Information You Can Use
FALL 2017
Loose Leaf Collection New Public Safety Tools
SAVE THE DATE!
City Council
Friday, November 17
for an evening of fun and festivities: Sam Leder District 1
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Fireworks
Brian King District 2
Bicentennial Plaza Ella Mae Small District 3 Mayor Pro-Tem
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Alfred M. Brown, Jr. District 4
6:00 Children’s Activities Trolley and Carriage Rides
6:30 Family Entertainment 8:00 Tree Lighting and Fireworks!
W. Lamar Barrier District 5
6:00-9:00pm Enjoy Cabarrus Arts Council’s Art Walk
Jennifer H. Parsley District 6
presented by:
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 Civic
In this Issue:
COVER PHOTO: MICHAEL A. ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
From the Mayor | Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . 3 Recognizing Continuous Service Milestones . . . 4 Vanderleest new Aviation Director . . . . . . . . . . 5 Solid Waste Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Healthiest Employer Awarded to Concord . . . . . 7
Visit concordnc.gov to subscribe to the CityLink email newsletter, and receive weekly updates and information about Concord direct to your inbox.
Statement of Mayor J. Scott Padgett . . . . . . . 8-9 Loose Leaf Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 New Public Safety Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Warm Welcome at Concord Regional Airport . 13 Quarterly High Performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . back
2 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
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
Good government requires good elected officials
It’s about the people Well the time has come to write my final City Circular column. Nowadays, a lot of my sentences begin with, “I remember when…” For example, I remember when the City began publishing this magazine in 1998, and 69 issues later I am proud that it is such a quality information source for citizens.
One of the benefits of being City Manager in Concord has been the quality of the people our citizens have elected to office. While they have not always agreed with each other, your elected representatives have always based their decisions on what they felt was best for Concord and not personal agendas.
The City has continued to find new ways to improve outreach and communications since the launch of the City Circular, including introducing the Concord 101 citizens’ academy, Public Safety Academy, Youth Council, Partnership for Stronger Neighborhoods program, CityLink email newsletter, social media engagement, and more. While the ways we connect have changed over time, the goals remain the same: meeting community members where they are, fostering informed citizenship, focusing on service excellence, and providing convenient ways to interact with City officials and staff.
This issue of the City Circular covers the career of Mayor Scott Padgett, a true public servant during both his career in education and while in public office. He has always conducted himself in a way that has generated trust and he has worked hard to make sure people understand Council decisions, even when it is one that demonstrates government can’t be all things to all people. He is an excellent example of this Concord tradition. I have shortened my column in order to provide more space to cover Mayor Padgett and the many other important activities of the City of Concord.
It has been a pleasure to be part of a team where so many things have been accomplished, ranging from building needed facilities and infrastructure, securing adequate water for our current and future needs, and enhancing the quality of life and quality of place in our community. All of these tangible things are important, but when you boil it down to its core, our work is about serving the people of Concord. This includes people with several generations of Concord roots, and the thousands who have chosen Concord as their home.
Twentieth Annual Mayor’s Golf Tournament
The word Concord means harmony, and I am moved how this community has grown to embrace its name that came from finding a compromise for where to locate the Cabarrus County seat over 220 years ago. Now, it speaks to the way old and new are blending together to make an even stronger and better City, with more opportunities for more people. It is kind of like opening, roving, and spinning cotton into yarn, and then weaving it into cloth. These different elements and processes come together to become something useful that can stand the test of time.
September 29, 2017 Benefiting youth programs of the City of Concord and Cabarrus County Held at the Rocky River Golf Club at Concord The 2016 tournament raised over $13,500 for youth programs! Visit concordnc.gov for 2017 event details, entry, and sponsorship form. For more information, contact: Matt Zvanut, RRGC Group Event Manager at matt.zvanut@jqh.com or Ryan Brickley, Director of Golf at ryan.brickley@jqh.com.
