61 - Fall 2015

Information You Can Use

Reflecting on decades of public service

FALL 2015

Introducing Concord’s 23rd chief of police Bridge named for Allen T. Small concordnc.gov • FALL 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 1

City Council

SAVE THE DATE! Friday, November 20

David W. Phillips District 1

James E. Ramseur District 2

Ella Mae Small District 3

Alfred M. Brown, Jr. District 4

for an evening of fun and festivities:

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Fireworks Bicentennial Plaza EVENT SCHEDULE:

6:00 Children’s activities Trolley and carriage rides

6:30 Family entertainment 8:00 Tree lighting and Fireworks!

W. Lamar Barrier District 5

Jennifer H. Parsley District 6

Enjoy Cabarrus Arts Council’s Art Walk, 6:00-9:00

presented by:

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

In this Issue:

COVER PHOTO: CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

From the Mayor | Manager’s Notes . . . . . . . . 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. by

Granite Sky Design, Inc.

Bridge Named for Allen T. Small . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Introducing Concord’s 23rd Chief of Police . . . .5 Voluntary Water Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Second Phase of Greenway Now Open . . . . . . 7 Retiring Council Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 City Hall Construction Update . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Loose Leaf Collection Schedule . . . . . . . . . . 11 High 5 for Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . back

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

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From the Mayor

Manager’s Notes

J. Scott Padgett

Brian Hiatt, Concord City Manager

Legacies of Service In June, the City Council adopted a balanced budget of over $227 million for the new fiscal year that started July 1.

The property tax rate remained the same as it has for the last four years at 48 cents per $100 valuation. Concord’s property tax rate has been extremely stable for many years, providing taxpayers a tremendous value in services while being among the North Carolina’s full-service cities over 40,000 in population with the lowest tax rates. In fact, Concord’s tax rate is the lowest of the cities that do not charge a separate fee for residential solid waste services.

Learn more about our current year budget at concordnc.gov/budget.

The City Council is able to adopt a budget without some of the drama and agony that is common for other government organizations, due to the work of City Manager Brian Hiatt and the fine City staff. They are careful to put together a recommended annual budget that is based on City Council’s goals and priorities, as established months before in the annual planning session. This planning process, combined with ongoing communication with the City Manager, has resulted in a pattern of elected leadership that is particularly consistent and steady, especially for the public sector.

Looking at our current elected officials, most citizens will notice a blend of experienced and fresh perspectives. I think this is an important composition for our City Council.

With that said, Dave Phillips and Jim Ramseur, two of our longest-serving current Council Members, have decided not to seek reelection upon the end of their terms this year.

Both were elected to City Council in 1995, but their service to the community goes back much further than their twenty years as elected officials. These friends and colleagues of mine spent nearly as much time preparing to serve on Council as they did in office, which is why they were so successful and served for so long. They both are deeply rooted in the community, were successful in the business world, and have a passion for being civic-minded.

Dave is a lifelong resident of Concord and recently retired after 36 years with Duke Energy Carolinas. He is a member and former President and Director of the Concord Rotary Club, is a member of the UNCC Alumni Association, and is a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association. continued on page 14

The “D” Word This summer, much of North Carolina faced drought conditions. Concord and other local governments in our area are encouraging conservation. Many who have lived in Concord for a few years know that we have long used proactive ways to protect our water resources.

The problem this summer has been the lack of rainfall combined with tremendous heat and the resulting rapid evaporation of water sources. At the same time, drought conditions cause many to try to use more water, primarily due to residential lawn irrigation.

One method to discourage excessive irrigation, adopted by Concord in 2002, is our tiered water pricing system. Many local government water systems are still using a formula based on providing water at the lowest cost and the lowest level of regulation. This works in the private sector if you are dealing with a product that is manufactured. However, it does not work when you have a finite resource like water.

Concord is still one of the few local governments using a tiered rate where the price goes up if you are an above average user.

Studies show that the average customer uses up to 6,000 gallons of water per month over a year, with the lowest use during winter months. In Concord, once a residential customer’s monthly use exceeds 6,000 gallons, the price per gallon increases. The cost jumps significantly again when monthly use exceeds 9,000 gallons.

Those with separate irrigation meters pay a higher rate from the first gallon.

We talk a lot about regionalism in the Charlotte area.

Regionally, we need to have conversations that include, but go beyond water supply. It is clear that business use is not the challenge in reducing consumption during peak periods.

In fact, industrial use has declined in many communities, except when it comes to irrigation. As a region, the problem is pricing structures and our lack of systems to encourage conservation on a permanent basis, not just when there is a drought.

