75 - Spring 2019

Information You Can Use

SPRING 2019

Concord-Padgett Regional Airport Sets Passenger Record

Improved Solid Waste Collection Routes Take Effect Week Of May 6

In this Issue:

From the Mayor

From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 2019 Recycling Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Improved Solid Waste Collection Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Neighborhood Partnership Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Airport Sets Passenger Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Philip Morris Plant Demolition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 High 5 Performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Police Department Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 New Taxi Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 City Nature Challenge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Important Phone Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 iNaturalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

William “Bill” Dusch

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 Civic

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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.

We have a litter problem Concord is a beautiful city full of lovely streets, parks and wonderful neighborhoods. Our citizens, location, schools and government not to mention our great weather and rolling green hills makes us a great community that many people have decided to make their homes.

I am a runner and have logged many miles running on our streets, sidewalks and greenways for over 30 years. During these runs, I find myself picking up litter along the way. What I am seeing is that there is a growing issue with more litter showing up in nearly all areas of our city, along our highways, city streets, historic downtown, our parks, and other recreation areas. There is no area immune to this issue. On many streets, this litter is eventually washed down our storm water drains and goes into our streams, rivers and lakes. As it the amount grows, it becomes an eyesore and like a building with one broken window that leads to more broken windows, a little litter draws more over time. There are many areas of our city that have had the street side litter picked up one day only to find it creeping back the next.

There are many sources of this litter. A study by Keep America Beautiful attributes 30 percent of litter and trash coming from sources such as unsecured dumpsters, container trucks, and residential waste/recycling containers. As a city, we are working with our waste haulers to address this litter source but that still leaves 70 percent of the litter coming from our motorists and pedestrians. If you see someone littering, you can report them to North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Swat-A-Litterbug program, which informs and reminds offenders that littering, whether deliberate or unintentional, can end with a personal commitment to stop.

Go to ncdot.gov or call 877-368-4968.

The best thing we can do is stop generating new litter. The second-best thing we can do is eliminate the existing litter.

Fortunately, the City of Concord has a number of programs in place for residents, businesses, organizations, and other groups to lend a hand. One of the largest efforts happens each spring and fall in concert with the NCDOT, when Concord hosts litter sweeps and City coworkers join recognized neighborhood associations to remove litter from roadways. The next litter sweep is scheduled for April 13 through 27. If your recognized neighborhood association is interested, learn more at concordnc.gov/neighborhoods or call 704-920-5298. For future planning, NCDOT traditionally schedules Litter Sweep for the last two weeks of April and September.

For those that wish to make an ongoing commitment to litterfree streets, parks, and public areas, individuals and groups can join the City’s Adopt-A-Street program. Participants continued on page 14

2 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2019 • concordnc.gov

Manager’s Notes

City Council

Lloyd Wm. Payne, Jr., Concord City Manager

Preparing For The Future Hello, Concord! Team Concord continues to work hard each day to enhance the quality of life for you and your family. City staff have been working on the annual budget for the past 3 months. This involves reviewing our Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which contains projects we are planning for the coming year and future years as well. Our economy continues to be strong. As a result, construction in our region (as you can see on a daily basis) is strong as well, which can often drive up the cost of projects. Even though we plan for future projects, we must adjust projected project costs based on current conditions. Staff works hard to ensure we are getting the best possible price and highest quality project outcomes.

At the end of January, Mayor Dusch and City Council met for the annual Planning Session to talk about many of these planned/upcoming projects for the coming year. The Planning Session is critical for staff to receive guidance from our elected leaders on the priorities for the coming years. We are developing a multi-year strategic plan which greatly aids in this process. With the Mayor and Council setting the goals for the City, I along with staff can then develop the financial analysis and subsequently the annual budget to accomplish these goals.

Some of these goals can be accomplished in the coming year while others will take multiple years to complete.

With the growth of our City, the Mayor and Council adopted a new Council district map this past December. Our City has experienced quite a bit of population growth in the western and southern portions. As a result, our seven City Council districts have gotten out of balance since 2011 (the last redistricting). Not only do the new districts account for this past growth but also the projected growth based on known development projects in the next few years. All citizens vote for all Council members and as such they represent all Concord residents. Each of us do live in one of the seven Council districts and thus have a “go-to” Council member if we have items we would like the City to address. If you are unsure which district you live in or would like to see the new district map, please go to concordnc.gov/Government/ Mayor-Council to access our interactive map.

Team Concord strives, each day, to provide you the absolute best service possible. We enjoy our work and trust you are pleased with our efforts. We are not perfect and do, on occasion, make mistakes. We are committed to taking ownership when mistakes occur and correcting the issue(s).

