Article Date: 5/13/2013

Page Content: Centenarians remember changes in the Twin City since merger. As part of Winston-Salem’s centennial celebration this month, 50 residents who are or will be 100 years old or older in 2013 were honored at a luncheon last week. Some of the residents remember coming to town on a horse and buggy and buying two hotdogs and a drink with 15 cents.

 

Boston Globe: Picture-perfect town stars in “Safe Haven.”  The Boston Globe wrote a feature on Southport’s appearance in “Safe Haven,” the movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel and filmed in the area. The article highlights several area tourist attractions from the film and talks about the boom in tourism since the movie premiered in February.

 

Jonesville cuts ribbon on water plant. Local and state officials gathered in Jonesville on Friday to welcome the town’s first new water plant in 50 years. The new plant is the first of its kind in the state; the stand-alone microsand ACTIFLO system is used for the complete treatment of water.

 

Huffington Post: 10 best beach towns for relaxing vacations. Kitty Hawk was featured on a list of the top 10 best beach towns for relaxing family vacations compiled by Parents Magazine. The magazine chose beaches that are fun, affordable and stress-free.

 

The biggest loser of all. Apex took first place in the medium group results category of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina’s Get Fit Challenge. More than 5,000 employees at 81 companies in the state participated and collectively shed 13,805 pounds since January.

 

Cary’s summit on the future. Cary kicked off Imagine Cary, an 18-month process to create the Cary Community Plan, with a Summit on the Future event on May 2. Nearly 700 people gathered to brainstorm for the plan that will guide Cary for the next 20 to 30 years.

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Article Date: 5/6/2013

Page Content: Garner dedicates new veterans memorial. After seven years of planning, Garner unveiled its new, Veterans Memorial at Lake Benson Park on Saturday. The memorial commemorates North Carolina’s contributions to various U.S. conflicts.

 

Six must-see literary sites in North Carolina.  Author Georgann Eubanks, who recently released “Literary Trails of Eastern North Carolina,” made a list of six must-see literary sites across the state. Eubanks wrote several books about literary history in North Carolina.

 

$5.5 million in Rural Center grants to create 660 jobs. The N.C. Economic Development Center announced $5.5 million in grants to create jobs, provide clean water and assist with economic development in rural counties. The 36 grants in 33 counties will allow cities like Pilot Mountain to map the town’s wastewater system with a $40,000-grant.

 

Columbus County town hosts state’s oldest agriculture festival. Chadbourn hosted its 81st Strawberry Festival last weekend. Strawberries have been a main crop of the town since the early 1900s and became a source of entertainment in 1926 when Chadbourn hosted the first Strawberry Festival.

 

North Carolina towns considered among top 12 American boomtowns. Raleigh-Cary and Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord were featured on a Bloomberg list of the Top 12 American Boomtowns. According to the list, the cities are among America’s fastest growing metropolitan areas with the highest population and gross domestic product growth.

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Article Date: 4/29/2013

Page Content: Obama nominates Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to lead U.S. Department of Transportation. President Obama nominated Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation today. The nomination is pending Senate approval.

 

Vote for Cape Hatteras in Ultimate Fishing Town contest.  Cape Hatteras is in the running to win the Ultimate Fishing Town contest from World Fishing Network. The winner will receive $25,000 to invest into the future of fishing in the community. Cape Hatteras is in first place with roughly 11,000 votes, and voting closes on Friday. 

 

Beaufort home of state’s oldest town cemetery. Beaufort, one of the state’s oldest towns, may have the state’s oldest town cemetery. A 4-acre cemetery contains the graves of more than 600 graves dating back to 1711. According to the article, historians believe some of the graves belong to victims of the Tuscarora Indian War that took place on the state’s east cost from 1711 to 1715.

 

Eating on the fly: Hillsborough, N.C. The Daily Meal recently featured Hillsborough as one of the best places in the Triangle area to find great farm-to-table cuisine. The farmland surrounding Hillsborough provides plenty of fresh ingredients for area restaurants and offers fresh, local wines, chocolates, and fusion restaurants like Panciuto, which fuses Italian and American Southern tastes.

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Article Date: 4/22/2013

Page Content: N.C. gov announces transportation funding overhaul.  Governor McCrory announced a transportation funding model that would direct more money toward statewide and regional projects that can prove their potential worth with data. According to the article, the plan, which requires legislative approval, would allow the Department of Transportation staff to tackle more projects than expected.

 

Google expands in North Carolina, will boost renewables. Last week, Google announced its plans for a $600-million expansion of the Lenoir data center. The expansion will build new server farms and IT equipment, bringing Google’s Lenoir investment to $1.2 billion. Google also announced plans to partner with Duke Energy in a new, renewable energy program.  

 

Wilson, N.C., becomes first community in state to offer ultra-fast internet. Wilson’s city-owned broadband provider, Greenlight, will provide gigabit Internet connectivity services no later than July 2013. The service will be about 100 times faster than average high-speed connections. The upgrade was a response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Gigabit City Challenge, which challenged providers to offer gigabit service in at least one community in each state by 2015.

