Forma Gubna Mike Sleazy and more tangled webs.

This article was broken in today's Raleigh News and Observer (Link to the Story)along with its sister paper the Charlotte Observer (Link to the Story).

From the Pack Pride website from Calstabn:
The N&O has broken this one wide open, folks. And the Chairman of our very own Board of Trustees (whom Sleazely appointed) is involved in the sleaze:

While he was governor, Mike Easley turned a small group of influential North Carolina businessmen into his own private air service, an arrangement Easley kept secret.

Starting in 2003, Easley took at least 25 flights on private jets, some in apparent violation of campaign laws and ethics rules, documents and interviews show. Some flights were free. The value of others exceeded campaign contribution limits.

Records show that the businessmen who flew Easley took him around the state and to such places as Atlanta, Richmond, Washington and Florida. Easley, a Democrat who left office in January, appointed some of the benefactors to boards that oversee state transportation networks, the state's largest universities and other state functions. ...

McQueen Campbell, a Raleigh real-estate broker, acknowledged in interviews that he provided free travel for the governor. One trip was a fishing outing to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., given when Easley was required under ethics rules to disclose gifts of at least $200. Easley didn't disclose the trip. Some of Campbell's flying of the governor was accounted for in campaign reports, but not all.

Easley twice appointed Campbell as a trustee at N.C. State University, where he became chairman.\

Campbell and McRae were tapped to fly Easley most frequently, the records show.

Here is a link from which the excerpts above were taken - (http://www.newsobserver.com/29...ry/1520021.html)

And that's not all. Oh, not nearly all. Your tax dollars paid to rent a house in Southport for Sleazley's state trooper detail:

By the middle of his second term, Mike Easley was spending so much time at his second home in Southport that the state Highway Patrol rented a house there for troopers assigned to protect him.

Travel records that Easley had long sought to keep private show that during his eight years as governor, Easley and his wife, Mary, commuted hundreds of times in state aircraft and vehicles between Raleigh and the quaint coastal village where they own a home on the Cape Fear River.

The Easleys' travel came at the expense of taxpayers who paid for the troopers to take them to the coast and back, and protect them while in Southport.

The trooper home with river views on Southport's Bay Street cost the state $72,000 in rent over the final three years of Easley's term, according to invoices.

In that same time, troopers generated at least $40,000 in expenses tied to Southport travel, much of it accumulated one breakfast, lunch or dinner at a time.

The use of state aircraft to get the Easleys to Southport also came with a bill: more than $62,000 in the final three years of the administration alone.

A Highway Patrol spokesman, Capt. Everett Clendenin, said the house was rented to save motel costs. But records show the patrol was spending less on motel bills than it paid in rent for the house.

The home is owned by Davis Herring Jr., who could not be reached. He gave Easley's campaign $1,000 in September 2004, the only time he contributed to Easley's gubernatorial campaigns.

Here is a link from which the excerpts above were taken -
http://www.newsobserver.com/29...ry/1520025.html

The Hounds Opinion - At what point in time do proud North Carolinians come to the realization that our state government has been compromised and corrupted? Some of these opinions are my own and others come from elsewhere, but they are real and they are valid.

Can one not see that it is time for some investigations by independent bodies? Would Bev Perdue agree to this? There have been valid concerns that ACORN infiltrated this state's last election. Would she be willing to uncover the facts and have that issue possibly become validated?

Folks, it is time that we demand that these people get real and come clean. The corruption in this state has heavily contributed to the position we are in today. Where are the leaders in this community when it comes to this issue. Do they have a backbone? Are they willing to stand up and point out these wrongs or are they going to go along with it? If they continue to succumb to a tyrranical Raleigh, then they are just as culpable and guilty as the people who have (and still are) committed these crimes.

Below is a detailed list of links that point to the corruption in Raleigh. Please look over them. At the top right of this page are addresses to contact our local representatives under the problems and solutions forum. Please e-mail and write hand written letters to our local officials and demand accountability. It is time to hold some government officials feet to the fire.

1) The Lottery is called the North Carolina Education Lottery, but it is now being used as part of the general fund, while teachers are furloughed and money is being slashed from educational programs throughout this state.

2) Gubna Easily's wife was given a questionable position at North Carolina state University that pays well over $100,000 per year. Many have described this position as largely ceremonial. At a time when University budgets are being scrutinized why is she still in that position. Last year Mrs. Easley received a $70,000 raise (7/10/2008 article from the News and Observer).

3) Mary Easley's Lifestyle of the Rich & Famous trips to Europe were reported by WRAL-TV last June.
(6/30/2008 from WRAL.com). (Artcle from the News and Observer).

