Fall 2012

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Loose Leaf Schedule

FALL 2012 Information You Can Use

A fitting tribute to Alfred M Brown, Sr. Pages 8-9

Preserving Concord’s Beauty Cankerworm Prevention Page 5

Environmental Responsibility

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City Council

David W. Phillips District 1

Ella Mae Small District 3 Mayor Pro-Tem

W. Lamar Barrier District 5

James E. Ramseur District 2

Alfred M. Brown, Jr. District 4

Hector H. Henry II District 6

John A. Sweat, Jr. District 7

Peak Partners The City of Concord Electric Department needs your help in controlling wholesale power costs.

Wholesale purchased power is the largest expense in the Electric Fund, at approximately three-quarters of the $82 million total budget. The largest portion of this cost is determined by a peak usage day that occurs on a hot summer afternoon.

Concord Peak Partners is a voluntary program for customers.

Customers that sign up do not receive any incentives to do so and they are not penalized if they sign up and do nothing. The goal is to educate customers to promote conservation during times of high priced electricity.

Through Concord Peak Partners, the City will notify participants when power costs are going to be high so they can take action. When there is an indication that a peak situation is going to occur, an email, voice, or text message will be sent to those customers who volunteer to participate. Notifications will ask customers to adjust cooling system thermostats to at least three degrees higher than normal, turn off lights, delay the use of major appliances or equipment, and conserve electricity in any other way possible.

This would normally occur on hot summer weekdays between the hours of 1 and 6 p.m.

To sign up for the program, contact David Dobbins at 704-920-5303 or dobbinsd@concordnc.gov. Even if you do not receive electric power from the City, you can still help spread the word about the benefits this program may provide.

In this Issue: From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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.

Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Designed by Granite Sky Design, Inc.

Coworkers Recognized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back

Loose Leaf Collection Schedule . . . . . . . . . . 4 Cankerworm Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Downtown Concord Celebrates . . . . . . . . . 6-7

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

Alfred M. Brown, Sr. Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 McCachern Boulevard Improvements . . . . . 10 Enhancing Our Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 How Are We Doing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Environment Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2011 2012 concordnc.gov

Stay connected with Concord through facebook!

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

From the Mayor

Manager’s Notes

J. Scott Padgett

Brian Hiatt, Concord City Manager

With gratitude to many

City of Concord Trivia

We have certainly had a hot summer. Fortunately, we have also had a moderate amount of rain and our area has escaped the drought conditions that have impacted much of the United States. Drought has been a major issue for us in past years, and in 2009 the City Council adopted responsible water use guidelines to help our community conserve this important resource. Visit concordnc.gov/savethedrops to learn more.

Every week the City sends an update via email to thousands of subscribers. These emails start off with a “Did you know?” fact that helps to illustrate the diversity of City services. To sign up for the weekly CityLink Newsletter and read these every week, please visit concordnc.gov. Signing up takes just a moment and you can unsubscribe any time.

Throughout the hot summer, I saw the men and women who serve our City working outside every day. Their work provides the services that most of us take for granted, whether it be safe drinking water, reliable power, well-maintained streets and sidewalks, the removal of household waste, public safety, or recreation. The summer is often the best time to get certain types of construction and maintenance projects completed, because of weather conditions and how these projects relate to their work at other times of the year.

Here are some interesting facts: The Customer Care Center has been in service for 11 years and still has most of the original staff. The Center handled 153,602 calls in 2010 for an average of 12,800 calls per month. Based on this average, that would be over 1.5 million calls since it opened for service. The Customer Care Center is your one number to remember for any non-emergency need: 704-920-5555.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all City of Concord coworkers who labor in the elements without complaint, whether it is heat, cold, rain, or snow. Despite the conditions, they always go the extra mile in serving you, our customers, with the best professionalism. They would say, “We’re just doing our job,” but I think their efforts on behalf of our City are worth recognizing.

