Inside High Point - June 2023

INSIDE HIGH POINT

SUMMER IN THE CITY!

CONTENTS

Welcome to Inside High Point, the newsletter that covers everything going on within the City of High Point and its various departments. If you have news, photos, questions or suggestions for what you would like to see featured, please email us at PIO@ highpointnc.gov.

08/ 19/ 04/

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Check out a summary of the newly-approved FY 23-24 budget.

SUCCESS Learn more about the amazing work facilitated by Community Development.

RECYCLE

FOAM

Find out how can now recycle so much more than cardboard!

Mayor - Jay Wagner

Member at Large - Britt Moore

Member at Large - Tyrone E. Johnson

Ward 1 - Cyril Jefferson

Ward 2 - Chris Williams

Ward 3 - Monica Peters

Ward 4 - Wesley Hudson, Mayor Pro Tem

Ward 5 - Victor Jones

CITY COUNCIL

City Council meets the first and third Monday of each month. You can find their meeting schedule HERE.

Jay.Wagner@highpointnc.gov

336.883.3305

Britt.Moore@highpointnc.gov

336.687.2200

Tyrone.Johnson@highpointnc.gov

336.307.8261

Cyril.Jefferson@highpointnc.gov

Chris.Williams@highpointnc.gov

336.883.1736

Monica.Peters@highpointnc.gov

336.906.7328

Wesley.Hudson@highpointnc.gov

336.655.5880

Victor.Jones@highpointnc.gov

336.899.7777

Michael.Holmes@highpointnc.gov

Ward 6 - Michael Holmes

MANAGER'S OFFICE

CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 BUDGET

On June 5, 2023, the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget was unanimously adopted. The adopted budget totals $478,537,587, a $14,224,261 (3.1 percent) increase from the FY 2022-23 budget.

The budget was initially proposed on May 1, 2023, and City Council held budget work sessions on May 10 and May 18. A public hearing was held at the May 15th City Council meeting. At the May 18 meeting, the City Council approved mayor and city council compensation changes.

The adopted budget includes funding for the City’s Pay for Performance Program (0-4 percent) and increases pay plan minimums by 3 percent. It also provides for the transition of the City’s health plan to self-insured and the creation of a full-service employee health clinic. There is no increase in employee contributions to the City’s health plan. The budget also creates a six-week paid parental/caregiver leave policy.

There is no change in the City’s property tax rate, remaining at 61.75 cents per $100 of valuation. Electric rates also remain unchanged. The adopted budget includes a 4 percent increase in water and sewer rates and increases solid waste availability and stormwater fees by $1 per month, respectively. Other fee increases for customer service, public services and parking were approved.

The budget adds three full-time positions, funds $4.7 million in vehicle and other rolling stock replacements and allocates

$250,000 to the City’s marketing and branding efforts.

The proposed budget document, which was approved with the additions to elected official compensation listed above, can be found at www.highpointnc.gov/Budget.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING WELCOMES NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

In April of this year, Don McKnight joined the City of High Point Community Development & Housing Department as the new assistant director. McKnight comes to the City from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, where he served as Director of the Eagles Soar I PBI Grant Project.

Over the course of his 20-plus-year career, he has held various grant administration and management positions in the areas of community development, planning, economic development and affordable housing throughout the South from Florida to Texas.

He has extensive experience extending loans and grants to homebuyers to purchase their first homes, grants and loans to homeowners to rehabilitate their homes and loans and grants to homeowners to maintain ownership of their homes through foreclosure prevention initiatives. In addition, his grant experience includes researching, writing proposals and auditing programs and projects.

Don holds a master’s degree in public administration from Saint Edwards University in Austin, Texas; a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of LaVerne in LaVerne, California and an associate’s degree in business administration from Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Calif.

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HELPS HUNDREDS

VITA is a nationwide program managed by the Internal Revenue Service and implemented by local partners such as the City of High Point and its volunteers.

VITA provides free, basic tax returns for households with an income of $58,000 or less. The program targets low-to-moderate-income families.

The City of High Point has hosted its VITA program for 17 years. The season runs from mid-January through mid-April.

This tax season, we had 30+ volunteers who donated 1,913 volunteer hours. Tax sites were open for 431 operating hours for a total of 941 returns. Total federal refunds issued were $717,953, with an average taxpayer gross income of $26,255.

