Winter 2015

Information You Can Use

WINTER 2015

Concord’s Growing Economic Landscape

First phase of Hector H. Henry, II Greenway open

Meet Human Resources Director Rebecca Edwards

concordnc.gov • WINTER 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 1

City Council

David W. Phillips District 1

Youth programs to benefit from Mayor’s Golf Tournament

James E. Ramseur District 2

The 17th annual Mayor’s Golf Tournament was held at Rocky River Golf Club on September 26. This year’s event raised over $7,000 that will directly support of our community’s youth. A special thank you goes to the sponsors that help make the event possible, as well as the City and golf course staff members who once again organized the event and volunteer their time and effort.

Ella Mae Small District 3

Alfred M. Brown, Jr. District 4

W. Lamar Barrier District 5 Mayor Pro-Tem

Jennifer H. Parsley District 6

Thank you to our Eagle Sponsors:

On the cover: the manufacturing plant that once produced cigarettes is poised to transform the local economy and global energy infrastructure. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEVO.COM.

John A. Sweat, Jr. District 7

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 Hector H. Henry, II Greenway Phase 1 . . . . . . 4-5 Citizen feedback helps plan for the future . . . . 6 Concord 101 Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Public Safety Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Get to know your CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Kolczynski appointed City Attorney . . . . . . . . 10 HR Director Rebecca Edwards . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Spring into Arts Festival seeks artists . . . . . . 12 City Hall construction progress . . . . . . . . . . . 13 FY15 Q1 Shining STAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back

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

Visit concordnc.gov to subscribe to the CityLink email newsletter, and receive weekly updates and information about Concord direct to your inbox.

Get Connected Get 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.

From the Mayor

Manager’s Notes

J. Scott Padgett

Brian Hiatt, Concord City Manager

Technology Enhancements Support Efficiency and Customer Service

A breakthrough moment Concord has been fortunate enough for some development to continue over the last few years, while the community dealt with the impact of the recession. It was a moderate but steady flow of new investment to keep our local economy afloat after the loss of a regional employer and the general downsizing occurring in many industries. By all indicators over the last three months, the flow of investment into Concord is picking up great speed. There were many project and job announcements this fall, including the longawaited answer to the question, “what will happen at Philip Morris?” There was also a lot of attention on some wellknown national and international companies establishing presences here, sometimes beginning before the companies formally announced their intentions. These results are the work of cooperation between multiple levels of government and the private sector, and I’m proud to say that Concord’s continued involvement in economic development efforts over the past years will benefit the entire community well into the future. I would like to highlight a few of the major projects.

Years ago, it was sometimes difficult for citizens to understand the benefit when local governments invested in technology. This was because the hardware or software being acquired was generally used to support internal processes such as payroll, finance, or work order systems.

We live in a much different environment today. Many of our customers want to communicate with their local government, access services, and pay bills in ways that are more convenient and similar to what is available from private businesses. The City of Concord is continuously working to meet this demand and incorporate cost-effective technology to enhance our services. At the same time, we are cautious when we implement new systems as there are always “bugs” to be worked out. There are horror stories out there where new systems have been rolled out before their time and the end users experience great frustration as they wait for the technology to be tweaked to make it work.

Amazon and FedEx are two household names that are

One improvement the public will see before the end of the year is the launch of the City’s new Concord Mobile Care citizen access portal. City crews are already using tablets to identify

planning major facilities here in Concord. Amazon has opened a facility at the Concord Airport Business Park.

