quite Serious About Tapering – So What Comes Next? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - March 19th, 2014 - Will this be the year when the Fed's quantitative easing program finally ends? For a long time, many analysts were proclaiming that the Fed would never taper. But then it started happening. Then a lot of them started talking about how "the untaper" was right around the corner. That hasn't happened either. It looks like that under Janet Yellen the Fed is quite determined to bring the quantitative easing program to a close by the end of this year. Up until now, the financial markets have been slow to react because there has been a belief that the Fed would reverse course on tapering the moment that the U.S. economy started to slow down again. But even though the U.S. middle class is in horrible shape, and even though there are lots of signs that we are heading into another recession, the Fed has continued tapering.
Of course it is important to note that the Fed is still absolutely flooding the financial system with money even after the announcement of more tapering on Wednesday. When you are talking about $55,000,000,000 a month, you are talking about a massive amount of money. So the Fed is not exactly being hawkish. But when Yellen told the press that quantitative easing could end completely this fall and that the Fed could actually start raising interest rates about six months after that, it really spooked the markets. The Dow was down 114 points on Wednesday, and the yield on 10 year U.S. Treasuries shot up to 2.77%. The following is how CNBC described the reaction of the markets on Wednesday...
Nationwide Home Sales Collapse: There Is No Recovery and This Chart Proves It - SHTFPlan.com - Mac Slavo - March 20th, 2014 -Now may be the best time to buy a home. At least that’s what the majority of real estate agents in America will tell you if you ask them how the housing market is doing. They’ll cite various statistics and give you a “feel” for the market from their personal experiences to convince you this is the case. But if you’re paying attention, then it should be clear that there is, in fact, no recovery in the housing sector. And any gains we may have seen over the last few years are nothing short of a Federal Reserve fueled mirage, much like the stock market.
The following chart from Bank of America is indicative of some serious fundamental problems, not just with the housing market, but the broader economy as a whole...
Walmart Now Has 6 Types Of Stores - Wall St. 24/7 - Paul Ausick - March 22, 2014 - With the launch last week of a gas station/convenience store, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) now offers customers six different store formats to choose from, ranging from the Supercenters of up to 260,000 square feet to the 15,000 square-foot Walmart Express stores. The enormous big-box stores still dominate the landscape, but over the past several years the company has been looking at smaller formats, as a way to extend Walmart’s brand footprint, pick up sales it is losing to smaller stores, and gain entry to markets in which they have previously been shut out...
Bay Area city votes for $12.30 minimum wage - California's minimum wage set to increase to $10 in 2016 - KCRA (Sacramento, CA) - March 19, 2014 - A San Francisco Bay Area city is on track to have the highest minimum wage in California. The Richmond City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday in favor of an ordinance that would raise minimum hourly pay in the city to $12.30 an hour by 2017. That would be nearly $2 more than San Francisco's current minimum wage, which is the highest in the region. The state minimum wage is set to increase to $10 an hour in January 2016. The Contra Costa Times reports that most of the 30 or so residents who spoke at the Richmond council meeting were in favor of raising the minimum wage. But at least one business owner said it would make it difficult for him to add jobs.
Best & Worst States to be a Taxpayer - Wallet Hub - John S Kiernan - Economic mobility – that is, our ability to climb the proverbial ladder – has a strong correlation to where we live. Children from Seattle whose families are in the 25th percentile in terms of income, for example, end up at roughly the same economic stature as kids from the median family in Atlanta.
Why? State and local taxes. At least that’s what a group of Harvard and Berkeley researchers collaborating on The Equality of Opportunity Project have to say. They “found a significant correlation between both measures of mobility and local tax rates.” Want to know which states have the most and least burdensome taxes? WalletHub analyzed how state and local tax rates compare to the national median in the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. We compared eight different types of taxation in order to determine: 1) Which states have the highest and lowest tax rates; 2) how those rates compare to the national median; 3) which states offer the most value in terms of low taxation and high cost-of-living adjusted income levels.
The Federal Reserve Seems Quite Serious About Tapering – So What Comes Next? - The Economic Collapse Blog - Michael Snyder - March 19th, 2014 - Will this be the year when the Fed's quantitative easing program finally ends? For a long time, many analysts were proclaiming that the Fed would never taper. But then it started happening. Then a lot of them started talking about how "the untaper" was right around the corner. That hasn't happened either. It looks like that under Janet Yellen the Fed is quite determined to bring the quantitative easing program to a close by the end of this year. Up until now, the financial markets have been slow to react because there has been a belief that the Fed would reverse course on tapering the moment that the U.S. economy started to slow down again. But even though the U.S. middle class is in horrible shape, and even though there are lots of signs that we are heading into another recession, the Fed has continued tapering.
