79 - Spring 2020

Information You Can Use

SPRING 2020

Neighborhood Partnership Awards Concord Named Tree City USA

In this Issue:

City Council

From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Catching Up With Angela Jones Graham . . . 4 Metal Detectors Installed At City Hall . . . . . 5 Jeff Conley Named New Water Resources Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2019 Customer Service Satisfaction Survey Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Andy Langford District 1

Brian King District 2

Ella Mae Small District 3

JC McKenzie District 4

Neighborhood Partnership Awards . . . . . . . . 8 Concord’s Code Enforcement Team . . . . . . 10 2020 Census . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Concord Named Tree City USA . . . . . . . . . 13 City Receives Affordable Housing Study . . . 13 Update On Downtown Streetscape . . . . . . 14 High 5 Performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Important Phone Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Jennifer H. Parsley District 6

Terry L. Crawford District 5

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

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.

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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.

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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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601 £ ¤

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

From the Mayor

Manager’s Notes

William “Bill” Dusch

Lloyd Wm. Payne, Jr. Concord City Manager

Be a part of the solution with Neighbor Helping Neighbor

Join us in the #Count4Cabarrus

Anyone who has looked for housing in our community over the last few years has seen the effects of a “hot” market. For many in the community, this type of market presents a challenge because the costs of housing are taking more than the recommended 30 percent of monthly income. In other words, the cost of housing is growing faster than incomes. This is just some of the information City officials and staff learned in a recent housing affordability study completed for our community. You can learn more about this study and the resources in place to address these challenges on page 8.

The study specifically found that In Concord and Cabarrus County, over 40 percent of renters are paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing, leaving them with insufficient resources to meet other household expenses, like utility bills. For several years, the City has partnered with Cooperative Christian Ministry (CCM) to assist qualified utility customers. Neighbor Helping Neighbor is one way to help those in need that I hope you will consider As a utility customer of the City of Concord, each month you receive a bill for the utility services that you receive.

Neighbor Helping Neighbor allows utility customers “round up” utility bills to the nearest dollar, with the proceeds going to CCM to help citizens in need pay their utility bills.

So how does this work? If your utility bill was $94.50, it will be automatically rounded up to $95 with 50 cents going directly to CCM to help your neighbor. If you have any city utilities, you can be a part of this important program. With nearly 50,000 Concord utility customers, the potential impact from thousands giving just a few cents each month is tremendous.

If you want to help even more, you can also choose a flat donation like $5, $10, or $20 each month. A one-time donation to Neighbor Helping Neighbor is another way to join in.

Signing up is quick and simple with two ways to sign up.

A secure online sign up for Neighbor Helping Neighbor is available at concordnc.gov under the resident dropdown.

You can also sign up over the phone with a Customer Care representative at 704.920.5555. Just tell the representative “I want to join Neighbor Helping Neighbor” and they will take it from there.

And remember, every penny from this program goes directly to CCM to help your neighbor. Thank you for your help. •

Hello Concord. It is 2020 and in addition to spring approaching (did winter ever show up?), that means the US Census will be occurring this year. Census Day is April 1, 2020. You have three options for ensuring you and your family are accounted for – 1) online, 2) by phone, or 3) by mail. You might wonder why the US Census matters – there are several reasons why you should join in the #Count4Cabarrus.

The data collected determine fair political representation for each state in Washington, DC. North Carolina is among the fastest growing states and ensuring all who live here are counted could lead to an additional seat in the US House of Representatives. In addition, accurate Census information can aid in the planning by Federal, State, and local agencies for current and future services.

One of the most important reasons for all of us to be counted in the Census is due to Federal funding (over $16 billion for NC). According to the Census Bureau, more than $1,623 per person in Federal aid (and $205 in State aid) is distributed directly or indirectly in NC every years, based on the Census count. Your input (or lack thereof) can have a significant impact.