Named because of its proximity to Concord Regional Airport on Derita Road, the park is privately developed

COURTESY OF THE SILVERMAN GROUP

m

This 400,000 sf facility at Concord Airport Business Park includes Amazon as a tenant.

and managed by the Silverman Group, a family owned and operated private equity and real estate development organization. The park currently has four different industrial and office buildings, with Amazon’s facility located in a portion of the 400,000 square-foot industrial building seen from Derita Road. There is an additional 150,000 square-foot building available, with additional continued on page 14

yard waste and bulky waste materials for pick-up at residences on a weekly basis, and to access utility mapping that is essential to identifying locations onsite when sewers back up or water mains break. The portal will enable citizens to use tablets, smart phones, or laptops to report non-emergency service needs to the City. For example, if a citizen wants to report a pothole in a street, they can do so by providing the address, or can even use the camera on the device and its GPS capability to take a picture and establish a pinpoint location. Learn more about this convenient tool at concordnc.gov/concordmobilecare.

In the past the City’s Geographic Information System data has generally been used to support the work in our infrastructure, public safety, and planning departments.

The City’s software now includes a feature that will eventually enable public access to non-sensitive information.

The City is also in the process of upgrading software to provide more streamlined on-line applications for utility customers. continued on page 15

concordnc.gov • WINTER 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3

First phase of Hector H. Henry, II Greenway now open

PHOTOS: CITY OF CONCORD/L.J. WESLOWSKI

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

City Council and Henry family members dedicated the first completed phase of the Hector H. Henry, II Greenway in September the Odell Elementary School entrance in Moss Creek Village. What will become the City of Concord’s longest greenway project was named in July 2013 in honor of Council Member Dr. Hector H. Henry, II. Henry served the City of Concord for over thirty years on the City Council. He began his service as an Alderman in 1973 and continued until 1989.

Following a four-year rest, he was again elected to serve as a Council Member in 1994 and continued until passing away on Thanksgiving Day, 2013. The greenway will eventually follow the banks of the Rocky River fourteen miles through Concord. The river enters City limits when it passes under Davidson Highway (NC 73) and continues through Concord until after its confluence with Mallard Creek, where it enters Harrisburg and unincorporated Cabarrus County. The phase two of the segment in Moss Creek is currently under construction. More photos from the dedication are available on the City’s flickr photostream.

concordnc.gov • WINTER 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 5

Citizen feedback helps

plan for the future The City of Concord recently

Concord is committed to service

closed the response period

excellence and continuous

for the 2014 Customer

improvement. Through the

Satisfaction Survey. The City

survey, the City hopes to gain a

contracted with Concord-

current perspective, as well as

based Research and Training

measure change over time. Dr.

Specialists, Inc. to conduct the survey.

City officials hope to gain feedback on a variety of topics such as municipal services, facilities, and how to best communicate with citizens. The survey also assesses specific functions, such as improved staffing levels in the Customer Care Center and the effectiveness of wireless location technology used for yard and bulky waste collection.

Concord made the survey available in a number of ways, in order to achieve a statistically significant and representative sample of the population. The primary collection method was the City’s website, concordnc.gov. The website averages nearly 2,000 visitors each day, and a random sampling of these visitors were invited to participate in the survey.

Other collection methods included: aking hard copies of the * Msurvey 8 available by request and

Paul C. Friday, the consultant, has conducted a similar survey every two years since 2002, and his analysis and report will include historical trends.

In the first quarter of 2015,

to citizens visiting Concord’s administrative buildings; the Academy, Hartsell, and Logan Recreation Centers; and the Rider Transit Center.

the findings will be presented

isseminating the survey to D members of the nearly 40 active neighborhood associations in the City’s Partnership for Stronger Neighborhoods program.

published at concordnc.gov. For

* 8

ublicizing the survey via * Pconcordnc.gov, 8 the CityLink email

newsletter, the City’s social media, and the news media.

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

to City Council at their annual planning session, and

more information please visit concordnc.gov/Government/ Public-Affairs.

The Concord 101 class of 2014 was recognized on December 2 with a graduation ceremony at Fire Station 9. This year’s class included 27 active participants, who were thanked at the ceremony

by Mayor Scott Padgett for their involvement in the program.

Citizens complete 13th Concord 101 program

Concord 101 is designed to inform citizens about their local government.