On July 10, the Concord City Council held its work session at the home of the late Alfred M. Brown, Sr. to honor him as one of our City’s former Mayors and Council Members. It was kind of Mr. Brown’s widow, Frances, to host the meeting. Council Members and others in attendance wore red socks (just like Mr. Brown did late in life). With his former office painted red, our City’s red logo seemed even more appropriate. I’m sure Mr. Brown would certainly like it.

People who remember Mr. Brown know that he was a plainspoken man who loved his country and the City of Concord.

He was one among a strong group of leaders who had vision and courage. The decisions Mr. Brown and his contemporaries made continue to affect us today, such as support of the International Business Park and Concord Regional Airport.

They had the foresight that turned our community into the city we are today, with a high quality of life, diverse economy, promising future, and proud history. continued on page 14

Concord Police Department partners with the Cabarrus County Board of Education to provide nine school resource officers and 13 school crossing guards to help keep our youth safe. School resource officers are a tremendous resource to students, parents, and school personnel.

At any given time, there are over 50 firefighters on duty in the City of Concord. Concord’s firefighters work 24hour shifts, and are based at 10 stations around the City with 10 engines, 3 ladders, and several pieces of special equipment such as rescue and haz-mat vehicles.

The Concord 911 Center answered over 107,000 calls for Concord Fire and Concord Police last year. That figure includes several thousand medical responder calls, where the Fire Department assists ambulances responding within the City.

The City of Concord Transportation Department maintains 321 miles of streets, 194 miles of sidewalks, 16 bridges, and 414 miles of curb and gutter. All other streets in the City are maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. City Transportation also maintains and checks retroreflectivity on over 11,000 traffic signs. continued on page 12

concordnc.gov FALL 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 3

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2012 - 2013

Loose

B

Leaf Collection

first day of your loose leaf collection schedule.

OC ollection crews

Schedule

This schedule is subject to change due to weather delays and equipment breakdown.

O

Your Loose Leaves will be Collected…

Monday

October 29 - November 2 December 3 - 7 January 14 - 18

Tuesday

October 22 - 26 November 26 - 30 January 7 - 11

Wednesday

October 22 - 26 November 12 - 16 December 31, January 2 - 4

Thursday

November 5 - 9 December 17 - 21 January 28 - February 1

Second Chance

October 29 - November 2 December 10 - 14 January 22 - 25

objects and kept away from storm drains, mail boxes nd parked cars.

O Bagged leaves are collected weekly on your regular garbage collection day. Consider bagging your leaves if you cannot wait for the once per month loose leaf collection.

O Bagged leaves must be contained in untied, clear plastic or biodegradable paper bags weighing less than 35 pounds each.

O The City will collect your Christmas trees, too. Please leave trees at the curb with your regular household garbage.

Remove all stands, lights and ornaments.

Second Chance Program You are required to begin bagging all loose leaves placed at the curb after the leaf crew works your street during the 3rd collection cycle. The Second Chance Program is for anyone who missed the last collection and is willing to pay rather than to bag their leaves and avoid the Code Enforcement penalties.

For a fee of $75, the City will schedule a special loose leaf collection weekdays between February 4th and February 15th.

February 4 - 8 February 11 - 15

C

Friday

are unable to return if you place leaves at the curb after they have worked your street.

O L eaves must be free of tree/shrub limbs or foreign

If your Garbage Day is…

O Place your loose leaves at the curb by 7 am the

No loose leaf collection is scheduled on City-observed holidays, including:

C Thanksgiving (November 22-23) C Christmas (December 24-26) C New Year’s Day (January 1)

C Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 21) 4 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2012 concordnc.gov

For updates, contact the

Customer Care Center

704.920.5555 or check our website

concordnc.gov

Prepare this fall to prevent cankerworms in the spring How to band a tree:

Did cankerworms take over your yard this spring? To help prevent the weeks of webs, eaten leaves, and inchworms on your clothes in spring 2013, the time to act is coming soon!

