That is what I have been focusing on over the last week. This will be my third year of full scale gardening on my home property. I think part of the fun in this gardening process is watching the transformation of my yard. My goal this year is to add a full scale rain collection system that I am in the process of implementing. I really think this is the way to go when it comes to any type of full scale gardening effort. There are many reasons that utilizing Mother nature's water is best, but my two biggest reasons are because I don't think city water is good for a garden with all of the chemicals that are injected into it and because the cost of using city water is prohibitive.
My rain barrel system will be developed utilizing the 4 downspouts at the corners of my house utilizing some very large (275 gallon water tanks). Even if you aren't looking to develop something this large, Lowe's Home Improvement has a video of an inexpensive setup on Youtube utilizing regular garbage cans.
Over the past week, I have been transplanting the plants that I started back in February in Peat Moss containers. I believe that I have enough of a head start to where I might possibly get two rotations out of this garden this year. My hope is that I will be able to get some raised bed gardens built, which will allow me to raise some root vegetables along with leafy vegetables come late summer and early fall. Lowe's Home Improvement has a video of an of a raised bed garden setup on Youtube which can incorporated the rain barrel system above.
There are a lot of great videos on Youtube about the gardening process and there are infinite amounts of information all over the internet that will help you whether yoy are a novice an expert or somewhere in between.
My final project is one that I have been working on since the beginning of the year and has been delayed until fall. I am going to build a small geodesic dome greenhouse as an experiment to see if it is better than a regular green house. My hope is to have year round vegetables at a point in time in the future.
I really think that we are living in a time where you need to be as efficient as you can with your assets. You can have a productive property even when you live in a city. You can virtually cut you food expenses to next to nothing. Look at the prices of food in the grocery store. Anecdotally, I can tell you that over the last year I have witnessed food inflation rise 25%. I don't see that getting any better as we see fuel prices begin to rise above $3 again.
There is a lesson to be learned here. I hope that people will start growing food, trading their food specialties, utilizing local farmer's markets, share meals with family and friends, and use the land for its intended purpose. The global world makes us vulnerable. Everything coming from these far off lands can be gone quickly. We need to start producing food locally again and I intend on doing my part. Think about it, is this not Independence.
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Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
We Need to be that Shining City upon a Hill
The above video is from Ronald Reagan's inaugural address on January 20, 1981. In my opinion, this video is very much apropos to where this nation is today.
I have had conversations over the last several years where people continuously make the statement, "We're not the only ones that are bad off" when they speak about Hickory. It makes me think of Reagan's farewell address and this statement about America being the Shining City upon a hill.
I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still.I don't want to covet the assets that other areas have. I don't want to follow what everyone else does. I want us to be leaders and innovators. I want us to be self-sufficient. I want people to look at this community as a beacon, as a guiding light. as trend setters. We have plenty of assets in this area that are being underutilized. We have innovative people and enterprises, who I want the world to see.
I am not saying that we need to be arrogant. I do think we need partners and we definitely need to interconnect with other communities. We need to create associations with other communities that share common interests to work towards and learn new methods of development. We just need to find a proper way to express ourselves and to get our story out to the nation and the world.
As Reagan states in that inaugural address, he is not against government, but he believes that the Federal Government has overstepped its bounds. I think our country is at a point of dysfunction 180-degrees from the causation of the Civil War. That was a war of dysfunction created by a Union where States wanted complete and separate sovereignty to operate independently apart from the Union.
There was no accountability from the States towards the Union. It was a Union with Iron Clad borders, where once you stepped across State border lines, then you were essentially in another country. The Congress essentially became a non-functional entity as a result of States Rights issues which centered around slavery during the 1840s and 1850s.
Today, we are quickly coming to a point where there are no State borders and the sovereignty of the states is neither recognized nor respected. In many ways the States have allowed this to happen, but I believe that we are going to see pushback as a result of the Federal power grab we have seen over the last decade. The founding documents of our country are designed around the States' integral role in the formation of the Union as expressed by the United States Constitution.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.The Commerce clause has been used as a means to an end to destroy State sovereignty, but in the end I do not believe the States will stand by and watch as their ability to self rule is completely dissolved. The Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) states that the United States Congress shall have power "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes". But the Federal Government has overstepped this clause by trying to use it to regulate every facet of our lives, while neglecting our rights as citizens of our corresponding States. At this time, there is no accountability from the Federal Government towards the States.
Since our Governor is of the same party as those who have pushed these notions of no State sovereignty and she seems enchanted with every aspect of big brother government, then our local area is going to have to work twice as hard to make our position clear. We want a smaller, more efficient government. We want a government that works with us, not one that imposes their will over us. We need our State government to get its house (budget) in order and we don't need to play a part in the Federal Government's means of running our nation into an endless mire of debt with no end. As a State, we have a right under the principled law of Nullification to challenge any law that is unconstitutional and no matter what ones political preference is, we should challenge any laws that trample on the rights of our State within the Union. The relationship between the Federal Government and the States is supposed to be a partnership.
Yes, we are living in extraordinary times. Tough decisions have to be made on financial issues. But, I do not want to continue down the path that we are on. What we are doing nationally makes no logical sense. We need balance between the Federal government and the States reinstituted. We need our State to look out for its best interest and not be subservient to the will of Washington. By the same token, as a community, we don't need to go along to get along with the wills of Raleigh and Washington. We need to stand strong against this economic tsunami. Our area has instituted fiscal discipline and sound investment strategies. Let others look to us as a guiding light. Someone has to turn the tide and I don't know why our community can't be leaders in this effort. Let's be that beacon that others can point to.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of April 6, 2010
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 4/6/2010 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below
Invocation by Rev. Bill Garrard of St. Luke's United Methodist Church
Special Presentations:
Proclamation Presented to Ms. Linda Baker of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Catawba County Declaring the Month of April, 2010 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of Hickory
Consent Agenda:
A. Call for Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement With Turbotec Products, Inc. (Authorize Public Hearing for April 20, 2010)
B. Approve Proclamation Declaring the Month of April, 2010 as “Occupational Therapy Month” in the City of Hickory
C. Proclamation – The Community Appearance Commission Requests that April 17, 2010 be Proclaimed as “Arbor Day” in the City of Hickory - The Community Appearance Commission has been celebrating Arbor Day in Hickory by giving out trees to citizens for the past seven (7) years. This will be the eighth year that the City will officially celebrate Arbor Day, which will be held in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration at the SALT Block. The City of Hickory has been recognized as a Tree City USA since 2005 and by proclaiming April 17, 2010 as Arbor Day in Hickory, the City will be fulfilling one of its requirements for Tree City USA status.
D. Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Joe C. and Mildred M. Teague in the Amount of $489.00 - Mr. & Mrs. Teague owned two (2) adjoining parcels and subsequently sold one to Raleigh and Margaret Frye. They later sold a small portion of the parcel they had retained to the Fryes and it was added to the Frye property. The Teagues kept .956 acres but in 2005 the portion sold was included in the value of the Teague property and the Frye property. When the Teagues sold the remaining lot in 2007 they continued to be billed for this small property. These records have been corrected by the land records office and verified by the Tax Collector’s Office.
E. Transfer of Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery From Jason Robinson, Successor Trustee of Thomas A. Mott, Jr. Living Trust to Steven E. Rhoney
F. Approve Resolution In Support of Letter of Interest for the US EPA Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program - The Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program offers technical support to communities that face barriers in implementing smart growth principles in their communities. City staff has composed a Letter of Interest to be reviewed by the US EPA which shows interest in studying the area between downtown and Lenoir-Rhyne University along the railroad corridor. The proposed project will analyze the vision of previous plans that reference this area and meet with stakeholders to determine what, if any, changes to the vision are necessary. The final result will be an action plan outlining infrastructure improvements, changes to zoning and design regulations along with other investments and program changes necessary to achieve the community’s vision for the subject area. There is no cost share match to the City to participate in this program.