Participants met on Tuesday nights and learned about what it takes to run City services such as solid waste and recycling, public utilities, police, fire, parks and recreation, and more. The course also included special sessions about Concord’s history, economic development, and the impact of tourism and motorsports. The free 14week course began in late August.

Sweat are both graduates of the program.

2014 participants were: Crystal Brauer, Beverly Brown, Matthew Carter, Paul Dickinson, Carol Dotter, David Dotter, Belinda Dublin, Louis Fennell, Don Foskey, Nancy Foskey, Cheryl Garcia, R.R. (Rod) Hanson, Jerry Harbaugh, Anthony Harrison Sr., Julie Hinson, Lynn Howard, Tracy LeCompte, Jerry Lewis, Linda Lewis, Viola Mason, Scott Maxwell, Jayne Ortiz, Jim Patterson, Georgene Pottinger, Debra Roth, Don Seitz, and Lamarie Stripling.

At the ceremony, City Manager Brian Hiatt encouraged the graduates Concord 101 class visiting Charlotte Motor Speedway in September to take an active role in the community. He also welcomed continuing feedback on City services and programs.

The class was first offered in 2002, and alumni represent The next class will begin in fall of 2015, with applications a cross-section of the community. Some are now serving in available in May. Learn more about Concord 101 at leadership roles in their neighborhoods or on City boards and concordnc.gov. commissions. Council Members Jennifer Parsley and John

Sign up now for Public Safety Academy Applications are now available for the City of Concord’s eleventh Citizen Public Safety Academy. The course will allow citizens to learn about the functions of Concord’s public safety departments, meet staff, and help us evaluate the services we provide.

The ten-week academy will begin February 3, 2015 and end on April 7.

Consecutive classes will be held each Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Four classes will be taught by Concord Fire staff, including presentations on the various services provided as

well as how all of us can be safer in our daily lives. The Concord Police Department will instruct four classes on all functions of the department and give an in-depth look at its community policing philosophy. One class will be jointly presented by Communications, to explain what happens when you call 911, and Emergency Management, to help you learn how the City plans for and responds to disasters and other emergencies. The tenth week will be a graduation dinner to honor academy participants.

Class participants will be urged to participate in an exchange of information that will benefit all involved. Class size is limited to 20; applications are available for download at concordnc.gov and due January 27.

You may also contact Leslie Griffin at the Police Department (email: griffinl@concordnc.gov; mail: P.O. Box 308, Concord NC, 28026; fax: 704-920-6970).

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

Citizens of Concord have reason to be proud of and embrace the local tourism industry. Each day, the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau team works to attract more and more visitors

o t tow e Gkn ur yoVB C

to the area through sales and marketing.

US R S Y’S AR N T B A F and CAOUN T ries d o S t s e C GE the s fuel i ing r y G t a and ne n h BI o s s Cou laces o t t en tion rru ,p

a e m aba opl destin tates. mit of C he pe om S s c i s d r h t ce rt B is cy ite Ou rien ion fo made e Un he CV e p pan h s e ex in t lars, t ccu pas t hav o t a n l m by tha bra ax do roo in a itor t t vi rts he ing t y vis f spo e mos local a n o en st om h n r o t f a i t f d h rrus th o or yw aba rate ap her a t e C p y a n b h R s ge eac itor ded es fun hat vis t, tax saved c t r 4! tax l. In fa t yea s $42 e a l t d l o g o h n h ndi use spe ty ho n Cou

8 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • WINTER 2015 • concordnc.gov