The fall cankerworm has become an increasing nuisance to trees and property owners in Cabarrus County over the last few years. Feeding larvae (which hatch in the spring) can defoliate and build bothersome webs in many tree species.

After many years of infesting trees in Charlotte, cankerworms moved into Harrisburg in 2009 and made their way to Concord and Kannapolis in 2010. Cabarrus cankerworm populations continued to increase in 2011 and 2012. However, a few simple tips can help you reduce their impact: • Fall cankerworms will not kill a healthy tree in their four to fiveweek spring feeding frenzy. If all the leaves are removed, the tree will wait a few weeks and then put out new leaves.

• The best control for reducing future infestations is tree banding. Place bands on trees in November and monitor them until the larva disappear in April.

• Spraying is less effective. Since the larva stage is short term, the cankerworms won’t kill the tree and

Supplies: staples or electrical tape*, staple gun, disposable elbow length gloves, roofing felt, cotton batting or fiber glass, Tanglefoot™ (glue), putty knife.

1 2 3

4

Install a strip of cotton or insulation around the tree at least three feet from the ground and below the lowest limb.

Position a band of roofing felt over the strip and attach it to the trees with the staple gun*. earing disposable gloves W and using a putty knife, put a film of Tanglefoot™ (glue) directly on the band, approximately 1/8 of an inch thick. Start with a 2-inch wide strip of Tanglefoot. Monitor the trap and add additional Tanglefoot as necessary.

Keep the band in place until the larvae stage disappears in late April. If the cankerworms run out of food, they will start crawling around and may become trapped in the band during the larva stage.

*F or small trees, substitute electrical tape for the staples. Do not use nails.

spraying a mature tree is difficult or expensive. Most homeowners will ignore the spring infestation on mature shade trees.

Because the female moths climb trees following the first freeze in the fall to lay eggs, using the tree banding technique at that time can help control this growing problem. Eggs hatch in the spring, then defoliate and weaken trees. Banding trees in the fall and smearing the bands with a sticky substance prevents the female wingless moths from climbing up the trunks to lay eggs in the tops of the trees.

For best results, trees should be banded around the last week of November. It is important to wait until most leaves have fallen from the trees so the leaves don’t get stuck to the tree bands. Focus on trees that are higher than 20 feet. Don’t expect banding to totally control every cankerworm in your landscape. Even if a trap is 100 percent effective, cankerworms may still blow in from other places, particularly on understory plants. For more information about cankerworm prevention and tree banding instructions, visit http://bit.ly/cankerworms or call the Cabarrus County Cooperative Extension at 704-920-3310.

The public is invited to hear a presentation from local cankerworm expert Jack McNeary at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 2 at the Cabarrus County Cooperative Extension Center, located at 714 Cabarrus Avenue West in Concord. Several demonstration trees have been banded along Union Street North and the McEachern Greenway for residents to see examples.

concordnc.gov FALL 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 5

Downtown Concord celebrates its character PHOTOS COURTESY OF NANCY LENIG/CONCORD DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

When you make a purchase in a clothing store or enjoy a meal in a restaurant in Downtown Concord, chances are you are being served by the owner. In fact, all of Historic Downtown Concord’s retail stores, restaurants, venues, and galleries are independently-owned and operated. To help promote this, the Concord Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) began a shop-local awareness campaign late last year.

Late last year the Concord Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) began a shop-local awareness campaign.

At the start of last year’s holiday shopping season, CDDC and Downtown businesses used a shop-local campaign developed by The 350 Project. Professionally designed posters broadcasting the slogan Keep the Cheer Here were placed in all Downtown Concord establishments. At the close of the holidays these posters were replaced with a year-round poster that delivers the message Locals Love You More. The result: on the recognized national Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Downtown Concord retailers saw a jump in sales. Many customers made a point of supporting locally-owned small businesses on that day.