We are thankful for the trust you place in us each day. Please reach out to me or any other Team Concord member if there are ways we can improve our service to you. Thank you for your ongoing contributions to our City – may Concord always thrive for you! •

Sam Leder District 1 Mayor Pro-Tem

Brian King District 2

Ella Mae Small District 3

JC McKenzie District 4

Terry L. Crawford District 5

Jennifer H. Parsley District 6

John A. Sweat, Jr. District 7

Meet your elected officials This is part of a series of Q&A features to help you get to know Concord’s elected officials a little more.

Have an idea? Tweet it to @concordncgov with the hashtag #ConcordCouncilQA.

What are you most looking forward to in 2019?

Sam Leder – I look forward to my oldest son (Matthew) graduating high school and attending UNC-Chapel Hill and my youngest son (Bennett) becoming a freshman at Concord High school!

Council Districts Adopted 12/13/2018 3 «

73 «

§ ¦ ¨ I-85

29 £ ¤

Council Districts District 1 49 «

District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7

² 0

0.5

601 £ ¤

« 200

1

Miles

Visit concordnc.gov/Government/Mayor-Council to see our new district map. concordnc.gov • SPRING 2019 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3

! e n O s i h T Use

The version of this calendar in the Winter 2019 issue had an error for the month of December.

2019 Recycling & Bulky Waste Calendar Recycling & Bulky Waste is collected every-other-week on your regularly scheduled garbage day.

If you are a City of Concord resident, recycling roll-out carts are free. Call 704.920.5555.

January

February

March

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

April

May

June

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

July

August

September

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

October

November

December

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Improved routes start May 6th!

City Holiday Blue Week Green Week

Put these items in your recycling cart Aluminum Cans, Steel Cans, & their Lids

Small Cardboard Boxes

(no paint cans)

All Plastics (1 - 7)

Glass Bottles & Jars

(no Styrofoam, bags, or wrap)

Spiral Paper Cans

Large Cardboard Boxes (flattened, cut to 3ft x 3ft sections, placed inside cart for collection)

(with plastic lids detached)

Clean Pizza Boxes Rigid Plastic Containers & (without grease or food residue) Small Plastic Toys Cereal & Food Boxes Milk & Juice Cartons, Magazines & Phonebooks & Juice Boxes Gift Boxes, Shoe Boxes, &

4 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2019 • concordnc.gov

Extra bags of trash and recyclables placed outside your cart will not be collected.

Twice per year, for special occasions, parties and family reunions, the City will collect a small amount of extra bags.

Please call to schedule all special occasion collections.

Those who consistently have more garbage than the green roll-out cart can hold may call to reserve an extra brown garbage cart for a monthly fee.

Recycle cardboard the right way! All cardboard must be flattened and cut down to 3ft x 3 ft sections or smaller for collection. A MAXIMUM of 2 or 3 flattened cardboard boxes can be placed between the top of the cart and the lid.

Place cart out between 5:00 p.m. day before and 6:00 a.m. day of collection.

Place carts for collection with heels facing your home.

To verify your collection schedule or to find full holiday collection details, visit concordnc.gov/whatsmyday or download our CARTology mobile app. To download the mobile app, search for CARTology in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).

Wide-Mouth Plastic Containers & Lids

Cart lids must be able to close completely.

Retrieve cart by 9:00 p.m. collection day.

ü Know your Collection Day ü Sign up for FREE Reminders ü Find out how to dispose of items

Empty Aerosol Cans

Bulky waste is anything that won’t fit inside and isn’t allowed in your garbage cart like furniture, construction and demolition debris, tires, scrap metal (including lawn equipment, bicycles, etc.) electronics and appliances.

(flattened and placed into cart)

Paperback Books

Keep carts 2 feet from one another and 2 feet from parked cars, mailboxes, etc.

Do not block sidewalks with carts.

Thank you for your continued efforts with our solid waste program and for recycling abundantly.

Register to receive collection schedule changes and other important updates via phone, text, or email through our secure Blackboard Connect Portal at concordnc.gov.

Mixed Paper, Newspapers with Inserts, & Junk Mail

For more information on Solid Waste Services:

Gift Wrapping Paper

concordnc.gov 704.920.5555

(without foil backing)

Improved Solid Waste Collection Routes Take Effect Week Of May 6

T

he City of Concord will implement an improved solid waste collection route system in May of this year, following the approval of a new route concept by City Council in January. The City of Concord provides curbside collection of garbage and yard waste each week, and every-other-week collection of recycling and bulky waste.

The adjusted routes will provide relief to customers who have experienced collection delays over the past months. Schedule changes will affect less than half of the City’s more than 32,000 solid waste customers.