continued on page 15 concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3
City coworkers recognized for over 2,000 collective years of public service 40 35 30
Years
David Little, Finance
Years
Jackie Rushing, Electric Systems
Years
Norman Franklin, Fire Don Starnes, Buildings and Grounds
25
Years
Ray Allen, Fire Tim Baxter, Fire Brian Dunlap, Transportation Lynn Eagle, Fire Mark Hartsell, Buildings and Grounds Mike Hill, Fire Terry James, Fire Don Ward, Fire Travis Wilmot, Buildings and Grounds
20
Years
Rufus Auman, Finance Eric Barnhardt, Water Resources Brian Barrett, Fleet Services Kerwin Cauble, Fire Scott Chunn, Electric Systems Michael Coble, Police George Daniels, Planning and Neighborhood Development Devin Edwards, Buildings and Grounds David Hedrick, Water Resources Mark Helms, Electric Systems Andy Herring, Water Resources Richard Hooper, Police Jeffrey Isley, Water Resources James Johnson, Fire Marvin Kraus, Water Resources Carlos Landers, Police Bill Leake, Buildings and Grounds James Lee, Police James McClaskey, Police Gary Rinehardt, Police Douglas Shue, Fleet Services Glenn Sidden, Electric Systems Dawn Simpson, Parks and Recreation Rodney Smith, Parks and Recreation Steven Smith, Water Resources J Thomas, Fire John Tierney, Police Mickey Tucker, Police Ricky Tucker, Water Resources Millard Warren, Police Eric Widenhouse, Engineering
This month, the City of Concord recognized 147 coworkers who reached service milestones in our organization in between July 2016 and June 2017, and 23 departments or divisions received safety awards from the NC Department of Labor. These milestones and achievements represent over 2,000 years of public service, and over 61,500 hours of work completed in the last year with industry-leading safety records. Through the service awards program, all full and part-time City coworkers and elected officials are eligible for recognition once they have reached each five-year continuous service milestone (5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, etc.). Recipients are invited to a lunch program and receive letters of appreciation from the City Manager, certificates, and for those with 20 or more years of service, a plaque. The City of Concord thanks and congratulates all coworkers who have reached a service milestone.
15 Years Enrique Blat, Engineering Shane Bolick, Fire Robbie Boyd, Fire Alfred M. Brown, Jr., Governing Body
Curtis Anderson, Police Darrell Anderson, Solid Waste and Recycling
Travis Arms, Electric Systems Robin Barham, Finance Pepper Bego, Planning and
Neighborhood Development LeDerick Blackburn, Planning and Neighborhood Development Nicholas Blalock, Communications Charlie Bost, Police Scott Brantley, Fire John Bridges, Aviation Manager’s Office Lee Cavin, Fire Randy Dozier, Fire Christopher Corl, Police Breck Gillespie, Electric Matt Hairfield, Fire Systems Jeffrey Harper, Fire James Grasty, Police Matthew Jenkins, Water Leslie Griffin, Police Resources Jerry Harrington, Buildings Jessica Jones, Finance and Grounds Barbara Jordan, Police Chris Hartsell, Fire Timothy Karriker, Buildings and Jeffrey Howell, Police Grounds Chris Hyatt, Fire Valerie Kolczynski, Legal Melanie Jordan, Fire Marie Maurer, Legal Mark Kincaid, Parks and Robert McClure, Electric Recreation Systems Thomas Knox, Fire Charity Langston, Engineering Lewis Murray, Buildings and Bethany Ledwell, Communications Grounds Joshua Legg, Water Resources Gregory Neal, Finance James Nichols, Fire Michael McIntosh, Water Dennis Pemberton, Buildings Resources and Grounds Curtis Mitchell, Buildings and Michael Quinn, Police Grounds Daniel Nuckolls, Fleet Services Sean Radford, Engineering Eugene Ramos, Police Ricky Olomua, Police Lesley Reder, Finance Billy Pearson, Parks and Recreation Christopher Reid, Water James Walters, Police Resources Robert Watson, Police Rick Roy, Fire Nick White, Fire Jason Sartain, Electric Systems Joe Wilson, Transportation Debbie Savage, Planning and Neighborhood Development 10 Years William Sherrill, Aviation Jacqueline Aldridge, Buildings Ella Mae Small, Governing Body Mandy Smith-Thompson, City and Grounds Manager’s Office Aaron Anderson, Fire
Seth Burris, Transportation Brandon Cline, Engineering Jason Cook, Fire William Cook, Water Resources James Cox, Transportation Kimberly Deason, City
4 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
James Whitley, Water Resources Brent Widenhouse, Fire Josh Yelton, Electric Systems Michael Zaino, Electric Systems
5 Years Angela Abram, Parks and Recreation
Jana Allee, Fire Darrell Allman, Electric Systems Jacqueline Bankhead, Buildings and Grounds
Tim Barrier, Fire Timika Bonds, Fire Adis Boric, Police Nathan Bryant, Fire Sarah Carr, Parks and Recreation
Matthew Cauble, Fire Tammy Drye, Police Ben Endicott, Fire Jonathan Faircloth, Buildings and Grounds
Angel Gonzalez, Police Michael Hill, Buildings and Grounds
Sheila Lowry, Parks and Recreation
Darrlyn Massey, Parks and Recreation
Vance McGee, Police Taylor Morris, Parks and Recreation
Joshua Shaver, Police Corey Shaylor, Communications Rene Soriano, Fire Lorraine Stevenson, Police Bobby Stone, Buildings and Grounds
Desirae Tautges, Fire Stacy Troutman, Buildings and Grounds
Quentin Vines, Parks and Recreation
Bridgen Wilbanks, Finance