Tim Mills, owner of Chef’s Delight Gourmet Pastries at 11 Union Street, South greeted mobsters in July with a cake and a smile.

6 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2012 concordnc.gov

Past and Presents at 37 Union Street, South was the location of the first Downtown Concord Cash Mob in July.

To continue its shop local awareness campaign the CDDC decided to create a monthly shop local event, and starting in January began running a Small Business Saturday promotion the fourth Saturday of every month. Customers who make a purchase of any size in a participating shop, restaurant, or gallery can register for a drawing for $100 in Downtown Concord Dollars. The dollars can be used just like cash to make purchases in any participating establishment.

Local graphic artist Dawn Lockavitch was hired to develop a distinct logo for the campaign. This logo can be found on posters and table tents throughout Downtown Concord.

Cabarrus Business Magazine, F & M Bank, and Southern Select Community Credit Union signed on as the initial sponsors, providing sponsorship dollars that are used to reimburse businesses that accept Downtown Concord Dollars for transactions. When this campaign is combined with other events, such as July’s Krazy Klearance sale, the fourth Saturday of the month proves to be a busy day in Downtown Concord.

This past summer the CDDC added a new twist to Small Business Saturday by introducing Cash Mobs to the same day as Small Business Saturday. Shoppers bring twenty

dollars and gather for coffee at a predetermined Downtown restaurant at 9:30 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., the CDDC announces the business to be mobbed and the group proceeds to that location to spend their twenty dollars. Each cash mob participant is registered to win a $25 gift certificate given away by the shop where the mob is taking place. Cash Mobs generate an immediate positive economic impact in an independently-owned eatery and retail store in Downtown Concord. Anyone can participate in the monthly Cash Mobs.

To keep track of when and where the monthly cash mob is taking place you can find Downtown Concord Cash Mob on Facebook, or sign up for the weekly Downtown Concord e-newsletter by going to the CDDC’s website, concorddowntown.com.

Upcoming Downtown Concord events: Union Street Live! FREE!

Candy Crawl, FREE!

Thursday, September 20, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 31

Outdoor concert on Means Avenue, featuring Balsam Range.

3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Trick-or-treating and games on Union Street in Historic Downtown Concord.

Small Business Saturday Always the fourth Saturday of each month during regular business hours.

Make a purchase of any amount in a participating Downtown Concord establishment and register to win $100 in Downtown Concord Dollars.

Souper Mudfest Saturday, November 10 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Purchase a hand-made bowl for $15 and visit Downtown Concord shops and restaurants for tastings of soup.

Cash Mobs

Holiday Happenings

Always the fourth Saturday of each month, gather at 9:30 a.m., mob at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, December 1 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Spend $20 at the mob location and you could win a $25 gift certificate.

Check the Concord Downtown Cash Mob facebook page for gathering locations.

Children may purchase a ticket for $5 to decorate a gingerbread house with items found throughout Downtown Concord businesses.

Free horse-drawn wagon rides and face painting.

Historic Downtown Concord Wedding Show, FREE! Check-in at 9 Union Street, North Sunday, September 23, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

For information on these and other events go to concorddowntown.com or call 704-784-4208.

Door prizes offered at all participating locations. concordnc.gov FALL 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 7

City Council pays tribute to Alfred M. Brown, Sr. Concord’s Mayor and City Council paid tribute to a former colleague, friend, leader, and father at its work session on Tuesday, July 10 by holding the meeting at the home of the late Alfred M. Brown, Sr. Brown. Brown is the namesake for the City’s operations center, and served Concord as an elected official for nearly four decades.

“Our City would not be what it is today without the vision and leadership of Mr. Brown over so many decades,” said Mayor Scott Padgett. “To have an official Council meeting in Mr. Brown’s former office is a show of respect for a man who truly loved Concord.”