The US Census Bureau must complete the census

by December 31, 2020 and submit their counts. The information you submit is confidential and will only be used to produce statistics. Your responses will not be used by law enforcement personnel or have any effect on your government benefits. Ever since the first Census was conducted in 1790, maintaining an accurate population count is a critical role of continuing a representative government. Please do your part and participate in the census in a timely fashion. If you want more information, go to census.nc.gov.

This is a great segue into this quarter’s City Core Value – Accountability. Accountability is defined as “We accept responsibility for our personal and organizational decisions and actions, while delivering cost-effective and efficient services that are done right the first time.”

We realize our individual actions impact not only us but also the organization as a whole. We will strive to hold ourselves accountable for our actions as we know this is not only your expectation but also the right thing to do.

What we do or don’t do, matters. We want and need your feedback on decisions. We may not always agree on a certain Continued on page page 13

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2020 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3

Catching Up With Angela Jones Graham, Housing Director Introducing you to new members of the City’s staff leadership team in the City Circular has been a regular occurrence over the last few years. This quarter, we hope you can enjoy a virtual cup of coffee with our current longest-serving member of the leadership team, Housing Director Angela Jones Graham.

Graham is working on her 20th year with the City of Concord, after managing operations with the housing authority in Statesville for 14 years. In 2011, she was honored with the Jo Atwater Continuous Core Values Award, the highest form of recognition for City of Concord coworkers. She is known across the state and in Washington for aggressively pursuing grants and other funding opportunities to benefit housing programs and services. She is known among her staff, colleagues, and community residents for using these resources to creatively inspire people to improve their situations in life.

Graham is active in her professional community, including service as president elect of the Carolinas Council of Housing, Redevelopment, and Codes Officials and on the board of the Southeast Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

She holds bachelor’s degrees in organization management (Barber-Scotia College) and business administration (Gardner-Webb University). When she is not at work, Graham enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and extended family.

What brought you to the City of Concord?

AJG: I had a vision that would allow me to use my

experience to take the City of Concord Housing Department to new heights that would benefit not only my team members, but the entire community. I wanted the opportunity to work with an establishment that made a difference. Finding a company with a positive work environment and values that aligned with my own had always remained a priority and the City of Concord ranked at the top of the list.

What is a challenge you are working through this year?

AJG: The establishment of our first non-profit,

Concord Family Enrichment Association. This non-profit will help with affordable housing and services for our youth, adults, seniors and veterans.

What excites you to come to work every day?

AJG: I am a people person. Making a true difference in

the lives of my residents and their families motivates me to strive for excellence in everything I do.

4 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2020 • concordnc.gov

Who inspires you?

AJG: My family makes me want to be the best I can be.

I want to leave my children a legacy. . . a footprint of kindness and caring that touches the lives of others.

What are you currently reading?

AJG: The O Magazine What does your ideal day look like?

AJG: To complete all the challenges that are placed in

my path and to take care of my clients so they can feel validated and appreciated.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?

AJG: In five years I’d like to run a successful non-profit

that will help with the affordable housing crisis.

What would surprise someone to learn about you?

AJG: I was raised on a farm and love to go fishing

and hunting with my husband and Dad. •

Pictured below, Angela Jones Graham (on right) recognizing Chantel Carithers (on left) after she graduated from the department’s Family Self Sufficiency Program.

meetings, Planning and Zoning meetings, Council Work Sessions, and Council meetings as well as any other meeting deemed necessary by the City Manager. The screening will take place at the entrance to City Hall. Those who are entering the building for both regular business or the meeting are required to comply with the screening process.

Metal Detectors Implemented At City Hall Entrance Prior To Board And Council Meetings To enhance the City of Concord’s long-standing commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for all staff, Council, citizens, and visitors, a security screening process utilizing both walk-through and handheld metal detectors is being implemented for all public City of Concord Board and Council meetings.