 

Three N.C. municipalities named All-America Award finalists. Dunn, Garner and Thomasville are among 20 communities nationally named All-America City Award finalists. Representatives of the towns are invited by the National Civic League to the 2013 Awards Ceremony in Denver June 14-16 where the winners are announced. The awards recognize local action through community-based problem-solving and civic engagement efforts involving public, private and non-profit sectors.

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Article Date: 4/12/2013

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April 12, 2013

 

Contact:  Najuma Thorpe

(919) 715-3931

nthorpe@nclm.org

 

NCLM Granted motion to intervene in rates case

League is working with municipalities statewide and NCUC in hopes of reducing the financial burden that rate increases would bring upon municipal governments

(RALEIGH, N.C.) -- The North Carolina League of Municipalities has been granted a motion to intervene in Duke Energy’s recent filing for a rate increase before the N.C. Utilities Commission (NCUC). The goal of the League’s intervention is to reduce the financial burden that an increase in Duke Energy’s electricity rates would bring upon municipal governments served by the utility.  Increases in electricity rates can significantly impact municipal budgets, particularly in those cities and towns providing such services as water and wastewater treatment, street lighting, and recreational facilities.

In response to member demand, the League developed the North Carolina Municipal Energy Group to intervene in rates cases on behalf of municipalities. Nearly 100 cities and towns across the state have chosen to participate in the program, which will contract with specialized outside counsel to represent cities and towns in negotiations with the utilities and the NCUC.

“In a time of dwindling resources, increases in utility costs would diminish the ability of cities and towns to provide core services. If the financial burden on municipalities increases, then it would ultimately affect businesses and residents,” said Paul Meyer, NCLM director of governmental affairs. “We want to work to prevent these adverse effects on municipalities and taxpayers.”

The League was previously granted a motion to intervene in a similar filing for Progress Energy.

 

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 great hometowns – representing nearly every municipality in the state. The League advocates for its members, from the largest city to the smallest village, on the full range of legislative issues that affect municipalities.

 

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Article Date: 4/15/2013

Page Content: Officers learning advanced police driving at League workshop. Last week’s defensive driver training offered by the League in Charlotte was featured on WBTV Friday. The training will help lessen the number of accidents caused by distracted driving – the most common cause of police accidents.  

 

Southern Living: The South’s Tastiest Town: Durham, N.C.  Durham takes the cake in Southern Living magazine’s second-annual Tastiest Towns contest. Durham beat out nine other towns to earn the title for its “scrappy scene of artisans devoted to coffee beans, brews and the craft of humble food.”

 

Carolina Beach leadership nods to town pool concept. Last week the Carolina Beach Town Council voted to move forward in developing an aquatics center adjacent to the existing recreation center. The new facility will include a 25-yeard, eight-lane, NCAA-compliant pool that could cost between $900,000 and $1.5 million to build.

 

Spencer mayor wants to show off N.C. Transportation Museum. Spencer Mayor Jody Everhart hopes to attract support of the N.C. Transportation Museum by bringing area mayors to the town. Everhart requested Spencer as the location of the Regional Conference of Mayors of the Central Carolinas to spread the word about the museum and its funding needs.

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Article Date: 4/9/2013

Page Content: Artists revitalize rural manufacturing.  Manufacturing slowed in Siler City like it has in many communities across the state, but Siler City decided to pair its talented workers and artists to create a beneficial public-private partnership. With this partnership, Siler City is revitalizing its downtown area and making it a more attractive place to live and do business.

U.S. Congresswoman Foxx to hold town hall by telephone. Next week, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will hold a telephone town hall to discuss federal taxes and spending. Foxx said she wants to make herself available for District 5 residents, from Boone to Kernersville and Statesville to Mount Airy, who have questions or ideas about tax reform.

Tourism campaign encourages break from interstate. Jonesville, Elkin and Sparta, along with two Virginia towns, are hoping to reinvigorate tourism along Interstate 77 with a new marketing campaign. The campaign, Take a Break from the Interstate, will launch on April 13 and draw motorists off of the Interstate and into towns with events and attractions.

Top 10 Foodie Cities: A second helping. Chapel Hill was named a Top 10 Foodie City by Livability.com, a national website that ranks quality of life and travel amenities of America’s small and mid-sized cities. For this list, Livability.com editors sniffed out cities with a high ratio of acclaimed restaurants, innovative chefs and strong regional culinary styles to their population size.

Emerald Isle launches solid plan. Emerald Isle recently proposed a 2013-2014 plan that would fund millions of dollars in projects without heavily taxing citizens. The plan, proposed by Manager Frank Rush, would increase taxes by a penny to complete transportation and wastewater projects.

Oriental home to biggest small town boat show ever. Oriental, a small town in Pamlico County, isn’t a big tourist destination, but it is home to the Biggest Small-Town Boat Show Ever.” The event will attract 2,000 visitors from a dozen states to view and purchase boats valued at upwards of $500,000.

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Article Date: 4/2/2013

Page Content: NY Times: A vibrant wine culture in the Piedmont.  The article highlights the Triangle area’s plentiful wine options. According to several  wine and food experts, the Triangle’s selection is on par with locations with New York City and California because of North Carolina’s local food movement.

