Spring 2015

Information You Can Use

SPRING 2015

Police Chief Guy Smith retires A new look at concordnc.gov concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 1

City Council

David W. Phillips District 1

James E. Ramseur District 2

Goals statement adopted at the March City Council meeting In the first week of February, the Mayor and City Council met with the City Manager and staff leadership team to receive updates on current year projects and establish focus areas for FY 2015-16. The Council also received the results of the 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey, which you can read about on page 6. The presentations and discussions that followed formed the basis of the goals statement adopted at the March City Council meeting. These goals will establish priorities to help the City Manager recommend the FY 2015-16 budget in May. Adopted goals are available at: www.concordnc.gov/Government/Mayor-Council.

WORDLE.NET

Ella Mae Small District 3

Alfred M. Brown, Jr. District 4

W. Lamar Barrier District 5

Jennifer H. Parsley District 6

John A. Sweat, Jr. District 7 Mayor Pro-Tem

The Concord City Circular is produced quarterly by the City Manager’s Office to provide Concord citizens with information about current activities of the City of Concord. It contains items that will help make it easier for you to do business with the City.

Your comments and questions are welcomed. Please send them to: Concord City Circular P.O. Box 308, Concord, NC 28026 or call 704-920-5210 or e-mail franzese@concordnc.gov. designed by

Granite Sky Design, Inc.

In this Issue: From the Mayor | Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . 3 City Hall Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Youth Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Police Chief Guy Smith Retires . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey results . . . 6 The Perfect Pit Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A family affair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Concordnc.gov & Concord Mobile Care . . . . . 10 Road Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Antique fire equipment donated . . . . . . . . 12-13 STAR employee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back

2 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

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From the Mayor

Manager’s Notes

J. Scott Padgett

Brian Hiatt, Concord City Manager

As a coincidence, Fred and Judy’s daughter, Lea Halloway, was recently sworn in after being appointed by City Council to serve on the Historic Preservation Commission. While the City of Concord is governed by elected officials, there are several boards, commissions, and committees that also provide oversight and support for City affairs. The City Council appoints individuals to serve on these boards, which cover a wide range of issues. Residents are encouraged to consider serving on a city board, commission, or committee.

Anyone interested in an appointment or wishing to make a nomination for appointment to any of these boards should submit an application to the City Clerk’s Office.

Governor Pat McCrory and Secretary of Cultural Resources Susan Kluttz visited Concord in January, as part of the effort to request that the state legislature reinstate the Historic Preservation Rehabilitation Tax Credit program.

This program has resulted in over $1.64 billion in private investment since 1998, but expired at the end of 2014.

Concord is a vivid example of what this program can do for private investment, with the current restoration of the old Downtown furniture store building into 26 luxury apartments, and the potential project to redevelop the adjacent Hotel Concord and bank property. Many families have been able to restore historic homes and make business investments because of the HTC. If you have not done so already, please visit historictaxcredits.org to learn more and sign the petition.

If you shop for clothes, shoes, or other items in Concord, you pay a sales tax on those items. Do you ever think where this money goes after your purchase? Some members of the North Carolina General Assembly are proposing to increase the redistribution of sales tax paid in a city or town so that other local governments in the State get a larger portion of sales tax revenues, regardless of their retail base and the services required to support it. The chart below and the following paragraphs seek to explain the current way these are distributed.

City money – sources and uses: • Approximately 70% of all sales tax revenue in Cabarrus County is generated within Concord City limits. However, the City has no control over how much of that revenue it receives each year and currently receives less than 22% of it.

• The City’s share of sales taxes can decrease any time the county or other municipalities raise their tax rates without Concord raising its rate, according to the current distribution formula.

• Concord’s property tax rate is the lowest of North Carolina’s full-service cities that do not charge extra fees for solid waste services.

• The only sources of significant revenue the City can change is its property tax rate or user fees.

Where the money comes from:

One of the best things about my role as Concord’s Mayor is the opportunity to meet so many people who live here, including the many people who chose to make Concord their home by moving here. In December, I had the good fortune to meet Fred and Judy Weber, along with some of their family, at the Historic Concord Tour of Homes. They moved here from California about eight years ago, and have been joined in the area by a total of 15 relatives from around the country. I hope you’ll enjoy learning what brought them all here in the story on pages 8 and 9.