As of February 11, 2020, this additional visible security measure is an added protocol for all Board of Adjustment

As safety is everyone's priority, we encourage all of our citizens, visitors, and business partners to become familiar with the process to ensure a smooth entry for themselves and others. To ease the process, understand that the City has a no-weapons policy, including pocket knives. Be prepared to place all loose items from pockets into containers for viewing. Backpacks, diaper bags, purses, etc., will also be searched. Those entering will not be required to remove belts, watches, wallets, jewelry, shoes, or jackets when being screened. Plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to each meeting to ensure everyone enters in an efficient and timely manner.

Anyone in possession of a prohibited item will be asked to return the item to a secure location before entry.

Concord Police Department will not temporarily hold a prohibited item.

As needed, the Concord Police Department may train staff during regular business hours. Be advised that you may be required to follow the screening process upon entry into City Hall Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. as training times will be varied. •

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On February 18, Jeff Corley's promotion to Water Resources Director was announced by City Manager Lloyd Payne in an email to staff.

Corley has worked in several engineering and management roles with the City of Concord over the last fifteen years.

“Join me in congratulating Jeff Corley in his promotion to Water Resources Director,” wrote Payne. “Since joining Team Concord in 2005, Jeff has progressed through various positions with the City culminating with his latest promotion. Jeff was placed in the Interim Water Resources Director role after the untimely passing of our friend and Teammate Christie (Putnam) Huneycutt. Jeff has continued to excel and I am confident he will continue to do so while taking the Water Resources Department to new heights.”

The Water Resources Department manages the City's drinking water production and distribution, stormwater management, and sewer collection systems for Concord residents as well as many customers outside of City limits.

Jeff Corley Named Water Resources Director

“Jeff is a great new member of our leadership team,” said Assistant City Manager LeDerick Blackburn. “His deep experience in Concord and professional abilities combine to make him the ideal next leader for Water Resources.”

Corley began his career with the City of Concord in 2005 as a Project Engineer and has progressed through various positions within the Engineering and Water Resources Departments, most recently serving as the Deputy Director of Water Resources.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to lead such a great department,” said Corley. “I look forward to continuing to invest in our community’s water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure while also enhancing our customer experience and investing in our amazing co-workers.”

He is a licensed Professional Engineer in North and South Carolina and is a member of many professional and industry associations including the American Public Works Association (APWA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and is a past president of the Southeast Stormwater Association (SESWA).

Jeff holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He and his wife, Ashlyn, have been married nearly 19 years and have two boys. He is an active member at Westford United Methodist Church in Concord, and serves on numerous boards and committees in the community. Of note are the Cabarrus County Planning and Zoning Commission (current chair), Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County Board of Directors, and Charlotte 49ers Athletic Foundation Board of Directors. •

Got a Minute?

We’d like your opinion!

6 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2020 • concordnc.gov

The City of Concord is updating its website. Please visit concordnc.gov/ WebSurvey and complete a short survey to help us serve you better.

Survey Says: Concord Receives Feedback On Services, Peer Comparison

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he City of Concord asks customers for feedback on its services, quality of life, and other topics every other year. The recently conducted 2019 Customer Satisfaction Survey showed that once again, Concord's residents are reporting higher satisfaction with City services compared to regional and national averages.

As part of the January 30-31 annual Planning Session, the Mayor and City Council received a report from the consultants who conducted the survey in late 2019. ETC Institute, a national market research firm that specializes in surveys for local governments, conducted the survey with a randomly selected sample of Concord residents. The goal of 400 completed surveys was met, providing a 95 percent level of confidence and a precision of at least +/- 5 percent. The survey respondents’ demographics reflected that of the actual population.

The major findings of the survey included residents' positive perception of the community, and higher satisfaction with City services compared to other communities.

Nearly all respondents (88 percent) rated Concord as an excellent or good place to live, and 81 percent an excellent or good place to raise children. Of residents who had an opinion, 79 percent indicated they were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the overall quality of City services, and 56 percent had a positive rating of the value received for tax dollars and fees.

These results and others showed that Concord rated above the national average in 57 of the 69 areas that were assessed, and significantly above the national average in 48 areas. The Atlantic Regional comparison was similar, with 58 areas above average and 45 significantly above the regional average.