 

Matthews fourth town in N.C. to receive habitat certification. Matthew’s was recently the fourth town in North Carolina, and the sixty-fourth nationwide, named a Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The designation goes to towns that have made a commitment to fostering a wildlife friendly community through shelters, food, water and places to raise young.

 

All signs point to Cornelius. Cornelius completed the first phase of installing wayfinding signs throughout its downtown area. The signs direct visitors to historic sites, restaurants and parks to encourage economic development.   

 

Guest columnist: Lloyd Payne on The Rural Center: Partner, innovator, economic driver. Elkin manager Lloyd Payne’s editorial in the Winston-Salem Journal details the benefits of having the North Carolina Economic Development Center as an ally. He said Elkin has benefitted greatly by being a part of the STEP program and using the Center for support on municipal issues.

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Article Date: 4/2/2013

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Background

Beginning April 1, 2013, building permits for specified projects may not be issued until new rules requiring the designation of lien agents have been satisfied.

In 2012, the General Assembly enacted SB 42 - Mech. Liens/PVT Lien Agent (SL 2012-158) [the “Act”], which established the position of “lien agent.” The Act further defined the duties and responsibilities of lien agents and prescribed the circumstances under which they are to be designated. A “lien agent” is a title insurance company or title insurance agency designated by the owner of real property upon which contractors and subcontractors have contracted to perform work. A lien agent must register with the NC Department of Insurance.

An owner is required to designate a lien agent no later than the time the owner first contracts with any person to improve real property when the costs of the undertaking at the time that the original building permit is issued is $30,000 or more. A lien agent is not required for improvements to an existing single-family residential dwelling unit that is used by the owner as a residence.

 

Effects on city building code officials and inspection departments

The Act added a new subsection (d) to G.S. 160A-417 – “Permits” to provide that no permit shall be issued under subsection (a)(1) of the section [permits for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement to another site, removal, or demolition of any building or structure] when the designation of a lien agent is required unless the name, physical and mailing address, telephone number, facsimile number, and electronic mail address of the lien agent is conspicuously set forth in the permit or in an attachment thereto. Additionally, the lien agent information for each permit issued shall be maintained by the inspection department in the same manner and in the same location in which it maintains its record of building permits issued. Lastly, another section of the Act requires that any building permit issued under G.S. 160A-417(d) shall be conspicuously and continuously posted on the property for which the permit is issued until the completion of all the construction.

For your information, a website became available on April 1, 2013, for the purpose of facilitating the completion of the various duties of lien agents. Currently, nine lien agents have registered with the Department of Insurance and will be using the LiensNC system. Others lien agents will have the opportunity to use the system in the future. Building Code and Inspection Department officials may log on to the website and obtain the lien agent information that is required under the statute.

Title insurance attorneys working with LiensNC have developed several documents which you may find useful in implementing the terms of the Act. In accordance with their request, we have attached those documents below for your review.    

• Instructions for Permitting Offices
• Lien agent Information sheet
• Lien agent appointment example
• Contact information for LiensNC filings

The instructions document provides additional information on how Building Code and Inspection Department officials may utilize information found through the LinesNC system to comply with the Act.

We hope you will find this information of help.

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Article Date: 4/1/2013

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Several news outlets covered bills in the General Assembly that pose threat to municipal authority. Read the full articles below:

• News & Observer: Martinez: Enough with the state's GOP leaders meddling in local affairs

• News & Observer: Drop dead: Is that the GOP's message to Raleigh?

• News & Observer: New N.C. legislature targets 'arrogant' cities

• News & Observer: Senate bills would rob cities of a popular business tax

• WRAL.com: N.C. cities facing more legislative intervention

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Article Date: 3/28/2013

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March 28, 2013

 

Contact:  Najuma Thorpe

(919) 715-3931

nthorpe@nclm.org

 

CITY LEADERS CAME TO RALEIGH FOR LEAGUE’S TOWN HALL DAY

Hundreds of elected officials, business and civic leaders, and city staff visited with legislators to discuss vital issues facing municipalities

(RALEIGH, N.C.) – About 500 municipal leaders from across the state were in Raleigh yesterday to visit the General Assembly and discuss issues facing state’s municipalities including municipal asset control, extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and tax reform. Town Hall Day, an event convened by the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM), draws elected officials, business and civic leaders, and municipal staff to Raleigh to personally visit state legislators.

“It is important for our members to form relationships with state legislators,” said Art Schools, NCLM President and Emerald Isle mayor. “Town Hall Day is an opportunity for municipalities to band together and let members of the General Assembly know that we want to partner with them to ensure that our cities, town and main streets are vibrant and thriving.”

During Town Hall Day, attendees met one-on-one with their General Assembly representatives and attended both House and Senate sessions. Gov. Pat McCrory also addressed attendees and discussed the goals for his administration. In addition, N.C. Representative Ruth Samuelson, the Republican conference leader, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger spoke to Town Hall Day attendees. 

"It was great for municipal elected officials and staff to talk with their legislators," said Paul Meyer, NCLM director of governmental affairs.  "I think we had meaningful conversations and made progress with General Assembly members on a wide host of issues."

Added S. Ellis Hankins, NCLM executive director:  “Town Hall Day is the best opportunity our members have to come together and talk with legislators about what municipalities need and to show that strong cities are good for the state.”