A change in collection day will affect collection of all items provided by Solid Waste Services, including garbage, recycling, bulky waste, and yard waste.

The City’s every-other-week recycling and bulky waste schedule assigns each customer to either “blue week” or “green week.”

Some (but not all) customers who have a change in collection day will also have a change in their bi-weekly recycling and bulky waste collection schedule. For example, some customers may be on the blue week schedule now and will be on the green week schedule after the route change in May. Other customers may have a change in week but keep the same day.

Most customers will have neither a change in the collection day nor a change in the blue/green schedule.

Stay tuned for updates at concordnc.gov, the City Circular magazine, the CityLink Newsletter, and our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor) over the coming months. City staff will also partner with affected recognized neighborhood associations to hold community meetings. •

One of the causes of collection delays has been an imbalance in daily collection points, which has led to drivers not being able to complete daily routes. Over the last eight years, the number of solid waste customers has increased by more than 16 percent. The most growth, and therefore the most extra customers and delays, has occurred in the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday collection areas.

The City of Concord partnered with its collection provider, Waste Pro, to analyze existing routes and propose new, more efficient routes that account for the City’s growth over the last decade and projected growth for the next five years. The new routes are designed to efficiently handle collection for up to 40,000 customers.

Customers who will have a change in their schedule will receive a notice in the mail by early April, with instructions on how to verify their new schedule using the City’s CARTology mobile app and customized calendar available at concordnc.gov/whatsmyday.

This overall map of the new solid waste collection routes that will take effect May 6 better distributes customers throughout the week. Find out more at concordnc.gov/whatsmyday.

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2019 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 5

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Janet Coward Afton Village

Pictured (left to right) are: Sandra Bell, Mark Michaud, Janet Coward, Elmer Spratt, Maya Jones, and Donald Watson; not pictured: Shirley Brannan, Lee Shuman, David and Shannon Burpeau, and Joni Liebel; Teresa Townes; Ken Clay and Mary Byers

Second Annual Neighborhood Partnership Awards The Neighborhood Partnership Awards recognizes neighbors or community groups who, through their leadership and service work with Concord’s Recognized Neighborhoods*, are making exceptional contributions to improve the quality of life in the community. The program honors those who make a difference in the community without seeking or receiving recognition for their service. The 2018 honorees include individuals and groups who worked to develop a sense of community and pride in their neighborhood, volunteered time for neighborhood beautification, spearheaded community building efforts, organized neighbor helping neighbor initiatives, and provided excellent leadership.

T

he following individuals and groups were nominated by their neighborhood organizations for the hard work and significant efforts made over the past year to engage residents, lead, or volunteer time in their neighborhoods, and their stories follow in the neighborhoods’ words. The honorees were recognized during the December 17, 2018 Neighborhood Leadership Council Recognition event.

6 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2019 • concordnc.gov

Janet is a tireless community leader on our Afton planned unit development board and smaller townhome board--and has been for years. Janet is worthy of recognition for her tireless hours of service to our neighbors/landscapes and for her bookkeeping and leadership volunteer services for our community. Janet gets her hands dirty: tirelessly planting, pruning and securing community beautification grants so that the beauty of Afton’s common areas can be enjoyed by all. Janet’s service work, leadership, and acts of kindness for her neighbors and Forest Hills United Methodist Church members and guests help to make our city a great place to live, work, and play.

Shirley Brannan Beverly Hills

The Beverly Hills Neighborhood would like to recognize Shirley Brannan for her continued support and participation in neighborhood activities. As a past board member, Shirley provides insight and suggestions to the board on how to improve our programs and gain added support from the neighbors. As a long-time Beverly Hills resident, Shirley also has great knowledge of the neighbors and helps the board keep up with new residents who have moved in as well as families who have had losses in the family so we can send a card as a neighborhood. We appreciate Shirley’s energy, efforts, and her desire to return Beverly Hills to a vibrant, tight knit community.

Lee Shuman, David and Shannon Burpeau, and Joni Liebel

Beverly Hills

The Beverly Hills Neighborhood would like to recognize Lee Shuman, David and Shannon Burpeau, and Joni Liebel for their leadership in the Beverly Hills Elementary School Save Our Schools initiative. This amazing foursome poured their hearts and souls into an effort which initially was about saving our neighborhood elementary school but has grown into a much larger effort around protecting all Concord city elementary schools. They organized our neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods into asking for insight and answers from our school board and in doing so they have helped to create a tighter bond in the Beverly Hills neighborhood and within our city schools. Regardless of the end outcome of the SOS effort, these Beverly Hills neighbors have shown us all what can happen when we unite for a common goal.