Tiered rates are combined with limitations on the days irrigation is allowed, to encourage residents to limit continued on page 15 concordnc.gov • FALL 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 3

Reconstructed bridge named for

Allen T. Small

he was appointed principal of ColtraneWebb Elementary School, becoming the first African-American to serve as principal of a desegregated school in Concord. He retired in 1992 as principal of Wolf Meadow Elementary School.

The late Allen T. Small now has a prominent bridge in Concord’s center-city area designated for him by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Following public input, the City Council adopted a resolution in June supporting the designation of NCDOT’s Bridge 266 on Cabarrus Avenue West over the Norfolk Southern Railroad in his honor and memory. The request was then submitted to NCDOT for consideration.

CITY OF CONCORD

NCDOT is in the final months of a project to replace the bridge, with the City participating in the project to provide decorative and pedestrian enhancements. This bridge is an entrance to the community where Small lived and worked, as well as a gateway to Historic Downtown Concord, to which he frequently referred as “the heart of the community” and “the core of the apple.”

Allen Thurmond Small was born in Pittsboro in 1932, and dedicated his life to public service and education at an early age. He graduated from N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University with honors in 1956 and then served in the Army until he was honorably discharged in August, 1958.

He spent over three decades in public education, coming to Concord in 1958 to teach at Logan High School, and was later named principal. After earning a master’s degree from Atlanta University on a Federal Education Grant,

Small focused throughout his life on ensuring that all citizens have an opportunity to live, work, and play without discrimination. He served as president of the NC A&T Alumni Chapter in Concord for over ten years, and as Basileus of the Phi Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The chapter selected him as Man of the Year twice, and his alma mater inducted him into the Golden Aggies on May 12, 2006.

Small served as a member of City Council from December 1997 until his passing on June 7, 2006. He posthumously received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in August, 2006.

Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church dedicated its family life center in honor of him November 12, 2006, hoping the facility would help the congregation and community embody his life motto: “things are looking up.”

NCDOT has a policy and procedure in place for naming roads, bridges, and ferries, pursuant to NCGS §136-18(8).

This policy requires that all requests demonstrate strong local support for the naming, including unanimous adoption of a resolution of support from the local governing body, the opportunity for public input, and letters of recommendation from civic, service, or business organizations. The NC Board of Transportation approved the City’s request in August.

NCDOT contractors are in the final stages of the construction project, which will be complete in September.

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I

n June, City Manager Brian Hiatt announced the hiring of Gary Gacek as Concord’s chief of police. Gacek comes to Concord from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and brings with him extensive law enforcement and police management experience. The position was vacant following the retirement of former chief Guy Smith, with Deputy City Manager and former chief Merl Hamilton serving as interim police chief during the search process. Chief Gacek assumed office on July 20 and was formally installed at a public ceremony on July 27.

Gacek was selected out of over 100 applicants. After initial interviews of top applicants, six candidates were invited to participate in an assessment center with three panels made up of area law enforcement executives, community and neighborhood representatives, and City staff, designed to provide feedback to the City Manager on the candidates’ job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. Gacek was one of two finalists selected by the City Manager for follow-up interviews.

our growing community,” said Hiatt.

“We were looking for a leader who can work with management, elected officials, and coworkers to develop and articulate a clear vision for the future.

We also heard from the department that its leaders should have the skills to build upon our strong relationships within neighborhoods and with community groups. Chief Gacek’s broad experience in Milwaukee, combined with his law enforcement knowledge, has prepared him well for the job.”

Gacek began his career with the Milwaukee Police Department as a police aide in 1990 and was appointed

Introducing Gary Gacek, Concord’s 23rd chief of police

“Concord has a strong Police Department made up of dedicated coworkers who care about HIELE

ORD/BRIAN SC

CITY OF CONC

to police officer in 1993. After four years in uniformed and undercover positions, he was CITY OF CONCORD/MARTY RITCHIE promoted to sergeant in 1998.

Over seven years he 2005, and after serving as a patrol served in a variety of shift commander he returned to the roles including field professional performance division. supervision of 60 Gacek was responsible for investigative patrol officers, human case management, review and approval resource management, of pre-employment background and conducting and internal investigations, and confidential internal coordination of the department’s hiring affairs investigations process. in the professional performance In 2008, he joined the Office of division.