Of course it is important to note that the Fed is still absolutely flooding the financial system with money even after the announcement of more tapering on Wednesday. When you are talking about $55,000,000,000 a month, you are talking about a massive amount of money. So the Fed is not exactly being hawkish. But when Yellen told the press that quantitative easing could end completely this fall and that the Fed could actually start raising interest rates about six months after that, it really spooked the markets. The Dow was down 114 points on Wednesday, and the yield on 10 year U.S. Treasuries shot up to 2.77%. The following is how CNBC described the reaction of the markets on Wednesday...
Nationwide Home Sales Collapse: There Is No Recovery and This Chart Proves It - SHTFPlan.com - Mac Slavo - March 20th, 2014 -Now may be the best time to buy a home. At least that’s what the majority of real estate agents in America will tell you if you ask them how the housing market is doing. They’ll cite various statistics and give you a “feel” for the market from their personal experiences to convince you this is the case. But if you’re paying attention, then it should be clear that there is, in fact, no recovery in the housing sector. And any gains we may have seen over the last few years are nothing short of a Federal Reserve fueled mirage, much like the stock market.
The following chart from Bank of America is indicative of some serious fundamental problems, not just with the housing market, but the broader economy as a whole...
Should Congress limit mortgage deduction? - Market Watch Wall Street Journal - John C. Weicher (Hudson Institute) - March 22, 2014 - There are easier ways to reduce one’s tax bill. But for many American taxpayers, this is the big one: the deduction for interest payments on home mortgages. Homeowners in the U.S. last year received a total of roughly $70 billion in federal tax breaks through the deduction. But discussions in Congress about a broad tax overhaul are heating up, and all sorts of tax deductions — including the mortgage-interest deduction — are being discussed by both parties. Supporters of the mortgage-interest deduction say it encourages homeownership and gives the middle class a better shot at financial security. The deduction helps middle-income purchasers by making their mortgage payments more affordable and by helping these families build equity in their homes. But critics say the deduction mainly benefits those with higher incomes. They say that it does nothing to help lower-income Americans who rent. In addition, they argue, in these tough budgetary times the government could put the forgone tax revenue to good use. So far, much of the discussion about changing the mortgage-interest deduction has focused on reducing its benefits for the wealthiest Americans. President Barack Obama has supported clipping the deduction for taxpayers in the top two tax brackets. More recently, Rep. Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican, proposed a tax-overhaul that would, among other things, lower the limit on home mortgages that qualify for the deductions to $500,000 of principal from the current $1 million. Arguing to keep the deduction in its current form is John C. Weicher, director of the Center for Housing and Financial Markets at the Hudson Institute. Bruce Katz, vice president and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, argues that the deduction needs to be revamped or replaced.
Walmart Now Has 6 Types Of Stores - Wall St. 24/7 - Paul Ausick - March 22, 2014 - With the launch last week of a gas station/convenience store, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) now offers customers six different store formats to choose from, ranging from the Supercenters of up to 260,000 square feet to the 15,000 square-foot Walmart Express stores. The enormous big-box stores still dominate the landscape, but over the past several years the company has been looking at smaller formats, as a way to extend Walmart’s brand footprint, pick up sales it is losing to smaller stores, and gain entry to markets in which they have previously been shut out...
Bay Area city votes for $12.30 minimum wage - California's minimum wage set to increase to $10 in 2016 - KCRA (Sacramento, CA) - March 19, 2014 - A San Francisco Bay Area city is on track to have the highest minimum wage in California. The Richmond City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday in favor of an ordinance that would raise minimum hourly pay in the city to $12.30 an hour by 2017. That would be nearly $2 more than San Francisco's current minimum wage, which is the highest in the region. The state minimum wage is set to increase to $10 an hour in January 2016. The Contra Costa Times reports that most of the 30 or so residents who spoke at the Richmond council meeting were in favor of raising the minimum wage. But at least one business owner said it would make it difficult for him to add jobs.
Best & Worst States to be a Taxpayer - Wallet Hub - John S Kiernan - Economic mobility – that is, our ability to climb the proverbial ladder – has a strong correlation to where we live. Children from Seattle whose families are in the 25th percentile in terms of income, for example, end up at roughly the same economic stature as kids from the median family in Atlanta.
Why? State and local taxes. At least that’s what a group of Harvard and Berkeley researchers collaborating on The Equality of Opportunity Project have to say. They “found a significant correlation between both measures of mobility and local tax rates.” Want to know which states have the most and least burdensome taxes? WalletHub analyzed how state and local tax rates compare to the national median in the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. We compared eight different types of taxation in order to determine: 1) Which states have the highest and lowest tax rates; 2) how those rates compare to the national median; 3) which states offer the most value in terms of low taxation and high cost-of-living adjusted income levels.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of March 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 March 18, 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. Laurie Hoover of the Business Development Committee Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award to John Teeter, Executive Vice President, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company
80 years of business and community support is honored with the “Business. Well Crafted.” award - Hickory Inc.