Hampden Village Social Committee Hampden Village

Members of the Hampden Village Social Committee consistently work hard and goes above and beyond to bring their neighbors together. They plan social gatherings that give time for families to unite and get to know one another, and giving so much of themselves to plan meetings, special activities, and fun family events that the whole neighborhood can attend. The community at one time during the year struggled with some animosity among some of the neighbors and the events planned and executed by the Social Committee help restore trust and encourage members with developing a sense of community. All of the neighbors have been given the opportunity to gather, talk in a laid-back setting, dance, share a meal, and have our children play together. All of the ladies and gentleman involved should be super proud of all the “togetherness” they have promoted in Hampden Village.

Maya Jones and Donald Watson Logan

Strong leadership on the neighborhood’s executive board is essential to the overall success of the neighborhood association. In the Logan community, we are fortunate to have volunteer board members who are consistent and committee to ensuring success for our neighborhood organization.

Therefore, we would like to recognize the commitment and work of two board members - Ms. Maya Jones and Donald Watson. As a new board member, Mr. Watson is a committed community activist who provide great guidance and is well versed in housing, code enforcement, and community develop and provides the board of directors with a lot of insight and guidance. Maya brings a lot of youth to the board and is helping the board explore opportunities to get the youth involved in activities of the associations. The leadership and dedication of these two board members is certainly appreciated and appreciate their continued service to the Logan Community.

Elmer Spratt

Underwood Park

Mr. Spratt is a committed servant to the neighbors in Underwood with a big heart for improving the quality of life in the City of Concord. Throughout his many years of service as the President of the Underwood Park Neighborhood he has worked closely with the City to help address substandard housing conditions and safety in the neighborhood. He is the type of neighbor and citizen that makes Concord a great place to live. He has maintained a close relationship with

city officials as well as established great relationships with neighborhood leaders in adjoining neighborhoods. Whenever anyone needs a helping hand, Mr. Spratt has made it his duty to help out or to find someone to help out. He is very generous, kind, and community-oriented person who cares about neighbors.

Mark Michaud

Asheford Green

Mark has served the Asheford Green community honestly, admirably and tirelessly almost 20 years. For many of those years, he graciously served simultaneously as board treasurer and secretary. During his tenure, he assisted in development strategies to enhance the value of our properties and worked to increase the quality of life for our residents. Much of Mark’s efforts for Asheford Green centered around the finances, budgets and fiduciary responsibilities that come with the financial integrity of a planned development. Mark was truly a one man “Management Company”...long before we actually hired one! He has always been most unselfish and has continually risen to the challenge of issues that have confronted our neighborhood. He has been a steady hand and a guiding force to promote what we believe is the greatest residential community in Concord. We are proud to nominate Mark Michaud as Asheford Green’s NEIGHBORHOOD HERO. A wonderful neighbor and a truly good friend.

Ken Clay and Mary Byers

Tay Mor (not a City-recognized neighborhood)

Ken Clay and Mary Byers are neighbors who make a difference in their neighborhood by quietly but regularly taking on the task of maintaining their neighborhood’s entrance sign. They have done this consistently without ever being asked to do so – they just took it upon themselves to maintain the entrance because they feel that it is the right thing to do. The neighbors benefit from a well-kept welcoming entrance sign. They have done this for years without ever seeking a public thank you. Why? Because they don’t expect it at all…that is why they’re our neighborhood heroes. Just committed neighbors who taken on responsibilities for someone (or neighborhood) without any expectations or need for thanks. The Tay Mor neighborhood is grateful to have these committed neighbors.

For more information about the City of Concord’s Partnership for Stronger Neighborhoods Program, visit concordnc.gov/neighborhoods. • *While not solicited, nominations from non-recognized neighborhoods are accepted.

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2019 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 7

CONCORD-PADGETT REGIONAL AIRPORT SETS PASSENGER RECORD, NOTED FOR ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS Concord-Padgett Regional Airport’s contributions to North Carolina’s economy is approaching $1 billion dollars, while the 145,510 passengers boarding commercial airline flights in 2018 set a new record, up 21 percent over the previous year.

8 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2019 • concordnc.gov

I

n a report released in January, Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (JQF/USA) is listed as one of ten commercial service airports in North Carolina, and airline partner Allegiant Air served nearly a quarter-million passengers going to and coming from Concord.