Management, Analysis and Planning (OMAP), where he was responsible for Gacek was managing the research, development, promoted to continued on page 14 lieutenant in concordnc.gov • FALL 2015 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR • 5

Concord and Kannapolis Request Voluntary Water Conservation The Cities of Concord and Kannapolis announced in July that customers of both municipalities’ water systems should follow Level 1 water use restrictions, due to regional drought conditions.

These restrictions are for the municipalities of Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Landis and Midland.

notice of the violation and the appropriate fee will be assessed. Irrigation creates the single largest demand for water during spring and summer months. Research shows that properly maintained lawns only need 1 inch of water per week to thrive, and it is best to water during evening and early morning hours.

The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) announced on July 20 that this summer’s dry weather and above-average temperatures have moved the Catawba-Wateree Basin into Stage 1 drought levels of the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP). The LIP is the regional drought management plan that major water users in the Basin use to share responsibility and set priorities to conserve the limited water supply. Although not public water suppliers in the Catawba River Basin, Concord and Kannapolis follow the group’s drought stages as part of the Interbasin Transfer Agreement.

Concord and Kannapolis are committed to environmentally sustainable water use practices 365 days a year during normal conditions and periods of drought.

Those who violate the specified lawn irrigation days watering rule will receive written

We thank our customers for reducing their demand and assisting us with extending our limited water supplies during drought conditions.

Our businesses and residents continue to demonstrate leadership in water conservation and environmental protection.

The aforementioned water use restrictions do not apply to those customers using wells or ponds for irrigation purposes. However, all users are encouraged to remain diligent in their conservation efforts regardless of the water source.

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Customers are reminded that under normal, responsible water use guidelines adopted by Concord and Kannapolis,

lawn irrigation is ONLY allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Level 1 voluntary restrictions means the following activities are permitted, but users are encouraged to limit: • The filling, operation or topping off of ornamental fountains.

• Residential car washing will be allowed using a hand-held hose or pressure washer, both equipped with a spring-loaded nozzle.

• Residential use of water for wash down of outside areas using a hand-held hose or pressure washer, both equipped with a springloaded nozzle.

• Watering of trees, flowers, shrubs, ornamental plants and vegetable gardens for plant preservation.

• Automated irrigation services may be installed and activated.

• Filling of swimming pools by permit. Topping off of previously filled pools is still acceptable at any time.

• All customers are allowed to use pressure washing devices.

Second phase of Hector H. Henry, II Greenway now open The second phase of the City of Concord’s Hector H. Henry, II Greenway is now open adjacent to Moss Creek Village. The new half-mile section of trail connects to the first phase, which opened in September 2014. The currently constructed 1.5-mile greenway section is the perfect place for an easy walk, meandering through scenic wetlands adjacent to the Rocky River.

Parks and Recreation staff have secured a total of $640,000 of funding assistance for the two phases of the greenway, provided by the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, Carolina Thread Trail, and NCDOT Safe Routes to School grant programs.

What will become the City of Concord’s longest greenway project was named in July 2013 in honor of Council Member Dr. Hector H. Henry, II. Henry served for over thirty years on the City Council. He began his service as an Alderman in 1973 and continued until 1989. Following a four-year rest, he was again elected to serve as a Council Member in 1994 and continued until passing away on Thanksgiving Day, 2013.

The greenway will eventually follow the banks of the Rocky River fourteen miles through Concord. The river enters City limits when it passes under Davidson Highway (NC 73) and continues through Concord until after its confluence with Mallard Creek, where it enters Harrisburg and unincorporated Cabarrus County. Photos from the phase one dedication are available at bit.ly/hectorhenrygreenway.

As part of the Carolina Thread Trail, once completed the Hector H. Henry, II Greenway will provide connections upstream to Kannapolis and Davidson, and downstream to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harrisburg, Now open: and Charlotte’s University Area.

Public parking for the greenway is available near the trailhead at Odell Elementary School, 1215 Moss Farm Street NW.

See the back cover of the Leisure Times for more information.

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

A conversation with retiring City Council Members

Dave Phillips

When did you first begin to think about public service?

Dave Phillips (DP): I have been involved in some type of public service almost continuously since I was 12 years old and joined the Boy Scouts.

But concerning City Council, I started getting interested in the 1990 time frame while serving on the Duke Energy Political Action Committee Board of Trustees and dealing with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels.

Jim Ramseur II (JR): No doubt it was in 1973 when I joined the Concord Jaycees where service to humanity is the best work of life. The next year I was appointed by Mayor Alfred Brown to the Concord Planning and Zoning Board.

Who were your influences, locally and beyond?