VITA saved taxpayers a total of $235,250 in tax preparation fees. The average refund was $1,200, and with 941 returns, a total of up to $959,820 was put back into the local economy.

Between costs saved on tax returns and refunds, the total return on investment for High Point during the 22-23 tax season was $1,008,257.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HOLDS SPRING OPERATION INASMUCH

The City of High Point Community Development & Housing Department {CD&H), Community Housing Solutions (CHS) and Housing Consultants Group (HCG) have worked together to strengthen neighborhoods by improving the quality of housing in several Core City communities through an exciting program called Operation Inasmuch (OIAM).

This program has been sponsored by the City of High Point since 2016 and is held twice a year (in the Spring and Fall). OIAM is a daylong service opportunity in which volunteers from faith-based organizations, community groups and other interested groups come together to help repair the homes of eligible homeowners free of charge. These volunteers work with skilled professionals to perform the housing repairs.

Here are the highlights from OIAM on April 29, 2023:

• 10 homes were repaired, impacting the 20 individuals living in these homes

• 176 volunteers served 1,056 hours

• $100,000 was invested in home repairs in the Southside Neighborhood. These repairs included:

• Construction of two access ramps

• Installation of safety railings at four homes

• A fresh coat (or two) of exterior paint to two homes, a few sheds and a deck

• Painting Southside Garden beds and shed

• Picking up 24 bags of trash along the greenway

• Many yards were mulched, bushes pruned and flowers delivered

The department would like to thank the following teams for joining the effort to bless these neighbors with home repairs:

•Bank of America

•City of High Point

•Covenant Church

•Green Street Baptist Church

•Forest Hills Presbyterian Church

•High Point BNI

•High Point Young Professionals

•HPHA Soar Program

•Kernersville BNI

•Pinnacle Financial Partners

•Titans

•Triad REIA

A special thanks to the Welfare Reform Liaison Project for providing lunch and snacks to the City of High Point’s Team.

If you would like to volunteer for OIAM in the Fall (Oct. 28), please contact Michelle V. McNair.

HIGH POINT POLICE

HPPD OFFICERS GO OVER THE EDGE

Two High Point police officers went ‘over the edge’ to support the Arc of High Point. Lt. K. Rieson and Officer T. Brancaccio were among more than 35 people who rappelled down the side of Embassy Suites by Hilton Greensboro Airport Hotel.

The HPPD team raised more than $2,000 for the Arc, an organization that helps change the lives of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community.

HPPD YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

More than 30 local students spent the first weeks of summer building leadership skills and serving the community at the High Point Police Department/ High Point University Youth Leadership Academy. The program is designed to challenge students with opportunities in leadership, teamwork and service.

Students volunteered with several organizations, including the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and Open Door Ministries. They also visited the High Point Fire Department Training Facility, Hanging Rock State Park and Fort Liberty.

YLA is led by HPPD School Resource Officers in partnership with High Point University.

HPPD HOSTS CAR SEAT SAFETY AND INSPECTION EVENT

The High Point Police Department partnered with Safe Kids Guilford for a Community Car Seat Check at Publix on North Main Street.

Several of the department’s Certified Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) inspected car seats to ensure they were installed properly and shared safety information to keep families safe on the road.

Free car seat checks are available at the High Point Police Department. To schedule an appointment, call 336.887.7824.

HUMAN RELATIONS

DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES JUNETEENTH & DISABILITY ACCESS

The Human Relations Division began its festival season this month. On Sunday, June 18, staff attended Carl Chavis YMCA’s Juneteenth Festival, speaking with nearly 100 High Point residents about City resources offered by the Human Relations Office.

They highlighted division services that assist landlords and tenants as they navigate complaints and also shared flyers for great upcoming events like the Summer Jubilee & School Supplies Giveaway. Staff also assisted with the planning of the Juneteenth Festival and brought along fellow CHP staff from the High Point Public Library and High Point Fire Department.

On Saturday, June 24, the division attended the Fiery Festival hosted by the Disability Advocacy Center, an organization that assists all residents with disabilities in Guilford County and the surrounding counties. The festival also featured emergency preparedness training offered by the Greensboro Fire Department, and staff spoke with residents about their rights under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AKZONOBEL UNVEILS $55 MILLION EXPANSION

In June, AkzoNobel opened its new research and development center on its South High Point campus, a $55 million investment. Company executives, customers and suppliers were in attendance as well as City of High Point elected officials, EDC board members and staff.