Will the General Assembly further redistribute local government sales taxes paid in Cabarrus County?

Where the money goes:

Families are the building blocks of community

The Phifer name has ties to the area that go back over two centuries. Beginning March 24, a collection of art originally donated by Robert Fulenwider Phifer (1849-1928) will be on loan from the North Carolina Museum of Art, and exhibited in the Concord Museum by Historic Cabarrus. This

All sales taxes in North Carolina are collected by the State.

4.75 percent of every dollar spent is kept for State programs and services. The rest (2.25 percent) is returned to North Carolina counties and municipalities based on complicated

continued on page 14

continued on page 15 concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3

RENDERING: ADW ARCHITECTS

City Hall construction update order at the October 9 City Council meeting.

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

City officials completed the financing process to support the construction of the new City Hall and related projects in late November, as well as refunding outstanding Series 2005 Certificates of Participation for savings. The sale included $29.34 million of Limited Obligation Bonds (Series 2014A), and $5.28 million of Taxable Limited Obligation Bonds (Series 2014B).

Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch, respectively. The Standard & Poor’s rating represents an implied AAA rating for any general obligation (GO) debt, which is the highest obtainable rating. In addition to funding the City Hall project at historically low interest rates, the combined offering provided ample present value savings to the City, totaling nearly $1.37 million.

The bonds received strong ratings of Aa2, AA+, and AA from Moody’s,

Concord City Council authorized the financing and refunding with a bond

Between December and February, structural steel for the new City Hall was delivered and installed, and the floor decks were filled with concrete in late February, allowing the interior upfit process to begin. The Mayor and City Council signed their names on a piece of steel included in the structure on Monday, February 23. With the basic form of the building in place, crews began closing in the exterior in March. Skilled trades are also currently working in the building.

To learn more about the City Hall project and see progress photos, visit concordnc.gov/newcityhall

T

he Concord Youth Council is accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year through May 1. All rising 9th, 10th, and 11th graders who attend a public, private, or home school within the Cabarrus County School district or live in Concord City limits are encouraged to apply.

The Youth Council seeks students dedicated to bettering the community and serving as the official youth voice to City government.

4 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

The Youth Council has regular meetings and members participate in service projects throughout the year.

To find out more and receive an application, visit concordnc.gov/YouthCouncil or contact Debbie Littlefield at 704-920-5615 or littlefd@concordnc.gov.

Police Chief Guy Smith Retires “I appreciate the numerous opportunities the City of Concord has given me for the past 33 years,” said Smith. “I have been very fortunate and blessed to live in the City of Concord all my life and to be a part of the Concord Police Department.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, especially my two grandsons.”

Chief Smith began his career with the Concord Police Department as a patrol officer in 1982. He spent the next five years in patrol with much of it as a field training officer.

In 1987, he was promoted to detective and assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. Smith was later promoted to Lieutenant in 1992 and supervised all criminal investigations, vice narcotic operations, and the daily activities of the evidence and property control.

Smith later served as Captain over Support Services; Major over Patrol Operations, Criminal Investigations, and Support Services; and from 2001-2011 as Deputy Chief. In 2000, Smith was named the interim Chief of Police during the search for a successor to Chief Robert Cansler. His leadership during this critical time made for a smooth transition for Chief Merl Hamilton when he joined the department in June 2001. Smith again served as Interim Chief from April through September of 2011 after Merl Hamilton’s promotion to Assistant City Manager, and was promoted to Chief on October 3, 2011.

“Chief Smith’s commitment to the City of Concord and the Concord Police Department has been exemplary,” said City Manager Brian Hiatt. “He developed leadership skills in the community where he grew up, and to which he devoted his entire career. He has worked hard to make sure Concord continues to be a great place to live and do business during a period of significant growth, and has been a steady force in keeping our City safe.”