 

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 great hometowns – representing nearly every municipality in the state. The League advocates for its members, from the largest city to the smallest village, on the full range of legislative issues that affect municipalities.

For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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Article Date: 3/26/2013

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Bright future for Town of Hillsborough. Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens delivered his annual State of the Town Address at the Hillsborough Town Barn Monday night. Stevens spoke highly of the towns’ potential to draw visitors who want to experience an authentic Southern town.  

 

Southern Pines making progress on bike plan. Three of the four projects in phase one of Southern Pines’ bicycle and pedestrian plan are complete, and the town received positive feedback. According to the article, his is Moore County’s first bicycle project.

 

Dees, artist of Sanford brick sculpture, dies.  Patricia Turlington Dees, state-renowned brick sculptor, died last week in Goldsboro. Dees created the well-known, large, brick sculpture of the city’s seal at the Sanford City Hall.

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Article Date: 3/25/2013

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The League recently partnered with the Carolinas Wireless Association to encourage and facilitate productive dialogue between municipal officials and the wireless telecommunications industry. As part of that effort, we are co-sponsoring a series of seminars about wireless and broadband technology. The general purposes are to inform about changes in the industry and recent federal law developments and discuss how the push toward build-out to better serve citizens and businesses might affect the industry, communities and local government land use approvals.  

Please click here for information on the seminars to be held in Asheville on April 18 and New Bern on April 24.

We have also worked with industry representatives on this model ordinance. It was drafted primarily by the industry, then revised after review by League attorneys and discussions with industry representatives. It is intended to provide a basic template for consideration of a number of issues related to the siting of wireless telecommunications facilities and written from the perspective of streamlining and expediting land use approvals to aid in the rapid deployment of mobile broadband infrastructure to bring desirable state of the art wireless services to the community.  

Municipalities are encouraged to consider it in light of its purpose and to work with your attorneys and planning professionals in appropriately balancing that purpose with other local land use concerns. Our comments generally appear as footnotes and seek to point out areas where state or federal laws come into play. The links below provide information about relevant legal issues and additional resources on the development of a wireless telecommunications ordinance:

N.C. General Statutes on Wireless Telecom Facilities
Federal Telecom Law Excerpts
FCC Guidance on Interpretation of Section 6409(a)
Town of Cary Telecom Ordinance
Other resources
NATOA Zoning ordinances for wireless communications facilities (excerpt from NATOA's Local Government Officials e-Guide to Communications Facilities Siting. Full text available for purchase here.)

We hope that these efforts will improve communication and mutual understanding between local governments and the telecommunications industry, facilitate faster deployment of desirable wireless services across North Carolina, address legitimate concerns of citizens and neighborhoods and help local governments avoid future legal and legislative disputes.

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Article Date: 3/19/2013

Page Content: Lake Lure approached for Ironman event bid. The Ironman triathlon organization has shown interest in the Town of Lake Lure, southeast of Asheville, to host one of its nine official 2014 events in the nation. The Ironman triathlon is notorious for its difficulty and known as the king of all triathlons. The event could bring as many as 5,000 to 10,000 visitors and $9 to $15 million in direct economic impact.

 

N.C. micro area tops 2012 for facility projects. For ninth time in the past 11 years, Statesville-Mooresville led micropolitan areas in the U.S. in corporate facility projects with 20 facility deals last year. The U.S. has 576 micropolitans, which have a population between 10,000 and 50,000.

 

Small Town Main Street program provides advice to Saluda leaders. Saluda, a Small Town Main Street Community, received a few pointers on how to increase retail activity in the downtown area. The visitors stressed the importance of paying attention to the 1-mile and 5-mile radius surrounding downtown Saluda.

 

Lawmakers meet with town leaders in Salisbury.  Town officials from East Spencer, Granite Quarry, Landis, Rockwell, Salisbury and Spencer met with N.C. Rep. Carl Ford, Rep. Harry Warren, Sen. Andrew Brock and Sen. Gene McLaurin last week. The group met at the Rowan County administrative building and discussed many topics including transportation projects in the area.

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Article Date: 3/12/2013

Page Content: Black Mountain is finding its niche. Governor McCrory talked with Black Mountain business owners during his visit last week. He took a tour of the downtown area, making purchases along the way, and took notice of Black Mountain’s entrepreneurial spirit.

 

N.C. manufacturing industry adjusts to changing economy. North Carolina manufacturing companies are finding ways to adapt to the changing economy through education and offering customizable, high-quality products that international manufacturers can’t.

 

Rural Center grants create 450 jobs. The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center announced $4 million in grants last week to create jobs, provide clean water and assist with economic development in rural counties. Nineteen of the grants were awarded to municipalities.

 

Meyer discusses tax reform, transportation funding and fracking. Paul Meyer, the League’s director of Governmental Affairs, speaks with the N.C. Policy Watch about municipal concerns regarding changes in tax revenue, restructuring of the Powell Bill and fracking regulations.

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Article Date: 3/12/2013

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Click here to view the presentation from the 2013 RMS Regional Spring Meetings.

It's not too late to register for the Hickory or Asheville meetings, so register here by Wednesday, March 13!

