Newsletter about the City Council meeting of April 15, 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 April 15, 2014
- Go to this link if you would like more information about the Agenda items.

Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting - April 15, 2014

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





Invocation:
Mark Andrews, St.Luke's United Methodist Church


Special Presentations
A. Proclamation for National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.

Consent Agenda:


New Business - Public Hearings
1. Consideration of Economic Development Agreement with OHM Holdings LLC. - This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on April 4, 2014.

*** Transportation Insight and The Olde Mill (Lyerly Building) - Official Press Release



2. Consideration of the Community Development Block Grant 2014 Annual Action Plan. - In April of each year staff prepares an Annual Action Plan for its Community Development Block Grant allocation from the federal government.

Speaking For
Paula Atwood - Green Park Neighborhood Association
The Dickinson Family - Green Park Neighborhood Association
Austin Pearce - Hickory Soup Kitchen
Angela Hurd - City of Refuge - Children's after school program


New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Quarterly Financial Report - Presentation by Assistant City Manager Warren Wood


2. Proposed Changes to the City’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program.


General Comments
Alderwoman Patton commented that the Farmer’s Market starts tomorrow.
Mayor Wright announced that a Legislative reception would be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 in the lobby from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A chance to meet and greet our delegates who are heading to Raleigh.
Mayor Wright advised that swimming lessons are starting again. If you know of someone who needs to learn to swim, the City’s program will pay for that without regard to need, although it is preferred that people that can pay the YMCA for the lessons, pay them.
Alderman Seaver commented about the program that had taken place last Wednesday at the Zahra Baker Playground for the Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City and the County. To see 2,000 pinwheels out there on a very breezy day, a very beautiful day, there were approximately a couple hundred people there. A beautiful place honoring a little girl, and hoping for a future of no child abuse.
Mayor Wright commented that the Food Channel had done a segment on Hickory.
Alderman Lail commented that the Crawdads are playing.
Mayor Wright stated that if you haven’t seen the new stadium, the renovated stadium, you need to get out and see it. It really looks nice and enhances the experience.

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Hound's Notes: As this Newsletter has evolved, you see that I have taken steps to make the information more accessible and user friendly. You get the Agenda as soon as possible and commentary involving the meeting as soon as possible. Please use these tools to inform yourself as much as possible. 

What I got from this meeting? The people of this community, who choose to be involved, are making a difference. The theme of the people who spoke during this meeting is that they truly care about the community. Paul Thompson, Paula Atwood, Austin Pearce, Angela Hurd... all of these people are taking actions to make a day-to-day difference in the community.  To take a giant leap forward, we are going to have to see more people like this step forward and express the reality of the community.

These people didn't paint a totally rosy scenario, but they expressed ways that positive actions in a negative environment can move the community forward. Let's not lie to ourselves about the challenges we face. They are real. These people weren't in denial. Let's accept the reality and take the necessary steps to improve the situation.

Transportation Insight and The Olde Mill (Lyerly Building) - Official Press Release

Transportation Insight 
Announces Plans to Triple Size of Business in Six Years

Top 10 Global Logistics Provider Unveils Growth Strategy with Launch of New Corporate Campus


HICKORY, NC (April 17, 2014) – Nationally-acclaimed Enterprise Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Provider Transportation Insight announces its plan to triple the size of its business over the next six years. Recognized as a Top 10 3PL for best range of logistics services by Global Trade magazine and an Inc. 5000 honor roll recipient for six years straight, the supply chain management firm says it plans to capitalize on the substantial investments it has made in talent and technology to position the company as the North American market leader in Enterprise Logistics. In its growth strategy branded “Vision 20/20,” Transportation Insight presented a six-year financial plan to become a $3.5 to $5 billion company by January 1, 2020. Transportation Insight shared its vision for growth with area government officials Tuesday evening, as it unveiled plans to move its headquarters to a new corporate campus. The complex will provide lifestyle business facilities to accommodate more than three times the 3PL’s current Hickory workforce.