According to the report (North Carolina: The State of Aviation), “the N.C. Department of Transportation’s network of 72 publicly owned airports, and the aviation and aerospace assets that rely on them, help move North Carolina’s economy forward by creating jobs, supporting business growth and connecting people and companies to markets around the globe. North Carolina’s public airports annually contribute $52 billion to the state’s economy, supporting 307,000 jobs that generate $12.6 billion in personal income and $2.2 billion in state and local tax revenues.”

The report analyzed data from 2017, and Concord’s contribution included $821 million in economic output, over 4,500 jobs, over $191 million in personal income, and over $30 million in state and local taxes.

“We are pleased that Concord-Padgett Regional Airport continues to grow in economic impact,” said Concord Aviation Director Dirk Vanderleest. “Our team members are proud to provide opportunities in the general aviation/corporate aviation industry, along with relatively recent development of additional commercial airline service to the region.”

RECORD PASSENGERS Concord-Padgett Regional’s enplanements came from 990 Allegiant departures in 2018, averaging 19 commercial flights per week at the airport with an average load factor, how full the planes were on a monthly basis, of 85 percent. Including the addition of Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Allegiant provides service to six destinations from Concord-Padgett Regional Airport.

Concord-Padgett Regional Airport opened in 1994 with a general aviation terminal and a 5,500-foot runway and has grown to be one of the busiest airports in the Carolinas.

Over the last 25 years, improvements included extending the runway to 7,400 feet and multiple strengthening projects, development of private sector investment in and around the airport, and construction of a commercial service terminal and parking deck.

Many airport operations are related to the motorsports industry as most NASCAR related teams are located in the Charlotte region, several with facilities adjacent to or near the airport. The airport’s strong general aviation focus has been enhanced by the availability of Allegiant Air’s low-cost scheduled passenger service.

The airport is operated by over 40 City of Concord Aviation Department coworkers who provide aircraft fueling, hangaring, tie-down, parking, and customer services. Other aeronautical services such as aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, and flight instruction are offered through private operators leasing space on-site. CRA also has an on-site, staffed fire station operated by the Concord Fire Department and a control tower operated by contracted staff. The annual budget for the airport currently exceeds $10.8 million.

The airport is operated by over 40 City of Concord Aviation Department coworkers who provide aircraft fueling, hangaring, tie-down, parking, and customer services. Other aeronautical services such as aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, and flight instruction are offered through private operators leasing space on-site. CRA also has an on-site, staffed fire station operated by the Concord Fire Department and a control tower operated by contracted staff. The annual budget for the airport currently exceeds $10.8 million. •

“We work hard with our airline and regulatory partners to provide a safe, convenient, affordable, and efficient passenger experience,” added Vanderleest. “Our success has resulted in increased service frequency and has the potential to bring more destinations in the future.”

The published Allegiant schedule runs through mid-August and show daily flights this summer to Orlando/Sanford, Tampa/St.Pete and Ft. Lauderdale, an increase service frequency in Concord.

The runway at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport was strengthened in 2018 to handle the increased operations by large airline aircraft.

Plans are underway to strengthen airport taxiways in 2019. concordnc.gov • SPRING 2019 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 9

Demolition to Philip Morris Plant Brings New Opportunities to Concord

By Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Robert Carney

In January, an exciting announcement was made in our community: the former Philip Morris plant (now known as The Grounds at Concord) will be demolished. Bootsmead LeaseCo LLC (Bootsmead), who currently owns the property, issued a release that detailed its plans to tear down the facility in an effort to create a blank slate that will be more appealing to future users.

10 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2019 • concordnc.gov

Concern for the Individual • Customer Focus Fair and Equitable Service • Professional Service Effective Communication • Taking Ownership Timeliness • Teamwork • Great Service Recovery

High Five recognizes coworkers who make a difference.

Why is this exciting? Because of the tremendous opportunity this represents for both Concord and Cabarrus County residents.

When Bootsmead hired JLL Carolinas to market this site, they knew that there was a good story to be told about the site itself. To a potential employer, it is rich with amenities: convenient interstate access, quality utility infrastructure, rail access and the ability to tap into the Charlotte region’s competitive labor pool. While the Philip Morris plant was a substantial facility, it was not meeting the needs of the current market. By taking this step to remove the plant, Bootsmead is taking a proactive step to attract users and employers to the 2,000+ acre site.

So what does that mean for our community?

On average, Cabarrus Economic Development Corporate has 60+ projects in the pipeline each month – these are companies considering locating their operations to Cabarrus County.

These projects represent around 220 jobs each and an average of $57 million in new investment. Over half of these projects are in the manufacturing industry. The market is demanding sites that can support high-investment, job-generating manufacturing operations. The Grounds at Concord will now be ripe for that kind of development.