B. Proclamation for American Red Cross Month presented to Suzan Anderson, Community Chapter Executive, American Red Cross
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
A. Roger Young - Friends of Hickory, Specific Space for the Downtown Park - (from Hickory Inc.) - presented to Council plans for a playground and park in the downtown area. He showed photos from three companies that they are currently working with on ideas for the playground. The estimated cost will be between $300,000 - $400,000, and they are planning fund raisers to come up with the money for the project. He requested Council’s permission to continue moving forward with this project on this location.
----------------------------------------------------------
Hound Notes:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
B. Matthew Church - Regarding Outside Rates for Water Fees - (Postponed to April 1, 2014)
C. Dr. Ric Vandett - Regarding Homeless Veteran Stand Down - (From Hickory Inc.) - spoke to Council regarding the Foothills Homeless Veterans Stand Down to be held on April 25, 2014 at the American Legion Fairgrounds from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This event provides a number of services for the homeless and needy veterans including medical services, dental care, food, clothing, and various kinds of counseling to reach out to people in need. There are 12 counties that will be sending homeless and March 18, 2014 2 needy veterans. They registered over 200 homeless veterans at the event held last year. They are in need of volunteers. He requested Council’s support in the promotion of the event, and to invite them to come to the event. He also asked Council’s support in helping them locate a new place for Grace House to provide its ministry and for the Veterans Helping Veterans to meet.
Consent Agenda
Informational Items
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Public Hearing to Amend 2012 and 2013 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plans.
2. Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement with MAB American for the Development of City Owned Property at Cloninger Mill Road and NC. 127.
Against
Steve Ivester - Raises several Concerns including empty Big Box Grocery stores and the purpose of this property in conjunction with the proposed park at this site.
Kathryn Greathouse - comes forward with anonymous offer of $900,000 to purchase the property and make it part of the proposed park.
For
John Argo - MAB American and Rick Maxian - Max Design Group - Grocery store will be an upscale affluent food store and the demographics in that area trend in that direction. 10 specialty shops would be developed in conjunction with the Food store.
------------------------------------------------------------
Hound Notes:
Rebuttal
Steve Ivester - Anonymous offer shouldn't be ignored
Council Deliberations
Alderman Lail and Meisner like the Economic Developent that goes along with the project and believe if the anonymous buyer/donor were serious (can't give the offer credence) that they would have come forward. Good for the neighborhoods and creates 200 jobs, construction, and tax revenue. Alderman Zagaroli concurred on growth and jobs. Alderman Meisner spoke about the help with developing the park and moving it forward.
Mayor Wright believes that the Council should take the offer a presented.
*** Council voted 6 to 1 in favor of selling the property to MAB American with only Mayor Wright voting no.
3. Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement with Cornerstone United Inc., and Piedmont Wagon Properties, LLC for the Property Located at 1020 Main Ave. NW, Hickory.
*** Council vote Unanimously to accept the agreement.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of an Agreement to with the Town of Long View to Purchase Potable Water from the City of Hickory.
2. Vote regarding the Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. (Council voted 6 to 1 to close E Avenue after all criteria for closing are met. Alderman Seaver was the one no vote.)
General Comments
Mayor Wright commended the Lady Tornados for the great season that they had, and for playing themselves out of it in the first half, and playing themselves right back in in the second half.
Hound's Final Note
Besides the notes above, you can read my comments and see other details taken on the night of the meeting.
Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting - March 18, 2014
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 18, 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. Laurie Hoover of the Business Development Committee Presentation of the Business Well Crafted Award to John Teeter, Executive Vice President, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company
80 years of business and community support is honored with the “Business. Well Crafted.” award - Hickory Inc.
B. Proclamation for American Red Cross Month presented to Suzan Anderson, Community Chapter Executive, American Red Cross
Persons Requesting to Be Heard
A. Roger Young - Friends of Hickory, Specific Space for the Downtown Park - (from Hickory Inc.) - presented to Council plans for a playground and park in the downtown area. He showed photos from three companies that they are currently working with on ideas for the playground. The estimated cost will be between $300,000 - $400,000, and they are planning fund raisers to come up with the money for the project. He requested Council’s permission to continue moving forward with this project on this location.
----------------------------------------------------------
Hound Notes:
1) This should not have been introduced under "Persons Requesting to be Heard". This should have been a Departmental Report. It is obvious that these people have an association with Hickory Inc. Mr. Young is an architect and president of a local construction agency. He says they have been in contact with the city. Public-Private partnerships are great, but proper records need to be kept of the Public side. This report lasted for over 15 minutes. Nothing wrong with citizens playing a role in a Departmental Report.