Chief Smith is a 1980 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. He is a graduate of the North Carolina Justice Academy Management Development Program, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Carolina Command College,

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

Guy Smith, Concord’s Chief of Police, retired effective March 1, 2015. A 33-year veteran of the department, Smith announced his intention to retire at the end of the department’s annual award’s day ceremony on Wednesday, December 17.

and the Cabarrus Regional Leadership Experience. Smith received the Robert Eury Memorial Award in 2004 for outstanding contributions to the law enforcement profession.

During his career, Smith has remained very involved in youth and community organizations such as Concord High School, the Cabarrus County Boys and Girls Club, Rock Grove United Methodist Church, Hartsell Athletic Association, Concord Athletic Youth Association, Cabarrus County Human Relations Council, and the Cabarrus Regional Leadership Experience.

“Chief Smith is a fixture in this community through his work at the Police Department and the many community organizations he supports,” commented Assistant City

“

His successes as a leader in the law enforcement community are recognized throughout the state. As a person, behind the badge, there can be no finer a person. Guy has the rare ability to make everyone he comes in contact with a better person and he will be sorely missed as Chief of Police.

Manager Merl Hamilton.

”

City Manager Brian Hiatt named Hamilton Interim Police Chief on February 17, while a broad search for the next Chief of Police is completed. Hamilton has maintained his law enforcement certification with the Concord Police Department and North Carolina Department of Justice. Hiatt is working towards having the next chief begin work this summer. concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 5

2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey RESULTS Overview of results: (percentages are approximate)

of those moving within the last year agreed with the statement.

General perceptions of Concord

More than 75 percent see Concord as providing good employment opportunities—continuing the increase since 2008. 85 percent believe the City has a good environment for business.

About 98 percent of the Concord residents who responded believe that the City is a good place to live, and 97 percent believe it is a good place to raise children.

96 percent believe Concord is a safe place to live (highest percent since 2006).

About 73 percent of citizens were positive about Concord’s decisions on development and nearly 69 percent thought tax dollars are being spent wisely.

Both measures are down from 2012 but higher than most past surveys.

The proportion agreeing with the statement that Concord is responsive to the needs of its citizens decreased from 88.1 percent in 2012 to 82.4 percent in 2014.

Over 91 percent now support the development of greenways – up from 72 percent in 2008 and about 90 percent in 2010 and 2012.

Perceptions of City decision-making 86 percent think the City is making good decisions about the environment. Those who have been residents for 1 to 5 years are the most likely to disagree with the statement that the city is making good decisions about the environment, while 100 percent

Perceptions of staff interactions and departmental performance

The 2014 Concord Citizen Survey was conducted from early October through late November 2014 by Research and Training Specialists.

With over 2,000 daily visitors to the City’s website, a web-based survey was selected as the primary source of respondents, complemented by providing multiple opportunities to complete the survey using printed versions. 385 persons responded to the survey. The final valid sample size of 362 gives 95 percent confidence that the study findings are within ±5.1 percent of the true population parameters for a given question.

At least 90 percent of the respondents assess most departments as being professional in their interaction with customers. Although still rated highly, the survey indicates a decreased perception of professionalism and courtesy since 2012. However, the Finance (both professionalism and courtesy) and Electric Systems (professionalism) improved their scores since the last survey. When controlling for contact in the last year, all departments’ ratings of professionalism were decreased to varying degrees.

In nearly all instances, the percent indicating a department is courteous is near 90 percent.

All but Parks and Recreation and Police had decreased courteousness scores after contact.

All departments’ processes and procedures were rated as userfriendly by at least 80 percent of respondents, with an average score of 87 percent. Ratings of user-friendliness were down across the board since 2012, but the highest-rated departments in this area include Fire, Parks and continued on page 10

6 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

HOURS Monday – Friday 8:30am–5pm Saturday 10am–4pm Closed on Sundays

THE PERFECT PIT STOP 10099 Weddington Road, Suite 102, Concord, NC 28027 / 704-782-4340 / 800-848-3740 / Hey@VisitCabarrus.com The Cabarrus

When the Cabarrus County Visitor Center relocated to

County

Exit 49 in 2011, the vision for the space was to not only be

Visitor

a place for visitors to find information, but for the center to

Information

be an attraction in itself. Today, a rotating exhibit from the

Center is the perfect

North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, a NASCAR x-Box racing

pit stop for travelers

simulator and seasonal events like driver autograph sessions

and residents alike!

and race viewing parties have brought that vision to life.