G T INE X K N N I THOUTSON ABSEA luable—amseeting, a a va

ven e is during d e team tim n e n a m o ati s ti ld trip CVB ising Va c b l e a he ie f t a , o , ra valu ention te. S ching ng u r v a rati con comm rese abo lders l e l y l o i tim nd c da eho g a nds tak ein spe eness nity s is b r u s a s m aw gre om h c re pro ce wit u an ns enh nd to e o t a de ce ma enien l. v al con y for t e saf

nd ) a onreau i t n Bu e v n ors o C ( isit RS V O IT S

IS RIE at V G EMO to repe N I to ate P M nsl ts and omic L a r t E HE AK eriences r residen rful econarate M fo we xp ep

w ngs ost po hile s le e kno e rab x savi W m w o . , m ta the ounty ’s rce Me , to ne of C me ent. It ng s t s m i u o o i r r C vis m g a p f rs r g of ldin Cab ber o develo giste n tin bui i e e nty am mic rk es hr h a c s C r Cou . a m o e c fo n s d h o t ec ake les an abarru years from sm is elp m i n C er the e, l sa h r sfu rism i v tou ob to s er s e j th o ney h f life i cc ou r w u T u s o . o r o o n h g m y o g t i t u li at an and thro estin qua ific d ign d time s and s e n r n th see spe rospe p has sitors s vi nes As usi b l a ed. loc anc h n e

m ng

rs g

ST

OP

2013 TOURISM FAST FACTS:

Yo u ’re i Vis itor nvited Info to e 100 r xplo 9 C o n 9 We m a t i o n C re the ddi cor ent ngt d. W gre e on et Roa r at this s you hen a d , T in Circ article let the ravel Cou ula m i n kno the n r fo w y selor ra C ou free onco saw rd C gift ity !

IN

Domestic visitors to Cabarrus County spent $371.87 million, an increase of 2.5% over 2012.

This spending generated $6.51 million in local taxes and $20.85 million in state taxes.

Learn more about the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau and our area’s tourism industry at

These taxes represent an annual savings of $424 per household in Cabarrus County.

CabCoCVB.com. For the latest news and events each month, go to VisitCabarrus.com and sign up for The SPEED Report, an award-winning e-newsletter from Visit Cabarrus.

MICHAEL A. AND

ERSON PHOTOG

3,980 jobs were directly attributed to travel and tourism generating.

RAPHY

Cabarrus County CVB President/C EO, Donna Carp with NC Secretar enter celebrates y of Commerce Sh 2014 National Tra aron Decker and vel & Tourism W eek mascots from ar ea attractions. concordnc.gov • WINTER 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 9

Kolczynski appointed City Attorney At its regular session in September,

meetings, and serve as the

the Concord City Council appointed

director of Legal Department.

VaLerie Gail Blackwelder Kolczynski

Prior to her employment

as City Attorney. Kolczynski has been

with the City of Concord,

employed as Concord’s Deputy City

Kolczynski worked in the

Attorney since 2006, and served as

private sector, specializing in

Interim City Attorney since former City

civil litigation, real property,

Attorney Albert Benshoff’s retirement

and workers’ compensation.

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

Cum Laude, from the Tulane Law

in June.

Kolczynski was selected after a competitive recruitment process. The City’s charter has a provision for the City Attorney to be the only employee other than City Manager appointed by Council. The City Manager provides functional supervision to the City Attorney and coordinates prioritization

“I am honored by the faith and trust

School in New Orleans, Louisiana,

placed in me with this appointment,”

where she received multiple student

said Kolczynski.

“

I take

very seriously and will

she received a Bachelor of Arts with a

endeavor to represent

As Deputy City Attorney, Kolczynski

to the very best of my

represented the City in all stages of litigation; drafted City policies, ordinances, and contracts; and assisted departments with complex federal compliance.

In her new role as City Attorney, she will serve as the City’s chief legal counsel and attend all City Council

the top five percent of her class. She is also an alumna of the University of

the City of Concord

for City staff, boards, and commissions;

awards and honors, and graduated in

this responsibility

of staff legal support.

provided comprehensive legal advice

Kolczynski holds a Juris Doctor, Magna

North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where double major in Speech/Communication and Ancient History.