4) Read this one about a land deal involving the forma Gubna and 3 of his campaign contributors. (News and Observer 4/20/2009 - Feds looking at Easley land deal).

5) Here is a wonderful article about North Carolina's unassailable (bwahaha) Departmant of Transportation done by the Capital Monitor (Ka-Ching! Money Talks at the Department of Transportation - 3/6/2009).

6) Read about the tyrannical rule of our Leader of the North Carolina State Senate Tony Rand. It begins on Page 10 of this article. It is a PDF file. (From the Carolina Review - Page 10 - King Rand, Senate Majority Leader rules with Corruption and self-interest).

7) More, More, and Even More (Google Links to Forma Gubna and Corruption).

Small Business Job Growth Team -- Let's give this a chance to succeed.

I would like to address the issue of the City of Hickory's proposed Small Business Job Growth Team. I hate to be a skeptic, but forming this committee 6 months before an election, in a City that is near the bottom of the entire country economically, is somewhat suspect. But for now I will be open minded and accept it as a sincere initiative. I think that it could be a good idea and could help invigorate our community.

There are a couple of opinions I would like to express in regard to this. First, is that the City should only have a role as a source of information, a source of contacts to bring together interested parties (entrepreneurs, financiers, technical advisors, etc.), and possibly provide a token aid such as waiving the first year’s business license fee. No city financing, ownership, or even use of a new business as a vendor outside of the normal bidding/contracting process should be used in my opinion. It should be available to all interested parties and one industry or niche should not be promoted over others. It should be the sole responsibility of the prospective entrepreneurs and investors to do the due diligence to ensure success. All results, good or bad are solely on the backs of the participants, not the City.

While the backbone of the committee would be a “blue ribbon” panel of proven business leaders, it would seem that a strong web initiative should be a component of this. Many newcomers to Hickory could describe the businesses in their former residences that they would like to see here, unique businesses that people see traveling, on TV, and/or read about could be submitted to generate ideas about diverse, little known business opportunities and would be a great supplement to the ideas that business and industry insiders bring.

Secondly, the focus should be on new business creation. Retention or expansion of existing businesses is a slippery slope that could lead to propping up poorly managed, or obsolete businesses. While the information base should be available to all, keeping up with industry trends and a particular business’ response to current circumstances is part of the ongoing job of running a business and is the owner’s responsibility. Ongoing market analysis and marketing efforts are too much for the City to assume. There is also a lot of potential for acrimony, when one business owner is upset that a competing business got City help and his business didn’t. Many citizens could, with some justification, see this as a bailout similar to what our esteemed President is doing. Furthermore, the City can’t be the expert in every business and what the trends or potential is in every facet of the economy. The bottom line is that we could encourage and assist start-ups, but they will soon have to sink or swim on their own.

The elements that I think would be valuable for the City to facilitate include:

a) A forum for ideas that could become businesses – cutting edge technologies, unique and creative businesses from other areas that could be duplicated here, hot growth areas, etc.

b) General business information sources (the usual accounting, legal structure, demographic info, market research, license requirements, etc.)

c) A mechanism for prospective entrepreneurs to try to establish a relationship with local investors if possible. If not, then provide info on conventional, SBA, or creative financing options.

d) A voluntary mentoring program matching seasoned business owners with the new business owner to advise and help guide the start-up from planning, to setup and hopefully until a stable business is achieved.

My hope is that this committee will serve to generate ideas, provide information, and lead to the development of relationships that will make us the premier area for the development of entrepreneurial initiative and excellence.

Best wishes,

Harry Hipps

Newsletter about the City Council meeting of May 5, 2009

This newsletter is about the Hickory City Council meeting that I attended this past week. City council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.

At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory's Local Government link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.

At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, 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.

Here is a summary of the agenda of the 5/5/2009 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.

Invocation by Alderman Danny Seaver

Special Presentations:
A. Presentation of Proclamation to Master Police Officer Victor Camacho of the Hickory Police Department Declaring the Week of May 10 – 16, 2009 as National Police Week in the City of Hickory - Officer Camacho was injured in April of last year while trying to pull over a motocyclist. Here is a link to WSOC-TV's report about the accident. Mayor Wright stated that the purpose of this proclamation was to recognize those officers killed in the line of duty. 900,000 officers serve in communities across the country. 118 serve in the Hickory Police Department. There are approximately 60,000 assaults on officers that take place each year, resulting in approximately 16,000 injuries. Since 1972 more than 18,000 officers have been killed in the line of duty. 133 officers were killed in 2008. Officer Camacho had a few short words that he spoke about 2 local officers lost in the line of duty.