2) When would construction begin? It should not begin until all I's are dotted and T's are crossed on obligations. Construction should not start until 100% of the money necessary to fund such a project is accounted for. If you followed the "cart before the horse" folly that was the "Sails on the Square", it started as a $285,000 project and then a few weeks later grew to a $420,000 project and to this day we don't know what was actually spent on that project.
What's to say this group gets into this project and discovers they need a couple hundred thousand more dollars. Alderman Lail told us a couple years ago, that the City Council had screwed up, but they were in to deep, so they had to keep spending the money. Are we going to see a repeat here? No one questions that this group has honorable motives, but we need to ensure that their honor doesn't necessitate a public bailout if they get in too deep and can't find a way out.
3) What the heck is Council doing making a motion for them to move forward? There were no specifics presented here. There were some neat renderings and generalized proposals, but nothing concrete. I have never, in my years covering these meetings, seen Council have this kind of back and forth with people the way they have this group.
Certainly this group should move forward and do their thing. This, as Mr. Young describes, is a private venture and they are free to do whatever they want in the good ole USA, but when the public interest is involved, we better see transparency.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
B. Matthew Church - Regarding Outside Rates for Water Fees - (Postponed to April 1, 2014)
C. Dr. Ric Vandett - Regarding Homeless Veteran Stand Down - (From Hickory Inc.) - spoke to Council regarding the Foothills Homeless Veterans Stand Down to be held on April 25, 2014 at the American Legion Fairgrounds from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This event provides a number of services for the homeless and needy veterans including medical services, dental care, food, clothing, and various kinds of counseling to reach out to people in need. There are 12 counties that will be sending homeless and March 18, 2014 2 needy veterans. They registered over 200 homeless veterans at the event held last year. They are in need of volunteers. He requested Council’s support in the promotion of the event, and to invite them to come to the event. He also asked Council’s support in helping them locate a new place for Grace House to provide its ministry and for the Veterans Helping Veterans to meet.
Consent Agenda
Informational Items
New Business - Public Hearings
1. Public Hearing to Amend 2012 and 2013 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plans.
2. Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement with MAB American for the Development of City Owned Property at Cloninger Mill Road and NC. 127.
Against
Steve Ivester - Raises several Concerns including empty Big Box Grocery stores and the purpose of this property in conjunction with the proposed park at this site.
Kathryn Greathouse - comes forward with anonymous offer of $900,000 to purchase the property and make it part of the proposed park.
For
John Argo - MAB American and Rick Maxian - Max Design Group - Grocery store will be an upscale affluent food store and the demographics in that area trend in that direction. 10 specialty shops would be developed in conjunction with the Food store.
------------------------------------------------------------
Hound Notes:
1) Looks like it is likely a Publix - In looking up Mr. Argo's, who spoke, profile on LinkedIn - Developed 2 million+ SF of retail space in 24 shopping centers (15 Publix anchored) in 5 states including the first Publix in the state of Alabama and market entries for Publix into Huntsville, Columbus, Albany, Montgomery, and Dothan. Purchased $75 million of real estate for development/redevelopment. Mr. Maxian is an architect out of Atlanta.-------------------------------------------------------------------
Rebuttal
Steve Ivester - Anonymous offer shouldn't be ignored
Council Deliberations
Alderman Lail and Meisner like the Economic Developent that goes along with the project and believe if the anonymous buyer/donor were serious (can't give the offer credence) that they would have come forward. Good for the neighborhoods and creates 200 jobs, construction, and tax revenue. Alderman Zagaroli concurred on growth and jobs. Alderman Meisner spoke about the help with developing the park and moving it forward.
Mayor Wright believes that the Council should take the offer a presented.
*** Council voted 6 to 1 in favor of selling the property to MAB American with only Mayor Wright voting no.
3. Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement with Cornerstone United Inc., and Piedmont Wagon Properties, LLC for the Property Located at 1020 Main Ave. NW, Hickory.
*** Council vote Unanimously to accept the agreement.
New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Approval of an Agreement to with the Town of Long View to Purchase Potable Water from the City of Hickory.
2. Vote regarding the Resolution and Order for Petition of Moretz Mills, LLC to Close a Portion of E Avenue SE. (Council voted 6 to 1 to close E Avenue after all criteria for closing are met. Alderman Seaver was the one no vote.)
General Comments
Mayor Wright commended the Lady Tornados for the great season that they had, and for playing themselves out of it in the first half, and playing themselves right back in in the second half.
Hound's Final Note
Besides the notes above, you can read my comments and see other details taken on the night of the meeting.
Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting - March 18, 2014
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