 

Transportation Insight President and CEO Chris Baltz says the announcement signals another season of rapid growth for the supply chain solutions provider. “Since our founding in 1999, we have been 
committed to accelerated growth and continuous improvement for both our clients and for our company,” says Baltz. “Now having over 400 enterprise clients across North America, we can leverage our investments in technology, supply chain analytics, network optimization and business intelligence to provide a market leading platform of continuous improvement across over 400,000 shipping and receiving locations.”

Baltz adds, “Given the competitiveness of our global marketplace, now more than ever manufacturers, distributors and retailers are turning to 3PLs to provide the expertise, processes and systems necessary to compete across worldwide supply chains. A differentiator for Transportation Insight, and the key to our success, is our relentless commitment to helping our clients prosper in their marketplace. By designing efficient supply chain networks powered by technology-enabled systems our clients have a competitive advantage. In many cases, global businesses are transformed from surviving to thriving.”

Vision 20/20 roadmaps the strategy for both organic and acquisition-related growth. One of the first initiatives in Vision 20/20 is the development of a new corporate campus created to provide the quality of workplace life that Transportation Insight desires for its associates. The $8 million hosiery mill renovation, located in downtown Hickory, NC, also supports the city’s desire to revitalize its downtown corridor. When complete, the campus will encompass 11 acres with 70,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of indoor exercise/athletic facilities. The complex will also feature athletic fields, outdoor basketball courts, significant green space and a full service cafeteria with a chef specializing in healthy cuisine.



Transportation Insight’s Chairman and Founder Paul Thompson, a nationally-recognized supporter of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, says the corporate campus will foster a vibrant lifestyle which active professionals are seeking today. “Transportation Insight remains committed to the well-being of all of its associates by facilitating the opportunity for physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Transportation Insight also recognizes many young adults today value an urban work/life environment within a livable community where they can experience daily outdoor living and recreation activities. Transportation Insight is committed to investing in a lifestyle business that promotes physical activity and a better overall quality of life for its associates,” says Thompson.

Transportation Insight will begin construction on the new campus facility immediately. The development is being handled by affiliate OHM Holdings, LLC for the benefit of Transportation Insight, led by Toby Tate, Managing Partner of OHM Holdings.



The mill building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places dating to 1930 and will be restored to its original state with hardwood floors and ceilings, walls of windows and an Art Moderne style. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2015.

“We are very excited to see a thriving company like Transportation Insight take steps to put deep roots in downtown Hickory,” says North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory of the site renovation. “We believe that Transportation Insight’s efforts at the Lyerly Mill will encourage more businesses to consider embracing, preserving and energizing the great historical downtowns across North Carolina.”

Thompson says the new campus development underscores Transportation Insight’s long-term dedication to growth and commitment to the communities where the company has a presence. “Transportation Insight remains committed to our clients, our people and our community,” says Thompson. “By developing this campus as a foundation for our Vision 20/20 growth plan, we hope to leave a legacy in both our community and our industry.”

About Transportation Insight, LLC
Transportation Insight is a global lead logistics provider with more than $1.6 billion in supply chain spend under management. For over a decade, the 3PL has partnered with hundreds of manufacturers, distributors and retailers to achieve significant cost savings, reduce cycle times and improve customer satisfaction rates by providing customized supply chain solutions. Transportation Insight offers a Co-managed Logistics® form of 3PL, carrier sourcing, freight bill audit and payment services, state-of-the-art transportation management system (TMS) applications, and business intelligence. Its logistics services include domestic transportation, supply chain analytics, international transportation, warehouse sourcing, LEAN consulting and supply chain sourcing of indirect materials.

Headquartered in Hickory, NC, Transportation Insight has secondary operating centers in Charlotte, NC, Bentonville, AR and Atlanta, GA, as well as more than 40 client support offices across North America. Transportation Insight has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in North America for six consecutive years, is listed at #17 on the 2013 Business North Carolina list of privately held companies, and is ranked #1 in total revenue growth on the 2013 Charlotte Business Journal Fast 50 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The 3PL has been recognized by Inbound Logistics as a Top 100 3PL for two consecutive years, and appears on the list of Top 10 3PLs with Best Range of Services by Global Trade magazine. For more about Transportation Insight, visit www.transportationinsight.com.