B. Presentation of Proclamation to Bebe Leitch, President of the Hickory Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau Recognizing the Week of May 9 – 17, 2009 as Travel & Tourism Week in the City of Hickory. Mayor Wright stated that the travel industry ranked as the 5th largest employer in the U.S. in 2008. It contributed $352 million in revenue towards the local Hickory Metro economy in 2007. 3,500 jobs are directly attributable to travel and tourism in the metro area. Travel and Tourism generated $62 million of payroll in the metro area in 2007. Ms. Bebe Leitch invited the community to drop by the Convention and Visitors Bureau on Monday, May 11th between 10am and 3pm to educate citizens about how the CVB markets the area.

Consent Agenda:
A. Proclamation Declaring the Week of May 17 – 23, 2009 as “National Public Works Week” in the City of Hickory

B. Transfer of Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery From Gladys R. White to Joyce Lyons (Document Prepared by Attorney Steve A. Austin)

C. Transfer of Cemetery Lots in Oakwood Cemetery From Shirley Herman Anthony Administratrix, C.T.A. of the Estate of Arlena O. Wyke to Brenda W. Yost (Document Prepared by Attorney Shirley Herman Anthony)

D. Approve Vacant Building Revitalization Grant to Maddadle, LLC for Property Located at 326 2nd Avenue, NW in the Amount of $20,805 - This Grant Program was established by City Council in September, 2008 and provides matching funds up to $25,000 for projects seeking to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings. The applicant plans to renovate the facility into a professional psychology practice and plan to invest approximately $41,610.00 towards expenses eligible for grant funding. The Redevelopment Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval.

E. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 18
Budget a total of $15,455 ($799, $10,437, $4,219) of insurance claim checks from Trident Insurance Company. These insurance claims are for damage sustained to three police vehicles. Budget a $25 Library donation to purchase a picture book for beginning readers. This is a memorial book for Shelby the “Paws to Read” dog. Budget a total of $1,700 of International Springfest donations in the International Council expenditure line item. Donations were received from the following: Unifour Anesthesia Associates -$200, Friitala/Branaa-$200, Grasche- $200, Auto Fitness Center-$250, Wilkes Cleaners-$100, Sarstedt-$250, and Popplemann-$500. Budget a total of $4,729 of Parks and Recreation Revenue in the Parks and Recreation Departmental Supplies line item. This revenue is generated from the registration fees for the 2009 Unifour Senior Games which is organized by the Parks and Recreation Department.

New Business - Public Hearings:
1. Approval to Apply for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant in the Amount of $198,536.00 - The City of Hickory and Catawba County have received notification of approval to receive a combined allocation of $266,031 under the 2009 Recovery Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG). The JAG Program is a formula-based grant through the Office of Justice Programs/Bureau of Justice Assistance that utilizes Uniform Crime Reporting statistics of all law enforcement agencies to determine eligibility for direct federal grant awards. Under the joint application with Catawba County, the City of Hickory is eligible for a direct award of $198,536.00 with no match required. The Hickory Police Department recommends using the grant funds for the purchase of a SkyWatch Tower, the hiring of two part-time Telecommunicators for the Communication Center at HPD, to make improvements to the current police firing range, to purchase two Rofin Polilight Flares and the purchase of a video analysis enhancement system. This public hearing is required for public comment prior to Council approval of spending of these funds. Police Chief Adkins spoke about the above items. The Skywatch Tower will be used at special events. It is transportable, can extend 2 stories tall, has four cameras, and can be manned by one person. The 2 telecommunicators would be part timers. They are needed because calls have increased by 50,000 calls since 10 years ago. In that same span the city has added 14 officers. There are presently 12 communicators and 1 supervisor, which is the same as 10 years ago. The Firing Range upgrade would allow for a new targeting system, help officers work towards their qualifications, and enhance tactical training. The two portable light sources will help detect trace evidence and will be carried in CSI vehicles. The Video Analysis Enhancement System will utilize software to help enhance video in less than ideal conditions, such as lowlight situations or to find video patterns, which will allow for forensic video DNA.

The Hound knows that these are all excellent investments in the community's security. I have been impressed by presentations from the Police Department. They always have their ducks in a row on presentations. You might not agree with their assessments sometimes, but it's always bam, bam, bam and they aren't wasting your time. They get right to the heart of the matter.


Departmental Reports –
1. Discussion of Small Business Job Growth Team - City manager Berry opened the discussion and talked about the one-page outline and referred generally that the outline was created from some conversations that he had had with the Mayor. The Mayor stated, "We have all heard it said that small business is going to be the backbone of the economic recovery. We would like to think that if we create an atmosphere that is good to do business, that's a worthy thing to do. And I feel we have addressed that., but it is time to specifically address the growth in the number of small business jobs to the extent we can influence it. And we need to consider the effects of our population on vacant buildings and vacant houses, whether there are ways to make sure our population is growing in an orderly and beneficial way from an economic development standpoint."