G. Approve Vacant Building Revitalization Grant “Operation No Vacancy” to Armory Building, LLC for Property Located at 201 Government Avenue, SW in the Amount of $16,000.00 - The Vacant Building Revitalization Grant Program was established by City Council in September, 2008 whereby the program provides matching funds up to $25,000 for projects seeking to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings and the demolition of substandard buildings. Armory Building, LLC has applied for such a grant in the amount of $16,000.00 to assist in renovating the exterior of the building located at 201 Government Avenue, SW by installing a new roof, repairs to gutters and flashing and the replacement of window glass. The Redevelopment Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval. Alder Fox asked to have this item removed from the agenda, because she believes this application is for maintenance and the intent of the program is to fill buildings and not for maintenance issues. One other property owner used these funds for maintenance issues. This skirts the intent of Operation No Vacancy. Alder Patton stated that she would also like staff to look at the wording of Operation no Vacancy so that it is used for real renovation. Mayor Wright proposed that a moratorium be placed on applications not yet submitted until staff can get back to council with some clarification that will take care of this issue. Alder Fox stated that the Manager's communication, "Encourage new and existing businesses to locate in new and underutilized buildings, which opens the door to property owners having partially filled building provided maintenance. Acting City manager warren Wood stated that the threshold is 50% occupancy. Alder Fox stated that in the beginning that was not the intent of this program. We are loaded with empty buildings and we cannot afford to get into maintaining property all over Hickory. Alderman Meisner stated that it needs tweaking. Alder Fox asked that this revised language be provided in the next month. Item G was approved, but the moratorium issue will be placed on the agenda. Alder Fox stated that she only voted on this, because she let the first occurrence go through and she does not want to be narrow-minded to not go along on this issue. Item G was unanimously consented to. A moratorium was also agreed to be put on the Agenda unanimously and was agreed upon unanimously to clarify the intent of this program.
The Hound feels that Alder Fox should be commended for catching this. Many times we see this with these programs and I don't understand how everyone from the City of Hickory wasn't on the same page on this issue from the get-go. Property owners are gaming the system with the assistance of city staff, whether intentionally or not. As Alder Fox stated, we cannot afford to get into the business of maintaining everyone's private property.
H. Approve the North Carolina League of Municipalities Municipal Environmental Assessment Coalition (NCLM-MEAC) Project Participation Agreement - Participation in the NCLM-MEAC is to assist with NCLM efforts to analyze the proposed rule changes set forth by NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) in response to the Triennial Review of the Surface Water Quality Rules. Said participation would include a $2,000.00 one-time contribution established by NCLM and based upon population. The 2008-2010 Triennial Review has resulted in a set of proposed rule changes that NCDENR is recommending to make. The NCLM is very concerned about the ramifications of the proposed rule changes, therefore, the NCLM Planning and Services Technical Advisory Committee has predicted that the cost to NC cities and towns will be significant and potentially debilitating by severely hindering industrial growth due to stricter limits at the discharge points and increased monitoring of new constituents.
Budget Ordinances
1. Budget $108 ($83-Waldenbooks and $25 Quest Book Club) of library donations. These donations are for fiction books and a memorial non-fiction book.
2. Budget a total of $1,325 of International Council donations. These donations will be used to conduct the annual International Springfest event.
3. Budget an $840 insurance claim check from Bureau of Insurance of NC, Inc. This claim is for damage sustained to a police vehicle on 01-30-10.
4. Budget a $3,196 Fire Department donation from Factory Mutual Global and budget for the purchase of two digital cameras for arson investigative purposes.
5. Budget a $1,611 insurance claim check from Trident Insurance Company in the Fire Department Maintenance and repair. This claim is for damages to the airport engine bay door on 01-25-10.
6. Budget a $48 insurance claim check from Erie Insurance Exchange Company. This claim is for damages sustained to a fire hydrant on 11-18-09.
7. Budget a $560 insurance claim check from State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. This claim is for damages sustained to a fire hydrant on 02-09-10.
8. Transfer $88,815 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Water and Sewer Maintenance and Repair of Sewer lines. This transfer is to pay Hickory Sand Company for an emergency repair to a sewer line located in Oakwood Cemetery. The line is a 15 inch clay line that must be replaced due to the backup problems it's causing.
Informational Items:
Report of Alderman Guess’s Travel Expenses to the Essentials of Municipal Government Program in Charlotte, NC Held From March 19 – 20, 2010; registration - $325; hotel - $115.09; mileage - $56; per diem $17
New Business - Public Hearings:
Approve FY 2010 – 2014 Consolidated Plan and FY 2010 Action Plan for Submission to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - The FY 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and FY 2010 Action Plan is the City of Hickory’s five year strategy for addressing the housing and community development needs within the City. The Annual Action Plan is required as a yearly update to the five year Consolidated Plan. The five year Consolidated Plan contains three principle sections; an assessment of housing and community development needs, five-year strategic plan addressing those housing and community development needs and the first of five annual Action Plans that describes the intended use of FY 2010 Community Development Block grant funds received. Todd Hefner made this presentation. Two public meetings were held. One in Ridgeview and one at the Whitener building, in which these plans were discussed and formulated. HUD has allotted $345,255 in block grants to Hickory. Mr. Hefner pointed out the fact that the largest minority population in Hickory is the Hispanic population at 14.6%. Housing inventories have increased by 10.2% since 2000. Of 18,426 housing units in Hickory, 5,806 are considered substandard. 5,524 household are less than 80% of median national income; 1,799 are paying in excess of 30% of their gross monthly income.
$477,255 will be allotted between Housing, rehabilitation, purchase, and Rehab Program $188, 981; Exodus House Residential Homes $10,040; Cooperative Christan Ministry Healthcare Center $10,040; Interfaith Housing $40,000; Soup Kitchen $10,040; City Refuge $10,040; ALFA $10,040; Curb, Gutter, & Sidewalks $60,074; Habitat $40,000; Fair Housing Activities $1,000; Contingency Fund $5,000; Program Administration $92,000.
Alderman Lail stated that The Homeless need is increasing and he knows that there are children attending Hickory High School that are considered homeless. Some of this addresses that, but we can make amendments to this. Given the default rates on mortgages, the Council may look at the allocations of this money. Alder Patton agreed. Mayor Wright agreed, but he stated that the children at Hickory High have a place to eat and sleep. They aren't in Tent Cities or cars and he related how his father lived in a similar circumstance at one time. The Mayor asked how this allocation relates to last year? Mr. Hefner stated that it is the same. Mr. Hefner addressed the issues of the Housing, Rehabilitation, Purchase, and Rehab Program which he stated pays for itself through the loan program. Delinquencies are around 3% and only 2 defaults have occurred in 20 years.
Larry Pope spoke against the issue. He is against the continuous funding of Exodus homes. He believes they need to be weened and become productive. He asked if they were continuing to be funded because they helped Hickory get the All-America City award. What city council doesn't know is that some of the residents have been involved in illegal activities. Alan Jackson presented in the last meeting Exodus Homes, because he is a member of the Board of Directors of Exodus homes. We have too many needs of other organizations. He asked the City Advisory Council if there was any discussion or if something was given to them to rubber stamp. He stated that he was told that all organizations that applied would be given some funds. It seems like it is the same organizations year after year. He was told that if it had been anyone other than himself that they would have been considered and discussed.
Susan Smith of Exodus Homes next addressed the Council in thanking the City for the partnership in reducing neighborhood crime, prison recidivism, and stabilize communities. Like all Non-Profits they are struggling. They are working with one of the hardest populations there is to work with in terms of homelessness. They are working with people who are returning to the community from treatment centers, jails, hospitals, inpatient programs, and prison. Without Exodus programs they would be homeless. They take people in who have had lifelong drug and alcohol addiction - lifelong abuse and neglect since they were children. The Hickory Police Department can show that they have reduced crime in areas where they are located. State Department of Corrections statistics will show that they have reduced prison recidivism. They are here and hanging on by their fingernails. This money ($10,200) is 1.5% of their budget. It is $1,000 less than they received last year. It partially funds their employment services. They put their residents to work so that they can pay for the services they are receiving. Last year they lost $100,000 in resident fees because of the incredibly high unemployment in this area. They lost 30% of their United Way allocation. They lost the mental Health funding they had been receiving for the front end of the housing of residents.while they are being stabilized. They captured $306,000 from residents through employment to help with the program. Otherwise they would be draining community resources, but instead they are being productive citizens. Every dollar counts today as a part of a Non-Profits budget. Exodus Works Social Enterprise is creating jobs. They have started their own businesses to create jobs for their residents, so they can work and pay their way for the services they are receiving.