8 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR SUMMER 2012 concordnc.gov

Brown was first elected to Concord’s Board of Alderman (now known as City Council) in 1952, and served the City continuously for 25 years. From 1965 until 1969, he served as Mayor Pro-Tem and was elected Mayor 1969, serving until 1977. After a twelve year hiatus, Brown returned to the Board of Alderman in 1989, serving until 2001 when his eldest son, Alfred Brown, Jr. was elected to replace him.

“I know my father would be pleased to know his house was used for a Concord City Council work session and I am sure he was with us in spirit,” said Council Member Brown. “To know that the City’s business and affairs was dialogued there would be meaningful to him. He spent his career trying to make Concord a better place to live, work, and play. It was a special day for us and for him knowing that the public is welcome.”

Aside from his public service, Brown managed his family’s Clear Springs dairy farm for twenty-one years, and beginning in 1971 owned and operated the Brown Realty Company. He was active in many community and state organizations and was a member of Forest Hill United Methodist Church.

His widow, Frances, still resides in their home, which also served as the office for Brown Realty.

In addition to naming its operation center after him, the City of Concord also established a scholarship for UNC Charlotte Master of Public Administration students in honor of Brown and longtime colleague, James L. Dorton.

Information on the Brown-Dorton Scholarship and how you can make a gift is available at mpa.uncc.edu.

top left:

Brian Hiatt, Ella Mae Small, Jim Ramseur, Lamar Barrier, Mrs. Brown, Mayor Scott Padgett, David Phillips and Al Brown, Jr. show off their red sox in memory of Alfred M. Brown. Sr. left:

Mrs. Frances Brown looks on insert:

Alfred M. Brown, Sr.

right:

Council Member Alfred Brown, Jr. bottom:

Council members David Phillips, Jim Ramseur, Ella Mae Small and Mayor Scott Padgett

PHOTOS (INCLUDING COVER PHOTO) COURTESY OF KAREN RICHTER/CITY OF CONCORD

concordnc.gov SUMMER 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 9

McCachern Boulevard improvements underway

ORIGINAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NCDOT (PHOTOS SHOWN ARE NOT IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORMAT)

The project, which is expected to be complete in December, will construct sidewalks, bike lanes, bump outs, traffic pattern modifications, and on-street parking. These features will make the facility more attractive, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly, and hopefully encourage more people to use these forms of transportation rather than driving.

A

fter several years of preparation, the McCachern Blvd streetscape improvement project began the first week of August. The street is located Downtown, running parallel to Church Street between Cabarrus and Corban Avenues. Most people know the street because of the Downtown post office.

Maybe now you can picture it; the extremely wide road looks more like a sledding slope or an uneven runway. This type of road, with few amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists is not ideal in the Center City Area. It will be improved using federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program funds, which are administered by NCDOT. The funds are only available for eligible areas that need to improve air quality.

10 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2012 concordnc.gov

Access to the City’s McEachern Greenway is available across from the post office using the Downtown Greenway Connector. McEachern, McCachern? There is some local confusion over these names, which are often (mis) pronounced similarly. Both are names of former Concord Mayors. J.G. McCachern (pronounced MickCATH-urn) served as Mayor from 1957 until 1965.

Harold McEachern (pronounced MickEACH-urn), was Mayor from 1977 until 1981.

Enhancing our community The City of Concord’s Partnerships for Stronger Neighborhoods program has been a key emphasis of the Mayor, City Council, and City staff members since 2000.

The program’s goals have been to build relationships with neighborhoods in an effort to enhance the quality of life in Concord, and stimulate communication between the City and its residents. Keeping in mind that another goal of this program is a true partnership between our organization and the community, the initiative is taking a new direction.