If strategic about the type of industry we want to attract, the Grounds at Concord has the potential to locate thousands of new jobs through industrial development, generating tens of millions of dollars in new tax investment.

The demolition of the former Philip Morris plant will take the better part of 2019 to complete, but CEDC will be just as active as ever. We’ll be working closely with Bootsmead, JLL, City of Concord and Cabarrus County to ensure that Grounds at Concord once again becomes an employment epicenter for our community and we are confident that this will impact not just those of us who live here, but the Charlotte region as well. •

Each day City of Concord coworkers are focused on providing the services needed to keep our community moving forward.

We believe that coworkers who are delivering excellent service deserve timely and effective recognition by their team members, managers, and the community. We invite you to help us recognize one or more of our coworkers who have provided excellent service.

These nine principles help us deliver a high level of quality services.

There are three ways to submit your recognitions: 1 Call 704-920-6400 to submit your acknowledgment by phone.

2 Complete the online form at concordnc.gov/high5 3 Complete a paper form found one of the following public facilities: City Hall; Academy Recreation Center; Brown Operations Center; Concord Regional Airport; Fire Stations 3, 7, 8, and 9; Housing Department Office; Police Headquarters; Rider Transit Center.

Quarterly

High Performers Congratulations to the following coworkers who were selected as quarterly High Performers:

Aviation: Jody Brewer Finance (Customer Care): Jeff Carroll Fire: James York Solid Waste: Jason Mitchell, Daniel Hall Transit: LJ Weslowski High Performers were selected from among the high five nominations received from the past quarter (October – December 2018). These recognitions best demonstrate “going above and beyond” in providing excellent customer service or events that best embody one or more of the 9 Principles of Excellent Customer Service. These co-workers were honored at a special lunch event in February. The City of Concord is recognized for having dedicated employees who are committed to providing excellent service.

Thank you for helping us recognize our best! concordnc.gov • SPRING 2019 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 11

Hughes, Ledwell Assume New Leadership Roles In Police Department I n January, Police Chief Gary Gacek announced the promotions of Major Jimmy Hughes and Captain Bobby Ledwell to senior departmental positions—Hughes to deputy chief of police, and Ledwell to major. The promotions followed the retirement of Deputy Chief Betty Stocks at the end of 2018.

Deputy Chief Hughes joined the department in 1998 as a patrol officer. He was previously promoted to sergeant in 2004, captain in 2013, and major in 2017. Now serving as the deputy chief, Hughes is responsible for leading all patrol operations, which include four captains, 16 sergeants, four k-9 officers, and 84 officers in four patrol districts covering more than 62 square miles and over 90,000 residents.

Hughes brings broad experience to his new role, including previous assignments in the Patrol Bureau, Special Investigations Division, Criminal Investigations Division, and previous command experience in the Charlie Patrol District; Office of Management, Analysis, and Planning; and

Deputy Chief Hughes

Major Ledwell

Police Major responsible for Patrol Bureau operations. His background also includes experience as a Special Weapons and Tactics Team member, leader, and commander. Hughes holds a specialized instructor certificate from the State of North Carolina and has served as a Police Department firearms instructor since 2006.

“This opportunity is an incredible honor,” said Hughes. “I am excited to serve the citizens of Concord in a new way and support the excellent work of all our men and women.

Together with our community partners, we will continue striving to improve public safety and the quality of life.”

Deputy Chief Hughes is a graduate of Central Cabarrus High School and holds a bachelor of science degree from Pfeiffer University. He also holds an advanced law enforcement certificate from the State of North Carolina and is a graduate

New Maximum Taxicab Rates Adopted Effective March 1 In response to local operator requests, on January 10 the Concord City Council updated Chapter 18 of the City Code, regulating maximum allowable taxicab rates within the corporate limits of the city and up to two miles beyond as determined by taxicab meters.

The maximum rates were last changed in 2005 and the new rates are effective March 1, 2019 as follows: 1) the maximum initial meter charge increasing from $2.00 to $2.50; 2) the maximum additional distance charge changing from $0.50 per ¼ mile to $.30 per 1/8 mile (or $0.60 per ¼ mile). Other maximum rates will not change.

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of the Police Executive Research Forum - Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University - Session 67.

Deputy Chief Hughes resides in Concord with his wife and children. During his free time, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family.

Major Bobby Ledwell began his career in law enforcement in 1995 as a deputy with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, and joined the Concord Police Department in 1998. After serving one year as a patrol officer, he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division in 1999, where he spent most of his career. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2003, and captain in 2012. As Major, he is the commander of the department’s Operations Bureau.