Angela Herd City Refuge Community Development Center was the next person to speak in favor of this program. They are part of the Ridgeview community and are in their 7th year of operation. Over 250 children have been helped through their program through Summer Camp and after school programs. They feed the children three times a day. They take the children on trips. They have seen improvement in the children in schools. They work with other community partners to fund them. The money helps with staffing. They try to plant positive seeds. They are trying to move families from welfare to faring well. They are trying to turn these children into good adults. They deal with children 5 to 16 years old. Hickory Parks and recreation has worked with them.
Larry Pope rebutted by stating that the Temple of Hope is very vital organization for our children. he is not speaking against them. He is only speaking against one organization. He stated that Ms. Smith didn't tell the Council the whole story. The fees that they charge residents they received a grant for. So they are double dipping. They don't do one earthly thing when residents leave the program or graduate from the program to help them. All of the furniture that is donated to the program is sold. He stated that he has had people from the program come to him about obtaining furniture. He stated that he asked them if they asked about helping get set up in their new apartment. He stated that these people were told that they would have to buy it (furniture). C&L salvage houses this furniture and clothing. They don't help the residents. They have to buy it. This is unfair. They have yard sales every weekend. Why not help the people who graduate from the program. Other programs of similar works cannot get money, because the city has been committed to Exodus. He stated that money from Cognitive Connection was stopped because of him asking questions. He stated that the money was not being used for its intended purpose - paying rent for the first two to three weeks of a residents rent. They were keeping the money and not applying it to that account. He stated that they were taking every dime they earn, keep them down, and do nothing to help them get ahead.
Susan Smith rebutted and reiterated the commitment to working and that paying your way is good with your recovery. She stated that the system is fair and it helps people be responsible and have discipline with their finances. They don't take all of anyone's paycheck. It is usually 50% to 60% and that is an all inclusive fee which includes everything. It's a program, not just a place to stay. They spend quite a bit of money accounting for the finances of Exodus homes. They do have a business manager and a CPA. Their finances are scrutinized minutely. They have proven themselves to be responsible with their money from residents and other funders. The residents do have disposable income and when they do the things that people do with their other income, it is good for the community. It is a worthy endeavor. She stated that anything donated in excess goes into the warehouse. It is sold. When someone graduates from the program, they work with them, they do pay a small amount for furnishings, but she sees nothing wrong with people paying if they can afford it. If they can't, then they will certainly work with them to help them get what they need. They work off of a model of personal responsibility and they think that is a good thing. The number of successful graduates of the program is proof of the effectiveness of the program. They operate as an open book.
Alder Patton stated that she was at the Citizens Advisory Committee meeting. There was a review of the agencies that applied and there was a discussion of it and she believes that they did a good job. Alderman Seaver asked how many applications were submitted - nine? Alder Patton affirmed and stated that some didn't have documentation or weren't properly filled out; there were various reasons (why they were turned down). Council Unanimously consented.
The Hound believes that the city has done an excellent job in administering these limited resources towards benevolent goals. I don't know what is behind Mr. Pope's grievances towards Exodus Homes, but I do believe in Reverend Longcrier's mission and I believe he runs an excellent charitable organization that gives people a second chance and requires accountability. I believe that Mr. Pope is barking up the wrong tree on this one.
As far as the issues with Exodus homes that Mr. Pope mentioned, I believe that they could be valid, but I do believe that Ms. Smith addressed them appropriately. Sometimes people don't properly respect the process of being given a second chance and I believe there will always be examples of people taking advantage of the system, but Exodus is just a facilitator. As I have heard stated about other positive charitable organizations, they are there to lend a hand up, not a hand out.
The money that Exodus receives is a pittance compared to what it costs to operate such an organization. $10,040 compared to hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Ms. Smith stated, this is 1.5% of their total operating budget. Times are really tight and I truly believe that will be brought to bear with the city's next budget. Priorities are definitely going to have to be fully examined, but I believe that these are worthwhile objectives and I can't go along with Mr. Pope on this issue.
Departmental Reports:
Accept Offer to Purchase and Contract and Adopt Resolution Authorizing the Sale of City-Owned Property Located in Green Park at 5th Avenue, SW to Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley in the Amount of $60,500 - The offer is from Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley for City owned property located in Green Park at 5th Avenue, SW. The property will be used to build eleven homes and will range in size from 1100 to 1400 sq. ft with three to four bedrooms with values of approximately $112,000. The property received two appraisals of $54,000 and $67,000 and the offer presented by Habitat for Humanity is an average of those appraisals. Habitat for Humanity would pay the City of Hickory eleven equal payments of $5,454.54 as lots are sold at 0% interest. Sale of this property will promote City Council’s goal of providing affordable housing within Hickory. Staff recommends acceptance of Offer to Purchase, adoption of Resolution and authorization to advertise for upset bids. Todd Hefner made the presentation.There will be eleven lots coming in off of 5th avenue and will have a street and a circle. Once the property is sold, the city has plans to put in infrastructure. The houses will be similar to the houses built on South Center street and First street.
Alderman Meisner asked what the property bought for 5 years ago? Mr. Hefner stated that it was purchased for approximately $135,000. Originally it was R-5 and this would allow 72 units. The Hatched area across from the lots will not be transferred. This was originally a city project, but that would be to expensive, because the city would have to comply with the Davis-Bacon act (wage law), which would have considerably increased the cost of the project. Alderman Lail stated that he would like this vetted with the Green Park neighborhood prior to making a decision. Mr. Hefner stated that this must be advertised for 10 days, for the upset bid process, before it comes back to the city for approval. Alderman Meisner stated that he couldn't see why anyone would object when you compare 77 units to 11 houses and a lot of open space. The Mayor stated that this is an excellent opportunity for some affordable housing. This motion was given unanimous approval.
*** Alderman Seaver talked about the possibility of a neighborhood summit to get more citizens involved. Alder Patton stated that she talked with some people in the Ridgeview community and they believe that this is an excellent idea also to invite some external agencies to let residents know what is available to them and what is already offered.
*** The Mayor talked about the kids at Hickory High who are technically homeless. Imagine the lack of security they have. We have to let them know that there is a fallback. He doesn't know whether it would come through the schools or the city. The city doesn't need to to get into providing housing for the homeless. Adults understand the rules of the game, but maybe the young people don't know.
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 4/6/2010 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below
Invocation by Rev. Bill Garrard of St. Luke's United Methodist Church
Special Presentations:
Proclamation Presented to Ms. Linda Baker of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Catawba County Declaring the Month of April, 2010 as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of Hickory
Consent Agenda:
A. Call for Public Hearing to Consider an Economic Development Agreement With Turbotec Products, Inc. (Authorize Public Hearing for April 20, 2010)
B. Approve Proclamation Declaring the Month of April, 2010 as “Occupational Therapy Month” in the City of Hickory
C. Proclamation – The Community Appearance Commission Requests that April 17, 2010 be Proclaimed as “Arbor Day” in the City of Hickory - The Community Appearance Commission has been celebrating Arbor Day in Hickory by giving out trees to citizens for the past seven (7) years. This will be the eighth year that the City will officially celebrate Arbor Day, which will be held in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration at the SALT Block. The City of Hickory has been recognized as a Tree City USA since 2005 and by proclaiming April 17, 2010 as Arbor Day in Hickory, the City will be fulfilling one of its requirements for Tree City USA status.
D. Approval of Property Tax Refund as Recommended by Catawba County Tax Office to Joe C. and Mildred M. Teague in the Amount of $489.00 - Mr. & Mrs. Teague owned two (2) adjoining parcels and subsequently sold one to Raleigh and Margaret Frye. They later sold a small portion of the parcel they had retained to the Fryes and it was added to the Frye property. The Teagues kept .956 acres but in 2005 the portion sold was included in the value of the Teague property and the Frye property. When the Teagues sold the remaining lot in 2007 they continued to be billed for this small property. These records have been corrected by the land records office and verified by the Tax Collector’s Office.