The program has experienced tremendous growth and success in its first twelve years. Managed by staff in the Planning and Neighborhood Development department, it has expanded to 52 recognized neighborhoods. City neighborhood liaisons, police officers, and other staff members regularly attend many neighborhood meetings. The City offers communications resources and encourages participation in community events such as National Night Out, the Concord Christmas Parade, and others.

of experience in community planning and outreach to the organization, including two years as Concord’s Neighborhood Program Manager. Her previous experience in Concord, coupled with additional experience elsewhere, gives Cherie the unique ability to take a fresh look at the Partnerships for Stronger Neighborhoods program while building on previously-established relationships. She will also work on other outreach and communications efforts.

Are you interested in learning more about the Partnerships for Stronger Neighborhoods program?

Visit concordnc.gov/neighborhoods or call 704-920-5298.

Pepper Bego, who managed the program since 2006, took on new responsibilities in Planning and Neighborhood Services beginning July 1. With the reality that this program is primarily a communications tool, and in the spirit of continuous improvement, the program has moved into the City Manager’s Office (CMO). The former Neighborhood Program Manager position is now called Community Outreach Coordinator, and the position’s responsibilities will expand to assist our Public Affairs and Projects Manager with other City outreach and communications efforts.

Cherie Jzar joined the CMO team as Community Outreach Coordinator in late August. She brings over twelve years

Cherie Jzar, Community Outreach Coordinator

concordnc.gov FALL 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 11

How are we doing?

The City of Concord is committed to providing excellent special envelope to return it with no postage necessary. service to every customer, every time. This fall, the City will once We will use your responses to help again conduct its biennial citizen us plan for the next few years. For Surveys will arrive to selected survey. We are interested in your example, the improvements to the homes soon, and also be opinions and experiences so that residential solid waste program in available via concordnc.gov. we can best serve you.

2011 were made in part because of feedback from customers on previous Not all City residents will receive this survey. Homes will be surveys. This will be your opportunity to anonymously and randomly selected to participate. The survey will come with a confidentially give us your honest opinions.

[

Manager’s Notes continued from page 3 In the first year of collecting recyclables every-other-week in 96-gallon roll-out carts, Concord residents significantly increased recycling tonnage. Sonoco Recycling received 5,607 tons of residential mixed recyclables last year from the City’s service provider, Waste Pro. The average monthly recycling tonnage increased from 298 tons per month using bins to 467 tons per month using roll-out carts; a 56.7 percent increase.

Concord Parks and Recreation offers group swimming lessons for ages 3 and up. This is just one of the many programs offered by the department, which served over 92,000 customers during fiscal year 2011-12.

Credits of $50 per toilet are available from the Water Resources Department to qualified City of Concord water users for replacing their existing toilets in houses built before 1994 with WaterSense® labeled high-efficiency toilet models.

The City owns and operates a wastewater collection system that has over 534 miles of pipe. If all of these sewer lines were in a straight line, it would stretch all the way to Disney World. Concord customers generate enough wastewater each day to fill 411 residential sized (20,000 gallon) swimming pools.

The City of Concord Electric System has 1,384 miles of power lines. 643 miles (or 46 percent) of those power lines are underground and the department has recently won awards for its highly reliable system.

Since launching eBilling over a year ago, 1,000 Concord utility customers have opted-in to the free program to receive utility bills without paper. With eBilling, customers view an exact image of their utility bill online.

12 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2012 concordnc.gov

]

Concord Kannapolis Area Transit [Rider] has seen all time record ridership 10 of the last 12 months, and transit ridership is at its highest level nationally in nearly 60 years.

Rider now serves an average of 37,493 passengers each month, up from 16,953 when the system launched in 2004.

The runway at Concord Regional Airport is 7,400 feet, or about 1.4 miles long. The biggest plane that can land at CRA is a 737-sized aircraft, because the runway is strong enough to support an aircraft weighing 129,000 pounds.

The City’s Planning and Neighborhood Development Department has oversight of the regional HOME Consortium. The Consortium was formed in 1996 to address the housing needs of low and moderate income families and is funded through HUD. Members include the municipalities of Concord, Kannapolis, Mooresville, Salisbury, and Statesville; and Cabarrus, Iredell, and Rowan Counties and three Community Housing Development Corporations.