His previous command experience includes responsibility for the Crime Scene Unit, Evidence and Property Control, investigations of crimes against women and children, Special Investigations Unit, Adam Patrol District, General Investigations, Vice/Narcotics Unit, Major Crimes Division, and Office of Management, Analysis, and Planning. While serving in the Office of Management, Analysis, and Planning, Major Ledwell was responsible for overseeing policy updates, crime analysis, secondary employment, and strategic planning.

Major Ledwell graduated from the National Forensic Academy at the University of Tennessee and the North Carolina Justice Academy’s Law Enforcement Management Development Program (Class #28). He plans to attend the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University this June.

“I am appreciative for Chief Gacek entrusting me to be a member of his executive team. I am also grateful for the support I have received from my family and fellow coworkers throughout the city. It will be an honor to serve the department in this capacity and to work with the community keep the city of Concord a wonderful place to live and raise a family.”

A lifelong resident of Concord, Major Ledwell graduated from Concord High School in 1990 and attended UNC Charlotte, where he graduated in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice. Major Ledwell is married and has two daughters and a stepson that currently works for the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office.

Find out more about the Concord Police Department at concordnc.gov/police. •

Concord Mobile Care You can now report pot holes, street light malfunctions, and many other non-emergency issues to the City using your smartphone.

Visit concordnc.gov to learn about and download the Concord Mobile Care app for your android or iOS device, or access the web-version on any other device, including PC and laptop computers.

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From The Mayor, continued from page 3 commit to picking up litter at least once every three months (or more if necessary) along their adopted section of street.

The City provides supplies (litterbags, safety vests, and gloves) to participants, and installs signs along streets that have been adopted to recognize the groups volunteering to help keep them litter-free. If you are part of a group or organization that is interested in participating in the Adopt-a-Street Program, please visit concordnc.gov/Transportation to locate available street segments and sign up. You may also call 704-920-5363.

NCDOT sponsors the Adopt-A-Highway program for similar efforts on state roads. You can contact the local NCDOT maintenance office to discuss roadway availability at 704-436-9316, or visit ncdot.gov to apply online.

GET OUTSIDE AND BE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST WITH THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE!

The City’s Water Resources Department has several initiatives to help keep local waterways clean. Seventy-five percent of North Carolinians think storm water receives treatment before it is released into local bodies of water. Actually, it flows from the street, down the storm drains and directly into those bodies of water, without ever being cleaned up! You can help keep waterways clean through the Adopt-A-Stream program.

It is similar to Adopt-A-Street in that it requires an ongoing commitment, and participants are provided with resources and recognized with a sign. If you or your neighborhood would like to participate, go to concordnc.gov/Streams or call 704-920-5287.

We must all come together to help resolve this issue and create awareness of the problem with all our residents. Talk with your family, friends and business associates to make them aware of this issue. Get involved with your neighborhood organizations to start the litter conversation. This is a good place for our citizens to address the problem by identifying the major litter problem areas, create a litter cleanup plan and get volunteers that will help with the cleanup. The city staff is ready to work with you and your neighborhood to help you move your plan forward. As you discuss the litter issue in our community, we will be able to make all our citizens aware of the issue and help change this behavior.

From my end, I will continue with my running and perform my daily litter pickup. I hope you will all help with this problem and make Concord even more beautiful. •

Did you know. . .

Did you know tobacco products make up more than one third of existing litter, and discarded cigarette butts take 12 years to decompose while leaking contaminants into soil and waterways?

Adopt a street or stream to make a difference for our future.

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Which city around the world can turn out the most for nature? The City Nature Challenge 2019, happening April 26 -29, will help us find out!

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n 2016, in celebration of the first-ever Citizen Science Day, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences dreamed up the City Nature Challenge (CNC) as a fun way to capitalize on the cities’ friendly rivalry and hold a citizen science event around urban biodiversity. It lasted 8 days, engaging residents and visitors in documenting nature to better understand urban biodiversity.

More than 1,000 people made over 20,000 observations in a one-week period, cataloging approximately 1,600 species in each location, including new records for both areas. During the 2016 CNC, there was so much excitement and interest from people across the nation, the organizers decided they couldn’t keep the fun to themselves. In 2017 the City Nature Challenge went national, and in 2018, it became global!

Last year, 68 cities motivated more than 17,000 people to upload 431,000 observations of living things to iNaturalist in the four days of the City Nature Challenge. This year, more than 120 cities on six continents are taking part, asking residents and visitors to explore nature all around them and document the living things they find! Cabarrus County participated for the first time in 2018 and placed in the top 20! This year, we’ve expanding to include the entire Charlotte Metro region! Learn more and see which other cities are participating by visiting citynaturechallenge.org and follow @CLTCNC on Facebook.