The results show the most room for improvement related to perceptions of traffic flow, infrastructure maintenance, and quality of economic development. These and other findings can inform updates to the City's strategic plan. The full presentation and survey results are available at concordnc.gov. •

The top ten areas where Concord outperforms the national average (exceeding percentage):

Overall quality of customer service received from City employees

+27% Leadership of elected officials

+26% Leadership of City Manager and appointed staff

+24% Timeliness of water/sewer line break repairs

+20% Quality of City recreation programs and facilities

+19% Value received for tax dollars and fees

+42% Overall effectiveness of City communication with the public

+27% Overall quality of City services

+24% Bulk trash pickup/removal service

+22% Leaf, yard waste and brush removal services

+20% Facilities at City parks

+19%

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Third annual neighborhood partnership awards The Neighborhood Partnership Awards recognize neighbors or community groups who, through their leadership and service work with the City’s Recognized Neighborhoods, are making exceptional contributions to improve quality of life. The program honors those who make a difference in the community without seeking or receiving recognition for their service. The 2019 honorees include neighbors who helped to organize their neighborhood association, volunteered time for neighborhood beautification to improve their community’s quality of life, spearheaded community building efforts, and provided excellent leadership to form a service organization.

These individuals and groups were nominated by their neighborhood organization for the hard work and significant efforts made over the past year to engage residents, lead, or volunteer time in their neighborhoods. The honorees were recognized during the January 13, 2020 Neighborhood Leadership Council Recognition event, and the following are the nominations received from neighborhoods.

Patty Swift GIBSON VILLAGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Patty has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to increase the quality of life in Gibson Village. She is one of the original founding members of the Gibson Village Community Association. Over the years she has served in multiple roles on the organization's board and is currently the Treasurer. In the early 2000s, Patty advocated for the conversion of the old

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waterworks facility into an artist village. We know that building today as ClearWater Arts Center and Studios. Patty has also led multiple environmental efforts in our neighborhood.

She spearheads the litter sweep and stream cleanup. She organizes these events at least two times a year. Patty is usually the first one to arrive at an event and the last one to leave. She always shows up and pitches in wherever needed. Whether it is cleaning up the ClearWater grounds early in the morning before the Fall Festival, or ensuring that residents have a ride to the monthly community meeting, we all know that we can count on Patty. She is even participating in Concord 101 for the second time! Patty has never said 'no' to a request to help in our community. Patty deserves to be recognized as a fantastic neighbor and a dedicated servant to our City!

Diann Noorwood BEVERLY HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

The Beverly Hills Neighborhood would like to recognize Diann for her continued support participation in neighborhood activities, and leadership with the neighborhood association.

She is great neighbor and dedicated volunteer for the Beverly Hills Neighborhood Association. Her work in putting together our neighborhood newsletter is helpful to keeping neighbors informed. Also, she plays a huge role in ensuring that our neighborhood socials go well. She supports our social committee and provides leadership with organizing picnics, blood drives, and our community meetings. As a long-time Beverly Hills resident, Diann also has great knowledge of the neighbors and helps to bridge gaps between the long-term residents and with new residents. She is also a committed volunteer member at Epworth United Methodist Church. We appreciate Diann’s energy, efforts,

and her desire to help ensure that neighbors are engaged and that our neighborhood remains a vibrant, tight knit community.

Rosemary & Roy Thompson KISER WOODS NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE

Roe & Roy Thompson are our neighborhood Presidents and they are doing an amazing job! Our neighborhood struggled over the years with organization. Kiser Woods is not organized as a homeowner’s association, but rather a great Neighborhood Association.