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Article Date: 3/5/2013

Page Content: American Planning Association announces Great Places nominees. On Feb. 27, the American Planning Association announced this year’s nominees for the Great Main Streets, Great Neighborhoods and People’s Choice awards. Voting is open until March 15 at 5 p.m.

 

Artists depict downtown Concord for benefit auction. Local high school students and artists created nearly 30 original paintings to benefit the Concord Downtown Development Corporation’s auction, the second annual Concord on Canvas. The artwork is on display through March 9, and the Corporation hopes it will attract visitors and bolster support in the town.

 

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences tops list of most-visited attractions. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh attracted more visitors than any other museum or historic site in the state last year. A boost in attendance was found after the museum’s recent expansion and addition of the Nature Research Center.

 

Southern Finishing Co. to expand in Stoneville. Southern Finishing Co. a furniture and cabinet component manufacturer, is expanding its Rockingham County facility in Stoneville. The expansion will add 11 new jobs and invest more than $500,000 over three years.

 

Relationships pay off nicely in Apex. After years of building relationships with several tennis organizations, the Town of Apex received $41,000 in grants for repair and restoration of the Apex Community Park courts. The grants will help the town meet the growing demand for tennis programs.

 

Raleigh named No. 2 Biggest Boom Town in U.S. by Forbes. Raleigh earned the No. 2 spot on Forbes’ list of the nation’s biggest boom towns for its remarkable population growth over the past two decades. According to the article, Raleigh is the top city for families with young children.

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Article Date: 3/5/2013

Page Content: Municipal officials - don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to ensure your citizens receive the best high-speed wireless and broadband services! Register for one of three seminars provided by the Carolinas Wireless Association and the N.C. League of Municipalities about innovations in wireless and broadband technology.

The seminars are free of charge and run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. at all locations.

Through the panel discussion, attendees will learn how the wireless industry selects cell phone tower sites and the effects of technology in economic development, land use planning and municipal services. Seminars will be at the following locations:

• Monday, March 18
  Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/RTP
  201 Harrison Oaks Blvd.
  Cary, NC 27513

• Thursday, April 18
  Doubletree By Hilton Asheville
  115 Hendersonville Rd.
  Asheville, NC 28803

• Wednesday, April 24
  Doubletree Riverfront New Bern
  100 Middle St.
  New Bern, NC 28560

Be sure to reserve your seat by clicking here to preregister!

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Article Date: 2/26/2013

Page Content: Huffington Post honors two NC cities that have country-changing ideas. North Carolina makes up 10 percent of The Huffington Post and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge finalists. Durham and High Point are among 20 finalists from 18 states that are eligible for a $5-million grand prize to help improve city life through innovation.   

 

‘Old Puffer’ returns to North Carolina. It took two years of planning and eight days of moving to bring back Old Puffer, the steam locomotive that served Cliffside for 30 years, from Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. Volunteers are now in the process of fundraising for the train’s restoration.

 

Edenton’s looking fine at 300. To celebrate its 300^th birthday, Edenton is planning a series of special events. The article about the seaside town highlights some of the 18^th-century landmarks on Edenton’s two-hour downtown walking tour.

 

N.C. has its own experience with meteorites. A North Carolina geologist researched the state’s meteorite history after Russia’s encounter and found that 29 meteorites have been found across N.C. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences owns a 111-pound fragment found after it landed in Farmville in 1934.

 

Real Estate Scorecard reveals top 10 reasons to retire in Brunswick County. Real Estate Scorecard, an online real estate reviewer, recently listed the best things about retiring in Brunswick County. The article cited attractions like beaches, golf and shopping and things unique to the area like art, history and top medical care.

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Article Date: 2/15/2013

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Contact:
Najuma Thorpe
(919) 715-3931
nthorpe@nclm.org

 

NCLM Granted motion to intervene in rates case

League will work with municipalities statewide and NCUC in hopes of reducing the financial burden that rate increases would bring upon municipal governments

 

(RALEIGH, N.C.) -- The North Carolina League of Municipalities has been granted a motion to intervene in Progress Energy’s recent filing for a rate increase before the N.C. Utilities Commission (NCUC). The goal of the League’s intervention is to reduce the financial burden that an increase in Progress Energy’s electricity rates would bring upon municipal governments served by the utility.  Increases in electricity rates can significantly impact municipal budgets, particularly in those cities and towns providing such services as water and wastewater treatment, street lighting, and recreational facilities.

 

In response to member demand, the League developed the North Carolina Municipal Energy Group to intervene in rates cases on behalf of municipalities. Nearly 100 cities and towns across the state have chosen to participate in the program, which will contract with specialized outside counsel to represent cities and towns in negotiations with the utilities and the NCUC.

 

“In a time of dwindling resources, increases in utility costs would diminish the ability of cities and towns to provide core services. If the financial burden on municipalities increases, then it would ultimately affect businesses and residents,” said Paul Meyer, NCLM director of governmental affairs. “We want to work to prevent these adverse effects on municipalities and taxpayers.”

 

The League’s intervention is thus far limited to the Progress Energy rates filing, but Duke Energy has also recently filed for a rates increase that would impact the municipal governments served by Duke. The League expects its program to continue operating for as long as its membership desires.