To view the original release on PRNewswire Click Here

Copyright © 2014 Transportation Insight. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
328 1st Avenue NW, Hickory, NC 28601

endure

 en·dure [en-door, -dyoor]  

1. to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo: to endure great financial pressures with equanimity.

2. to bear without resistance or with patience; tolerate: I cannot endure your insults any longer.

3. to admit of; allow; bear: His poetry is such that it will not endure a superficial reading.

verb (used without object), en·dured, en·dur·ing.

4. to continue to exist; last: These words will endure as long as people live who love freedom.

5. to support adverse force or influence of any kind; suffer without yielding; suffer patiently: Even in the darkest ages humanity has endured.

6. to have or gain continued or lasting acknowledgment or recognition, as of worth, merit or greatness: His plays have endured for more than three centuries.

Batman at 75: The Psychology of Why the Dark Knight Endures - Why does the Caped Crusader still intrigue us on the hero's 75th anniversary? - Psychology Today - March 30, 2014 - Travis Langley, Ph.D. in Beyond Heroes and Villains

Thoughts about last night's Hickory City Council meeting - April 15, 2014

Agenda about the City Council meeting of April 15, 2014

1) Public Hearing #1. Consideration of Economic Development Agreement with OHM Holdings LLC - This plan was unveiled and it certainly looks solid. Company chairman Paul Thompson spoke before the council and talked about the difficult choice that the company hadin deciding whether to remain in Hickory, where it was founded, or to move to Charlotte. 17th largest privately held company in North Carolina.  Company has 151 associates in North Carolina. Company wants to triple their business over the next six years. Company's growth necessitates a corporate campus.

Mr. Thompson was very forward in relating his personal thoughts to the council. Company recruits a very vibrant, 4-yr. degree, kids out of school and professionals from around the country. Since 2011, they have hired 57 college graduates. These people want a more vibrant lifestyle. They want to walk to lunch and have outside activities. The company has had difficulty in deciding whether they wanted to stay in Hickory or move their headquarters to Charlotte. Company decided that they wanted to stay in Hickory.

Mr. Thompson went into the restoration of the Lyerly Mill and its surrounding properties to include athletic facilities and green space. They are looking to create a lifestyle business. They will even have an in-house Chef with indoor and outdoor dining facilities.

Mr. Thompson and his wife enjoy the farmer's market, outdoor activities,  and riding bicycles and to paraphrase, 'they take their lives in their hands riding bikes from Catawba Country Club to Hwy 127 and around Hickory. Hickory is not Bike friendly.' He talked about successful communities. He went into talking about the young workforce and what they demand. They want activities daily. 'The taxpayer paying our bills 15 years from now, doesn't have the same motivation as the taxpayer of today.' They aren't bound by houses in suburbs and possessions. The highest turnover they have is younger people who say there is nothing to do here.

Scott Millar of the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation went into the details of the contractual agreement with the city. He talked about this area being a jobs corridor with opportunities... The company will receive a $280,000 tax break based upon $8 million in assessed value x $.50 x 7 years with a $40,000 cap in any given year.

The Hound's Note: We have gone over this for the past couple weeks since it arrived on the Consent Agenda on April 1, 2014.


2) Community Development Block Grants - Total Budget of $536,142

Paula Atwood lives in the Green Park area and thanked the city and spoke about the renovations to the Optimist Park on 2nd Avenue SW. She talked about safe access and would like to see an entrance point into the park from the surrounding neighborhoods. She talked about the positive health aspects of renovating the park and connecting it to other Green Spaces in the community. Ms. Atwood introduced the Dickinson family that lives in the Green park neighborhood and spoke in favor of the renovations to the Optimist Park.

The Hound's Note: To Ms. Atwood and all of these agencies, but especially the Neighborhood Associations... empower yourselves...
Platform for a 21st Century Hickory - "Empowering Neighborhood Associations to create Leadership"


Austin Pearce of the Hickory Soup Kitchen spoke about serving 80,819 plates to the hungry in the community. They have been in existence for 31 years. In 2010, when Mr. Pearce took over operations, they served 41,432 plates.  They have done surveys to find out where the people are coming from and what their needs are. 55% of the people served are not homeless -- 45% are. 35% of the people served were working in 2008. Most of which, 80% were working full time. Most of these people have lived here for generations. That is the upsurge. Their mission is food. They supplemented food for everyone on the board (shown above). They move $1 million worth of in-kind food contributions through the program.