Vanderleest to join City of Concord as Aviation Director Following a nationwide search, City Manager Brian Hiatt announced in July that Dirk Vanderleest has been selected as Concord’s new Aviation Director. Vanderleest will oversee operations and development at Concord Regional Airport (FAA: JQF, IATA: USA). He will begin work in early September. “We welcome Dirk to the City’s management team,” said Hiatt. “We believe his experience with over 30 years in airport leadership and business development will be vital to maintaining and growing general aviation and commercial services. Concord Regional Airport is a key economic cog for this region and Dirk’s administrative and customer service skills will support its continued success.” Vanderleest’s appointment followed a national recruitment effort that attracted candidates locally and across the country. He brings extensive experience in aviation, management, and economic development. He retired in 2014 as the CEO of the Jackson (Mississippi) Municipal Airport Authority, responsible for the daily operations and management of both Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) and Hawkins Field (HKS). Following his retirement, he has worked for Waggoner Engineering, Inc., focused on business development and strategic planning. Concord Regional Airport has a strong general aviation focus that recently has been enhanced by the availability of lowcost scheduled passenger service to five destinations. Vanderleest will lead the over 40 Aviation Department coworkers who provide aircraft fueling, hangaring, tie-down, parking, and customer services. Other aeronautical services such as aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, and flight
instruction are offered through private operators leasing space on-site. CRA also has an on-site, staffed fire station operated by the Concord Fire Department and a control tower operated by contracted staff. The annual budget for the airport currently exceeds $9.3 million. “Dirk will be taking over a department with outstanding coworkers,” said Deputy City Manager Merl Hamilton. “In particular, he will be able to rely on Deputy Director Susan Green who has done a great job as Interim Aviation Director since April.” The position is also accountable to the City Manager for the management of the business functions of airport, the negotiation and supervision of all airport contracts authorized by the City, fiscal aspects including the development and recommendation of budgets, grant applications, and related financial reporting, the implementation of capital improvement projects, the management of real estate and lease interests, and compliance with Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations.
aviation markets, I am excited to partner with others to take it to the next level.” CRA is one of the busiest airports in the Carolinas. Many of these operations are related to the motorsports industry as most NASCAR related teams are located in the Charlotte region, several with facilities adjacent to or near the airport. Allegiant Airlines also operates commercial flights out of CRA. Concord’s previous Aviation Director, Rick Cloutier, resigned in March to become the assistant director of airports for Horry County, South Carolina.
“It’s a real honor and privilege to have been chosen as the City of Concord’s Aviation Director. I am looking forward to joining the City’s staff leadership team and working with the airport’s professional staff,” said Vanderleest. “Though Concord Regional Airport has already grown successfully in the corporate and general
concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 5
2017 Customer Satisfaction Survey
Solid Waste
The City of Concord is committed to providing residents with the highest quality of service. We would like you to tell us how satisfied you are with your garbage, recycle, and bulky waste services by Waste Pro. We would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to answer this short survey.
For convenience, you can answer online at: concordnc.gov/solidwaste
OR you may complete this survey and mail to: RTS, Inc., 1424 Chadmore Ln NW, Concord, NC 28027 PLEASE MAIL THIS SURVEY BY SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 1. Do you use a green cart for garbage and/or a [ ]2 No black cart for recycle? [ ]1 Yes
9. Have you experienced any other problems not listed in #8? If yes, what?
(IF NO, PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE THE SURVEY) 2. What day of the week is your normal garbage/ recycling collected? [ ]1 Monday [ ]2 Tuesday [ ]3 Wednesday [ ]4 Thursday [ ]5 Friday 3. For your bi-weekly recycle and bulky waste pickup, is your week Blue or Green? [ ]1 Blue [ ]2 Green [ ]3 Don’t know 4. Do you have Back Yard Collection Service? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No Overall, how satisfied are you with your garbage, recycling, and bulky waste service? 5. GARBAGE: [ ]1 Very satisfied [ ]2 Somewhat satisfied [ ]3 Neutral [ ]4 Not very satisfied [ ]5 Not at all satisfied 6. RECYCLING: [ ]1 Very satisfied [ ]2 Somewhat satisfied [ ]3 Neutral [ ]4 Not very satisfied [ ]5 Not at all satisfied 7. BULKY WASTE [ ]1 Very satisfied [ ]2 Somewhat satisfied [ ]4 Not very satisfied [ ]3 Neutral [ ]5 Not at all satisfied 8. Have you experienced any of the following problems with your garbage, recycling, or bulky waste service in the last 12 months? ISSUE
EXPERIENCED Yes1 No2
8a. Oil leaks from trucks
[ ]1
[ ]2
8b. Spills
[ ]1
[ ]2
8c. Cart damage
[ ]1
[ ]2
8d. C arts not placed back in original position
[ ]1
[ ]2
8e. Carts blocking the driveway
[ ]1
[ ]2
8f. Blocked mailbox
[ ]1
[ ]2
8g. Missed pickup
[ ]1
[ ]2
10. If you had a problem did you report it to Customer Service at 704-920-5555? [ ]1 No problem to report [ ]2 I had a problem but did not report it [ ]3 Yes, I reported the problem 11. If you reported it, how satisfied were you with the response to the problem? [ ]1 Very Satisfied [ ]2 Somewhat Satisfied [ ]3 Neutral [ ]4 Not Very Satisfied [ ]5 Not at all Satisfied HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE 12. Even if you had your cart out on time, have you had a missed garbage pickup in the last 12 months? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No