Manager Berry said there was a simple mission statement. This will be a group of volunteers consisting of special interests and small business owners that can help identify directions that the city can go into. It was pretty much agreed upon by Manager Berry and Asst. manager Surratt that this would be a 6 to 9 month process.

Alder Meisner said we need to do anything we can to help and that it is hard for small businessmen to obtain capital from banks right now. Alder Patton stated that it would be a good thing to get together existing small businessmen. Could this include people in the ETJ? Alder Seaver asked what was the definition of small business? Manager Berry stated that he thinks that it is up to Council (to define the parameters). He modeled this plan after the Land Use plan (HBC).

The Mayor stated that attaching a budget shows people get an idea of how big or small the (city's) vision is. He doesn't want this to be small or about overhead. Right now there is no vision. Alder Fox stated that there is nothing wrong with not having a budget. It is hard to put a price on business people coming together and what they can gain from each other. The idea factor is more important.

Alder Meisner talked about the trials and tribulations of small business owners and the issue of business retention. Alder Hoyle asked if this was about existing businesses or new businesses. The Mayor said he didn't want to set up incubators, because they will compete with existing businesses. Alder Seaver asked if we could do a small survey of existing business owners. The Mayor said that he believes this (process) will evolve. Alder Patton said this has to be fleshed out (specifics) before they can go to business owners and ask them to volunteer to participate in the process. The Mayor said we're all in this together and that staff should move forward on this.

The Hound likes this idea, especially when it comes to the idea of innovation. There were a lot of comments about the idea not being fleshed out and witnesses would have to agree. We can all see that we are going to have to start thinking outside of the box, because the status quo has not worked for years. I believe that this process has to be open ended and accommodative to the broadest participation and dialogue possible. The internet would be an excellent tool to facilitate such an open-minded goal.

Where I worry about the sentiments of council is when they start focusing so much attention and commentary towards existing business owners. Accepting their input as the Gospel is a further continuance and definition of the status quo and I don't mean that to be insulting. While these business owners are integral to the process, they are but one variable element when it comes to solving this area's economic woes. I believe that it will take sources from all over the globe, with new ideas, to bring us out of this malaise.

I also don't like hearing the idea of business retention espoused. Folks, another word for that is bail-out. That would be an open money pit. Who is going to decide who deserves the bail-out. That would be an arbitrary process that will lead to a community full of people with hard feelings.

The City better not try to pick winners and losers in this process. We need a clean slate. We do need existing business owners to provide their expertise about this area's existing business conditions, so that information is available to upstarts. It also will provide feedback about the city's processes concerning commerce. What is in it for existing businesses? A growing economy will naturally increase patrons and thus revenues. They can also look to create synergistic off shoots of their personal business, that might close the loop on a needed product or service or reduce the cost of having to rely on far away trading partners.

Where the city can truly help is by creating a clearing house of information and connectivity to help with business plans and streamlining the processes so that new businesses can get their operations up and running sooner. If time is money and money is tight, then naturally helping upstarts get their operations up and running sooner will give that business greater odds to succeed.

Existing entrepreneurs can help facilitate capital infusion. Maybe the aspiring proprietor doesn't have the capital to start a business, but if he has a viable project, maybe the city's clearing house can point this wannabe businessman in the direction of capitalists that will at least listen. They might be willing to invest in something they consider "The Right Idea." From this, I am sure that we can get a few new businesses off of the ground.

I agree with the Mayor on the details of what he defined as incubators. The city does not need to play the role of Washington and have our local city bureaucracy fully intertwined with private enterprise. The city can facilitate the start-up process, but when the city starts dictating commerce and artificially supporting day-to-day operations, then we begin heading down a slippery slope.

A committee is important to wrap up the process, but input must be from open ended sources. I believe that economic commerce is like water. It follows the path of least resistance. Closed ended processes create barriers and any stifling bureaucratic interests will assure you that money will flow right on past this community. We must ensure that this does not happen.

5/4/2009 - First Talk (WHKY) - Monday Morning meeting with the Mayor

This is a MP3 file of some comments that I addressed to the Mayor on Hal Row's radio show during his Monday Morning Meeting with the Mayor segment: Link to MP3 file ( the audio is pretty good with my new Olympus Recorder).

I never got around to asking the question I intended to ask about specifics, but I thought that the Mayor did an excellent job of addressing my comments. I really respected what he had to say this time. Last month numbers showed that we were ranked number 159 out of 172 metropolitan areas as far as unemployment statistics are concerned. This month I have heard that we were ranked 170 out of 172 and that the story was related on NBC news with Brian Williams.