He spoke about the "Furniture Fundamentals" program taught at CVCC that is helping people get hired in the furniture industry and move through the pipeline. They supported 150 families through the supplemental food pantry program.

Angela Hurd spoke about the City of Refuge after school program in its 10th year. They had 21 attendees last year and 22 this year. They had 30 academic and perfect attendance awards for program participants. 

3) Warren Wood went over the Quarterly Financial Report. The General Fund and Water and Dewer Funds are pretty much on target when compared to the 5 year average.

He went over the Wells Fargo Economic Analysis for North Carolina - Month of April - Western North Carolina - Metro areas...

Comparing Western North Carolina, excluding Asheville,  to the rest of the State's employment growth...

Share of Employment Gains in NC compared to the metros of Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham... 70% of the jobs in NC have been created in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham over the past 4 years.

20140407 - Monday Morning Meeting with the Mayor

The following is the interview of Mayor Rudy Wright on 1290 WHKYam Radio's First talk program with Hal Row.

WHKY does not archive these programs and make them available to the public, so I am putting this important public interview up under Fair Use guidelines.

The Mayor is asked about the Officer who has been charged with assault stemming from an incident back in November. The Mayor is asked about the proposed grocery store to be located at Cloninger Mill Road at the site of the proposed public park. The Mayor talks about the "Inspiring Spaces" initiative.

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- April 13, 2014

Beef prices climb to highest in 25 years - AP through CNBC - April 12, 2014 - The highest beef prices in almost three decades have arrived just before the start of grilling season, causing sticker shock for both consumers and restaurant owners — and relief isn't likely anytime soon.                  A dwindling number of cattle and growing export demand from countries such as China and Japan have caused the average retail cost of fresh beef to climb to $5.28 a pound in February, up almost a quarter from January and the highest price since 1987.               Everything that's produced is being consumed, said Kevin Good, an analyst at CattleFax, a Colorado-based information group. And prices likely will stay high for a couple of years as cattle producers start to rebuild their herds amid big questions about whether the Southwest and parts of the Midwest will get enough rain to replenish pastures.

Showdown on the range: Nevada rancher, feds face off over cattle grazing rights - CNN - Michael Martinez - April 12, 2014 - A 20-year dispute between a Nevada rancher and federal rangers over illegal cattle grazing erupted into an Old West-style showdown on the open range this week, even prompting self-proclaimed members of militia groups from across the country to join the rancher in fighting what they say is U.S. "tyranny."                       What began as a legal fight between longtime rancher Cliven Bundy and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has escalated as Bundy kept his cattle on the federal land, and the government has responded by beginning roundups of the livestock.                           A confrontation teetered on violence Wednesday when Bundy family members and dozens of supporters angrily confronted a group of rangers holding Tasers and barking dogs on leashes near Bunkerville, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Harry Reid and his long dirty fingers in the Bunkerville, NV range dispute - Before It's News - April 12, 2014 - It has been reported that there were over 50 ranchers in the Bunkerville area. Now down to one. The story to be told has yet to be revealed. What is clear, that this story is more than a rancher not paying the BLM grazing fees. What we do know is that Harry Reid has his long dirty fingerprints in this story. While the Bundy family may not be the most articulate, soon we hear from others what the BLM has been doing to ranchers. You betcha. Here we go:

The son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Rory Reid, is the primary representative for ENN Energy Group, a Chinese energy company seeking to build a $5 billion solar panel plant on a 9,000-acre Clark County desert plot in Laughlin, Nevada.                       ENN scored big when Clark County commissioners unanimously voted to sell the Chinese company the public land for just $4.5 million, despite the fact that it was appraised at $38.6 million.                      Sen. Reid has been one of ENN’s biggest supporters, having recruited the company during a 2011 trip to China. According to Reuters, last month Sen. Reid tried to “pressure Nevada’s largest power company, NV Energy, to sign up as ENN’s first customer.”                            This isn’t the first time the Reids have come under fire for alleged cronyism. In 2003, allegations emerged that Nevada industries frequently lobbied Sen. Reid through his well-connected relatives.                        (Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com …