E. Transfer of Cemetery Lot in Oakwood Cemetery From Jason Robinson, Successor Trustee of Thomas A. Mott, Jr. Living Trust to Steven E. Rhoney
F. Approve Resolution In Support of Letter of Interest for the US EPA Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program - The Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program offers technical support to communities that face barriers in implementing smart growth principles in their communities. City staff has composed a Letter of Interest to be reviewed by the US EPA which shows interest in studying the area between downtown and Lenoir-Rhyne University along the railroad corridor. The proposed project will analyze the vision of previous plans that reference this area and meet with stakeholders to determine what, if any, changes to the vision are necessary. The final result will be an action plan outlining infrastructure improvements, changes to zoning and design regulations along with other investments and program changes necessary to achieve the community’s vision for the subject area. There is no cost share match to the City to participate in this program.
G. Approve Vacant Building Revitalization Grant “Operation No Vacancy” to Armory Building, LLC for Property Located at 201 Government Avenue, SW in the Amount of $16,000.00 - The Vacant Building Revitalization Grant Program was established by City Council in September, 2008 whereby the program provides matching funds up to $25,000 for projects seeking to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings and the demolition of substandard buildings. Armory Building, LLC has applied for such a grant in the amount of $16,000.00 to assist in renovating the exterior of the building located at 201 Government Avenue, SW by installing a new roof, repairs to gutters and flashing and the replacement of window glass. The Redevelopment Committee reviewed the application and recommends approval. Alder Fox asked to have this item removed from the agenda, because she believes this application is for maintenance and the intent of the program is to fill buildings and not for maintenance issues. One other property owner used these funds for maintenance issues. This skirts the intent of Operation No Vacancy. Alder Patton stated that she would also like staff to look at the wording of Operation no Vacancy so that it is used for real renovation. Mayor Wright proposed that a moratorium be placed on applications not yet submitted until staff can get back to council with some clarification that will take care of this issue. Alder Fox stated that the Manager's communication, "Encourage new and existing businesses to locate in new and underutilized buildings, which opens the door to property owners having partially filled building provided maintenance. Acting City manager warren Wood stated that the threshold is 50% occupancy. Alder Fox stated that in the beginning that was not the intent of this program. We are loaded with empty buildings and we cannot afford to get into maintaining property all over Hickory. Alderman Meisner stated that it needs tweaking. Alder Fox asked that this revised language be provided in the next month. Item G was approved, but the moratorium issue will be placed on the agenda. Alder Fox stated that she only voted on this, because she let the first occurrence go through and she does not want to be narrow-minded to not go along on this issue. Item G was unanimously consented to. A moratorium was also agreed to be put on the Agenda unanimously and was agreed upon unanimously to clarify the intent of this program.
The Hound feels that Alder Fox should be commended for catching this. Many times we see this with these programs and I don't understand how everyone from the City of Hickory wasn't on the same page on this issue from the get-go. Property owners are gaming the system with the assistance of city staff, whether intentionally or not. As Alder Fox stated, we cannot afford to get into the business of maintaining everyone's private property.
H. Approve the North Carolina League of Municipalities Municipal Environmental Assessment Coalition (NCLM-MEAC) Project Participation Agreement - Participation in the NCLM-MEAC is to assist with NCLM efforts to analyze the proposed rule changes set forth by NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) in response to the Triennial Review of the Surface Water Quality Rules. Said participation would include a $2,000.00 one-time contribution established by NCLM and based upon population. The 2008-2010 Triennial Review has resulted in a set of proposed rule changes that NCDENR is recommending to make. The NCLM is very concerned about the ramifications of the proposed rule changes, therefore, the NCLM Planning and Services Technical Advisory Committee has predicted that the cost to NC cities and towns will be significant and potentially debilitating by severely hindering industrial growth due to stricter limits at the discharge points and increased monitoring of new constituents.
Budget Ordinances
1. Budget $108 ($83-Waldenbooks and $25 Quest Book Club) of library donations. These donations are for fiction books and a memorial non-fiction book.
2. Budget a total of $1,325 of International Council donations. These donations will be used to conduct the annual International Springfest event.
3. Budget an $840 insurance claim check from Bureau of Insurance of NC, Inc. This claim is for damage sustained to a police vehicle on 01-30-10.
4. Budget a $3,196 Fire Department donation from Factory Mutual Global and budget for the purchase of two digital cameras for arson investigative purposes.
5. Budget a $1,611 insurance claim check from Trident Insurance Company in the Fire Department Maintenance and repair. This claim is for damages to the airport engine bay door on 01-25-10.
6. Budget a $48 insurance claim check from Erie Insurance Exchange Company. This claim is for damages sustained to a fire hydrant on 11-18-09.
7. Budget a $560 insurance claim check from State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. This claim is for damages sustained to a fire hydrant on 02-09-10.
8. Transfer $88,815 from Water and Sewer Contingency to the Water and Sewer Maintenance and Repair of Sewer lines. This transfer is to pay Hickory Sand Company for an emergency repair to a sewer line located in Oakwood Cemetery. The line is a 15 inch clay line that must be replaced due to the backup problems it's causing.
Informational Items:
Report of Alderman Guess’s Travel Expenses to the Essentials of Municipal Government Program in Charlotte, NC Held From March 19 – 20, 2010; registration - $325; hotel - $115.09; mileage - $56; per diem $17
New Business - Public Hearings:
Approve FY 2010 – 2014 Consolidated Plan and FY 2010 Action Plan for Submission to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - The FY 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and FY 2010 Action Plan is the City of Hickory’s five year strategy for addressing the housing and community development needs within the City. The Annual Action Plan is required as a yearly update to the five year Consolidated Plan. The five year Consolidated Plan contains three principle sections; an assessment of housing and community development needs, five-year strategic plan addressing those housing and community development needs and the first of five annual Action Plans that describes the intended use of FY 2010 Community Development Block grant funds received. Todd Hefner made this presentation. Two public meetings were held. One in Ridgeview and one at the Whitener building, in which these plans were discussed and formulated. HUD has allotted $345,255 in block grants to Hickory. Mr. Hefner pointed out the fact that the largest minority population in Hickory is the Hispanic population at 14.6%. Housing inventories have increased by 10.2% since 2000. Of 18,426 housing units in Hickory, 5,806 are considered substandard. 5,524 household are less than 80% of median national income; 1,799 are paying in excess of 30% of their gross monthly income.
$477,255 will be allotted between Housing, rehabilitation, purchase, and Rehab Program $188, 981; Exodus House Residential Homes $10,040; Cooperative Christan Ministry Healthcare Center $10,040; Interfaith Housing $40,000; Soup Kitchen $10,040; City Refuge $10,040; ALFA $10,040; Curb, Gutter, & Sidewalks $60,074; Habitat $40,000; Fair Housing Activities $1,000; Contingency Fund $5,000; Program Administration $92,000.
Alderman Lail stated that The Homeless need is increasing and he knows that there are children attending Hickory High School that are considered homeless. Some of this addresses that, but we can make amendments to this. Given the default rates on mortgages, the Council may look at the allocations of this money. Alder Patton agreed. Mayor Wright agreed, but he stated that the children at Hickory High have a place to eat and sleep. They aren't in Tent Cities or cars and he related how his father lived in a similar circumstance at one time. The Mayor asked how this allocation relates to last year? Mr. Hefner stated that it is the same. Mr. Hefner addressed the issues of the Housing, Rehabilitation, Purchase, and Rehab Program which he stated pays for itself through the loan program. Delinquencies are around 3% and only 2 defaults have occurred in 20 years.
Larry Pope spoke against the issue. He is against the continuous funding of Exodus homes. He believes they need to be weened and become productive. He asked if they were continuing to be funded because they helped Hickory get the All-America City award. What city council doesn't know is that some of the residents have been involved in illegal activities. Alan Jackson presented in the last meeting Exodus Homes, because he is a member of the Board of Directors of Exodus homes. We have too many needs of other organizations. He asked the City Advisory Council if there was any discussion or if something was given to them to rubber stamp. He stated that he was told that all organizations that applied would be given some funds. It seems like it is the same organizations year after year. He was told that if it had been anyone other than himself that they would have been considered and discussed.