BULKY WASTE MATERIALS Bulky waste items are large items that do not fit in the rollout garbage container, for example TVs, furniture, old appliances, etc. Extra bags of garbage outside of the cart ARE NOT considered “Bulky” and will not be collected. 18. How familiar are you about “what is” and “what is not” considered “bulky waste”? [ ]1 Very familiar [ ]2 Somewhat familiar [ ]3 Confused [ ]4 Don’t know at all (To help you, go to www.concordnc.gov/solidwaste)
19. E ven if you had your bulky waste out on time, have you had a missed bulky waste pickup in the last 12 months? [ ]2 No [ ]1 Yes 20. I f yes, did you receive an explanation for the missed pickup? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No
Your answers are anonymous but the following questions are important to the City. This will ensure 13. If yes, did you receive a tag on your cart that the voices of residents from all populations explaining the reason for the missed pickup? are represented in the survey. Please help us by [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No answering the following questions. 14. Have you had trash fall out of the cart when it was picked up? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No 15. Do you know that all garbage must be bagged and placed in the roll out cart with the lid closed? [ ]2 No [ ]1 Yes (Bags placed next to the roll out carts will not be picked up – extra carts are available for a fee if needed.) RECYCLING 16. E ven if you had your cart out on time, have you had a missed recycle pickup in the last 12 months? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No 17. If yes, did you receive a tag on your cart explaining the reason for the missed pickup? [ ]1 Yes [ ]2 No
Thank You 6 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
21. How long have you lived in Concord? [ ]1 A year or less [ ]2 15 years [ ]3 5-10 years [ ]4 10-15 years [ ]5 Over 15 years 22. Your age: [ ]1 18-24 [ ]2 25-34 [ ]3 35-44 [ ]4 45-54 [ ]5 55-64 [ ]6 Over 65 23. Your race/ethnicity: [ ]1 African American [ ]3 Latino/Hispanic [ ]5 Mixed
[ ]2 Asian [ ]4 White/Caucasian [ ]6 Other 65
24. Do you have any comments you wish to share concerning your garbage, recycling, or bulky waste collection or any recommendations for improvement?
City of Concord named as one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s
Healthiest Employers in the Charlotte Region
In June, the City of Concord was named one of the 20 Healthiest Employers in the Charlotte Region by the Charlotte Business Journal, ranking as the fourth healthiest employer in the Large Employer category (Cabarrus County was number 5), and the highest ranked local government employer. The City’s Human Resources Department submitted the City as a contender in this competitive challenge with other private and public organizations throughout the Charlotte region. Several successes were recognized, including: • Onsite wellness center (clinic for those covered by the City’s health insurance plan) • Onsite fitness centers • Participation rate at the annual health risk assessment • Watch Your Steps Concord citywide walking competition • Coworker seminars and trainings • Annual coworker Wellness Fair • Wellness Liaison Committee • Monthly “HR Connect” newsletter featuring benefits and wellness topics The City Manager’s Office, Human Resources staff, and the Wellness Liaison Committee participated in the Charlotte Business Journal’s seventh annual Healthiest Employers of Greater Charlotte Awards & Wellness Expo on June 9 at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Learn more at concordnc.gov/HR.
concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 7
STATEMENT OF MAYOR J. SCOTT PADGETT JULY 5, 2017 Serving the citizens of Concord during a time of historic progress is the honor of a lifetime. If over 40 years ago someone would have asked Scott Padgett, the newly arrived teacher and salesman (of World Book encyclopedias and shoes), if Concord would be what it is today, he would have laughed. If someone asked the kid in Forest City who would rather go on joyrides than to class if he would ever be a college graduate and later a school principal, let alone Mayor of one of North Carolina’s fastest growing and largest cities, he would have waited for the punchline. And still, here I am, blessed to have served this incredible community in many ways over the last four decades, culminating in four terms as Mayor. Presiding over Council meetings and being in intense economic development negotiations has not come easily or without discomfort. But I worked at it, keeping in mind that my goal is to serve for the betterment of the community, and in time I found my own rhythm. Stretching out of my comfort zone in this way turned out to be some of the most rewarding experiences. The times are a changin’, and it has been both a pleasure and honor to be a part of it, meet so many people along the way, and hopefully help people have a better life in the process. My wife, Teresa, is the single most important person in my life. Many have told me I would never have won any elections without her, and I agree. She has served as Concord’s First Lady with grace and enthusiasm in her own downto-earth way. She finds ways to make a difference in the community 8 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
PHOTOS: MICHAEL A. ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Scott and Teresa Padgett at their home on Union Street South.