The Thompsons have remained committed to maintaining a high quality of life in our neighborhood. They’ve worked over the past year tirelessly to get our neighborhood in better shape and hold regular neighborhood meetings discussing how we can improve our neighborhood! They’ve made a big difference and this year we were able to reactivate our neighborhood association and establish a leadership board and a regular meeting schedule all under their leadership. They are an asset to the community as well as a very pleasant, helpful, and welcoming couple!

the City of Concord and Lauren helped with this process. She helped to get answers to tough questions and remained available and positive throughout that time. Whether it is through volunteerism, support of our various community events, or providing information to neighbors, Lauren played a huge role in helping our organization with our many duties.

We appreciate her commitment and hard work.

Kevin Jones GORDON HEIGHTS

(not a City-recognized neighborhood) Kevin is a wonderful neighbor and a community leader. He is one who doesn’t like much attention, but is always working to do what he can for others. Kevin played a major role in helping to start the Cabarrus County Chapter of Civitan this year and was the inaugural president. Civitan helps with challenged people and the Special Olympics.

Civitan has a special emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.

Lauren Bredolo

For more information about the City of Concord’s Partnership for Stronger Neighborhoods Program, visit concordnc.gov/ neighborhoods. •

COVINGTON

Pictured left to right are: Diann Norwood, Patty Swift, Roe Thompson, and Roy Thompson.

Lauren is a neighbor who make a big difference in her neighborhood by her commitment to excellence and service on the homeowner’s association board. Lauren serves on the HOA Board in Covington and has been a huge help to other board members as well as the neighbors in our community. She is an asset to the community, always remaining positive, smiling, helpful, and above all approachable and friendly. Over the past year, our community has had to maintain strong lines of communication with neighbors and

PHOTO: CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

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Concord’s Code Enforceme protecting community app

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here is a saying among those who work in code enforcement: children rarely say they want to be a code enforcement officer when they grow up. While code enforcement remains a confusing and misunderstood profession that most people know very little about, the community benefits greatly from the knowledge, skills, and abilities of code enforcement officers. The role of the code enforcement officer is integral to municipal operations, and essential to enhancing quality of life. Code enforcement professionals help to develop and maintain safe and healthy living conditions for residents and businesses.

Code Enforcement Manager:

Chuck Brock

704.920.5150 brockc@concordnc.gov

Code Enforcement Supervisor Interim - Area 3:

Code enforcement regulations have been around North Carolina for well over 100 Years. North Carolina’s building laws date to 1903, and were enhanced in 1905 with a building code for materials and methods of construction in use at that time. As more rules and regulations were added to state and local laws, it became very important to establish methods of enforcement.

Concord’s code enforcement officers perform many duties. While many communities’ code officers are a component of planning and zoning departments, Concord’s Code Enforcement Division is a component of the police department, and has been for more than a decade. This organizational arrangement demonstrates their varied daily functions as problem solvers, communicators, mediators, researchers, educators, and of course public safety officials.

Greg Walters

704.920.5144 waltersg@concordnc.gov

Area 1:

Area 2:

704.920.6030 caudelld@concordnc.gov

704.920.5125 braunc@concordnc.gov

Derrick Caudell

Charles Braun

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The most obvious function of code enforcement is limiting the impacts of challenged properties and the spread of blight. Code officers’ roles are critical—their on-the-job decisions and effectiveness can impact property values and the image of the community. All cities and towns have buildings, homes, and properties that will age over time. Code enforcement officers support and enhance property values through effective enforcement of property standards, while working to keep aging buildings, homes, and properties from deteriorating and becoming “eyesores” to the community.

Similarly, communities face struggles with vacant buildings, trash, tall grass and weeds, graffiti, and inoperable vehicles. Studies have shown that communities with areas of blight and deteriorated properties have an increased risk of crime and disorder—and a significant decrease in property values. Code enforcement officers serve as the front line in making sure that these issues are mitigated and managed in a responsible and effective way.

Safety is another area that code enforcement officers make a difference. The Concord City Council and elected officials in other jurisdictions enact ordinances for the good of the entire community. These ordinances include rules and regulations that take into consideration the safety and wellbeing of the public, such as fire codes, building codes, and general property standards. Enforcement of these ordinances is essential to safe and healthy living and working conditions for the community. Code enforcement officers are called upon to ensure compliance with these ordinances and codes. They also provide expertise when officials develop these ordinances and codes. Based upon their valuable experiences and “real life” situations in the community, code enforcement officers can help to shape the ordinance provisions and the overall codes of their jurisdiction.