Located at Exit 49 off of Interstate 85, the Visitor Center is a

We encourage you to stop by! Discover all of the fun waiting in

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hospitality! In addition to takeaways like brochures on area

in to say hi! Everyone has a story. Our goal is to share the

hotels, restaurants, attractions, shopping and more, guests

story of this community and help facilitate experiences that

will also leave armed with inspiration for how to spend their

forever become a part of yours.

time in Cabarrus County. Travel Counselors are onsite six days a week to provide insight on must-see hotspots, offer

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special coupons and deals, make hotel or dinner reservations

WhereRacingLives.com to request

and answer any questions the visitor may have.

your copy of the Cabarrus County Destination Guide today!

As an added convenience, guests can also purchase a variety of souvenirs from Cabarrus County including postcards,

To learn more about the

t-shirts and local books as well as tickets to local attractions

Cabarrus County CVB, go to

like Kannapolis Intimidators baseball games, the NASCAR

www.CabCoCVB.com.

Hall of Fame, Carowinds and SEA LIFE Aquarium.

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 7

H

A family

ow an extended family of seventeen choose to make Concord their new home.

Concord has experienced tremendous growth over the last 20 years – with new businesses, an expanding economy, and an increased population. Friendly people, a hometown feel, a pleasant climate, and access to regional sports and entertainment amenities attract many families to the area. Many new residents move from the northeast and west into the region and find Concord as the ideal location for their family.

From where did your family move to Concord?

Judy and I, along with her mother Virginia Anderson, relocated from Fullerton, California. Fullerton is a suburb of Los Angeles about 20 miles south of downtown. It has a population of about 250,000 and is located in Orange County, which has a population of about 2 million.

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

After hearing about Fred and Judy Weber (see Mayor Padgett’s column on page 3), we contacted the family to find out more about them and what brought so many to Concord from around the country. The following interview with Fred Weber has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What brought you to North Carolina?

Judy and I lived in Augusta, Georgia when I was in the Army stationed at Fort Gordon. We took weekend trips to North Carolina back then and fell in love with the state. I was born and raised in western Pennsylvania, and North Carolina’s Piedmont appeared much like western PA except it was warmer!

We started thinking about moving here in 2005 after a discussion with our son Andrew about where his family might locate after he retired from the Navy in 2011. His wife, Terri, had a cousin in Charlotte, which focused us on the Charlotte metro. We beat them to it and picked Concord, moving here in 2006.

Had you heard of Concord before?

No. After deciding on the region and doing some research, Concord seemed ideal. It appeared to have small-town southern charm, while being close enough to the big city to have access to major employment centers, live major league sports, and entertainment. It also had a large hospital, which was a factor since Judy and I were in our mid to late 50’s when we moved and planned to spend the rest of our lives here.

What was your initial impression of the community?

Concord was exactly as we expected – small-town southern charm with access Charlotte – plus many things to offer within the community. My wife, Judy grew up in Anaheim, California and the two cities resemble each other. Both cities are tourist destinations (Anaheim is home of Disneyland) with vibrant downtown business districts.

Was there anything about this place that surprised you after you moved here?

We were surprised how friendly people were. We had steeled ourselves for a certain amount of clannishness and an attitude of “y’all ain’t from around here, are ya?” Judy didn’t expect to make any friends at all! On the contrary, we found people to be warm and friendly and we made friends easily.

We were also pleasantly surprised at the general politeness 8 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

affair

and good manners found here.

Unlike the LA area, strangers would say hello to you on the street and wave to you from their front porches. As a gentleman, you are expected to open doors for ladies, rise when they come to your table, allow them to exit elevators first, etc. We liked that.

So that accounts for five of you moving to the area, what about the rest?

Our son Andrew and his wife Terri relocated from Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago. They adopted their son Colton in San Diego and moved him to Concord. Terri’s sister, Lianna Curtis, her husband Trevor, and their two children Robyn (Christenson) and Aubrey also relocated from the Chicago area to Kannapolis. Terri’s parents Larry and Jennie Hund relocated from Columbus, Ohio to the University City area of Charlotte and eventually moved to Kannapolis where they currently reside. Our daughter Lea Halloway, her husband Cid, and their three children, Abby, Dylan, and Lily relocated from Santa Cruz, California. They currently reside on South Union Street in the R.A. Brown house.