DP: I was fortunate to have known former Mayors Zack Roberts, Les Myers, Alfred Brown, Harold McEachern, and Bernie Edwards pretty well. I also knew Dr. George Liles as a surgeon but did not know him as well as the other Mayors until I was elected to the City Council and had the honor to serve with him. Alfred Brown and former Aldermen Jim Dorton and Frank Dusch really stood out as three people that exemplified what public service to the City of Concord was all about.

And then there’s Dr. Hector Henry who was a legend in his own time. Certainly if anyone knew what service above self meant it was Hector.

Beyond the local level, former Governors Terry Sanford, Jim Holshouser, and Jim Martin impressed me. And certainly former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Isenhour, John Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan all stood out as leaders. Dr. Martin Luther King also stood out as a real leader in a non-elected position. All of these individuals among many others showed me what public service is, and the responsibilities of being in a position of leadership.

JR: Naturally it began with parental influence, but my daddy died when I was 11, creating a void which many stepped into. Among those were my Uncle Charles Williams, former Concord Alderman and founder of Williams & Little Hardware, where I started helping at the age of 9. My Uncle Henry Faggart, who I helped on his Sunbeam bread truck, starting at 3:00 in the morning. Another Uncle, Spencer Atwell, who became our substitute father figure for many years. In school, I was influenced by my teacher and principal Dr. Joe Fries, and in my church by Dr. Walter Yount. In later years

by Gean Baxter, who taught me so much about business and contracting, and by Jim Dorton and Alfred Brown Sr. who helped me learn about city government.

CITY OF CONCORD/CHERIE JZAR

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Jim Ramseur When you were growing up in Concord, did you imagine it might be the City it is today?

DP: No. When I graduated from Concord High School in 1968, I believe the population of Concord was around 16,000 residents. We had a couple of movie theaters, a few local restaurants, and Hardees and McDonalds opened a year or so before I graduated. Cannon Mills was still the dominant employer and did not want other businesses/ industries coming in to Cabarrus County that they would have to compete with. Also, Concord and Cabarrus County did not allow alcohol sales at that time, so there were very limited opportunities for employment and growth of the City. When I graduated from college in 1972, the Carolina Mall was being built. I believe Philip Morris came in around 1978. That’s when things began to change a little. But I would never have believed that Concord would be what it is today when I was growing up. I accepted a job with Cannon Mills in the office at Plant 6 as a new college graduate but it didn’t take me but about two years to realize that there was very little opportunity to advance and that the textile industry was already in decline. Like many other young professionals, I left Cannon to work in Charlotte and worked out of the county until the last ten years of my employment with Duke Energy.

JR: I never imagined our small city of 12,000 would grow into our current population of over 85,000, where tourism is a huge industry and the textile industry as we knew it has faded. “Little” Concord is now the 12th largest city in North Carolina.

What is the most important thing you learned while serving as an elected official?

DP: If I had to say the single most important lesson I have learned, it would be that it really is a privilege to serve as an elected official and that there is a huge amount of responsibility every elected official has to the people that you represent. And a major part of representing the citizens of Concord requires listening to what they have to say and staying in touch with citizens. If you don’t constantly remind yourself as to why you are there and what is expected of you, you can never really be very effective as a representative of the people. Citizens learn pretty quickly who is listening to them – even if they don’t always agree with your position on things. Listening and staying in touch is critical.

JR: To be willing to give over 40 hours of my time every week to properly serve the great citizens of Concord. A hard working Concord elected official never goes on vacation; just works from a different location. It has been tough at times, but I loved it.

continued on page 10 concordnc.gov • • FALL FALL 2015 2015 • • CONCORD CONCORD CITY CITY CIRCULAR CIRCULAR • •9 9 concordnc.gov

Retiring Council Members continued from page 9

What is different about the role than you expected?

DP: Number one is the lack of involvement of citizens when it comes to local elections.

Of the five times I have been elected to the Concord City Council, I don’t believe there has ever been more than 10 percent of the registered voters who actually took the time to vote in the Concord municipal elections. Some years it has been as low as about 5 percent. Although there are many reasons that are given for not voting, I just don’t understand why people don’t take the time to vote for the elected officials that probably affect their lives in many ways much more than the State and Federal elected officials do. And when I hear of people in some countries walking for miles to then stand in line for hours or even days so they can vote, it makes me wonder why people don’t vote here – especially considering how quick and easy it is for us to do so in the USA.