beyond her work as an educator. Teresa is well known for a friendly wave while running through town, as well as co-hosting the Concord Christmas Parade broadcast on Channel 22. I am happy that so many people have gotten to know the compassionate, intelligent woman who truly is my better half. There is no way I would be able to serve the community without her supportive nature, excellent advice, and unwavering patience. She is my rock! My son, Joel, made me proud when on his own accord he decided to take a courageous leap and start a new business called 26 Acres Brewing Company, which simultaneously honors Concord’s earliest history and captures the excitement of today. He is an example of the kind of young people that give me hope for Concord’s future. He and his wife Tracy, and my grandchildren Jonas, Jace, and Jake, have kept me rejuvenated and I thank them for their love and support over the years. People who have reached my age know that time has a way of picking up speed, and I can’t believe how these years have gone by. My public service with Concord began in the early 1990s with five years on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Those years of appointed service helped me to see both sides of growth—from the property owner who wanted to develop his land to those affected by development. It also helped me to understand how neighbors could have very different perspectives about the effect of the same set of facts.
During my two terms on Concord City Council that started in 1995, I learned the importance of a professional staff and that all departments of City government have an essential role in working together to provide needed services to our citizens. I also came to appreciate the Council-Manager form of government and the value an excellent City Manager could provide. I had the opportunity to participate in the hiring of current City Manager Brian Hiatt in 1998, and I will always consider that the most important and successful decision made while I served on City Council. During my terms on Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, I didn’t give much thought to running for Mayor because we had such good leadership in place. However, midway-through my second term in 2001, a combination of fate and circumstance lead me to consider and ultimately decide to run for Mayor of Concord. The next sixteen years leading to today feel as if they seamlessly built from one term to the next, with the community and those serving it growing, learning from mistakes, and growing into roles that didn’t seem possible just a few years (or decades) before. My service and that of my colleagues on City Council greatly benefit from the foundation set by so many outstanding Concord leaders that came before us. Many of them have passed on: Mayors George Liles, Alfred continued on page 12 concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 9
O
b
Loose Leaf Collection Schedule 2017 – 2018
If your Garbage Day is…
Your Loose Leaves will be Collected…
Monday
November 6 - 10 December 18 - 22 January 29 - February 2
Tuesday
November 6 - 10 December 11 - 15 January 22 - 26
Wednesday
October 30 - November 3 December 4 - 8 January 16 - 19
Thursday
October 30 - November 3 November 27 - December 1 January 8 - 12
Friday
November 13 - 17 January 2 - 5 February 5 - 9
Second Chance $75 fee
February 12 - 16 February 19 - 23
• Place your loose leaves at the curb by 6 am the first day of your specified collection week. • Collection crews are unable to return if you place leaves at the curb after they have worked your street. • Leaves must be free of tree/shrub limbs or foreign objects and kept away from storm drains, mail boxes and parked cars. • Bagged leaves are collected weekly on your regular garbage collection day. Consider bagging your leaves if you cannot wait for loose leaf collection. • Bagged leaves must be contained in untied, clear plastic or biodegradable paper bags weighing less than 35 pounds each. • The City will collect your live Christmas trees, too. Please leave trees at the curb with your regular household garbage. Remove all stands, lights and ornaments.
concordnc.gov
C
This schedule is subject to change due to weather delays and equipment breakdown. Contact the Customer Care Center or check concordnc.gov for updates.
No loose leaf collection is scheduled on City-observed holidays, including:
Thanksgiving (Entire week of November 20-24) Christmas (December 25-29) New Year’s Day (January 1) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 15)
Be a good neighbor Don’t put loose leaves out too early (remember bagged leaves are collected every week), and when they are placed for collection be sure to keep them out of the street, gutter, or sidewalk…simply place them at the edge of your yard.
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 third 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 the weeks of February 12-16 and February 19-23.
| For updates, contact Customer Care Center | Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm |
704.920.5555
Did you know... Did you know there is now an official Downtown Concord app? The self-guided walking tour portion of the new Concord Downtown Development Corporation App is a co-sponsored venture of the City of Concord, Historic Cabarrus Association/Concord Museum, Residents of Historic Concord and the CDDC. Local historian and former City Council Member Jim Ramseur compiled the historic photographs and written histories for all walking tour sites. Download the Concord Downtown NC app for free through Google Play or the Apple App Store, and find out more at concorddowntown.com.