Susan Smith of Exodus Homes next addressed the Council in thanking the City for the partnership in reducing neighborhood crime, prison recidivism, and stabilize communities. Like all Non-Profits they are struggling. They are working with one of the hardest populations there is to work with in terms of homelessness. They are working with people who are returning to the community from treatment centers, jails, hospitals, inpatient programs, and prison. Without Exodus programs they would be homeless. They take people in who have had lifelong drug and alcohol addiction - lifelong abuse and neglect since they were children. The Hickory Police Department can show that they have reduced crime in areas where they are located. State Department of Corrections statistics will show that they have reduced prison recidivism. They are here and hanging on by their fingernails. This money ($10,200) is 1.5% of their budget. It is $1,000 less than they received last year. It partially funds their employment services. They put their residents to work so that they can pay for the services they are receiving. Last year they lost $100,000 in resident fees because of the incredibly high unemployment in this area. They lost 30% of their United Way allocation. They lost the mental Health funding they had been receiving for the front end of the housing of residents.while they are being stabilized. They captured $306,000 from residents through employment to help with the program. Otherwise they would be draining community resources, but instead they are being productive citizens. Every dollar counts today as a part of a Non-Profits budget. Exodus Works Social Enterprise is creating jobs. They have started their own businesses to create jobs for their residents, so they can work and pay their way for the services they are receiving.
Angela Herd City Refuge Community Development Center was the next person to speak in favor of this program. They are part of the Ridgeview community and are in their 7th year of operation. Over 250 children have been helped through their program through Summer Camp and after school programs. They feed the children three times a day. They take the children on trips. They have seen improvement in the children in schools. They work with other community partners to fund them. The money helps with staffing. They try to plant positive seeds. They are trying to move families from welfare to faring well. They are trying to turn these children into good adults. They deal with children 5 to 16 years old. Hickory Parks and recreation has worked with them.
Larry Pope rebutted by stating that the Temple of Hope is very vital organization for our children. he is not speaking against them. He is only speaking against one organization. He stated that Ms. Smith didn't tell the Council the whole story. The fees that they charge residents they received a grant for. So they are double dipping. They don't do one earthly thing when residents leave the program or graduate from the program to help them. All of the furniture that is donated to the program is sold. He stated that he has had people from the program come to him about obtaining furniture. He stated that he asked them if they asked about helping get set up in their new apartment. He stated that these people were told that they would have to buy it (furniture). C&L salvage houses this furniture and clothing. They don't help the residents. They have to buy it. This is unfair. They have yard sales every weekend. Why not help the people who graduate from the program. Other programs of similar works cannot get money, because the city has been committed to Exodus. He stated that money from Cognitive Connection was stopped because of him asking questions. He stated that the money was not being used for its intended purpose - paying rent for the first two to three weeks of a residents rent. They were keeping the money and not applying it to that account. He stated that they were taking every dime they earn, keep them down, and do nothing to help them get ahead.
Susan Smith rebutted and reiterated the commitment to working and that paying your way is good with your recovery. She stated that the system is fair and it helps people be responsible and have discipline with their finances. They don't take all of anyone's paycheck. It is usually 50% to 60% and that is an all inclusive fee which includes everything. It's a program, not just a place to stay. They spend quite a bit of money accounting for the finances of Exodus homes. They do have a business manager and a CPA. Their finances are scrutinized minutely. They have proven themselves to be responsible with their money from residents and other funders. The residents do have disposable income and when they do the things that people do with their other income, it is good for the community. It is a worthy endeavor. She stated that anything donated in excess goes into the warehouse. It is sold. When someone graduates from the program, they work with them, they do pay a small amount for furnishings, but she sees nothing wrong with people paying if they can afford it. If they can't, then they will certainly work with them to help them get what they need. They work off of a model of personal responsibility and they think that is a good thing. The number of successful graduates of the program is proof of the effectiveness of the program. They operate as an open book.
Alder Patton stated that she was at the Citizens Advisory Committee meeting. There was a review of the agencies that applied and there was a discussion of it and she believes that they did a good job. Alderman Seaver asked how many applications were submitted - nine? Alder Patton affirmed and stated that some didn't have documentation or weren't properly filled out; there were various reasons (why they were turned down). Council Unanimously consented.
The Hound believes that the city has done an excellent job in administering these limited resources towards benevolent goals. I don't know what is behind Mr. Pope's grievances towards Exodus Homes, but I do believe in Reverend Longcrier's mission and I believe he runs an excellent charitable organization that gives people a second chance and requires accountability. I believe that Mr. Pope is barking up the wrong tree on this one.
As far as the issues with Exodus homes that Mr. Pope mentioned, I believe that they could be valid, but I do believe that Ms. Smith addressed them appropriately. Sometimes people don't properly respect the process of being given a second chance and I believe there will always be examples of people taking advantage of the system, but Exodus is just a facilitator. As I have heard stated about other positive charitable organizations, they are there to lend a hand up, not a hand out.
The money that Exodus receives is a pittance compared to what it costs to operate such an organization. $10,040 compared to hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Ms. Smith stated, this is 1.5% of their total operating budget. Times are really tight and I truly believe that will be brought to bear with the city's next budget. Priorities are definitely going to have to be fully examined, but I believe that these are worthwhile objectives and I can't go along with Mr. Pope on this issue.
Departmental Reports:
Accept Offer to Purchase and Contract and Adopt Resolution Authorizing the Sale of City-Owned Property Located in Green Park at 5th Avenue, SW to Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley in the Amount of $60,500 - The offer is from Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley for City owned property located in Green Park at 5th Avenue, SW. The property will be used to build eleven homes and will range in size from 1100 to 1400 sq. ft with three to four bedrooms with values of approximately $112,000. The property received two appraisals of $54,000 and $67,000 and the offer presented by Habitat for Humanity is an average of those appraisals. Habitat for Humanity would pay the City of Hickory eleven equal payments of $5,454.54 as lots are sold at 0% interest. Sale of this property will promote City Council’s goal of providing affordable housing within Hickory. Staff recommends acceptance of Offer to Purchase, adoption of Resolution and authorization to advertise for upset bids. Todd Hefner made the presentation.There will be eleven lots coming in off of 5th avenue and will have a street and a circle. Once the property is sold, the city has plans to put in infrastructure. The houses will be similar to the houses built on South Center street and First street.
Alderman Meisner asked what the property bought for 5 years ago? Mr. Hefner stated that it was purchased for approximately $135,000. Originally it was R-5 and this would allow 72 units. The Hatched area across from the lots will not be transferred. This was originally a city project, but that would be to expensive, because the city would have to comply with the Davis-Bacon act (wage law), which would have considerably increased the cost of the project. Alderman Lail stated that he would like this vetted with the Green Park neighborhood prior to making a decision. Mr. Hefner stated that this must be advertised for 10 days, for the upset bid process, before it comes back to the city for approval. Alderman Meisner stated that he couldn't see why anyone would object when you compare 77 units to 11 houses and a lot of open space. The Mayor stated that this is an excellent opportunity for some affordable housing. This motion was given unanimous approval.
*** Alderman Seaver talked about the possibility of a neighborhood summit to get more citizens involved. Alder Patton stated that she talked with some people in the Ridgeview community and they believe that this is an excellent idea also to invite some external agencies to let residents know what is available to them and what is already offered.
*** The Mayor talked about the kids at Hickory High who are technically homeless. Imagine the lack of security they have. We have to let them know that there is a fallback. He doesn't know whether it would come through the schools or the city. The city doesn't need to to get into providing housing for the homeless. Adults understand the rules of the game, but maybe the young people don't know.
Please don't forget about the Woogle initiative
We really need to keep the momentum flowing on this issue. Since the Request For Information (RFI) was submitted a week and a half ago, we have seen a dramatic loss of momentum (growth) on the Woogle Facebook page, which I believe is indicative of the loss in general of momentum in the community on this issue. The way that I remember it, we grew by 1,500 subscribers in the first 3 days after the Facebook site was established and now it has taken over 3 weeks to grow by 1,500 people. I think it is awesome that we have over 6,100 fans of the Woogle Facebook site, but we need to reinvigorate the momentum.
Google is still in the beginning stages of this process and it seems like we are in a lull waiting for Google to take action. I believe that it will be a mistake if we drop the ball and don't continue to push the understanding of this broadband issue forward. If Google looks our way and sees that there is general apathy at this point, then they may decide to look elsewhere.