Number two was the impact of realizing how much the City of Concord employees do for our citizens. Before I was elected the first time, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what the City staff did. But after I was sworn in the first time and then began to work with the staff and realize how many different things they do, and how much of what they do is never seen by most of our citizens, I was overwhelmed. Everyone sees the Police and Fire Departments’ employees and has some knowledge of what their responsibilities are, but most of the City employees work isn’t readily seen by the average citizen. After 20 years of being on the City Council, I continue to be impressed at the amount of work City employees do, and the degree of professionalism and expertise they have. I truly appreciate what each and every one of them does.

Number three was having to accept that you really can’t please all of the people all of the time. Initially, I struggled with that because I wanted to do a good job as a

Councilman and I wanted everyone to be satisfied with the work I was doing, along with the other Council members and the staff. I remember making a comment about this to Alfred Brown Sr., and he reminded me that I was there to do a job that is in the best interest of the City at large. And in the manner he was known for, he told me that “this isn’t a popularity contest and that no one can keep everyone happy all of the time. If you’re doing the job in the right way, there are going to be times when someone is not going to be happy with you.

The key is to remember that you have to make the best decisions you can for the good of the City above everything else.” It was great advice and Alfred quickly became one of the best mentors I have had in my lifetime.

JR: Having served on appointed city boards and being around Concord elected officials for many years, I had a good grasp on what to expect.

RENDERING: ADW ARCHITECTS

City Hall construction update The majority of exterior masonry work is complete. Work continues on the interior, including hanging sheetrock, finishing electrical and plumbing rough-ins, HVAC, and preparing for

flooring, painting, millwork, and other final elements. The project is on track for the December 10 City Council meeting to take place in the new building as planned.

10 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2015 • concordnc.gov

To learn more about the City Hall project and see progress photos, visit concordnc.gov/newcityhall.

DP: The amount of time that is necessary in order to do the job effectively, complications from never ending State and Federal requirements, and the growth rate of Concord and the Charlotte Region. When I was first elected in 1995, I had no idea of what the time requirements were for being a Councilman. So, I decided to keep track of the amount of time I spent on City business.

I have continued to do this throughout the 20 years I have spent on the Council and I have gone from spending 10-12 hours per week on City Council business in 1995 to 30 or more hours every week currently. Serving on the Concord City Council has pretty much become a full time job as far as the amount of time that is necessary to do the job effectively.

Also, the current NC General Assembly seems determined to do everything they can to remove as much authority as they can from the local governments (cities

O

2015 – 2016

Loose Leaf Collection Schedule

If your Garbage Day is…

Your Loose Leaves will be Collected…

Monday

October 19-23 November 16-20 January 4-8

Tuesday

October 19-23 November 9-13 December 28-31

Wednesday

November 2-6 December 14-18 January 25-29

Thursday

October 26-30 December 7-11 January 19-22

Friday

October 26-30 November 30-December 4 January 11-15

Second Chance $75 fee

February 1-5 February 8-12

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

Contact the Customer Care center or check concordnc.gov for updates.

• 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

Did you know...

Did you know Concord is one of the Solid few North Waste Resource Carolina fullGuide service cities that funds solid waste services (including annual loose leaf collection) through your tax dollars, without an extra fee?

Garbage –––––– Recycling ––––––– Bulky Waste ––––––– Yard Waste ––––––– Household Waste Hazardous ––––––– bage & Condos Gar Apartments Recycling Services & ––––––– bage Business Gar vices Ser & Recycling

place leaves at the curb after they have worked your street.

• 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.

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.

B

• Leaves must be free of tree/shrub limbs or foreign objects and kept away from storm drains, mail boxes and parked cars.

C

continued on page 12

b

How has the job changed over the last twenty years?

• T he 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.

No loose leaf collection is scheduled on City-observed holidays, including: Thanksgiving (November 23-27) Christmas (December 21-25) New Year’s Day (January 1) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 18)

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. Call 704.920.5555 to schedule.

For updates, contact the

Customer Care Center

704.920.5555 or check our website

concordnc.gov

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

Retiring Council Members continued from page 11

and counties), and to take away revenue sources from the local governments.

We used to enjoy a more cooperative relationship, whereby the General Assembly would focus on those things that were truly State issues and would leave local governments to manage local affairs. I hope over the next few years we can all work on getting back more where we used to be as far as “who does what” but I’m not very optimistic about that. Raleigh seems to be determined to tell local governments how to govern locally.

Finally, issues associated with being in a high growth area continue to be a challenge. Even throughout the recession that we are still coming out of, people continued to move to Concord and the population continues to grow. With growth comes the demand for more services and it has become very challenging to maintain the relatively low tax rate we enjoy and provide the services that people want and need.