She is an active member of the North Carolina Bar and the International

training and abilities. I

Municipal Lawyers Association, serving

look forward to working

Enforcement Section.

with the excellent Legal

Kolczynski grew up and currently

as Secretary of the IMLA’s Code

Department team as

resides in Cabarrus County with her

well as my other City

“Blackwelder” family of origin has many

colleagues in this new

back to 1760.

capacity.

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

”

seven-year-old son, Olin. Her extended members, and a local history dating

Meet Human Resources Director

Rebecca Edwards

Rebecca Edwards has joined the City of Concord as its new Human Resources Director. City Manager Brian Hiatt announced Edwards hiring in November. She comes to Concord from the City of Charlotte, and brings 13 years of experience in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors.

Assistant City Manager Merl Hamilton served as Interim Human Resources Director since Jeannine Sargent’s retirement in late June.

She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR), and is a Board member for the North Carolina chapter of IPMA. Edwards holds the prestigious Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) credential from the HR Certification Institute, signifying mastery of strategic and policy-making aspects of HR management.

“We welcome Rebecca to the City of Concord,” said Hiatt.

Though she is not a native North Carolinian, Edwards admits to cheering for the Carolina Panthers when they are not playing her beloved New Orleans Saints. She is married with two children, and her family loves calling the Carolinas home.

“

We are particularly excited about the combination of technical expertise and interpersonal skills she brings to our organization, and how that will positively affect our customers.

”

Originally from Gulfport, Mississippi, Edwards graduated with honors from Xavier University of Louisiana, majoring in Business Administration. Upon graduation, she accepted a position with Toyota Headquarters in California. She moved to North Carolina in 2004, and her local experience includes serving as Human Resources Director with EPDC in Charlotte and Human Resources Manager with National Tour in Concord. Most recently, she served as a department HR Manager and corporate HR Analyst with the City of Charlotte.

In her new role, Edwards provides leadership to the Human Resources department, with responsibility for recruitment, classification and compensation, benefits, wellness (including employee clinic), training, employee relations, and personnel records. She joins the City’s staff leadership team and assists the organization in achieving the City’s mission through knowledge and promotion of its core values.

“This is a wonderful opportunity,” noted Edwards. “I appreciate serving in this new role and providing the best possible HR leadership to the team and organization as a whole.”

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

concordnc.gov • WINTER 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 11

spring into

festival

The Spring into Arts Festival will be held Saturday, May 2 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 pm in Downtown Concord, NC. The festival attracts artists from across the region. The centerpiece of the festival is a juried art show with artists spanning a wide variety of media, including jewelry, ceramics, wood, painting, photography, glass, and textiles. The first deadline for applications is January 31.

Applications received up to that date include a $85 fee, after January 31 the application fee is $110. A jury selects artists for the festival based on their applications. Any artist who is not selected receives a full refund of their application fee.

non-refundable fee and link to a performance video are due by March 27. Those selected to perform will be notified by April 10.

There will be an array of street performers entertaining throughout the festival artist’s row along Union Street. As with the Spring ALIVE! Youth Talent Showcase, interested performers should submit an application with their $25 fee and link to a short video to be considered for inclusion in this year’s event. The deadline for the Street Performers application is January 31, with selected performers notified by February 15. The street performer’s application fee is refundable to all who apply, and performers may collect tips the day of the festival.

seeks

&

visual

performing artists

There are also two opportunities for live performances.

The children’s stage will present a mix of professional entertainment and young performers participating in the Spring ALIVE! Youth Talent Showcase. Showcase performers between five and 18 years of age are invited to apply for an opportunity to present a short performance on the day of the festival. Applications along with a $10

CONCORD DOWNTOWN

All applications are available online at concorddowntown.com. For more information email info@concorddowntown.com or call 704-784-4208.

ION

DEVELOPMENT CORPORAT

12 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • WINTER 2015 • concordnc.gov

City Hall construction progress

RENDERING: AD W AR C

HITEC TS

Footings and foundations complete and the building is beginning to take shape.