I really believe that we need to move towards building a contingency Ultra Highspeed Broadband plan. First of all, because if Google were to not choose us, we are still lacking the technological capacity we need moving forward. Secondly, I think that Google would have more respect for this community and know that we are serious about this issue, if we express that we are moving forward in this process. Would they not be more likely to choose a community that has bought into Google's idea about what is need in the way of 21st Century Data communication? It would show that we are willing to work with them, instead of expecting some sort of Google entitlement program.
It goes back to what I spoke about in my last article about process versus objectives; the objective is to build a 21st century broadband network in this area. We have to have this or this community is not going to have a key ingredient that it needs to compete on the Economic Development front. I still don't think that we have gotten through to enough people to create a tipping point of understanding as to how important it is that we be able to offer this asset to the type of community (people) we want to be in the future.
I certainly hope that Google will deliver this infrastructure to this area and these comments should not be construed as a message that I feel that we are out of the running. I have heard people say, why should Google locate this network here? But I retort, why shouldn't Google locate this network here. I believe that we have a lot of great ingredients and Google would create more value for their company by locating the network here in our community which faces economic challenges. This network would lead to a fundamental shift in how our area operates.
I believe that eyes have been opened to the wondrous technological possibilities brought forward by the proposed Gigabit Internet Communications Utility. We can't afford to push this issue down the road to infinity. We certainly need to continue facilitating this Google initiative in any way that we can, but we also need to have a Plan B, because we certainly don't need to start over from scratch should Google decide to move forward without us.
I see a problem with the process, if we have put all of our eggs in the Google basket. This should not be treated like some sort of lottery. This is a business proposal and should be given that status. That is my rant for the day on this subject. We need to be salesmen for this area. Keep going back to your friends and connections, selling them on this plan. Study the issue and from there you will be a more effective representative of this plan. And never give up, because we always need to be ready should the opportunity arise.
Our message to Google needs to be that we are serious about this network. We will help you in any way that we can to implement it, should you decide to come here, but if you decide to go elsewhere, we are going to move forward on this objective anyway.
A message from Catawba County's Information Director Terry Bledsoe (The Chairman of the Catawba County Future Economy Council): It's Simply "Magic"
Below are links to the history of this movement according to the Hickory Hound:
BROAD BAND!!!
City of Hickory - Thinking Big with a Gig
I have a Dream - A 21st Century Hickory
Woogle - How You can Help Us Get Google Ultra High Speed Broadband
3,040 Facebook Fans of the Woogle Initiative - Team Woogle meets with FEC
3/9/2010 - Woogle Town Hall meeting tonight done. Onto Lenoir Thursday night
Google - Come make History in Hickory!!!
Hickory's Diaspora - Bring Home the Scattered Seeds
Team Woogle's Final Push - Before Hickory City Council - 3/23/2010
Google Request for Information website - Help spread the word
Google is still in the beginning stages of this process and it seems like we are in a lull waiting for Google to take action. I believe that it will be a mistake if we drop the ball and don't continue to push the understanding of this broadband issue forward. If Google looks our way and sees that there is general apathy at this point, then they may decide to look elsewhere.
I really believe that we need to move towards building a contingency Ultra Highspeed Broadband plan. First of all, because if Google were to not choose us, we are still lacking the technological capacity we need moving forward. Secondly, I think that Google would have more respect for this community and know that we are serious about this issue, if we express that we are moving forward in this process. Would they not be more likely to choose a community that has bought into Google's idea about what is need in the way of 21st Century Data communication? It would show that we are willing to work with them, instead of expecting some sort of Google entitlement program.
It goes back to what I spoke about in my last article about process versus objectives; the objective is to build a 21st century broadband network in this area. We have to have this or this community is not going to have a key ingredient that it needs to compete on the Economic Development front. I still don't think that we have gotten through to enough people to create a tipping point of understanding as to how important it is that we be able to offer this asset to the type of community (people) we want to be in the future.
I certainly hope that Google will deliver this infrastructure to this area and these comments should not be construed as a message that I feel that we are out of the running. I have heard people say, why should Google locate this network here? But I retort, why shouldn't Google locate this network here. I believe that we have a lot of great ingredients and Google would create more value for their company by locating the network here in our community which faces economic challenges. This network would lead to a fundamental shift in how our area operates.
I believe that eyes have been opened to the wondrous technological possibilities brought forward by the proposed Gigabit Internet Communications Utility. We can't afford to push this issue down the road to infinity. We certainly need to continue facilitating this Google initiative in any way that we can, but we also need to have a Plan B, because we certainly don't need to start over from scratch should Google decide to move forward without us.
I see a problem with the process, if we have put all of our eggs in the Google basket. This should not be treated like some sort of lottery. This is a business proposal and should be given that status. That is my rant for the day on this subject. We need to be salesmen for this area. Keep going back to your friends and connections, selling them on this plan. Study the issue and from there you will be a more effective representative of this plan. And never give up, because we always need to be ready should the opportunity arise.
Our message to Google needs to be that we are serious about this network. We will help you in any way that we can to implement it, should you decide to come here, but if you decide to go elsewhere, we are going to move forward on this objective anyway.
A message from Catawba County's Information Director Terry Bledsoe (The Chairman of the Catawba County Future Economy Council): It's Simply "Magic"
Below are links to the history of this movement according to the Hickory Hound:
BROAD BAND!!!
City of Hickory - Thinking Big with a Gig
I have a Dream - A 21st Century Hickory
Woogle - How You can Help Us Get Google Ultra High Speed Broadband
3,040 Facebook Fans of the Woogle Initiative - Team Woogle meets with FEC
3/9/2010 - Woogle Town Hall meeting tonight done. Onto Lenoir Thursday night
Google - Come make History in Hickory!!!
Hickory's Diaspora - Bring Home the Scattered Seeds
Team Woogle's Final Push - Before Hickory City Council - 3/23/2010
Google Request for Information website - Help spread the word
Friday, April 2, 2010
It's not about Process. It's about Objectives!
I had a conversation with one of my compatriots today, in which we discussed the issue of a certain manager we know and how that manager has stated that their major strength is "Process" and that he is a "Process" oriented guy. I'm not one to fault someone who is big into having a plan, because I do believe that the old adage is true that it is a key to success. I also like the quote of the Roman Philosophers Seneca who stated, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
Process is defined as - a systematic series of actions directed to some end
We can look at the philosophical issues involving the process of process. As Humans, we are conditioned to come together in various interests of commonality. We form groups structured around issues of common interest and from there hierarchical structures form from these groups. Leaders are chosen, Rationale is discussed, Objectives are formed, Agendas are formed around those objectives, Strategies are implemented, and in the end there will either be success or failure of the objective centered around the entire implementation of these processes.
There will always be internal and external effects at play in the causation of the success or failure of The Objective(s); but by in large, in my opinion, the success or failure of the Objective(s) will hinge more on the internal forces of the group versus any external forces that might impact the Objective(s). Also external forces tend to balance, because they can be as favorable, as they can be unfavorable.
Let me relate a story that has direct bearing on this issue. When I was a child, I liked playing Stat-o-matic baseball. Nobody around me cared that much for reality games based on sports and this was well before the days of Electronic Gaming designed with Artificial Intelligence, so I played the game sort of like solitaire. The funny thing is that my team always won. Why? Because, in the end, no matter how objective I tried to be, I was subconsciously rigging the game. How many people rig solitaire when they play it?
You see, if we go into a managerial process without detaching ourselves from the objectives, then in the end we will try to conform the goal to meet the process and folks, in real life it just doesn't work that way. That is the reason why gamblers generally become gambling addicts and eventually end up losing their livelihood. Because, they want things to turn out a certain way. They can't seperate the heart from the mind. They think they can manage the games, when in reality they have no control over the process. They can't control the players or the environment. In the end, these events where you have exponential variables and very little control of the environment at play, comes down to just dumb luck.