Now that you are here, is your family involved in any community organizations?

Judy and I are active members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church on Lake Concord Road. I have served on the Parish’s Vestry (Board of Trustees), been a delegate to the Diocesan Convention and for the past 7 years have led the Church’s Worship Planning Group. Judy has been Vendor Chairperson for the Parish’s annual Arts and Crafts Fundraiser.

Our daughter Lea Halloway has just been appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission and is a Board Member of the Residents of Historic Concord. In addition to community

1) Fred; 2) Judy; 3) Virginia; 7 3 10 2 4) Andrew; 5 15 4 11 13 14 1 5) Terri; 16 6) Colton; 17 9 7) Lianna; 8) Trevor: 6 9) Aubrey: 18 10) Robyn; 11) Lily; 12) Joe; 13) Jennie; 19 14) Larry; 15) Lea and Annabelle (dog); 16) Dylan; 17) Lily; 18) Cid; 19) Abby 8

12

The best thing about moving to Concord?

Cost of living – particularly regarding housing.

Judy and I were able to sell our condo in Fullerton, purchase our dream house in Concord, and put a nice amount of money in our retirement nest egg. Our daughter Lea would echo that sentiment.

Do you feel like it was easy to adjust…easy to get involved…easy to get connected?

Extremely easy. Judy and I developed a strategy regarding getting involved in our new community. First, join a local church and get active. Second, take whatever hobby you have and join a club. That way you’ll have work friends, church friends, and club friends in addition friends that you make along the way. organizations, the family has purchased commercial property and started two small businesses. Judy and I are the founders and owners of Judy Lea’s Quilt Studio, the lavender building on McGill Ave. Virginia purchased the triangle of land on the corner of Buffalo and McGill and is our landlord. Andrew and Terri obtained their state Auctioneers Licenses and founded and own ACT Auctions in Concord.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone thinking about moving here, what would it be?

Do your homework. Not every town is right for everyone.

Judy’s cousin and her husband relocated from California to his boyhood home of Memphis, hated it, and were back in California within 2 years. Also, I’m vain enough to think that if you follow my plan (see above) it will smooth the way.

Everyone in the family who moved to Concord had relatives already here except Judy and me. We had to blaze the trail on our own and the plan helped.

What would you say was the hardest thing about leaving your former community?

Giving up our favorite restaurants. Mexicasa in Anaheim, Felippe’s in downtown Los Angeles, and of course, In ‘n Out Burger. If In ‘n Out Burger opened a restaurant in Concord, my life would be complete. On a more serious note, my mother was in an Alzheimers’ facility when we left, and it fell upon my brother and sister-in-law to visit her and take care of her needs.

Anything else you and your family would like to share?

While we all came here to be closer to relatives, everyone who visited relatives here came away with a very positive feeling about the community and a desire to move here. Concord essentially sold itself to us.

Relocation Timeline

Daughter Lea, husband Cid, and their 3 children Abby, Dylan and Lily move from Santa Cruz, CA to Union Street.

of 17 extended Weber family members

2005

2006

2

2007

4

2008

8

2009

10

2010

11

2011

12

17

2013

Andrew retires from the Navy and joins Terri and Colton in Concord.

Andrew and Terri adopt Colton in San Diego and bring him to Concord.

Terri’s father Larry retires and he and his wife Jennie relocate to Kannapolis.

Terri’s sister Lianna, her husband Trevor, their children Robyn (Christenson) and Aubrey move to Kannapolis from the Chicago area.

Judy’s mother Virginia sells her condo and moves to Concord.

Andrew’s wife Terri moves to Concord, and they purchase a home on Edgewood.

Fred and Judy arrive in Concord and settle into their new home on Spring Street.

Fred and Andrew discuss where Andrew and Terri wanted to live when he retires from the Navy in 2011. Charlotte, NC metro area is chosen. concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 9 Fred and Judy decide to sell their condo and go there first.