Some people might think that is terrible, but I think it might be just what the doctor ordered. Nothing will wake someone up to reality like a good hard slap in the face. We can no longer accept the status quo or expect help from other quarters.

As I stated, I think the Wall Street journal article from January was right on target. We could all see what was happening, but people were focused on social fluff and the important economic issues of the day were shuffled to the background. It took years to get into the position we are in now and it will take a while to get out of this hole we have dug.

We haven't laid a firm foundation. We are basically going to have to start over from scratch. We can't buy jobs by getting companies to relocate here. We can't afford to play that game. We are going to have to create jobs through innovation.

We have to become an incubator for creative entrepreneurs and experimenting minds. To get ahead, we are going to have to think outside of the box and take chances. The people who built this community were innovators. Look at Adrian Shuford, Art Viles, and the George brothers as examples of people who built businesses through good times and bad.

Small businesses are great, but it takes too many of them to get back the 30,000+ jobs that we have lost. That is where we are going to have to think "innovation" on a grand scale. Those opportunities exist, but everyone in this community is going to have to realize that there are going to have to be calculated risks that must be assumed. We cannot afford to have that "It's better than nuthin" attitude. We must strive for and demand excellence. It is alright to fail as long as you learn from the experience. It isn't alright to not try at all, because you are cowering in fear that failure might make you look bad. Not taking a chance makes you look like a timid coward.

All of this relates to the legacy of our leaders. Whether fair or not, the near future will render the opinion of our current leaders as heroes or goats. This is a heavy burden and I hope that they are up to the challenge. Leadership should be more than about position or stature. If anyone feels that they are not up to the task in these tumultuous times, then it is time for them to step aside and allow others the chance to take the lead in turning our economic plight around.

NEW LAND USE PLAN - PLAN OR DREAM?

The new land use plan, termed Hickory By Choice, and the codes that will be based upon it is one of the most important discussions the City will have in this generation and it’s very important we get it right. It seems that over the past few years that we have often had ideas and concepts that don’t fit what’s on the ground with the result being that Council and Planning have tried to put a square peg into a round hole. BROAD CITIZEN INPUT IS IMPORTANT, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

There are a couple of things I don’t think have been completely thought through and need to be examined further. First is the neighborhood core concept. The idea is that we have a “core” that will have employment such as offices (doctors, accountants, insurance, etc.). Surrounding the core would be high density housing, ie: condos, apartments, townhouses, which would be surrounded by lower density development like single family residences. This is a beautiful idea and if we were looking at a large field and thinking about what to do with it a core would be great. We already have facts on the ground and it seems that it will take a great deal of tear down and rebuilding which will be expensive so question one is: how viable is the idea?

Many questions come to mind? Do we want manufacturing in the core? If not where will manufacturing go? Is a big box store going to be in the mix? What happens when certain retailers want 100,000 square feet to be viable? Is this going to be in a core or a corridor? Are people going to go to the doctor in their core or the doctor with the best reputation in town? What about specialists? We can't put every specialty in the core, can we? Do you want to use the Dewey, Cheatham and Howe accountants in the core you happen to live in or maybe you still want to use your brother in law? Will a Baptist become a Jew because the synagogue is in his core? The point is that we may be making too many assumptions about the lifestyles and choices people make and when the government plans for us they often miss the mark.

One specific thing that seems to keep coming up is putting up a multistory building with retail and restaurants on the ground floor and residences on the upper floor. There are a couple of places in Hickory where this has absolutely bombed. Do you really want to hear the pizza delivery coming and going at 1:00 am? Do you want to park your car in the parking lot that the geriatric doctor is using to have the 80 year old, half blind crowd using? Some cities have apartment and condo buildings that have parking on the ground level with the residences on the upper floors. This seems to be much more appealing. People will still want to drive. Many want to drive less but will still want to drive to other areas of the City as well as out of town and out of State trips. The car is going to be around a long time and it doesn’t seem to be properly thought out in what people seem to be conceiving at this point.

My opinion is that public transportation has been ignored and should actually be a focal point. Mobility is increasing not decreasing. We need to create density in Hickory so that using public transportation becomes viable. We can still have “cores” but what we are discussing now seems more like “enclaves”. If we have a public transportation spine, connecting to the centers that people go to (shopping, work, doctors, services, etc.) we can have cores but we will be able to go where we choose to and have a walk more/ drive less lifestyle that many desire. My fear is that we are overplanning people’s lifestyles and when it's all said and done we will spend the next twenty years still trying to put that square peg into the round hole and arguing incessantly. Please, please, please, join the dialogue. We need to put our heads together and get this right.