I am learning a lot of this from "Master capacity Training." I have a long way to go in this training, but I also think I have come a long way in that process and am better off for it. We are learning about Chaos Theory and Weak Signals. It is my feeling that this training is helping to me to assess situations better, by asking proper questions and interconnecting with others as resources to gather information, and then using this connected matrix of minds to move forward in a more methodical way, especially in the complex, chaotic world we now live in.
I will tell you that it has changed my mind on certain issues, such as marketing this area. We used to be known for furniture and textiles, so our identity hinged on products. As those products have become more and more detached from our community, we have lost much of our identity. The branding thought process has shifted away from material goods and moved towards non-material endeavors. We want this area to be known for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We want to be an area built upon a foundation of idea generation and we need processes that can help facilitate this mindset.
We cannot get there by being closed process oriented, where we narrow our scope and rationale, because we are afraid we might be wrong or someone might figure out that we aren't perfect. Folks, it ought to be clear by now, we aren't perfect. In the complex, technologically ever expanding world in which we live, you need to always run multiple processes towards objectives and have them intertwined. That way they can feed off of one another and when one of the processes loses energy, then more energy can be focused towards the other objectives. There always needs to be contingencies. You can't afford to get yourself locked into one path, one idea, one mindset...
We have to come at our objectives from every angle. I believe that balance is good for a community. I believe everyone deserves to be heard. No one person has all of the right answers, I certainly don't. and I feel that too many times in the past we have seen egos get in the way and these egos have kept us detoured from the path to progress. Objectives aren't about personalities. They are about ideas. We don't need leaders who hear you. We need leaders who are willing to listen and appreciate the context from which individuals speak.
In summing this up, I am not diminishing someone for saying that they are "Process Oriented." What I am saying is that I hope that a person who labels their self in such a way, understands that life isn't about process. It is about progressing towards objectives and having successes and learning from failures, because we are all going to fail, but those who can utilize failure as a tool towards future success will end up growing and maturing towards a truly healthier, more well-rounded, and richly rewarded life.
Process is defined as - a systematic series of actions directed to some end
We can look at the philosophical issues involving the process of process. As Humans, we are conditioned to come together in various interests of commonality. We form groups structured around issues of common interest and from there hierarchical structures form from these groups. Leaders are chosen, Rationale is discussed, Objectives are formed, Agendas are formed around those objectives, Strategies are implemented, and in the end there will either be success or failure of the objective centered around the entire implementation of these processes.
There will always be internal and external effects at play in the causation of the success or failure of The Objective(s); but by in large, in my opinion, the success or failure of the Objective(s) will hinge more on the internal forces of the group versus any external forces that might impact the Objective(s). Also external forces tend to balance, because they can be as favorable, as they can be unfavorable.
Let me relate a story that has direct bearing on this issue. When I was a child, I liked playing Stat-o-matic baseball. Nobody around me cared that much for reality games based on sports and this was well before the days of Electronic Gaming designed with Artificial Intelligence, so I played the game sort of like solitaire. The funny thing is that my team always won. Why? Because, in the end, no matter how objective I tried to be, I was subconsciously rigging the game. How many people rig solitaire when they play it?
You see, if we go into a managerial process without detaching ourselves from the objectives, then in the end we will try to conform the goal to meet the process and folks, in real life it just doesn't work that way. That is the reason why gamblers generally become gambling addicts and eventually end up losing their livelihood. Because, they want things to turn out a certain way. They can't seperate the heart from the mind. They think they can manage the games, when in reality they have no control over the process. They can't control the players or the environment. In the end, these events where you have exponential variables and very little control of the environment at play, comes down to just dumb luck.
I am learning a lot of this from "Master capacity Training." I have a long way to go in this training, but I also think I have come a long way in that process and am better off for it. We are learning about Chaos Theory and Weak Signals. It is my feeling that this training is helping to me to assess situations better, by asking proper questions and interconnecting with others as resources to gather information, and then using this connected matrix of minds to move forward in a more methodical way, especially in the complex, chaotic world we now live in.
I will tell you that it has changed my mind on certain issues, such as marketing this area. We used to be known for furniture and textiles, so our identity hinged on products. As those products have become more and more detached from our community, we have lost much of our identity. The branding thought process has shifted away from material goods and moved towards non-material endeavors. We want this area to be known for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We want to be an area built upon a foundation of idea generation and we need processes that can help facilitate this mindset.
We cannot get there by being closed process oriented, where we narrow our scope and rationale, because we are afraid we might be wrong or someone might figure out that we aren't perfect. Folks, it ought to be clear by now, we aren't perfect. In the complex, technologically ever expanding world in which we live, you need to always run multiple processes towards objectives and have them intertwined. That way they can feed off of one another and when one of the processes loses energy, then more energy can be focused towards the other objectives. There always needs to be contingencies. You can't afford to get yourself locked into one path, one idea, one mindset...
We have to come at our objectives from every angle. I believe that balance is good for a community. I believe everyone deserves to be heard. No one person has all of the right answers, I certainly don't. and I feel that too many times in the past we have seen egos get in the way and these egos have kept us detoured from the path to progress. Objectives aren't about personalities. They are about ideas. We don't need leaders who hear you. We need leaders who are willing to listen and appreciate the context from which individuals speak.
In summing this up, I am not diminishing someone for saying that they are "Process Oriented." What I am saying is that I hope that a person who labels their self in such a way, understands that life isn't about process. It is about progressing towards objectives and having successes and learning from failures, because we are all going to fail, but those who can utilize failure as a tool towards future success will end up growing and maturing towards a truly healthier, more well-rounded, and richly rewarded life.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
EcoSnoops - a Home for the Tattletales of Society
EcoSnoops Mission statement:
The Hound - OK, I have been fair and placed a link with a mission statement and an explanation of what EcoSnoops purports to be about. I have even been known to go around this city and film scenes of buildings where there are problems, but only as a manner to show where I see hypocrisy when it comes to code enforcement. What I see here is what can be construed as one of the major problems facing our country today. Government feeling that all property belongs to them and private property owners only have custodial rights granted at the behest of Big Brother Government.
What has happened to our country? It is this type of impersonal mentality that creates walls between human interaction and bonding. This reminds me of elementary school, when the teacher would set someone up at the chalkboard to take names when they would leave the room. Would that person not always go on a power trip? Was it closer akin to justice or a kangaroo court?
We have abdicated our rights to Big Brother Government and no longer value human interaction or consideration for the rights of our neighbors. It is all about ones personal relationship with the government and this is what has created the "Nanny State." This is exactly the vision espoused by George Orwell in the book 1984.
Is it not my right to burn lights in my house if I want to at the time of day of my choosing, as long as I pay my bills? These people want to tell you what to do with your property. It will start out docile, as a "suggestion," as a method of conditioning, but eventually you know the sanctions are coming. This is what I have been talking about. This is what I have been preaching.
This lady is telling you to snap a picture with your Iphone and the application will automatically send it to God knows who and it will use a GPS tracker to send individuals to your property to "suggest" ways that you can be more eco-friendly. She talks about filing complaints and reporting offenses. She talks about collecting data of past offenses, publicizing cases, and getting others involved. Joseph Goebbels would be so proud.
When are people going to stand up for individual rights? Is it necessary to continuously head down this path? We have been down this road throughout human history and it never turns out well. Let's stop this before it gets out of control. It is one thing, if someone is harming you, but it is another to overtly harass people over their private property.
I understand that code enforcement is a balancing act, because sometimes people don't take care of their property and it affects yours, and they won't do anything to resolve the problem. But, we all know the difference between real issues and busy-body, nagging, never happy neighbors. It is time to delineate between the two through a common sense approach. We don't need third parties tattling on others. If you have a problem, don't take out the Iphone to Snoop, take it out to call the person you have the problem with and have a moment of human bonding. If it isn't worth this initial approach, then it's a non-issue anyway. Liberty isn't easy. It's something we have to work at every day.
EcoSnoop's mission is to help our communities heighten awareness of opportunities to be more green, save energy, improve treatment of animals, and even fill pot holes. Leveraging the power of the community, EcoSnoops use the web or their phones to capture clear pictures of a problem and post these pictures on a community website so that building owners and others can take action.There is also a statement:
EcoSnoop is not about picking sides in the environmental or climate change debate. EcoSnoop helps identify opportunities for making improvements that help companies and people reduce cost, waste and inefficiency. McKinsey Consulting has identified Energy Efficiency as the best and cheapest form of energy. Energy Efficiency often payback quickly, putting cash into our pockets to use for things we would rather do. Just as many people did not know what to use a personal computer for in the early 80's, so to do many people not realize how much energy can be saved in their daily life.