In the Charlotte Metro region, participating is easy for anyone who lives in or visits any of the following counties: Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union.

City of Concord Important Phone Numbers Fire, Police, Medical Emergencies ................................. 911 Customer Care Center ................................... 704-920-5555

1. Download the free iNaturalist app to your mobile device.

2. During April 26-29, take photos to make observations of wild plants and animals in your backyard, a park, your walk to school or work anywhere you find nature. Be sure to mark the observation as captive/cultivated if it’s not a wild organism! Photos taken before 12:01 a.m. on April 26 will not count.

3. Upload your photos to iNaturalist. They will be added automatically to the Charlotte Metro Region project!

4. Learn more as your photos get identified, and feel free to help ID other people’s observations, especially during the April 30-May 5 identification period.

5. Results will be announced on Monday, May 6!

Here in Concord, Concord Wildlife Alliance is inviting

everyone to learn more about the City Nature Challenge and receive some iNaturalist training from local CNC organizers Mandy Smith-Thompson and Alex Beck at 6:00pm on Tuesday, April 2 at McGill Baptist Church (5300 Poplar Tent Road).

During the CNC, Concord citizens and visitors are encouraged to participate as much as possible by uploading pics of living things to iNaturalist from backyards, sidewalks parking lots and everywhere in between. Get your classroom, neighbors, faith groups, and coworkers to join you!

We’re especially interested in learning what’s living in our parks and along our greenways with your help. Consider a personal challenge to see how many parks and greenways you can visit during the City Nature Challenge. Bring your camera and your family – every observation counts!

Cabarrus Active Living and Parks staff invites everyone out to a CNC ID session at Vietnam Veterans Park on April 27 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Download the iNaturalist app and create your account before you arrive, if you can! For more information, contact Shannon Unger at 704-920-2727 or seunger@cabarruscounty.us.

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Call the Customer Care 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 primary phone numbers for the various City departments are: Main Switchboard ...............................................704-920-5200 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 Solid Waste ........................................................704-920-5361 Tax Collector .......................................................704-920-5216 TTY/North Carolina Relay ...................................................... 711 Transportation ....................................................704-920-5362 Water Resources .................................................704-920-5337 Zoning/Permits ....................................................704-920-5152

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Explore your world with iNaturalist

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P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28026

here is no shortage of research and articles explaining the many benefits to spending time in nature. Most people would probably say they wish they were outside more. The good news is there are lots of places in Concord to do this, including your own yard, because nature is all around us—not just in forests and along riverbanks. Have you ever wondered the name of a tree, plant or bug you found? What if we could easily learn about nature while doing yard work, taking a walk on the greenway, waiting for the school bus, or even going on a trip to the grocery store?

City Nature Challenge, continued from page 15

Holy Roly Poly!

The City of Concord invites everyone to participate in the

City Nature Challenge on April 29 at McGee Park. This is how we roll - observing roly polies and their neighbors on a Greenway Adventure. Download the iNaturalist app and create your account before you arrive, if you can! Meet us at McGee Park Shelter at 4:00 p.m., and bring your phone or digital camera. Just by participating, your family will be entered into a drawing for one of several butterfly puddlers to enhance your backyard habitat!

To learn more about the City Nature Challenge and iNaturalist in person, come out to the Bunny Run Festival (Saturday, April 20, 9-11 a.m. in Downtown Concord) and Flutter By Earth Day (Monday April 22, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at McGee Park). •

What if you could step outside and be able to quickly identify nearly every living thing you saw? The iNaturalist app and iNaturalist.org make that possible. The app is free to download and use. After creating a free account, users upload photos of living things through the app or website. iNaturalist then uses geolocation, photo recognition software and crowd-sourcing to identify them.

When you upload a photo, iNaturalist’s photo recognition software attempt an identification and is usually correct. If it isn’t successful, or if the user misidentifies, crowd-sourcing happens, i.e. other iNaturalist users produce the correct ID. Once an ID has been verified by three other users, it becomes part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international database used by scientists that provides public access to data about earth’s living things. iNaturalist allows us to use technology to better understand the natural world wherever we are. If you happen to be exploring an area without an internet connection, though, it’s easy to upload photos later from your phone or tablet using the app or your digital camera and computer through the website. iNaturalist is a tool that can enhance a leisurely stroll, a visit to your local park, a team-building exercise or your photography or science class, and it allows you to become a citizen scientist!

To learn more about iNaturalist, log onto iNaturalist.org.

To learn how you can use iNaturalist to help the Charlotte Metro Region win the City Nature Challenge, turn to page 14. •