JR: When I was elected in 1995, our citizens communicated their problems or concerns to their elected officials face to face or by phone. Then in the late 1990s email became the communication standard. With today’s technology, Social Media has become the key to communications with citizens, but now as a two way street. We not only hear about citizen’s problems in this manner, but also instantly keep our citizens abreast of issues that will impact their daily lives.

What will you miss most about serving on City Council?

DP: Serving people and helping them with any issues/concerns they have with the City of Concord. I’ll also miss working with the Mayor and the other Council members and the City Staff. Serving the people of Concord for the last 20 years truly has been an honor and a privilege.

JR: I will miss the honor of assisting our citizens in solving city-related concerns.

I will miss the goose bumps I still get as

the Council enters the Chamber and the Mayor gavels us in session. I will truly miss the interaction with all the people I have come in contact over the years. I will miss working with the City Staff, which the folks of Concord need to know are the finest and most professional in North Carolina.

It is a true honor to have been elected five times to serve my city for 20 years as a Council Member, and I sincerely thank all who have helped me along this journey.

What advice would you offer someone serving on City Council in the future?

David W. Phillips, District 1

DP: Be prepared to work – and put in a lot of hours. Adopt a “whatever it takes” attitude.

Develop good working relationships with the City Manager, Staff, and the other elected officials.

Develop good working relationships with the other elected officials and staffs throughout Cabarrus County.

Take the job very seriously – but don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy what you are doing and realize that there other people to help manage the City. You don’t have to do it all yourself. No man or woman is an island.

Don’t get involved in partisan politics. The job of City Council has been non-partisan since 1993 and there is no time or place for partisan politics and/or for political parties to be involved with the City Council.

Never, ever forget who put you in office and that they count on you to make the best

12 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2015 • concordnc.gov

MICHAEL A ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

decisions you can for the entire City of Concord.

Call me if I can help you.

JR: If a candidate is considering running because they have an axe to grind or a grudge, don’t run. These people never make good elected officials. If a candidate is seeking office because they want a title or to be in charge, don’t do that either. If a candidate is running to treat this office as an immediate stepping stone to another office, don’t do it. Run because you want to serve the people. Don’t run because you want to be served.

What do you think the City could do better to serve the community?

DP: Continue to keep those programs/ policies/procedures in place that are working well.

Learn from what other local governments are doing and adopt good programs and

What do you plan to do with all of your free time?

MICHAEL A ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

James E. Ramseur, District 2

practices from others. There is no time or need to re-invent the wheel.

Always listen to any input that is received and carefully evaluate it. Always get back in touch with anyone who contacts you and provide them with a response – even if the response may not be what they want to hear.

Continue to involve the citizens of Concord with programs such as Concord 101, the Public Safety Academy, etc. Create new programs as things change and evolve.

Continue to keep public safety and quality of life at the top of things that are important to the citizens of Concord.

Strive to maintain the lowest tax rate possible while planning effectively for the future.

JR: There are lots of things that could have been done if we chose to increase taxes.

Our Council preferred to balance the level of service while keeping the tax rate low instead.

DP: I have recently retired from Duke Energy after 36 year of employment so I am still going through the process of “adjusting.” Between working for Duke and being on the City Council, my average week was 80 or more hours each week.

So, it is going to be different. Initially, I am going to try to catch up on a number of things that I am behind on at home.

Then, Joanne and I want to do some traveling within the United States and Europe.

I intend to stay involved in community activities, just in a different way. I plan on staying active in the Concord Rotary Club and will consider being involved with other community activities such as Meals on Wheels and other organizations that provide needed assistance to others.

I also intend to carve out some time on a regular basis to get back involved with model railroading and finish the layout that I started a number of years ago. I have not had time to do anything with it in quite a few years. It’s operable but still not finished and I really look forward to getting back to this again. I don’t know that you ever really finish a layout, but I want to give it the best shot I can.

And finally, I want to be able to find time to get back to the gun range again on some degree of regularity. I haven’t had much time to do this for a number of years and this is something Joanne and I both enjoy so we’re going to make time for this as well.

JR: I have never had any free time and don’t expect to have any after December.

I will continue with my local history, genealogy, and home projects.

Anything else you would like to share?

DP: I would like to express my gratitude and sincere appreciation to the citizens of Concord for allowing me to serve them for the last twenty years. Serving on the Concord City Council has definitely been one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences of my life.

I would also like to thank the City Manager and all of the City Staff for the work they do on a daily basis and for truly caring about the citizens of Concord and the City.