10 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
“Fire prevention is the art of promoting environments and behaviors that avoid accidents and injuries,” said Fire Chief Ray Allen. “The old fire safety house served to educate thousands of people in our community and as a result countless fires and injuries have been avoided. No one keeps statistics on close call accidents or injuries, yet this is the margin fire prevention lives in, working behind
New public safety tools in place to protect the community
the scenes to save lives we never knew were in danger.
The City of Concord is deploying new technology to enhance
This new, state of the art safety trailer enables us expand
public safety in the community. Although their sizes and features
our audience into areas previously unreached. It is a
have little in common, over a year of budgeting, planning, and
credit to the City’s management and elected officials that they understand the importance of community education and are willing to invest in such education.”
training is coming to fruition in order to better equip the Fire, Police, and other departments of the City to serve the community. In July, the Concord Fire Department received its new fire prevention and life safety trailer. Manufactured by BullEx, the custom-built 34-foot trailer has the only technology of its kind currently in operation in North Carolina. In addition to the traditional “smoke house” function experienced by many young children learning how to escape from a bedroom, fire prevention and safety trailer is equipped with training props and realistic sensory experiences to help citizens of all ages learn how to respond to emergencies. There are separate training environments for the bedroom, kitchen, and an industrial setting. Additionally, an extreme weather scenario package can provide training for a variety of emergencies beyond fires.
The City is also preparing to begin using an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for emergency response and other situations. Commonly referred to as a “drone,” the City has been working for the past year to develop policies and procedures around the UAS, comply with FAA and NCDOT regulations, and identify and train potential operators. The primary use of UAS is situational awareness in order to keep coworkers and civilians safe during dangerous operations. The City’s Emergency Management team has led the effort to
“The UAS will be a useful tool in helping us improve service to the community,” said Deputy City Manager
plan for and operate the DJI Inspire 2 complete with a range
Merl Hamilton. “Public safety departments will be
of equipment. At least 375 public safety agencies across the
able to use it in critical responses to protect life and
United States have added UAS to their capabilities, and 80
property, while other departments will have another
percent use a DJI-manufactured model. Potential uses for the UAS include search and rescue operations (for example,
method to inspect our infrastructure and respond
lost children in the woods—even at night), structure fire
to problems. All departments will benefit from the
monitoring and investigations, barricaded persons/hostage
safer working environment created by the use of the
situations, accident investigations, and inspection of City
UAS. Our Emergency Management team will oversee
infrastructure such as water tanks, drainage areas, roads,
and monitor the program to include deployment,
power lines, and buildings. In summary, the UAS provides aerial observations without the cost and risk associated with a helicopter.
assessment, and accountability.” concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 11
Statement of Mayor continued from page 9
Brown, Bernie Edwards, and Harold McEachern; Council Members Jim Dorton, Hector Henry, Frank Dusch, Robert Mathis, C.T. Sherrill, Allen Small, Joe Warlick, and Larry Barringer. These were truly amazing people—to me they were giants who were ready to make the hard decisions necessary to keep Concord moving forward. Decisions like advocating for at-large, nonpartisan City elections; incorporating the Electric and Water Departments within the City organization; and locating and opening Concord One of Padgett’s favorite things about being Mayor is the daily interactions that happen with members of the community. Regional Airport. None were Pictured above, Padgett with (left to right) Peggy Clontz, Peggy Chambes, Cyndy Herron, and Becky Mass. Below, speaking with Brady Hamilton. decisions that made them popular, but each decision was leadership in conservation and natural resource protection, critical to the success and quality of life we enjoy today. diversification of our local economy and employment opportunities, making special efforts to honor the service Every community experiences its share of highs and and sacrifice of veterans, and supporting many families lows. Some of Concord’s lows have included two major and friends who have lost loved ones. droughts, severe ice storms, the loss of major employers, and heartbreaking tragedies. However, how we responded The importance 16-year process leading to the opening of to these very challenges are what I am most proud of, the Albemarle water line cannot be overstated. This was including the Interbasin Transfer and construction of the an effort involving public and private sector cooperation Concord/Kannapolis-Albemarle water transmission line, from three communities, countless hours, opposition from PHOTOS: MICHAEL A. ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY entire communities and even another state, and sleepless nights. I firmly believe that the eyes of history will see our work in securing an adequate water supply while being conservation minded as critical to this community’s success. This is just one example where we have been blessed to learn from our mistakes and use our challenges as opportunities to improve. Over the last two decades, the City Council has focused on necessary investments. Whether complementing or loaning funding for state-maintained roads, developing an extensive greenway network, constructing civic, public safety, and operational facilities, or deploying technology to help coworkers deliver better services, Concord’s elected officials have consistently raised their hands in support of achieving common 12 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
continued on page 14
A WARM WELCOME
PHOTO: COURTESY OF CABARRUS COUNTY CVB
Passengers arriving at Concord Regional Airport will immediately
Celebrate Cabarrus, an annual
feel the energy and experience the unmatched hospitality of
event recognizing outstanding
Cabarrus County. Recently installed graphics display vivid racing
hospitality professionals within
images, and the word “Welcome” adorns the hallway leading
our community. By creating
from the tarmac to baggage claim. A project implemented
special experiences like a warm
by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the
welcome to the airport, the
graphics create a sense of place and set the tone for the guest
CVB team remains dedicated
experience.
to offering the same level of service that exceptional
But the greeting doesn’t end with graphics.
partners like Adam do.