 

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 great hometowns – representing nearly every municipality in the state. The League advocates for its members, from the largest city to the smallest village, on the full range of legislative issues that affect municipalities.

 

For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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Article Date: 2/15/2013

Page Content: Don’t forget to register for one of seven free RMS Spring Regional meetings at a location near you to learn how the latest health care information will affect your town and the League’s three insurance trusts. Attendees can expect to receive:

• an update on the financial strength of the trusts
• an update on rates for 2013-2014
• information on your responsibilities and what to expect with health care reform
• ideas on how to reduce losses
• up-to-date news on tools to help members control the cost of health care

Click here to view the locations and register before the deadline!

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Article Date: 2/12/2013

Page Content: President awards Fuquay-Varina man second-highest civilian honor. Michael Dorman of Fuquay-Varina will accept the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Obama in Washington, D.C., on Friday. He is one of 17 in the nation to receive the award for his nonprofit, Military Missions in Action, which has completed more than 100 home modification projects and shipped thousands of care packages to soldiers since 2008.

 

Carrboro: North Carolina’s market town? A blog post on informal markets, events that are marked by an agreed-upon time and place to buy and sell goods, says Carrboro has been a great place to find such markets for the past 35 years. Carrboro features various markets from its farmer’s market to yard sales and watermelon vendors.

 

Cape Fear region towns, landmarks to feature prominently in ‘Haven.’ When Nicholas Sparks’ newest movie Safe Haven opens on Valentine’s Day, many Cape Fear region shops, restaurants and landmarks will be featured in theaters across the nation. The movie, filmed last summer, was the second Sparks story set in Southport.

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Article Date: 2/5/2013

Page Content: Edenton couple’s house turns out to be the oldest in NC. Historians used timber borings underneath paneling of an Edenton house to determine it was built as early as 1719 – before Edenton became a town in 1722. The house also had fixtures that date back 300 years like a mud-and-straw fireplace and decorative overhead beams.

 

Elkin 2.0: Surry County town reinventing itself. Elkin Mayor Lestine Hutchens discusses the changing economic climate in Elkin and how the town plans to change with it. The town plans to look at a different approach to water resources and marketing among other initiatives.

 

State, local officials talk common goals. The Chapel Hill Town Council met with state representatives last week to discuss legislative goals for 2013. The meeting was an opportunity to open communications between the town and its representatives to prepare for a successful session.

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Article Date: 2/1/2013

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Hundreds of municipal officials from across the state gathered at the Raleigh Convention Center on Jan. 24 to decide the League’s legislative priorities for the 2013-2014 biennium. After a year-long process of cultivating and developing goals from the membership, delegates from each town selected and prioritized 25 legislative goals, five regulatory goals and updated the League’s Core Municipal Principles.

The goals were narrowed down from 169 suggested goals from 45 towns and four League affiliate groups.

This is the second Advocacy Goals Conference held by the League and the first to include a networking mixer. Roughly 120 legislators, municipal officials and guests attended the event at the DoubleTree Brownstone Wednesday night to discuss goals and mingle.

Governor Pat McCrory stopped by the conference to address the membership about economic development in the state. He spoke about establishing a partnership with municipal officials to find long-term, sustainable solutions to North Carolina’s challenges.

"We’ve got some good main streets, but we’ve got some main streets in North Carolina that are boarded up, and you’re at the grassroots [level]. You can’t run away from it – you’ve gotta deal with it,” Gov. McCrory said. “I want to be your partner in trying to deal with it because the health of your city is the health of our state.”

The Governor also offered to come back to another League gathering to speak directly with members instead of giving a speech.

In addition to adopting new goals, conference attendees picked up tips for working with legislators during lunch from Carolyn Justice, a former N.C. House of Representatives member, and current Representatives Ruth Samuelson and Larry Hall.

With a changing general assembly – in both party and experience – the speakers stressed the importance of relationship building now more than ever. This session will welcome 52 freshman legislators and mark the first Republican-controlled General Assembly for the first time in 140 years.

According to Samuelson, being patient and keeping your legislators in touch with hometown happenings is key. “If I see you as a friend who keeps me engaged and brings me information, I’m more likely to help you,” Samuelson said.

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Article Date: 1/29/2013

Page Content: Conservancy protects Lost Cove ghost town. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased the 95-acre Lost Cove tract that’s part of Pisgah National Forest in Yancey and Mitchell counties. Lost Cove is known as a ghost town locally and home to many endangered plants and animals.

 

Raleigh on list of Best Run Cities in America. 24/7 Wall St. placed Raleigh at number seven on its list of best-run cities in the nation. Cities were judged based on their credit rating, violent crime and unemployment rate. The article cited Raleigh’s high-skilled labor opportunities, educated workforce and gross metropolitan product growth.

 

Business offices in new, flood-proof Oriental Town Hall open. Oriental’s new town hall offices opened Monday 17 months after being flooded by Hurricane Irene. The new town hall, which cost $289,000, was built to better protect from floods with waterproof windows, tiled walls and drainages systems.

 

Charlotte is 10^th best city for job seekers. Charlotte came in 10^th on Forbes.com’s list of best cities for job seekers. Forbes compiled the list by ranking population growth, unemployment and income among other statistics.