“When we decided to make this investment in High Point, it was in recognition that High Point is the center of the wood coatings industry in North America,” said Brent Neal, regional technical manager of wood coatings for AkzoNobel. “This is the furniture city.”

Based in the Netherlands, AkzoNobel has about 35,000 employees in 80 countries, including 223 at its 37-acre High Point campus.

SELS USA RECEIVES STATE GRANT FOR HIGH POINT EXPANSION

SELS USA is expanding to High Point, and a $100,000 Building Reuse Grant from the State of North Carolina will support the upfit of its new location at 1710 & 1720 King St.

Specializing in off-grid energy solutions, SELS USA, LLC, will use the buildings to bring assembly of its products such as streetlights and transit lights in-house.

The company is set to create 13 jobs and invest $821,141.

PUBLIC SERVICES

KHPB RECOGNIZES GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP VOLUNTEERS

Keep High Point Beautiful is so thankful to everyone who came out to help with the Great American Cleanup. Many City employees showed up to help keep our city clean, and each one is appreciated. Several City employees had their names pulled in the prize drawing courtesy of Blue Ridge Companies and Leggett & Platt, Inc.

The winners include:

• Chris Hauser, Engineering Department

• Mike McClure, Public Services Department, Environmental Services Division

• Edwina Stewart, Public Services Department, Ward Water Filtration Plant

• Chris Reid, Parks & Recreation Department

Congratulations to the winners. KHPB hopes to see everyone back out again for the High Point Big Sweep on Saturday, Oct. 7.

KHPB JOINS BEE CITY USA

In May of 2023, the City of High Point’s City Council adopted a resolution that would allow Keep High Point Beautiful to participate in the Bee City USA program. This effort is to help bring awareness to the decline of the native bee population and how to be part of the solution.

High Point’s Bee City committee requested to use two small sections of land on top of the closed city landfill to plant some native flowers that our pollinators need and enjoy. Landfill staff ensured that the two areas were clear for planting and provided topsoil from Ingleside Compost Facility.

Many thanks to Carrie Council and the Piedmont Environmental Center for providing our native plants for this project. Additionally, Carrie, other Bee City committee members and friends helped move soil and plant the flowers. KHPB hopes that this team effort will lead to a brighter future for our native pollinators.

FOAM RECYCLING COMES TO HIGH POINT

The City of High Point recently received a $49,250 grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC) that will enable residents to recycle materials, such as foam polystyrene cups, plates, bowls, clamshells, egg cartons and meat trays, as well as block packaging foam at its local drop-off centers.

The city currently has three drop-off locations, The High Point Library, Ingleside Compost Facility and the Material Recovery Facility.

The grant money was used for the purchase of a foam densifier from FOAMCYCLE. Densifiers are used to compact polystyrene foam products, like cups, egg cartons, food service containers and packaging materials, into foam blocks or ingots.

The City of High Point plans to sell the foam ingots to local markets to be manufactured into architectural moldings, picture frames foam insulation.

The Foam Recycling Coalition was formed under the Foodservice Packaging Institute in 2014 to support increased recycling of food service packaging made from foam polystyrene.

FRC shares general information on foam recycling, provides technical resources and offers funding assistance to programs ready to start or strengthen post-consumer foam recycling. Members include stakeholders from throughout the food service packaging value chain.

The grant is made possible through contributions to FRC, which focuses exclusively on increased recycling of post-consumer foam polystyrene.

PARKS & RECREATION

KIDS FISH AT OAK HOLLOW TOURNAMENT

Oak Hollow Marina’s Youth Fishing Derby hosted over 100 young anglers on a beautiful Saturday morning at the lake. Prizes were given in age categories for the most fish caught, the biggest fish caught and the smallest fish caught. All were safely returned to the lake afterward.

Prizes for these winners and raffles were donated by James Lewis, who gave 20 rods, reels and tackle boxes. A Perception tandem kayak was donated by Get Outdoors and was won by 12-year-old Nicholas. Friends from Guilford Creek Week were on hand, giving away t-shirts and information on how to help improve our environment.

High Point Parks and Recreation would like to say a big thanks to the donors, sponsors, volunteers and participants.