The City of Concord’s fleet of vehicles travels about 4.5 million miles annually to deliver the many services we provide to citizens and customers. To keep fuel usage as low as possible, we make every effort to “right-size” the fleet, for example transition the Police fleet to 6 cylinder vehicles, incorporating hybrid vehicles in departments where appropriate and using bio-diesel fuel for diesel trucks.

Participants in Concord 101 learn about these facts and other aspects about City departments. It also gives us the opportunity to get valuable input from the people we serve.

The 2012 class is already underway, but if you are interested in the class for fall 2013, look for information in the Summer 2013 issue of the City Circular or sign up for the CityLink Newsletter so you will know as soon as the application is available!

Connecting to environmental responsibility Water treatment plants are continuously attempting to purify our drinking water more and more, but water pollution can be prevented altogether. Here are several simple actions you can take to reduce the contaminants in our drinking water:

•P roperly dispose of medicine—place inside a closed plastic container and dispose in your garbage

by Kelly Tyson Have you ever wondered where all the stuff you flush down your toilet or rinse down your sink goes? Do you know what the drain you see along City streets are used for? You probably know that the drains in your house are connected to the city’s sewer lines, unless you have a septic tank. You may also know that the drains on the streets are for stormwater collection.

But are you fully aware of the cyclical process of that water?

Everything you flush down your toilet, pour down your sink, and rinse in your dishwasher and washing machine funnels into a single drain that connects to a main sewer pipeline. This pipeline connects to the wastewater treatment plant where a number of filtrations occur and chemicals are added to attempt to cleanse the water. This water is then transported into your nearby stream, creek, lake, or river.

Although the wastewater

•S witch to shampoos, conditioners, and other personal care products with natural ingredients as opposed to chemical ingredients •S top littering, and pick up litter you find on the ground and dispose of it properly •A ppropriately dispose of oils and grease—recycle them at the Cabarrus County Household Hazardous Waste Facility (call 704-920-3278 for details) •R ecycle or properly dispose of chemicals and automobile fluids • Pick up after your pet • Limit the amount of fertilizers and herbicides you use, and sweep excess from paved surfaces; apply according to directions, if at all •W ash vehicles and machinery over your lawn or at commercial carwashes, not over paved surfaces •P lant a tree to reduce stormwater runoff and compost yard waste to fertilize your lawn and reduce clogged storm drains •D o not over water your yard; in order to conserve water and prevent excess stormwater you can also install a rain barrel • Make sure the drains for your plumbing are piped to the City’s sewer system and not the storm drain

treatment plant can filter out dangerous bacteria and some harmful chemicals, it cannot completely purify the water. Thus, chemicals from medicines, cleaning detergents, and anything else you discard down your drains are not totally removed by filtration and end up in our local bodies of water.

These are not the only pollutants distributed to local bodies of water. Unfortunately, stormwater runoff collects litter, contaminants from fertilizers and herbicides that we use to treat lawns, oils and grease that are poured into storm drains or leaked from cars, pet waste from yards, and soaps and detergents that we use to wash things outside.

All stormwater flows directly into streams, creeks, lakes, and rivers with out adequate treatment.

This polluted water is then carried to the water treatment plant where it is finished into drinking water. After this process, the water is continued on page 15

concordnc.gov FALL 2012 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR 13

From the Mayor continued from page 3

Prior to the meeting, Council Members shared stories about their time together with Alfred Brown, Sr. and what he meant to the community. The tribute was particularly meaningful to Council Member Alfred Brown, Jr., who was elected to replace his father on City Council in 2001. We are fortunate to have someone like Alfred M. Brown, Sr. in our community’s history. To learn more about Alfred M. Brown, Sr. and how you can honor his legacy, please see the article on pages 8-9.