See the latest photos and project updates: concordnc.gov/newcityhall

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

facilities planned for the future. You can learn more about this business park at cabpnc.com. Another developer, Beacon Partners, is planning a similar campus called RiverOaks Corporate Center at the corner of Poplar Tent Road and Derita Road. RiverOaks will be a master-planned logistics and manufacturing campus situated on 150 acres, and accommodating buildings from 50,000 to 1.4 million square feet.

A few miles away in the successful International Business Park (featured in Fall 2011 issue), located between Davidson Highway (NC 73) and Poplar Tent Road, SunCap Property Group is developing a new facility to serve as the relocated FedEx SmartPost’s Charlotte hub. This facility alone will be over 330,000 square feet. On the other end of International Drive, the Trinity Capital Advisors has constructed a 277,000 square foot industrial speculative building. In between these massive structures on either end of the park, DNP is expanding into an 88,000 square foot spec building.

COURTESY OF TRINITY CAPITAL

Trinity Capital Advisors is marketing their new 277,000 sf spec building adjacent to International Business Park.

Together, the Silverman, SunCap, and Trinity developments represent over 1 million square feet of new industrial space, or “product” as the City Manager described in his Spring 2014 column. Adding in the new DNP building, they also represent $68.5 million of private investment. Both Amazon’s and FedEx SmartPost’s local facilities will be part of national distribution networks. The distribution industry became very interested in Concord with the recent improvements along I-85, its interchanges with Poplar Tent Road and Davidson Highway, and the nearby completion of I-485. Other projects underway or in development such as the widening of Derita Road and the extension of George W. Liles Parkway will make Concord even more attractive to those looking for prime transpiration access.

There is positive news in various commercial areas of Concord.

In the last year, there has been over $3.1 million of private investment into existing Downtown buildings. Union Street and the surrounding area are as vibrant as ever, with an occupancy rate over 95 percent in the Downtown Municipal Service District. The mix of residential, professional services, restaurant, and retail space in Afton Village is a bustling area on the western side of Concord. Neighborhoods like these are becoming increasingly attractive to people across the country who enjoy a variety of housing, employment, and entertainment options in close proximity; I’m glad Concord is able to offer several to choose from.

14 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • WINTER 2015 • concordnc.gov

Tourism is another industry that helped Concord through the last six years. According to the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau, local tourism spending exceeded $371 million in 2013, which was a 2.5 percent increase from 2012.

Cabarrus ranks 12th out of North Carolina’s 100 Counties in tourism, with over $27 million generated in total state and local taxes. The CVB attributes 3,980 local jobs to tourism, and estimates that tourism saves each household in the county approximately $424 in property taxes.

The most exciting and promising news for our future was unveiled October 28, as Alevo opened its manufacturing facility on the former Philip Morris property. The 2,000 acre campus was purchased by a group of investors led by Norwegian “serial entrepreneur” Jostein Eikeland after ten years of product research and development. Eikeland is Chairman and CEO of Swiss-based Alevo Group, who has renamed the campus Victory Industrial Park. Alevo’s name is derived from Italian scientist Alessandro Volta, who in 1800 discovered “voltaic elements,” leading to the use of batteries as we know it today.

Alevo has invested over $100 million in battery research and development, and $68.5 million in the property. The company feels so strongly about their business model and the quality of this community that they chose to locate here without the use of any incentives whatsoever. Alevo plans to begin manufacturing its innovative GridBank energy storage technology here in Concord in 2015, which combined with intelligent grid data analytics will transform the future of energy infrastructure around the world. Alevo’s breakthrough technology will create more reliability and new efficiencies that lower costs for utilities and consumers. This technology is great for the nation and for the planet. Locally, the best news is the promise of 500 jobs in the next year, with an additional 2,000 jobs within three years, and eventually 6,000 total jobs if additional manufacturing elements are located at the plant.