PARK RANGER AWARDED LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATE

Congratulations to Park Ranger Thomas Roehm, who recently earned the prestigious North Carolina Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate. The award was originally presented to him in Raleigh before the members of NC Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission, shown here with Thomas and his wife Tasmyn.

Thomas was also honored at a recent meeting of the High Point Parks & Recreation Commission. Chief Park Ranger Dennis Salgado presented Park Ranger Roehm with a framed copy of his certificate at the June meeting of the High Point Parks & Recreation Commission.

Thomas serves our community as a park ranger. He has over six years of law enforcement experience, holds a bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in criminal justice from UNC-Charlotte and has completed over 699 hours of advanced professional training.

High Point is one of only a handful of municipalities in North Carolina with sworn law enforcement officers serving as park rangers. The department is grateful for the work that its park rangers do, in cooperation with the High Point Police Department, to keep the City’s parks, facilities and events safe.

PROMOTIONS & NEW HIRES

CONGRATULATIONS:

ELLIS ADER - W/S Technician I to W/S Camera Operator

JONATHAN BEAVER - Parks Maintenance Crew Leader to Crew Supervisor

BAYARD CRUMP - Master III Police Officer to Police Supervisor I

BRAD EMBRY - Cemetery Parks Supervisor to Solid Waste Disposal Assistant Superintendent

ANDREW EVANS - Parks Maintenance Crew Leader to Parks Maintenance Crew Supervisor

NICHOLAS LEONE - Groundskeeper I to Parks Maintenance Crew Leader

MEGHAN MAGUIRE - Deputy City Attorney to City Attorney

WELCOME:

HEATHER H. STEWART – Accounting Payroll Technician

TOREY BASKIN - IT User Support Agent

JEFFREY HARRIS - Environmental Services

Sanitation Worker

LADAWN PEARSON - Customer Services Assistant Director

CYNTHIA BARNES - MWBE Coordinator

KENDALL CLINARD - Firefighter

STEPHAN HITE - Firefighter

KELSEY PETERMAN - Firefighter

TIEGAN SPAINHOUR - Firefighter

JONATHAN HURT - Firefighter

ALPHONSO DUNSTON - Firefighter

JAMES MARTIN - Code Enforcement Officer III

BRIAN MCCALL - Code Enforcement Officer III

JARRIAN JEFFERSON - Librarian I

MACKENZIE MILORO - Park Ranger I

AMANDA SPARKS - Parks & Recreation Administrative Specialist I

DENNIS LAIN - Parks Maintenance Crew Supervisor

JOSHUA HUGHES - Summer Camp Counselor

MCKENZIE WHITEHART - Summer Camp Counselor

WALTER SMITH - Camp Ann Counselor

LAURA HARDIN - Seasonal Park Attendant

PROMOTIONS & NEW HIRES

WELCOME:

SAVANNAH FAUBER - Camp Ann Assistant Director

NICHOLAS CLARK - Camp Ann Counselor

JA'NAE' BETHEA - Seasonal Park Attendant

FRANCESCA CARAWAY - Summer Camp Counselor

CAMERON SHAW - Summer Camp Counselor

JAYLIN POMPEY - Lifeguard

SAHBIRAH BOUBACAR - Lifeguard

AARON GRANT - Lifeguard

JACOB CUNNINGHAM - Lifeguard

NATHAN TAKASHIGE - Lifeguard

NASIA HOLMES - Seasonal Park Attendant

ISIS PERRY - Seasonal Park Attendant

ABIGAIL EARL - Lifeguard

JORDAN GOINS - Lifeguard

EVAN SHEPHERD - Lifeguard

JACKSON GARNER - Seasonal Park Attendant

EMERIE EVERHART - Lifeguard

KATHERINE LUKACS - Grillroom Attendant

KIRIALYSSE NIEVES - Lifeguard

MADELINE KUENNEN - Lifeguard

AMY MCBRIDE - Senior Planner

TILLMAN BALDWIN - Police Patrol Officer Trainee

APRIL HOWELL-SMITH - Police Information Manager

BRYAN CULP - Street Maintenance Motor Equipment Operator I

MARISSA ORTIZ - Customer Service Representative I

CORY BARTLETT - Transit Maintenance Technician II

ROCKY JENKINS - W/S Technician II

KENNETH BROWN - W/S Camera Technician