Hickory By Choice 2030 Workshop: 2nd Meeting

The second workshop is tonight April 28, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hickory Regional Airport. The address is 3101 9th Ave Drive NW. The Airport entrance is up Clement Blvd off of Hwy 321.

Here is an article that was posted about the notification of the meeting from the Hickory Daily Record: Help Plan Hickory's Future Growth, Development.

Here is a link to what HBC 2030 is all about.

Hope to see you there and I will do a full article on this meeting tonight

Previous HBC meetings and discussion links:
Why the original Hickory By Choice doesn't work
Hickory By Choice 2030 Workshop: 1st Meeting
Studio Cascade awarded contract at November 4, 2008 City Council meeting

Brian Frazier opened the meeting and made some general comments about the plan. Basically he made the same introductory statements that he has made in the past. You can read the introductory statement from the last workshop. It is pretty much the same as what he said tonight. He then introduced Bill Grimes and Rick Hastings. There will be an advisory committee meeting that will take place tomorrow. You can check out the city website and HBC 2030 to see what the process is all about.

Mr. Grimes mentioned the purpose of the original HBC plan. The original plan created a land use plan that was based on a cupcake type of pattern (centers). The circles that dot the map are located at the intersections of major thoroughfares. The plan also suggests the patterns that these centers should adopt as they develop. The discussion at the last workshop gave details about the HBC structure and how it might relate to today's condition.

Mr. Grimes once again went over the "Neighborhood Core" philosophy. He mentioned the concept of "Pedestrian Shed" and "Commercial Catchment Areas." He said they wanted to make sure that the concept was valid 10 years later. In the first workshop, Studio Cascade wanted people to take some time and affirm the various directives and policies that are 10 years old. The participants answered a survey about various issues to try to find a comprehensive statement of city policy that supports Hickory by Choice.

Mr Grimes mentioned that some of the comments (from the survey) added some nuance and shading to the policies that were implemented 10 years ago. Most of these comments were rooted in the current economic condition and maybe we were being a little too ambitious in that original plan and maybe we need to scale back a little on what we are expecting to do. There was also a level of environmental awareness that was keyed into the economic development perspective of the plan and how we might be able to take advantage of the opportunities available with environmentally based or Green types of Industry that can help us.

Mr. Grimes said that everything seemed to be tempered by "how do we get the over-arching aspirational policies to fit into a more realistic context for the year 2010 (and up until 2030)." To what degree will the community commit to implementing the plan as its going to be updated and actually commit to supporting the adoption of development regulations that will be consistent with that plan. Right now there is a disconnect between the comprehensive plan and the development code regulations (zoning).

We were given a packet that contained a summary of the responses to the first workshop's survey. He talked about the issues that struck Studio Cascade. The vast majority of responses were 4's and 5's. The policy context supports what was adopted. There is a supportive level of ratification to move forward and find other policies and development standards to implement the overall goal.

Transportation and infrastructure are key ingredients. Transportation system design and Land-Use design must make sense; along with a pedestrian connection, mobility, and highway capacity that will complement and support this (HBC) type of scheme. Multi-modal travel options have not been supported (thus far). A car is a vital component and should not be sacrificed as a viable transportation mode.

Housing and Land-Use were mentioned. Mixed use is an important premise to the implementation of the HBC plan. We need to make sure that we can have(support) a ground floor retail store with residential over the top. The community isn't 100% behind how to deal with the transition between mixed-use and established neighborhoods. There is an importance placed on compatibility between land uses. Uses should respect existing land uses.

How do we reconcile the survey with the concept of HBC? We have to develop policies and standards that help us to get where we desire to go. Mr. Grimes displayed plans of Davidson, NC. Davidson has seen some success in designing neighborhood cores. The mixed-use centers must be designed where thoroughfares intersect. Davidson has chosen to develop mixed-use concepts near major transportation arteries.

Hickory has to find a way to create a pattern that is adaptable enough to fit the various centers that we have. Our commercial development has taken place along corridors. This has happened naturally. There is a lot of capital invested in these corridors and investors want them to remain exactly as they already are. We have to turn these corridors into something that they presently are not. This will be a structural change.

Nodal development will have to be developed through a groundswell of support by multiple owners (in an area) or it will have to be established in areas where land ownership is concentrated in the hands of few. The centers are important and we must set them up for success. The development of the corridors have denuded the viability of centered commercial areas. We can't do both, because we will bombard the market with an amount of commercial uses that it cannot support.

Corridors weren't mentioned in the original HBC. They are real. They must be supported and redeveloped over time into linear commercial districts that support the cores or they must be involved into some other sort of use. They must be recognized and addressed in policy.