This event could also not come together without the involvement of many City departments: City Manager’s Office, Parks and Recreation, Fire and Life Safety, Police, Solid Waste Services, Transportation, Buildings and Grounds, and Planning and Neighborhood Development. We also get a lot of support from the Concord Youth Council, Concord Downtown Development Corporation, and Cabarrus Arts Council.

This year’s Tree Lighting and Fireworks show will be Friday, November 16 so mark your calendars now. Thanks to our faithful and community-minded sponsors: Cabarrus Bank & Trust and CMC-NorthEast. The holiday music provided by local young people, trolley and carriage rides, children’s amusements, and other activities provide the perfect setting for the grand finale of fireworks with Christmas colors.

SAVE THE DATE! Come Come Downtown downtown on

Friday, November 16 18 for an evening of fun and festivities:

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Fireworks EVENT SCHEDULE:

5:30 Children’s activities Trolley and carriage rides

6:00 Family entertainment 7:30 Tree lighting and Fireworks!

Also join us for the Art Walk 6:00-9:00 presented by:

14 CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2012 concordnc.gov

Finally, I am grateful to you: Concord’s residents and businesses. It is an honor to serve you as Mayor. The City Council and our over 900 staff members join me in thanking you for your support as we continue to improve the quality of life in Concord. The City organization constantly works to improve our service to you while being good stewards of your investment. I hope you enjoy the coming season and all it brings.

Connecting to environmental continued from page 13 distributed to homes and businesses for consumption. So our water is completely free of toxins now, right? Wrong!

Even after going through the treatment processes, our drinking water is still not completely purified (although it is safe and compliant with local, state, and federal standard).

Although we have the luxury of using water we can be sure is safe for us, our actions do cause unnecessary particulates to remain in our water. More important is the environmental impact of our behavior. As stated earlier, the pollutants we dispose down sewer and stormwater drains are carried to local bodies of water.

The animals dwelling in these areas are forced to cope with the toxins we put in their habitats. Oils and grease coat the surfaces of water, which blocks valuable sunlight and oxygen necessary for the survival of underwater plants and animals. Soaps and detergents contain surfactants that attach to fish and other aquatic animals, which cause suffocation and death. Pet waste, fertilizers, and herbicides all contain high levels of bacteria, nitrates, and phosphates that damage underwater plants and animals, and can make it dangerous for fishing and swimming.

If everyone does their part and follows the easy steps listed on page 13, we can alleviate water pollution and have cleaner, safer water. Please be responsible.

Tyson is a second-year Master of Public Administration student at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

She completed a joint internship program with the Cities of Concord and Kannapolis this summer.

Did you know...

Did you know that certified professionals with the Concord Department of Fire and Life Safety provide free inspection and installation of child safety seats for vehicles? Free car seat checks are available every Monday (except holidays) from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Concord Fire Station 3, located at 100 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORMAN FRANKLIN/CITY OF CONCORD

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 Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5200 Accounts Payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5217 Accounts Receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5231 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 Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5516 Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5430 GIS/Mapping/Addressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5153 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-788-1139 Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5100 Meter Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5219 Parks & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .704-920-5600 Planning & Neighborhood Development . . . . . . . 704-920-5143 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-735-8262 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5362 Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5341 Zoning/Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .704-920-5152

c o nconcordnc.gov c o r FALLd2012 n CONCORD c . CITY g CIRCULAR o v 15

P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28036

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PHOTO COURTESY OF RON FERRELL/CITY OF CONCORD

Coworkers Recognized for their Concern and Professionalism.

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Concord Police Officers Tim Mullins and Jake Harkey responded to a call for service. Their actions helped saved a life and prevent a tragic incident. Mullins, a Master Police Officer, and Harkey, a Trainee Officer, received the Shining STAR Award for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011-2012.

They were recognized at the August 9 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 Tim and Jake for their commitment to our community.

Master Police Officer Tim Mullins and Trainee Officer Jake Harkey