Concordnc.gov

Concordnc.gov gets a new look, Concord Mobile Care app launches

You’ll notice a new look if you visit the City’s website, concordnc.gov. In addition to a fresh design, the site now functions on computers and mobile devices seamlessly. We also hope you’ll

visit concordnc.gov/ConcordMobileCare.

The City has launched a free mobile app for citizens, where many common issues can be reported and tracked. An Android app is available for download in

the Google Play store, and an iOS app is in beta testing. A web portal is available for non-Android users to use while other versions are in development.

Survey Results continued from page 6

Recreation, and Electric. When controlling for departmental contact, the average score drops to about 80 percent. Solid Waste has the smallest difference in scores after contact between 2012 and 2014.

All departments had over 83 percent of respondents indicating they are satisfied with the job performance, and most were rated satisfactorily by 90 percent. In 2014 all departments received fewer evaluations of “satisfied” if respondents had had direct contact with the department. When it comes to job performance ratings after contact, the departments with the highest scores include Fire, Electric, Parks and Recreation, and Finance. Several departments improved their scores between 2012 and 2014, including Finance, Police, Fire, Solid Waste and Recycling, and Electric.

10 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

Put together, it becomes evident that departments scoring the best in areas of professionalism, courtesy, and userfriendliness are also perceived as performing the best. Based on these results, staff from across to organization will focus on continuous improvement and emulate the strategies of the best-scoring departments.

Issues facing Concord in the future “Jobs and employment opportunities” was the most frequently cited issue residents see facing Concord in the future, followed by development and management of growth, and road maintenance.

To learn more about the 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey, visit concordnc.gov/Government/Public-Affairs.

Road improvements continue on Burrage Road, starting soon at US601/NC3 is concrete and has deficiencies that need repair. The only efficient way to repair the concrete roadway is to remove the concrete, reestablish the existing subgrade, and pave with asphalt.

While the project to replace the bridge over Three Mile Branch on Burrage Road is nearing completion, the City has coordinated rehabilitation of the roadway between Lake Concord Road and the new bridge. The existing roadway

Did you know...

Did you know there are currently 30 City and

NCDOT transportation projects in the Concord area under contract and being constructed, or about to be constructed—an investment of nearly half a billion dollars. Although citizens and commuters may experience some inconveniences, we are fortunate to have this kind of investment and infrastructure improvements occurring in our community. Learn more at concordnc.gov.

The funding for the two projects are from separate sources: the bridge project primarily from federal dollars and the rehabilitation project from City transportation project funds. This along with different record keeping requirements warranted two separate contracts. During the time of the bridge work, the right-of-way for the

rehabilitation project was being acquired.

By using separate contractors, the City saved over $400,000.

The project will also include installing new curb and gutter and concrete sidewalk. Construction on the roadway project started in February, and will last up to seven months. The detour currently in place for the bridge project will remain for the roadway project. For more information, please contact Phillip Graham at grahamp@concordnc.gov or 704-920-5338.

US Highway 601 and NC Highway 3 intersection improvement to begin The City of Concord, in coordination with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), is working to widen portions of US Highway 601 South and NC Highway 3 (Union Street South).

This project is included in the current NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as Project C-4918B and is funded through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ). JT Russell and Sons, Inc., the awarded contractor, is scheduled to complete construction by Monday, August 31, 2015.

Visit concordnc.gov for more information, or contact Sherri Moore at moores@concordnc.gov or 704-920-5415. concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 11

Propst family donates antique fire equipment back to the City After spending decades in the care of the Propst family, two antique fire apparatuses have been returned to the City of Concord. A 19th century Hook and Ladder wagon and a 1924 American LaFrance Fire Pumper were recently donated back to the Concord Fire Department after Jimmy Propst contacted Mayor Padgett to offer the equipment.

Fire Chief Ray Allen then worked with the family to arrange their return.

Jimmy Propst has kept the equipment in storage on the family’s property since the 1970s. His grandfather John Miller was Concord’s Fire Chief from 1900 until 1949.