 Reid’s son, a lawyer with a prominent Las Vegas firm that is representing ENN, helped it locate a 9,000-acre (3,600-hectare) desert site that it is buying well below appraised value from Clark County, where Rory Reid formerly chaired the county commission.                          To advance the Nevada project, ENN retained the state’s largest and most prestigious law firm – Lionel Sawyer & Collins, where Rory Reid works. It is headed by Richard Bryan, a former Nevada attorney general, governor and member of the U.S. Senate

Corporatocracy: How the Corporate Welfare State Divides and Conquers - Against Fascism: Towards the Separation of Business and State - The Corbett Report - James Corbett - February 11, 2014 - Since 1996, the United States Department of Defense has accumulated an $8.5 trillion black hole in its budget. The number is so staggering that it is quite literally inconceivable. Several times larger than the annual budget for the entire federal government, it is equivalent to half of the entire fraudulent debt of the United States government itself. Aside from a recent report by Reuters or the occasional back-of-the-paper mention in one of the dinosaur media outlets, however, you’d have to turn to Russian state-sponsored media to discover this fact.




Paul Craig Roberts Interview on King World News - April 13, 2014 - Listen Here
The Beginning of the End of the Dollar. 2014 will be the year of reckoning for the United States. The threat of sanctions against Russia has brought on actions that will unhinge the Dollar as the World Reserve Currency... Russians are saying they won't take Dollars for Russian Oil... Must purchase Rubles to purchase their Oil.... Corruption is rampant in U.S. regulatory agencies..  Foreign policy Propaganda against Ukraine and others is backfiring on U.S.... String of Lies to go to war... Prestige and Dollar are taking hits... Domestic U.S. economy is turning down - actual numbers support it... People are having a hard time making ends meet... House of cards and markets manipulated can only be kept together as long as the Dollar remains the World Reserve Currency... U.S. can only survive these crises with the help of Russia and China.

Gerald Celente Interview on King World News - April 11, 2014 - Listen Here
Markets are in a downtrend... Negative sensitivity and Emotions... Cheap money into the system has caused the market to go higher through propping up the Banks... seeing more consolidation... cheap money building deals and thus a bubble... there is going to be a Lehman Brothers moment... Federal Reserve has given banks two more years to get rid of troubled loans... they are just shifting the risk from one group to another... gambling has heated up and wrong house is going to make the wrong bet and it is going to take down a lot of people... It's a House of Cards built on paper/digital money... The problem is systemic and it has grown in size and intensity... It is a bubble built on rigged games, inside deals, outright lies... We have never seen gambling at a level like this... It is even more unregulated by the latest moves signaled by the Fed... they will do unprecedented money world wide... they will blame it on the House of Cards... a cover up to justify more money printing... Interest rates will have to eventually rise and this will send the global economies into cardiac arrest. Then they will have to create more cheap money to keep the Ponzi scheme going.

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Zero Prosecutions of Elites for Most Destructive Frauds in World History - William Black - USAWatchdog.com - March 31, 2014 - Greg Hunter - Fraud expert and former regulator Professor William Black says, "Even today, we are well into 2014, and the Department of Justice record is intact. There have been zero prosecutions of the elite officers who led the epic epidemic of fraud. It was the most destructive in world history, zero of them even unsuccessfully prosecuted, much less prosecuted."                  What is the result of massive rampant unprosecuted fraud? Professor Black says, "If you don't have any accountability, you not only make certain that there is going to be a next blow-up, but it will be worse. . . . We have effectively removed the criminal laws for a particular elite class of frauds."                  Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with Professor William Black of University of Missouri Kansas City.

Agenda about the City Council meeting of April 15, 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 15, 2014


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 The Hound's Notes:

1) Public Hearing #1 below. Consideration of Economic Development Agreement with OHM Holdings LLC - Spoke about this issue a couple weeks ago when it came up through the Consent Agenda. Hickory Inc. is looking to help with the renovation of "Olde Hickory Mill" building (formerly Lyerly Mill). You can see this building off to the left when traveling south on Hwy 127 after passing the Railroad underpass.