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Article Date: 1/28/2013

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Last week’s conference and visit from the Governor attracted attention from multiple media outlets. Click the links below for articles, pictures and a video of the Governor’s address.

WRAL: full video of Governor's speech

Governor's website pictures

Winston-Salem Journal: McCrory weighing tax options

Raleigh News & Observer: McCrory weighing tax options

Raleigh News & Observer: Under the Dome

 

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Article Date: 1/23/2013

Page Content: Blowing Rock named one of America’s Prettiest Winter Towns. Travel and Leisure ranked Blowing Rock one of its prettiest winter towns for the town’s Main Street, antiques, skiing and Winterfest celebration. The mountain town is at 4,000 ft. and blanketed in snow in January.

 

Washington, N.C.: A Revolutionary War outpost turned second-home opportunity. Located in the Inner Banks, close enough to beach culture and far enough away to feel secluded, Washington is attracting vacation homebuyers. Buyers can find homes in the small town for a fraction of the price of homes on the Outer Banks – for instance, a three-bedroom, two-bath, historic home with hardwood floors for $149,900.

 

Wake Forest officer named N.C. D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year. Scott Graham of the Wake Forest Police Department was named the 2012 N.C. Ralph Robinson D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year at the group’s conference in Wilmington on Jan. 10. Graham has worked for the town since 2005 and taught more than 1,000 students as a D.A.R.E. instructor.

 

Smithfield still hopeful about old hotel. Since 1998 when Smithfield’s town hall offices moved out of the Gabriel Johnston Hotel, where Ava Gardner often stayed, the building has been vacant. The windows have been boarded up, but the town is eager to market the property to potential buyers to turn the old hotel into a hotel/restaurant or apartment building.

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Article Date: 1/16/2013

Page Content: Asheville and Durham named “Tastiest Towns in the South.” Durham and Asheville are two of Southern Living’s top 10 Tastiest Towns in the South. Readers can vote on their favorite southern city from January 10 to February 28 on the magazine’s website.

 

Town celebrates first year of recycling. Since November 2011, Mooresville has diverted 1,850 tons of material from its waste stream and saved 2,256 cubic yards of landfill space. The town also has one of the state’s highest diversion levels and an award from the Carolina Recycling Association.

 

Raleigh-Cary No. 5 on “America’s new tech hotspots” list. Forbes ranked the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area fifth on its “America’s new tech hotspots list” based on the creation of high-tech related jobs. Data showed that the area had 17.9 percent growth in STEM-related jobs between 2001 and 2012.

 

Chapel Hill joins startup push with own incubator. LAUNCH Chapel Hill is now accepting applications for interested startups through January 28. The incubator is intended to serve students and residents of Chapel Hill start and grow their own business. Facilities are set to open this spring.

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Article Date: 1/10/2013

Page Content: Elkin mayor is Tribune Tribute. The Elkin Tribune named Mayor Lloyd Payne 2012’s final Tribune Tribute. Payne was chosen because of the exemplary job he does as mayor, father, husband and golfer. The newspaper’s feature details each of his roles.

Hybrid officer programs may keep costs, service in line. Davidson is considering implementing public safety officer programs as a cost-effective way to maintain services in the town. With the dual-certification program, officers would work as police officers and firefighters. The program could provide long-term cost savings, an increase in productivity and improved response time to emergency calls. 

North Carolina’s data center corridor. Catawba County has been manufacturing fiber optic cables for years and now attracts data centers, creating a technology hub just north of Charlotte. The area already has business from tech-giants Apple and Google, but the county is actively seeking more business.

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Article Date: 1/7/2013

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January 4, 2013

Contact:  Najuma Thorpe

(919) 715-3931

nthorpe@nclm.org

 

NCLM TO DECIDE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR 2013-2014 BIENNIUM

Members will vote on legislative goals at Advocacy Goals Conference

 

(RALEIGH, N.C.) -- The North Carolina League of Municipalities will hold its 2013 Advocacy Goals Conference on Thursday, January 24. At the conference, which will be held in Raleigh, members will decide on legislative priorities for the 2013-2014 biennium.

The policies of the League are determined by its members. NCLM is led by a 28-member Board of Directors, which is comprised of officials elected from large cities or small towns. The League represents the interests of North Carolina municipalities at the General Assembly and lobbies on a wide variety of issues that affect cities and towns. 

“The League represents every municipality – from Charlotte, whose population is more than 750,000, to our smaller municipalities with less than 100 residents. Decisions made by the General Assembly are felt across the state by municipalities of all sizes,” said Ellis Hankins, NCLM Executive Director. 

The Advocacy Goals Conference marks the culmination of a series of meetings to define the issues that are most important to members. The League advocates for municipal interests on a wide range of topics, including land use and planning; environment and natural resources; tax and finance; government operations, municipal authority, public safety, transportation and other issues.

In addition to the conference, there will be a networking social on Wednesday, January 23 for municipal officials and invited guests.  Visit www.nclm.org to learn more.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Networking social for municipal officials and invited guests Double Tree Brownstone Harvest Grill Main Room (first floor) 1707 Hillsborough St. Raleigh, NC 27605

Thursday, January 24, 2013 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Advocacy Goals Conference Raleigh Convention Center 500 S Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27601

 

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 great hometowns – representing nearly every municipality in the state. The League advocates for its members, from the largest city to the smallest village, on the full range of legislative issues that affect municipalities.