There are 15 centers established by the original plan. It will be hard to provide the support needed to all 15 of these core areas to help them do all that they need to do. How can we prioritize the centers that have the best chance to succeed. We need to identify what is on the ground today and how we can best achieve the desired ideal. Mr. Grimes says that we might be able to support 4, 5, or 6 of these cores.

The prioritized areas that we looked at tonight were Downtown and Viewmont as centers and Hwy 127n as a corridor. They have to serve a wide variety of audiences. We looked at these areas as a 1) Pedestrian/Cyclist 2) Motorist 3) Resident 4) Shop/Retail store. We ranked them 1 to 5 (5 being the best) in aspects of their viability. (This survey is online)

In our small group (our group had 3 people) discussion, we talked about the viability of this overall plan. One of our participants said that Studio Cascade is ignoring the fact that a good many people would prefer that we start over from scratch. We need to open up the process and analyze more concepts of development. Lifestyle has kept people from accepting the pedestrian mode of the neighborhood core concept. Some say that we should build the city's subsystem around a spine of public transportation. The development should be built along the public transportation nodes (almost like depots). That would make it easier for people to get around. The neighborhood core creates a feudal concept of enclaves and is going create a separation of the citizens of Hickory along socio-economic and cultural barriers.

Mr. Grimes readdressed the group and discussed how each of the 4 groups will look at the development concept from a different angle. Our group looked at Hickory By Choice from the view of the Pedestrian/Cyclist. We organized into table discussions for this exercise.

A participant (1) in our group discussed how he would travel from behind Hobby-Lobby to his job Downtown. He told us how he would maneuver down 127n, take a right at near Viewmont Square and go down North Center Street to avoid dangerous traffic conditions on 127n. Another participant (2) talked about his driving and how he avoids 127n while driving a car. He stated that the 127n corridor between Downtown and North Viewmont was a deadzone for retail because of pass through traffic. People drive the back streets and don't like to turn into businesses located along that area, because of traffic.

Participant 1 made the point that businesses that have been successful have been located at areas where it was easy to turn off of 127n. He personally doesn't want to deal with The Cook Out or Dairy Queen, because of the traffic issue. Participant 2 talked about Dead Zones and how the City has created these areas by having strong concentrations of commercial property in certain areas that cause bad traffic congestion. I mentioned that one of the major problems with 127n is traffic flow and it should be re-engineered electronically to achieve better flow.

Harry and I mentioned the issue of safety for pedestrians downtown. We had a meeting at the Tap Room on Friday night and as we were leaving, we were accosted by an individual that "needed $9 to get his stuff back." We were both driving, but imagine if we were pedestrians Downtown. That seems like a dangerous (and at the least uncomfortable) position for someone who is walking. The perception of safety is one of the main reasons why people choose to drive a car. Participant 1 said that Downtown was good for pedestrian traffic, but terrible in Viewmont.

One issue that I mentioned is the fact that if we are going to have a core built in North Viewmont, then we will eventually have to have overhead crosswalks so that people can safely get across the road. Another problem mentioned is the problem with the light at Starbuck's. It is very dangerous for pedestrians and just as bad for motorists. The final issue that was addressed by this group was to take the center of the cupcake (core) off of 127n, because of traffic and pedestrian issues.

The Pedestrian/Cyclist area - Downtown is pedestrian friendly, but you have to get there first. There has to be dense residential areas (taller buildings). Downtown needs to work on the safety issue. 127n, is ok for pedestrians, but 127n kills any opportunity to cross in Viewmont. The bold solution is to move the cupcake to one side or the other. The corridor is avoided and people prefer to walk in the neighborhoods. Pedestrian Crossovers in Viewmont might help. Bike lanes need to be designated better. Bike routes need to be designed better. Lights need to change for bikers.

Residents - Downtown needs to be more resident friendly. Neighborhoods bump up on it, but there aren't many residents downtown. There are things that are nice to buy downtown, but there is nothing that we need to buy down there. There is no grocery store or things you need to exist(live). It is a place for optional purchases. As far as Viewmont, it is resident friendly. There are all kinds of stores there. There are stores that we all shop at because of needs. People drive through the corridor to go to Viewmont. The corridor is not resident friendly directly on it, but it is on the streets behind it. This group stated that the sidewalks are not continuous and they need to be. They go from side-to-side-to-side.

Motorists - Parking is a major problem downtown. The street identification system needs to be looked at. There is good access to downtown. Perpendicular parking is a problem. The one way pairs are a problem. The traffic light system is a problem in Viewmont. There are alternate routes that can be developed. Landscaping needs to be developed on the center line. The corridor is what it is and it runs very well. We need to focus traffic back into the 127 corridor. Hickory is very motorist friendly. The east side of 127 needs better signage so that they can see what the businesses are.