They do so much work that most people don’t see or know about and we are really fortunate to have the caliber of employees that we do.

And finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the Mayor and Council members for allowing me to work closely with each one of you and truly working together as a team for the good of the City and the region. We have been able to agree on most things most of the time. But when there are those times that we haven’t all agree on something, I am proud to say that this Council can disagree without being disagreeable. I wish all of you that are remaining on the Council nothing but the best and am confident that Concord will continue to have a good Council with members that are there for the right reasons.

JR: The City of Concord has been blessed with good leadership for many years, way way before I arrived. These leaders made tough decisions for our future without drama, as is still the case with our current Council. I am proud to have had the honor to do a small part to carry on the tradition in building for Concord’s future. We maintained good leadership, good service, and a low tax rate. May God bless Concord with a bright future!

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Gacek with former chiefs Jack Moore and George Smith.

The remainder of his career in Milwaukee included command of several divisions, including criminal investigations, the emergency 911 communications center, internal affairs, and since March of 2014 the Neighborhood Task Force.

Responsibility in this assignment included supervision of approximately 200 officers, 16 sergeants, 3 lieutenants, and 4 support staff in the tactical enforcement unit (commonly known as SWAT), motorcycle unit, K-9 unit, fugitive apprehension unit, street

tactics, and interventions are procedurally just and supported by the community.

CITY OF CO NCORD/BR IAN

and implementation of departmental rules, policies, and procedures. He developed the department’s Code of Conduct manual for which he received the Chief’s Superior Leadership award. He also focused on analysis of legislation and court decisions to determine their impact on operations, as well as development and testing of new operational methods and techniques. Gacek was promoted to captain in July of 2009 and assumed oversight of the “CompStat” management performance process.

SCHIELE

Chief Gacek continued from page 5

crimes unit, bicycle patrol unit, and the major incident response team. Gacek points to this experience as helpful in managing public safety operations and response at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord Mills, and other local attractions.

In Milwaukee, he developed a hot-spot policing strategy that uses saturation patrols along with foot and bicycle patrols to ensure police engage the community in a positive way. Citing Concord’s established community oriented policing philosophy, Gacek plans to build on the work already accomplished by the Concord Police Department in this area. He considers interaction between police and the community essential, and feels open lines of communication will assist in making sure Concord’s strategies,

From The Mayor continued from page 3

Dave serves on Boards of Directors for Historic Cabarrus Association, Inc. and Cabarrus County Community Foundation, and formerly served on the Boards of Directors for the Archdale-Trinity Chamber of Commerce, Union County Community Arts Council, and of the Union County Chamber of Commerce as part of his work with Duke Energy.

He has served two terms as Mayor Pro-Tem, and prior to being elected to City Council, he served on the Planning and Zoning Board. He also is one of the City’s representatives on the Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County (WSACC) Board of Directors. Dave enjoys several interesting hobbies including photography and model railroading.

Jim, also a Concord native, is an Air Force veteran and retired as CEO of commercial and industrial painting and floor coating contractor Turner-Baxter, Inc. Jim currently serves on the Cabarrus County Fair Board, and previously served on the Board of Directors of Concord Downtown Development Corporation and Historic Cabarrus Association, Inc. He is a former member of the Concord Rotary Club and Past President of the Concord Jaycees, which awarded him the Distinguished Service Award in 1977. He was also a former 14 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2015 • concordnc.gov

“It is a tremendous honor to be Concord’s next chief of police,” said Gacek. “I’m excited to meet and work with the men and women of the Concord Police Department and other City departments. I look forward to visiting Concord’s neighborhoods and developing partnerships to improve public safety and take community policing to the next level. My family and I are thrilled to join the community and to call the City of Concord ‘home.’”

Gacek is married to his wife, Valerie, and they have two sons: Tyler, 14 and Colin, 12. He holds a master of arts degree in public service from Marquette University, with a specialization in criminal justice administration.

When he is not working he enjoys long distance road cycling, golfing, home improvement projects, and going to concerts. He is also a NASCAR fan, with his favorite driver being Wisconsin-native Matt Kenseth.

board member of the Residents of Historic Concord. Jim served as Mayor Pro-Tem from 1997-1999, and again in 2007 and 2013. Prior to City Council, Jim served as Vice Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board and Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission. He also includes part time work in the City’s Engineering Department while a student at UNCC on his resume. He was Vice Chairman of the City’s 1996 Bicentennial Committee, and frequently contributes historic Concord photo images and captions from his extensive collection to the Independent Tribune. He is an amateur genealogist and proud to say that he is a seventh-generation Cabarrus County Lutheran, and is currently writing a centennial history of Calvary Lutheran Church where he attends. Most recently, the Concord Downtown Development Corporation established the James E. ‘Jim’ Ramseur Award to be given annually to an individual who has gone to great lengths to support and promote not only Downtown Concord but the entire community.