The wagon was originally used by the Concord Hook and Ladder Company, one of the predecessors to 12 •• CONCORD CONCORD CITY CITY CIRCULAR CIRCULAR •• WINTER SPRING 2015 2015 •• concordnc.gov concordnc.gov 12

the Concord Fire Department. The company was staffed

by African-Americans and its primary functions were to ventilate the fire and perform overhaul, the process of exposing hidden fire. It was used until the 1920s. The department is currently working with a craftsman in Lincolnton, North Carolina to restore the wooden wheels on the wagon and a current Concord Fire Captain has volunteered to paint it.

The engine was purchased by the City in 1924 and is believed to have been used until the late 1950s. The 1924 American LaFrance is chain driven and open air, both common to fire apparatus of the day. The City hopes to collaborate with partners within the community to restore the vehicle, similar to the process used to restore the 1963 Seagraves Pumper, when Roush Racing partnered with the City.

“City Council has established a goal to convert the current Station 1 on Church Street into a museum when it is no longer used as a fire station.,” said Chief Allen. “These will make wonderful additions and we thank the Propst family for taking such good care of them all these decades.”

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 13

From The Mayor continued from page 3

exhibition, located in the Historic Cabarrus County Courthouse at 65 Union Street S, is made possible by the efforts of Judge Marty McGee together with the Historic Cabarrus Association and Cabarrus Arts Council. Phifer, the first benefactor of the North Carolina Museum of Art, was born in Concord and the fifth of seven children. His great-grandfather, Martin Phifer, Jr. was personally visited at his home known as Red Hill by General George Washington on his southern tour in 1791. This visit is part of Concord’s history included in the Union-Market Passageway murals completed by artist Sharon Dowell in 2013.

The public exhibition will kick off the same night as Cabarrus Arts Council’s March Art Walk, and continue through July 25. On Saturday, April 18, free bus tours will be available at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., taking participants through First Presbyterian Church’s Memorial Garden in Downtown Concord, the City’s Oakwood Cemetery, and the Phifer family cemetery located in the area near Red Hill. Local experts and historians will share the story of this family and these historical sites at each stop and during the bus rides. For more information about this exhibition and associated activities, please visit historiccabarrus.com.

Many families in the area include Vietnam Veterans, and I would say most if not all have a connection to veterans from 14 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

other times in our history. In May, the City of Concord and our colleagues at Cabarrus County are partnering with NASCAR hauler drivers and JHE Production Group to honor local Vietnam Veterans and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Concord was the first City in North Carolina to join the official United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Commemorative Partner Program. Cabarrus County held a ceremony for its Commemorative Partner designation at the dedication of Vietnam Veterans Park in the fall. On Thursday, May 14 at 5:00 p.m., a special ceremony will be held Downtown at Union Street and Means Avenue, where the City will officially receive its commemorative flag and a proclamation from President Obama. Following the ceremony, NASCAR Sprint Cup haulers will parade through Downtown on their way to load in at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the All-Star Race. The evening will culminate in a free concert by local band Route 66, beginning after the last hauler passes by. I hope you will visit 600festival.com to learn more about this event.

Manager’s Notes continued from page 3

formulas. Half a percent is distributed on a per-capita basis—in other words, according to the population of local communities in all 100 counties across the State. This means regardless of where the sales tax is paid, all North Carolina jurisdictions benefit from it. So part of the sales tax you are paying in Concord already goes to other local governments, even outside Cabarrus County.

City of Concord Important Phone Numbers Fire, Police, Medical Emergencies . . . . 911

Another 1.5 percent is returned to counties on a point-of-sale basis. This means if this portion of the tax is paid in Concord, it will come back to Cabarrus County only. Each county is allowed to choose to distribute this portion either per-capita or ad-valorem. In Cabarrus County, it is the latter, where the dollar amounts of ad valorem (property) taxes levied by the county and each municipality in the county in the preceding fiscal year are compared. The proportion that each unit’s levy bears to the total levy of all units in the county determines the amount of local sales and use tax revenue that each local government receives. Thus, when one Cabarrus local government increases its tax rate and/or grows significantly more than another, it will impact the distribution of these sales taxes. Currently, Concord receives 21.64 percent of the local sales tax returned. Concord’s portion has been on a downward trend over the last ten years, primarily due to changing tax rates among local governments.