It is important to take code enforcement seriously and to understand the value of code enforcement officers within the community.

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Code enforcement is often a difficult job. Code enforcement officers regularly interact with many local and state departments and agencies in varied disciplines like public health, child/ family services, public safety, infrastructure, development, and legal. Even more important are their interactions with individuals and families. Code enforcement activities are many residents’ first association with local government. The code officers’ professionalism and approach shape the overall community perception of local government services.

In Concord, seven full-time code officers handle this responsibility over the City’s more than 63 square miles, with each officer covering an average of 9 square miles. By the end of 2020, Concord is expected to have nearly 36,000 households, averaging 5,140 households per officer to enforce City ordinances and zoning

laws. The Code Enforcement Division is led by Code Manager Chuck Brock. Brock has worked for the City of Concord for 28 years, with 16 years in code enforcement. Chuck is a North Carolina Certified Building Level One inspector, a North Carolina Zoning Official, and a North Carolina Housing Code Official. He also has North Carolina Plumbing Inspector Level 1 and Mechanical Inspector Level 1 certifications.

Do you have a concern for our code enforcement team? Call our Customer Care Center at 704.920.5555 to report code enforcement concerns. You may also contact your neighborhood code officer who will be happy to assist you (please refer to the map on this page). For more information, visit concordnc.gov/Departments/Police/ Operations-Bureau/Code-Enforcement, or call 704.920.5150. •

Area 6:

Gary Rinehardt

704.920.5135 rineharg@concordnc.gov

Area 7:

Mike Coble

704.920.5126 coblem@concordnc.gov

concordnc.gov • SPRING 2020 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 11

When we all respond, we all benefit.

When everyone is counted in the 2020 Census, our communities get the funding they need for things like health care, education, emergency services, and more.

For more information, visit:

2020CENSUS.GOV D-PO-GP-EN-422

12 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • SPRING 2020 • concordnc.gov

Arbor Day Foundation City Receives Names Concord Affordable Housing Market Study Tree City USA® Concord was named a 2019 Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Concord achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Concord’s efforts were led

by City Arborist Bill Leake and Buildings and Grounds Director Susan Sessler, and supported by City elected officials and management.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Concord are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life.

Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time.

Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring 5 million tree planters by 2022. With Tree City USA recognition, Concord has demonstrated a commitment to effective urban forest management and is doing its part to help address these challenges for residents now and in the future.

More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA. • ABOUT THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION:

The Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

At its January meeting, the Concord City Council received a presentation of the recently completed Affordable Housing Market Study. The mission of this study is to identify ways the citizens of Concord can have access to safe, quality, affordable housing as well as the supportive services necessary to maintain independent living.

The City of Concord contracted with the Institute of Building Technology and Safety to complete individual housing studies for Concord and all other members of the Cabarrus/Iredell/Rowan HOME Consortium. Each study provides analytical data for Concord and other members to use to bolster planning efforts around affordable housing.

Highlights of the study include expected demographic trends, future demands for housing, regulations, and obstacles preventing the market from effectively responding to this demand. In addition, it provides a snapshot of the assets and programs currently available to help the community to address these challenges.

The full study is available on concord.gov. Additional details about the City's affordable housing programs are at concordnc.gov/ Planning. You may also contact Planning and Neighborhood Development at 704.920.5152 for more information. •

Manager’s Notes continued from page 3 decision, but your input is important to us. We realize we are fiduciary agents of your money. It is our responsibility to not be wasteful and continually look for ways to be cost effective while delivering the best service to you. We desire for our customer service to be efficient as we know your time is valuable. We will strive to be timely and accurate in our communication with you. Being pro-active and deliberate in our service is important.