For those that feel strongly that climate change is man made, EcoSnoop offers the least costly method for reducing carbon emission - Energy Efficiency. For those that believe dependence on foreign sources of energy puts a nations security at risk, EcoSnoop offers the least costly method for reducing dependency on foreign sources - Energy Efficiency.
What has happened to our country? It is this type of impersonal mentality that creates walls between human interaction and bonding. This reminds me of elementary school, when the teacher would set someone up at the chalkboard to take names when they would leave the room. Would that person not always go on a power trip? Was it closer akin to justice or a kangaroo court?
We have abdicated our rights to Big Brother Government and no longer value human interaction or consideration for the rights of our neighbors. It is all about ones personal relationship with the government and this is what has created the "Nanny State." This is exactly the vision espoused by George Orwell in the book 1984.
Is it not my right to burn lights in my house if I want to at the time of day of my choosing, as long as I pay my bills? These people want to tell you what to do with your property. It will start out docile, as a "suggestion," as a method of conditioning, but eventually you know the sanctions are coming. This is what I have been talking about. This is what I have been preaching.
This lady is telling you to snap a picture with your Iphone and the application will automatically send it to God knows who and it will use a GPS tracker to send individuals to your property to "suggest" ways that you can be more eco-friendly. She talks about filing complaints and reporting offenses. She talks about collecting data of past offenses, publicizing cases, and getting others involved. Joseph Goebbels would be so proud.
When are people going to stand up for individual rights? Is it necessary to continuously head down this path? We have been down this road throughout human history and it never turns out well. Let's stop this before it gets out of control. It is one thing, if someone is harming you, but it is another to overtly harass people over their private property.
I understand that code enforcement is a balancing act, because sometimes people don't take care of their property and it affects yours, and they won't do anything to resolve the problem. But, we all know the difference between real issues and busy-body, nagging, never happy neighbors. It is time to delineate between the two through a common sense approach. We don't need third parties tattling on others. If you have a problem, don't take out the Iphone to Snoop, take it out to call the person you have the problem with and have a moment of human bonding. If it isn't worth this initial approach, then it's a non-issue anyway. Liberty isn't easy. It's something we have to work at every day.
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Unfortunate Reality About Unresponsive Government
The health care bill that just passed in a process that only a parliamentarian could love is disturbing to many as much, or more for the process than the particulars of the bill. Many, myself included, are appalled that the will of the people wasn’t much of a concern and the phrase “ram it down our throats” was used daily. There is now an effort to go to court(s) to challenge the law’s constitutionality. While the mandate to make people purchase insurance, whether or not they want or can afford it, is suspect, most of the law, while odious, is probably not unconstitutional according to the view of the lawyers that actually interpret it.
I believe that we are now at an inflection point in our Nation’s life and this bill has brought some flaws in our Constitution to focus. Our country’s fundamental document was carefully and brilliantly crafted and is a remarkable piece of work. But as time went on, changes were made in response to the Nation’s problems and changing concerns. Slavery was abolished, taxation was changed, alcohol was banned then brought back and so on. Now we have arrived at a point where it has been altered in ways that is not in touch with either the founding fathers or the will of citizens today.
As I see it there are three fundamental problems with the law of the land today, mainly due to the packing of the Supreme Court by FDR and changes they allowed. First is the establishment of the Federal bureaucracy that actually writes the law or “implementing language” as it is sometimes referred to. Secondly, is the tortured use of the Commerce clause of the Constitution. Thirdly, the balance of powers between the branches is out of whack.
The original Constitution specified that Congress could not delegate its law making powers. This put a real limit on how many laws and how complicated a law the Feds could come up with. If every Congressman had to read and understand the laws they were voting on there would be a lot less Federal intrusion into daily life and they couldn’t pass the buck when bad law was made. Until the law was changed so that Congressional staffers and regulatory bodies actually wrote the law you couldn’t have someone like John Conyers saying “what good is reading the bill?”, or the memorable line by Nancy Pelosi saying they would have to pass the bill to see what’s in it. Nowadays the parties leadership sign off on a bill and most Congressmen just follow their leadership without a full knowledge of what is in it.
The Commerce Clause, in my opinion, has been twisted way beyond what I think was the original intent. Obviously, the Federal government needs to regulate commerce between the States. But if you are in one State, and the dentist is in the same State filling a cavity, it is ridiculous to suggest this should be governed by the Feds because the light being used to peer into your mouth was not made here as well. While some good things have come about due to the use of the Commerce Clause, such as Civil rights, it has been tortured beyond it’s bounds and is a wedge to push Federal power into just about anything they want.
Finally, the Founding Fathers intended for the people to have the final say. The Supreme Court has a powerful role to play in interpreting the law but the people have the right to amend it. The President is a powerful figure, but he too serves the people and is sworn to defend the Constitution, Congress is making itself irrelevant by ceding power to regulatory bodies and staffers. Unless these things are brought back into balance, it is the people’s right and duty to take back the power and restructure it.
This health care law has exposed the flaws not only of the people who have jammed, bribed, and threatened it through, but the system itself. Every now and then every person, company, and indeed, country has to examine itself, look at where you started and where you’ve arrived and decide how to move forward from here. We have long established problems to fix and the road will not be short or easy. But it is too dangerous to be governed by the whims of men rather than a Constitution that stipulates the rules ALL must live under.
I believe that we are now at an inflection point in our Nation’s life and this bill has brought some flaws in our Constitution to focus. Our country’s fundamental document was carefully and brilliantly crafted and is a remarkable piece of work. But as time went on, changes were made in response to the Nation’s problems and changing concerns. Slavery was abolished, taxation was changed, alcohol was banned then brought back and so on. Now we have arrived at a point where it has been altered in ways that is not in touch with either the founding fathers or the will of citizens today.
As I see it there are three fundamental problems with the law of the land today, mainly due to the packing of the Supreme Court by FDR and changes they allowed. First is the establishment of the Federal bureaucracy that actually writes the law or “implementing language” as it is sometimes referred to. Secondly, is the tortured use of the Commerce clause of the Constitution. Thirdly, the balance of powers between the branches is out of whack.
The original Constitution specified that Congress could not delegate its law making powers. This put a real limit on how many laws and how complicated a law the Feds could come up with. If every Congressman had to read and understand the laws they were voting on there would be a lot less Federal intrusion into daily life and they couldn’t pass the buck when bad law was made. Until the law was changed so that Congressional staffers and regulatory bodies actually wrote the law you couldn’t have someone like John Conyers saying “what good is reading the bill?”, or the memorable line by Nancy Pelosi saying they would have to pass the bill to see what’s in it. Nowadays the parties leadership sign off on a bill and most Congressmen just follow their leadership without a full knowledge of what is in it.
The Commerce Clause, in my opinion, has been twisted way beyond what I think was the original intent. Obviously, the Federal government needs to regulate commerce between the States. But if you are in one State, and the dentist is in the same State filling a cavity, it is ridiculous to suggest this should be governed by the Feds because the light being used to peer into your mouth was not made here as well. While some good things have come about due to the use of the Commerce Clause, such as Civil rights, it has been tortured beyond it’s bounds and is a wedge to push Federal power into just about anything they want.
Finally, the Founding Fathers intended for the people to have the final say. The Supreme Court has a powerful role to play in interpreting the law but the people have the right to amend it. The President is a powerful figure, but he too serves the people and is sworn to defend the Constitution, Congress is making itself irrelevant by ceding power to regulatory bodies and staffers. Unless these things are brought back into balance, it is the people’s right and duty to take back the power and restructure it.
This health care law has exposed the flaws not only of the people who have jammed, bribed, and threatened it through, but the system itself. Every now and then every person, company, and indeed, country has to examine itself, look at where you started and where you’ve arrived and decide how to move forward from here. We have long established problems to fix and the road will not be short or easy. But it is too dangerous to be governed by the whims of men rather than a Constitution that stipulates the rules ALL must live under.
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