Customer Call Center . . . . . . 704-920-5555 Call the Customer Call Center for service requests and inquiries about any of the following: • Electric Outages/Services • Water/Sewer Emergencies • Dead Animal Pick-up • Drinking Water Inquiries • Garbage/Bulk Pick-up/Recycling • Utility Bills • Street/Traffic Light Issues • Right-of-Way Issues • Storm Water/Storm Drain/Flooding Problems • Yard Waste/Leaf Collection • Building Material Disposal • Bulk Metal Collection • Old Tire Collection • Vacant Lot Cleaning/Mowing You can also fax our Customer Care team at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-6953

The final quarter percent of the total for local use (remember, it is 2.25 percent of every dollar spent) is returned to Cabarrus County for school needs.

The primary phone numbers for the various City departments are: Main Switchboard . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5200

If the General Assembly changes the formulas to further redistribute the sales tax dollars paid in Concord so that other counties benefit, estimates show the City could lose over $1.3 million in existing revenue. Keep in mind this is in addition to the $1.1 million Concord is already planning to lose because the General Assembly will no longer allow local governments to charge business privilege license taxes. Several leaders in the General Assembly have promised further tax reform will result in revenues that will replace these privilege license revenues, however, we will not know if these promises will be kept until later in the session, and likely after a balanced budget must be adopted by City Council.

Certainly, cities like Concord are fortunate to be growing. However, residents know that when you grow you must also invest in infrastructure and public safety to accommodate both the benefits and challenges. The State has profited greatly by those communities that are growing. The State receives the majority of sales tax revenues collected in Concord, which are already redistributed to make sure all North Carolina citizens receive their equitable share of State services.

The result of reducing local revenue options is to put more of a burden on local property taxes, which has become the only source of significant controllable General Fund revenue for local governments.

Buildings & Grounds . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5380 City Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5205 City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5215 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5580 Concord Regional Airport . . . . . . 704-920-5900 Electric Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5320 Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5425 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5220 Fire Department Administration . . 704-920-5516 Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5430 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-6100 Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5100 Meter Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5219 Parks & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5600 Planning & Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152 Police (non-emergency) . . . . . . . 704-920-5000 Public Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5210 Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5440 Rider Transit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-7433 Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5111 Rocky River Golf Club . . . . . . . . . 704-455-1200

If you look at the local funds that are being spent to provide services to a growing city, from the many street projects underway, to the construction of Fire Station 11 on Weddington Road, to the purchase of body cameras for the Police Department, to the expansion of the City’s recreation system, residents can see that these sales tax revenues are being used to offset the impact of the very growth that is increasing revenues for the State of North Carolina.

Regardless of the municipality, the State needs to be careful not to cut off its nose in spite of its face.

Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5361 Tax Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5216 TDD/North Carolina Relay . . . . 1-800-735-8262 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5362 Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5337 Zoning/Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152

concordnc.gov

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 15

P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28036

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Aviation coworkers team up to lend a hand: Second Quarter FY 14-15 Shining STARs Stay Connected Stay connected with Concord through Facebook and Twitter!

Simply scan the QR code with your smartphone or go to facebook.com/concordnc and twitter.com/ConcordNCgov.

concordnc.gov Visit our City’s website where you’ll find a wealth of information. Pay bills online, access government and City departments, and discover what’s going on in Concord.

16 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2015 • concordnc.gov

Several Aviation Department coworkers teamed up in December to help a passenger in need. Due to a family situation, a visitor from Florida planning to return home on Sunday was left at Concord Regional Airport’s terminal entrance on a Friday night. She was in tears and had no money. The Aviation Department’s customer service team had compassion for her and her situation, and concern for her safety. Twanda Pickens, Tanya Staton, and Glenn Massey worked together to contribute personal money for a hotel, provide food, and printed out her boarding pass so she could remain comfortable.

Despite her unfortunate situation, this demonstration of Concord’s Principles of Excellent Service left a positive impression with the traveler about our community and City coworkers.

The STAR program is an opportunity for City of Concord coworkers to recognize each other for excellent customer service. STAR stands for Special Thanks and Recognition. The City of Concord would like to congratulate Twanda, Tanya, and Glenn for their commitment to our community.