At the double doors to baggage claim, passengers are met by a
To learn more about the
CVB Travel Counselor or Volunteer who offers a warm welcome,
Cabarrus County CVB, stop
area assistance and even a complimentary gift as they wait for
by the Visitor Information
baggage. Inside the terminal building, the four covers of the
Center in Concord or visit
Cabarrus County Destination & Motorsports Guide are on display,
www.CabCoCVB.com.
Aviation Department staff member Adam Dancy was recognized with the CVB’s “Unsung Hero” Golden Helmet Award.
and this helpful resource can be found at the Visitor Information desk which is stocked with resources. In addition to the Guide, guests can pick up county and state maps, attraction brochures and a free destination-branded luggage tag. Through a current
10099 Weddington Road – Suite 102 / Concord, NC 28027 800-848-3740 / VisitCabarrus.com Mon-Fri: 8:30am-5pm, Sat: 10am-4pm
partnership with Concord Mills, the CVB also offers coloring pages and crayons to children.
Visit Cabarrus
@VisitCabarrus
On average, the CVB’s Visitor Services team welcomes passengers from 70 flights each month. The custom of welcoming visitors into the airport kicked off when the first flight into the new terminal building landed in 2016 from Florida. The occasion was marked with balloons, cake and fun takeaways for guests. The Visitor Services team continues to celebrate the first incoming flight for new destinations added to the arrivals list with the latest addition being New Orleans, Louisiana. Concord Regional Airport’s own Adam Dancy was recently honored with a Golden Helmet Award for Unsung Hero during concordnc.gov • FALL 2017 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 13
PHOTOS: MICHAEL A. ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Statement of Mayor continued from page 12
goals and giving our citizens a higher level of service and better quality of life than anywhere else in the region. Some decisions, such as the recent enhancements at Concord Regional Airport that now provide affordable commercial air service to the community in addition to the established general aviation core business, built on earlier Council decisions. Other decisions, like matching millions in grant funding for traffic management technology that makes traveling more efficient and safe, could not have been dreamed of when I was first elected Mayor. Our current City Manager, Brian Hiatt, has served for nearly 19 years and is Concord’s longest-serving City Manager, as well as one of the most tenured active managers in North Carolina. He deserves a huge amount of credit for everything accomplished by the City over the last two decades. He is the consummate professional with the highest ethics, and has facilitated good decisionmaking for the elected officials. He has embraced being a dynamic leader who is not afraid to improve an organization as necessary to serve a changing community, all while keeping quality service and efficiency as the top priorities. At the same time, his conservative financial approach allowed us to remain good stewards of public funds and maintain needed services, infrastructure, and equipment despite the challenges of growth, recession, and multiple impacts on revenue from the General Assembly. Brian has built an organization of over 1,000 coworkers who embody a culture of service excellence. He has developed and selected excellent talent to serve in staff leadership positions, and coworkers at all levels of the organization understand their important roles in successfully carrying out the mission and goals of the City. I cannot say enough about the men and women who wake up every day to go to work for the City of Concord. Some are very visible and come to the rescue of people in 14 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • FALL 2017 • concordnc.gov
need, others do their jobs behind the scenes so well that most citizens do not know they exist. Many work in highly technical fields and stressful situations, and countless more are proud to do jobs that others wouldn’t want to. No matter where they work or what they do, Team Concord has consistently delivered needed services that make this community a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. Thankfully, we have many outstanding former elected officials still active in the community and making great contributions, including David Phillips, Jim Ramseur, Bill Cone, Jim Fisher, John Howard, and Laine Harling. The current City Council Members—Sam Leder, Brian King, Ella Mae Small, Al Brown, Jr., Lamar Barrier, Jennifer Parsley, and John Sweat—make me proudest when they embrace two traditions passed on by our predecessors: 1) serving with the greater good of the community in mind, and 2) having the boldness and courage necessary to make the right decisions at the right time. I consider promoting and keeping these traditions at the forefront among the City Council as the most important role I have played as Mayor and ensuring their continuance has been a primary motivator in my service. I have every confidence that future leaders of Concord exist who have the necessary vision and courage to build on our strengths. With this in mind, I am announcing today that my current term as Mayor of Concord will be my last. I thank my family, colleagues, and the community for their endurance, friendship, and support over my 27 years of service. I look forward to waking up on December 15, 2017 with the titles I hold dearest in my heart: husband, father, grandfather, and citizen.