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)


Google Map Street View 
Google Map Satellite Overhead Shot
Department of Commerce - NC Rural Development - Building Reuse Grants

Article about Transportation Insight moving to this building:
Downtown Hickory gets relocated headquarters - 15-year-old business moving a few blocks, creating 50 jobs - Hickory Daily Record - John Tinkelenberg - April 11, 2014

2) Item I of the Consent Agenda - Glad to see that Hickory Inc. is opening up the opportunity for other Craft Brewers to sell beer during their Sails on the Square Music Series this late Spring and Summer. This is all many of us were asking for last year. 

3) Budget Ordinance #5 - Parking Capital Fund being used at LP Frans Stadium. Never seen it used for anything other than Union Square. $70,000

4) Budget Ordinance #8 - Why? $15,000 of General Fund need to be transferred to the Airports Other Professional Services line item to cover legal fees related to the former FBO (Fixed Based Operators) bankruptcy.

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Invocation

Special Presentations
A. Proclamation for National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.


Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of a Resolution for Dana B. Roberts, Certificate of Appreciation for 43 Years of Service.

B. Proclamation for “A Day of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness”.

C. Approval to Amend the Speed Ordinance for Waterford Hills Subdivision to be 25 mph Throughout the Entire Subdivision. - Staff request approval to amend the traffic ordinance for Waterford Hills Subdivision to be 25 mph throughout the entire subdivision. Residents have completed all necessary steps in the Traffic Calming Guidelines, and staff have found the residents to be in compliance with the guidelines. Currently all roadways within the Waterford Hills Subdivision;
Morning Glow Lane, Meadow Lark Lane, Waterbury Court, and White Water Court, have the default speed limit of 35 mph.

D. Special Events/Activities Application for Hickory Alive, Anna Price, President of Hickory Jaycees, June 6, July 4, August 1, and September 5, 2014, from 4:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., City Hall Parking Lot. (Times include set-up and clean-up)

E. Special Events/Activities Application for Hickory Junior Women’s Club, Megan Meade, Hickory Crawdads, May 3, 2014, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., L.P. Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd. NW.

F. Special Events/Activities Application for Pregnancy Care Center 2014 Walk for Life, Janet Shores, RN, Assistance Director, Pregnancy Care Center of Catawba Valley, September 27, 2014, 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., L.P. Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd. NW.

G. 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 the 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. Daniel and Georgeta Marita are interested in purchasing these lots in order to construct single family dwellings. They are offering $15,000 per lot. Staff recommends that City Council accept the Offers to Purchase and Contracts and
authorize staff to advertise for upset bids. Once the property is advertised other parties will have ten days to submit upset bids.

H. Approval of the Appointment of Sandy Jones to City of Hickory Tax Collector for a Two-Year Term. - Staff requests approval to appoint Sandy Jones, current Grants Coordinator in the Finance Division of Administrative Services as City of Hickory Tax Collector for a two year term. The appointment will be an additional job duty added to Ms. Jones’ current Grants Coordinator position. Due to additional costs and the ability to provide quality customer service to cit izens associated with tax billing and collection, it is recommended to include the Burke County/City of Hickory billings as a responsibility of the City’s Finance Division. In order to comply with Chapter 105 of the North Carolina General Statutes, the City should appoint a designated Tax Collector for the municipality to cover the additional tax duties at the City level. The City appointment will have no impact on the current Catawba County Tax Collector designation for all other City of Hickory taxes.

I. Approval of Contract from Local Beer Brewery to Serve Crafted Beers on Friday Nights in May, June, and September in Conjunction with the City’s Music Under the Sails Series. - City Council approved the Sails Music Series events for Fridays in May, June and September, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. on the March 18, 2014 agenda. In the application it states that local brewers, that have special ABC permission to distribute crafted beers from Hickory, will be asked if they would like to pay a $25 fee to serve the locally crafted beverages during these events between 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. on these Fridays in 2014. They will need to provide a copy of the special ABC permit from North Carolina, a copy of insurance to the City, and a signed contract. Staff requests approval of the contract to allow local Hickory Brewer to serve locally crafted beer during the Music Under the Sails on Friday in May,  June, and September 2014.