Team Concord loves our City and strives each day to provide you the very best customer service. We are proud to partner with you each day and desire to serve you in the best possible ways. Let us know if you have experienced excellent customer service so we can recognize those employees appropriately – got to concordnc.gov/High5, call 704.920.6400, or fill out a nomination card in one of our facilities. • concordnc.gov • SPRING 2020 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 13

Project Update: A New Union Streetscape At the annual Planning Session on January 31, the City’s Planning Department updated the Mayor and City Council on the downtown streetscape project, known as “a new Union Streetscape.” Planning staff showed the first conceptual renderings to emerge from the process, which goes back several years and moved ahead in the fall when City Council made the key decision to proceed with reduced on-street parking and 22-foot wide sidewalks along Union Street. Council also asked staff for feedback on potential phasing of a larger downtown streetscape project. The conceptual renderings featured on this page are subject to change as we move forward with full engineering and design.

Here is recap on the project to date and where it goes from here:

2016 Master Plan The Downtown Master Plan, adopted by City Council in August 2016, identified the completion of a new Union Streetscape as a catalytic project

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for downtown Concord. According to the plan a new Union Streetscape will send a positive signal to the private market. It will incentivize the creation of outdoor cafes, adding life to the street and changing its perception, especially at night. The increased foot traffic and street life will attract new restaurants/night life and retailers; and make reuse of now vacant upper stories more attractive to office and residential uses. The new streetscape will increase property values and redevelopment opportunities in downtown.

Demonstration Project (May 31st-June 1st, 2019)

On Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st, an interactive demonstration temporarily transformed a section of Union Street S near Gianni’s Trattoria and Cabarrus Creamery (16 and 21 Union Street S) to demonstrate new streetscape design ideas. The design options illustrated the look and feel of enhancements to sidewalk widths, outdoor dining and seating, street trees, and street parking travel lane widths. Citizens were invited to test drive streetscape improvements on Union Street and provide feedback.

Public Input Survey Results (June 2019)

Results of the feedback provide through Public Input between May 31st and June 10th, 2019 are summarized in the infographic below.

Many of the responses received from the Survey aligned with those stated in the 2016 Downtown Master Plan. Reoccurring themes based on public feedback were: More outdoor dining & entertainment options ■ Trees/landscaping ■ Inc. connectivity (bike & pedestrian) ■ Public gathering/event space ■ Parking perceptions (enough vs. not enough) ■ More residential living & small-scale grocery ■ Public art + amenities (water features) ■ Better Accessibility The approved plan for A New Union Streetscape includes 22 FT wide sidewalks, 11 FT travel lanes, 15 parking spaces remaining on Union Street including two new ADA accessible spaces, sharrow markings, poured concrete sidewalks with brick paver accents, added street trees and landscaping, new smart light poles, space for public art and outdoor dining, designated loading/unloading zones, and vehicle drop-off zones.

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

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What’s Next?

Construction Documents are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020 with Construction of the Union Streetscape starting early 2021. •

High Five recognizes coworkers who make a difference.

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:

Buildings & Grounds: Daryl Sossoman, Kyle Fincher, Lewis Pfieffer Fleet: Pat Watkins Fire: Matthew Cauble, Greg Hammond, Jacob Engles Human Resources: Kimberly Wynn Parks & Recreation: Martha Hagood Police: Tyler Roth, Jzanese Weekes, Christian Morales Solid Waste: James Hudson, Kevin Reid Water Resources: Ricky Tucker, Brett Clayton Transportation: Jimmy Morgan High Performers were selected from among the high five nominations received from the past quarter (October – December 2019). 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. 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 2020 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 15

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

P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28026

Customer Care Center ................................ 704-920-5555

Concord Mobile Care You can 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. •

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 & 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 Solid Waste .....................................................704-920-5361 Tax Collector ....................................................704-920-5216 TTY/North Carolina Relay ................................................... 711 Transportation .................................................704-920-5338 Water Resources ..............................................704-920-5342 Zoning/Permits ................................................704-920-5152

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