Shopkeepers/Retailers - The one way pairs are hard on businesses. Reconnect Government Avenue and 1st Ave. Possibly reopen the street in front of Union Square. Need to have businesses near cars. 127n is what it is. We need to push more mixed use. The corridor needs to allow people to park in the front. Mr. Grimes stated that each parking space in front of a building, that has zero setback, translates to $100,000 in sales.

Mr. Grimes pointed out specifics about what Hickory by Choice was implemented to create. 1) Centers close to housing 2) Less Auto dependent 3) Neighborhoods be safe 4) Parking be concealed 4) Interconnected Streets 5) Informal Gathering Spaces 6) Thoroughfares and Intersections to support retail use 7) Streets are calm 8) Continuous Sidewalks 9) Scale and Retail match Identity and Place

** The next meeting in June will be about corridor development.

The Hounds Take: I think this is an excellent process, but we must realize that this is only a process. If people don't accept what is going on here, then this will all be a waste of time. We can't support certain sections of this city at the expense of other sections. As a matter of moral code and/or practicality, we cannot continue to ignore the blighted areas of Hickory. It is not viable and it is not sustainable.

Do we really want to create niche enclaves? Are we not one city. I do realize that the more affluent areas pay more property tax, but are not the citizens of these blighted areas just as much citizens as those from Northwest Hickory? It is my contention that they are.

This plan needs to be about bringing the city together and having balance. The bottom line of this plan should be based upon transportation or moving around this city. That will go a long way towards increasing the quality of life, especially when we are still so vulnerable to fuel prices. Including every quadrant and citizen in this plan will increase the likelihood that this plan will be accepted and succeed.

If we have a good portion of this city become blighted, then those accepted enclaves will have to pay more in security costs to protect their assets. You cannot expect to cordon off certain blighted areas of this city and ignore them. If you try to do that, then prepare to become a city of gated communities, walls, and private security. I hope that Hickory never comes to accept that. We need to lift the area up and not succumb to accepting Least Common Denominators.

Misrepresented? No

Anyone who has read the Hickory Hound should know that it is a forum for discussion and airing out differences. While I value most of Thom’s reporting, especially on City meetings, this blog on the Hickory Daily Record misreporting the unemployment numbers seems off the mark. First, Thom and I have had discussions about the angry tone of some of the posts. He is a proponent of “focused anger” and I tend to follow the edict to speak the truth in love. One can express the facts and opinions factually and very candidly and still maintain a tone of civility that gets breached too often. Maybe I’m just getting nostalgic for the old time genteel Southern culture that is getting as rare as Necco candies.

More to the point, Thom is actually mixing two separate criticisms, one about the economic numbers which were the focus of the article, the second is about the reporting of the Hickory Daily Record generally. First, I’ll address the specific article. The data were released on Friday, the article was published on Saturday. This was, in fact, the first date it could be published so I’m not sure why it should have been delayed. The Charlotte Observer published a similar story on Saturday as well. I’m not sure I can see a conspiracy here. If the story had been delayed before publishing, that could have been a cause for criticism as well. The economy has been THE story as Thom pointed out but the decision to put it on page three may be a decision based on the HDR’s perception of what stories on the front page would sell the most newspapers. I don’t know if the average reader would find this article more newsworthy than the other articles, but even if they did I don’t see the connection about the article and the political fortunes of local leaders.

Many people, in fact, think that the national scene now is much more important that local issues. In either event, it seems trivial to me. Unless, it can be proven that the statistics are incorrect or that information was withheld to benefit local leaders, I don’t agree that this article was a misrepresentation and I don’t see the linkage to Thom’s more general criticism of the HDR’s reporting.

I find more common ground in the criticisms of the HDR’s reporting in general. Newspapers are struggling to survive today and the readership trends don’t bode well for any of them. Sadly, I don’t think our local paper stands above the crowd. My opinion is that they will only survive if they can provide more content and context. The HDR does need to do more to get to the real meat of stories and provide the reader with more background and a clearer picture of the story and not just the data. Most people in Hickory are blind as to how things really get done and there is a substantial subtext that is fodder for conversations by connected people in the loop of things that our average citizen is not aware of. We do need real reporting and digging below the surface. Just printing minutes of meetings and some puff pieces doesn’t live up to the vital role a free press in a democracy like ours needs and deserves. Our newspaper, like it or not, is an important link in the dialogue our society needs to be a healthy, self governing country.

The bottom line for me: the Record needs to step up in the quality of their reporting and Thom needs some relaxation therapy.