J. Approval to Issue a Pyrotechnic Display Permit to Lake Hickory Country Club. - Chris Moncourtois, President of Class A. Fireworks Inc., has submitted a request to obtain permission to conduct public fireworks displays on May 17, 2014.  The North Carolina Fire Code requires a mandatory operational permit for the use and handling of pyrotechnic special effects material. The Fire Prevention Bureau shall review all required documentation. The Fire Prevention Bureau will also inspect the pyrotechnics display area prior to the event to ensure compliance with all guidelines and codes. Staff recommends approval of the request.

K. Sanitary Sewer Backup Payment Policy Revision. - Staff requests Revisions to Council Policy 01-01 to establish criteria as to when the City of Hickory will reimburse property owners for damages incurred due to sanitary sewer blockages which result in reverse flow into residential or commercial dwellings or structures. Section D under procedures was added to the new policy, giving the City of
Hickory the opportunity and flexibility to retain service professionals for a more timely response and to speed-up the mitigation process.

L. Budget Ordinance Amendment Number 22.
1. To budget a total of $1,281 of donations in the Youth Council expenditure line item. $1,181 of the donations is for the Backpack Program. The remaining $100 is for use in other Youth Council activities.

2. To transfer $16,333 from General Fund Contingency to the Economic and Community Development Incentive line item. This transfer is necessary to fund the third incentive payment to Fiserv per the incentive agreement.

3. To budget an $11,692 insurance claim payment in the Traffic Division M&R Traffic Signals line item. This insurance claim payment is for damage sustained to a signal box during a driving accident that occurred at the intersection of 1st Ave. NW and 2nd St. NW.

4. To transfer $14,791 of General Fund Contingency to the Landscape Services Division Capital Outlay-Other line item. This transfer is necessary to pay for the new Sally M. Fox sign, installation, masonry product and installation, and permit fee at the Ivey Arboretum.

5. To transfer $70,000 from the Capital Reserve-Parking Fund to the LP Frans Capital-Improvement to Facilities line item. This transfer is necessary to pay for the crack sealing, seal coating and remarking at the Winkler Park and LP Frans Stadium parking lots.

6. To budget a total of $50,168 of Insurance Claim Payments from Argonaut Great Central Insurance Company in the Water and Sewer Insurance Claims and Refunds line item. These payments are the insurance reimbursement checks for a sewer backup occurring at 5th St. NE in December 2013.

7. To budget $119,345 of Water and Sewer Fund-Appropriated Fund Balance in the Water and Sewer Debt Service Interest line item. This amendment is necessary to cover a first year balloon interest payment which is part of the Northeast Wastewater Treatment Plant debt financing schedule.

8. To appropriate $15,000 of General Fund Contingency and transfer to the Airports Other Professional Services line item. These funds are needed to cover legal fees related to the former FBO (Fixed Based Operators) bankruptcy.


New Business - Public Hearings
1. Consideration of Economic Development Agreement with OHM Holdings LLC. - This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on April 4, 2014.

2. Consideration of the Community Development Block Grant 2014 Annual Action Plan.  - In April of each year staff prepares an Annual Action Plan for its Community Development Block Grant allocation from the federal government. The City of Hickory will receive approximately $310,314 in 2014 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and approximately $235,000 in program income for a total of $545,314. Funds will be used to develop stronger communities by providing decent housing, creating suitable living environments, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for people of low and moderate incomes. The Citizen’s Advisory Committee reviewed the draft action plan at their meeting on March 6, 2014 and recommended approval of the proposed budget. Staff recommends that City Council approve the Community
Development Block Grant 2014 Annual Action Plan. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on March 14, April 4, and April 15, 2014.

New Business - Departmental Reports:
1. Quarterly Financial Report

2. Proposed Changes to the City’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program.  Staff recommends changes to the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program which include changes to the type of eligible repairs, the addition of a deferred loan program for households making less than 50 percent of the area median income, and the addition of more explicit underwriting standards for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee. The Citizen’s Advisory Committee reviewed the policy at their April 3, 2014 meeting and voted unanimously to recommend approval.