Dave and Jim are the epitome of good citizenship, and they have always been fully engaged in this community. When they were elected 20 years ago, Concord’s population was continued on page 15

From The Mayor continued from page 14

about 42,000—about half of what it is now. Concord Regional Airport was in its infancy. The hospital was called Cabarrus Memorial and major employers were Fieldcrest-Cannon, Philip Morris, and Concord Telephone Company.

There was no such thing as “Exit 49,” but there were some concepts about a place called “King’s Grant.”

Much has changed in Concord since then, but not the quality of Dave and Jim’s leadership. They have focused on the community and continuing the legacy of service started by City elected officials that came before them, always striving to move Concord into the future.

They know from experience that public service involves much personal sacrifice, and they have gladly accepted the role and all that comes with it because public service means that much to them. As their colleague on City Council for six years and then as Mayor, I have been able to see how Dave and Jim considered the variety of issues and challenges that have come before the Council. No matter the subject, they always made decisions based on the facts and the best outcome for Concord, even when not popular in the moment. We all owe them our gratitude for this approach and the quality of life we enjoy as a community due to their leadership. I hope you will enjoy the special feature on them in this issue to learn more about their service from their perspectives.

As David W. Phillips and James E. Ramseur complete their fifth terms on City Council, their service coincides with a milestone in the making for nearly as long as their tenure: the new City Hall on Cabarrus Avenue. With the same steady, intentional leadership, they planned for this new chapter by first upgrading the City’s operational and public safety facilities, then staying on track to plan, design, and construct a City Hall fitting of Concord today and tomorrow. Their final meeting in December will be a special one, not just because of being the first in the new facility, but also because of what their service has meant to this community for the last decades.

I will miss both of them greatly as colleagues, but know we have not seen the end of our friendships or their service to Concord. I thank them for all they have done and look forward to seeing what’s next.

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

Manager’s Notes continued from page 3

irrigation to just the amount needed to maintain lawns and plants.

However, there are even more ways residents and businesses can conserve water. You can find conservation tips and other resources at concordnc.gov/water.

Concord and Kannapolis are currently finishing a project with the City of Albemarle to bring in more water from the Yadkin River.

However, tiered pricing and other practices will need to remain in place to encourage conservationminded water use, even though we will have access to more potable water.

I have no doubt that conservation techniques and new reuse technology will enable us to change the way we use water in the future.

We must be creative in adopting these new practices as they are available. These advances are essential to protect our natural resources, but they come at a price.

This as another reason why Concord has implemented permanent changes in the philosophy of its water utility, such as tiered pricing.

Although it may be more popular in some communities to try to avoid this reality, it is critical that we all do our part to secure the water needed to live, work, and play across the region.

Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5100 Meter Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5219 Parks & Recreation . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5600 Planning & Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152 Police (non-emergency) . . . . . . . 704-920-5000 Public Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5210 Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5440 Rider Transit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-7433 Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5111 Rocky River Golf Club . . . . . . . . . 704-455-1200 Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5361 Tax Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5216 TDD/North Carolina Relay . . . . 1-800-735-8262 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5362 Water Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5337 Zoning/Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704-920-5152

concordnc.gov

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PPCO

PAID

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

High Five recognizes coworkers who make a difference

P.O. Box 308 Concord, NC 28036

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.

Concord Mobile Care

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

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

The High Five for Excellent Service is a new employee recognition program designed to allow customers to acknowledge City coworkers who are providing excellent service. Have you experienced great service from member of Team Concord? If so, we hope that you will let us know so that we can recognize the coworker(s) with a “High Five.”

There are three ways to submit your recognitions: 1C all 704-920-6400 to submit your acknowledgment via the telephone.

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

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

concordnc.gov Visit our City’s website where you’ll find a wealth of information. Pay bills online, access government and City departments, and discover what’s going on in Concord.

16 • CONCORD CITY CIRCULAR FALL 2015 • concordnc.gov

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

When customers or colleagues recognize a coworker for delivering excellent service, he or she is presented with a special thank you card. A coworker can receive as many cards as earned. Recognitions are published on the city’s website at concordnc.gov/high5.

Regardless of which department, all members of Team Concord are committed to providing excellent, seamless, customer-focused service.

Thank you for helping us recognize our best!