From The Mayor continued from page 3
One of the greatest accomplishments of Concord’s elected leaders and the thousands of people who have worked for this organization are managing growth, improving the quality of life, and remaining good stewards of tax dollars at the same time. As times have changed and while facing many challenges, Concord citizens have been able to depend on a low, stable property tax rate that provides a tremendous value for the excellent services received. I similarly applaud elected and appointed leaders for Cabarrus County and all its municipalities for having the same approach in their jurisdictions. We are all benefit from cooperation and teamwork across political boundaries. Concord is blessed with so many citizens that truly care about others and support so many good causes to help people in need. I believe the Cabarrus Boys and Girls Club’s Pancake Day is just one example that shows the kind of people who call Concord home. There are major cities that wish they could bring together the crowd that we have become accustomed to each March, when thousands of people come to support our youth, continue traditions, and enjoy community fellowship. Our annual Tree Lighting and Fireworks is another tradition that has become such a pleasure to be a part of. I’ll miss being on stage with the kids after this year, but I know I can look forward to Concord’s most fun night for years to come. Over my 22 years in elected office, I have served with many outstanding people who dedicated themselves to our community. Some have passed on, some have moved to other roles, and some continue their work on City Council. Each of them has brought a love for Concord and a passion for helping people to the table. I have also been consistently amazed by the work of the City’s professionals who go to work every day to serve citizens and customers. We truly would not have as wonderful of a place to live, work, and visit if it were not for the people focused on public safety, utilities, infrastructure, recreation, and countless other services we rely on every day. Working together with all of these people has been a humbling experience and a blessing. I hope you will read the full statement that was first published in July on page 8 of this issue, because it truly expresses the gratitude and hope I have as I close out this chapter of public service.
City of Concord Important Phone Numbers Fire, Police, Medical Emergencies . . . . 911 Customer Care Center . . . . . 704-920-5555 Call the Customer Care Center for service requests and inquiries about any of the following: • Electric Outages/Services • Water/Sewer Emergencies • Dead Animal Pick-up • Drinking Water Inquiries • Garbage/Bulk Pick-up/Recycling • Utility Bills • Street/Traffic Light Issues • Right-of-Way Issues • Storm Water/Storm Drain/Flooding Problems • Yard Waste/Leaf Collection • Building Material Disposal • Bulk Metal Collection • Old Tire Collection • Vacant Lot Cleaning/Mowing You can also fax our Customer Care team at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-6953 The primary phone numbers for the various City departments are: Main Switchboard . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5200 Buildings & Grounds . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5380 City Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5205 City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5215 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5580 Concord Regional Airport . . . . . . 704-920-5900 Electric Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5320 Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5425 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5220 Fire Department Administration . . 704-920-5516 Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5430 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-6100 Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5100 Meter Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5219 Parks & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5600 Planning & Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152 Police (non-emergency) . . . . . . . 704-920-5000 Public Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5210 Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5440
I have every confidence that future Concord elected leaders and staff will continue our long established vision of courageous leadership, and focus on serving you, the great people who call Concord home. I thank my family, colleagues, and the community for their support over the past 27 years of service with the City of Concord, because this would not have been neither possible nor as fun without your involvement. Teresa and I look forward to seeing you soon and wish you the best until then.
Rider Transit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-7433 Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5111 Rocky River Golf Club . . . . . . . . . 704-455-1200 Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5361 Tax Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5216 TTY/North Carolina Relay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5362 Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5337 Zoning/Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152
concordnc.gov
High Five recognizes coworkers who make a difference. Concern for the Individual • Customer Focus Fair and Equitable Service • Professional Service Effective Communication • Taking Ownership Timeliness • Teamwork • Great Service Recovery
Quarterly High Performers Congratulations to the following coworkers who were selected as quarterly High Performers:
Aviation: Topanga Plummer Fire: Greg Ryczek, Brent Taylor, Chris Harrison, Jason Starr, Alex Howerton, Alex Parham Police: Tony Chastain, Javon Clark, Kenny Marckese, Ricardo Rodriguez Finance: Mark Cain High Performers were selected from among the high five nominations received from the past quarter (April – June 2017). These recognitions best demonstrate “going above and beyond” in providing excellent customer service or events that best embody one or more of the 9 Principles of Excellent Customer Service. These co-workers were honored at a special lunch event in August. The City of Concord is recognized for having dedicated employees who are committed to providing excellent service.
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: 1C all 704-920-6400 to submit your acknowledgment via the telephone. 2C omplete the online form at concordnc.gov/high5 3C omplete 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.
Thank you for helping us recognize our best!
Concord Mobile Care
concordnc.gov
You can now report pot holes, street light malfunctions, and many other non-emergency issues to the City using your smartphone.
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.
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.