You can learn more about Alevo, the GridBank, and job opportunities at alevo.com.

COURTESY OF ALEVO.COM

From The Mayor continued from page 3

Alevo plans to manufacture its innovative GridBank energy storage technology at the former Philip Morris plant, now known as Victory Industrial Park.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to all that lays ahead in the next year as much as I am, Merry Christmas!

Manager’s Notes continued from page 3

Business people and builders seeking to expand or bring new development to our community will benefit by the City’s purchase and implementation of Accela. This software not only enables users to track the progress of the City’s plan review process—it is already used by Cabarrus County. The County is working with the City as a partner to provide customers a more seamless experience as information from both jurisdictions can be submitted and available online at one location.

Other technologies are in development that will put more information in the hands of our utility customers so they can better manage their use of electricity and water. The City is exploring

smart meter technology for both electric and water customers to track real time usage, similar to what wireless phone companies can provide on data and phone minutes used. The system offers other benefits for

the customer. For example, during an electrical outage the City will instantly know when every customer lost power and will also know when that power is restored. On the water side, excessive usage such as caused by a leak will show up on the system as soon as it takes place, reducing the incidence of shock when a customer receives the bill after days or even weeks of a water leak or running toilet.

While smart meter implementation is in the near future, we all are benefitting from technology that has already been implemented, and some of it is not computer based. For example, earlier this year we took delivery of the new hybrid buses now used by the Rider Transit System. Thus far we are saving 43 percent on

fuel consumption on the eight new buses. That translates into roughly $27,500 to $48,000 in fuel savings per quarter. The hybrid electric engine and all electric

cooling systems work together to help the engine run cooler and quieter. They also require less annual maintenance and are helping to lower emissions by at least 25 percent.

Though the City is making good use of wireless technology for data connections, a system of fiber optic cable is required for high speed connections to equipment and over 40 City facilities such as fire stations, traffic signals, water and sewer pump stations, electric substations, the police headquarters, recreation centers, administrative offices, etc. The City has gradually developed a fiber system of over 60 miles to enable monitoring of critical equipment and infrastructure and to enhance communication between computer systems and City coworkers.

I join many of you in amazement over the rapid development of technology we are experiencing today. While we are somewhat methodical in implementation, the City of Concord certainly recognizes the need to continue deploy new technology in order to meet the expectations of our customers. We look forward to the enhanced convenience and efficiencies these tools offer to those doing business with our organization.

City of Concord Important Phone Numbers Fire, Police, Medical Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . 911 One number does it all . . . . . . . . . . 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 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 Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5143 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 & Neighborhood 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 Sewer Construction & Maintenance . . . . 704-920-5351 Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5361 Stormwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5360 Tax Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5216 TDD/North Carolina Relay . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-735-8262 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5362 Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5341 Zoning/Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152

concordnc.gov

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

P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28036

PPCO

PAID

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

CITY OF CONCORD/L.J. WESLOWSKI

Did you know...

Did you know you can keep up with progress on the City Hall construction site at

concordnc.gov/ newcityhall?

Check out page 13 for a preview, and see the latest photos.

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 • WINTER 2015 • concordnc.gov

Tracy Law: First Quarter FY 14-15 Shining STAR Police Officer Tracy Law responded to an address to speak with an elderly female who lived alone and had some concerns. Officer Law is familiar with the individual, who is possibly in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer, and spent some time talking with her.

She was able to get some contact numbers and put them into the system for future reference. The resident was unsure of if people she saw near her house were neighbors or not, so Officer Law made contact with the neighbors and had them come over to meet her. Before leaving, she went into the residence and made sure the house was clean and she had food to eat and something to drink.

She showed compassion and concern for one of Concord’s elderly residents who lives alone. Law also passed along the information to the oncoming supervisor and had them check on the citizen throughout the night. Officer Law was named the Shining STAR for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014-15, and was recognized at the November 13 City Council meeting.

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 Tracy for her commitment to our community.