For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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January 3, 2013

Contact:  Najuma Thorpe

(919) 715-3931

nthorpe@nclm.org

 

MEYER APPOINTED LEAGUE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

 

(RALEIGH, N.C.) – Paul Meyer has been appointed director of governmental affairs at the North Carolina League of Municipalities.  Meyer succeeds Kelli Kukura, who recently resigned to become director of government affairs for North Carolina with Duke Energy. Meyer will assume his new role effective January 10, 2013.  

“Paul will represent our municipalities very effectively and professionally on a broad range of significant issues,” said Ellis Hankins, NCLM Executive Director.  “He has strong and positive working relationships with many members of the General Assembly and municipal officials across North Carolina.”

Meyer has served as the League’s chief legislative counsel since 2009. He brings a robust knowledge of municipal issues with more than 15 years experience working on local government legislative and legal issues. Before joining the League, Paul advocated for county governments as a lobbyist for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and earned a law degree from Campbell University School of Law.   

“Municipalities in North Carolina provide essential public facilities and services, and the decisions made in the General Assembly have a direct effect on the vitality of cities and towns,” said Meyer.  “I look forward to working with municipal leaders and legislators to help keep North Carolina’s cities and towns strong and attractive.”  

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of 540 great hometowns – representing nearly every municipality in the state. The League advocates for its members, from the largest city to the smallest village, on the full range of legislative issues that affect municipalities.

For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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Article Date: 1/2/2013

Page Content: Holly Springs named “Best Place to Raise Kids” by Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg Businessweek released a list of America’s best places to raise kids, citing one town with a population between 5,000 and 50,000 in each state. Holly Springs was selected for its excellent school system and slower pace of life.

Apex churches “adopt” 102 families in need for Christmas. For the 15^th year, churches in Apex have worked together to complete Project Aulander, a crowd sourcing of gifts from families in Apex for less-fortunate families in Aulander. This year, the donors were able to fill all requests for all 102 families – the highest number of requests ever.

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Article Date: 12/19/2012

Page Content: After each conference, we take time to evaluate the League’s general direction and share our accomplishments.  Below is the NCLM Annual Report for 2011-2012, which provides a synopsis of the League’s efforts over the past year.

 

Building on League Strengths

There are many things the League does well.  The NCLM Board of Directors and staff work hard daily to ensure that the League is able to provide valuable assistance, advice and services to members.  Highlights for the year include the following:

Strategic Orienteering Process

About 18 months ago, the League began a Strategic Orienteering process that helped evaluate the core services provided to members.  Through this comprehensive process, League staff, members of the Board of Directors and members of the Risk Management Services Board of Trustees worked to determine the organization’s “True North,” which is to provide services to municipalities and related entities. 

This process also helped the League to identify core competencies and helped us to determine the organization’s key vectors:  customer service, knowledge and expertise, community influence and advocacy.  The process helped further solidify a strong foundation that the League uses to not only leverage strengths, but to prepare against potential challenges.

Smart Advocacy Strategies

Although this was a challenging year at the General Assembly, we did have a number of positive outcomes.  We were successful in advocating for a more reasonable study approach of natural gas extraction and securing local government representation on the Mining and Energy Commission.  In addition, we were successful in stopping or negotiating a number of other bills affecting municipal government including legislation authorizing concealed handgun carry on greenways, municipal authority related to building design aesthetics, and underwater mortgages.

Networking and Training Opportunities

The League considers networking and training as one of its most important services provided to members.  The largest event, the Annual Conference, provides a medium for municipal officials, League staff, vendors and others to come together to discuss important issues and network with colleagues. Nearly 1,500 attendees and guests attended this year’s conference, which was held at the Charlotte Convention Center.  The conference included dynamic keynote speakers, 14 concurrent sessions, two mobile workshops and candidate forums for the gubernatorial, lieutenant governor and state treasurer candidates.

In addition, the League partners with the UNC School of Government to provide training opportunities, such as the Essentials of Municipal Government sessions offered after each election.  The League, along with the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, also partners with the School of Government to support the Local Elected Leaders Academy, which helps elected municipal and county officials develop strategic, creative and collaborative skills needed to govern. 

Legal Expertise

The League’s legal team is one of the greatest resources to members. The legal team provides a variety of services including model ordinances, handbooks, manuals, municipal law notes and educational programs.  League counsel can also write amicus briefs for members whose appellate cases may have statewide implications for local government authority and operations. The “friend of the court” brief can be submitted to the court, after approval from the League’s Board of Directors, to offer additional arguments to assist in deciding the outcome of the case. 

Inclusionary Advocacy Goals Process

The Governmental Affairs team works hard to make sure that municipal interests are represented at the General Assembly.  The League’s direction is determined by its members.  As such, there is an inclusionary process that takes place every two years to determine the League’s goals for the upcoming legislative sessions.  The most recent cycle will culminate in January and marked the highest number of member –proposed advocacy goals ever submitted.

Strong RMS Pools

There have been a number of changes made in the past couple of years that have made the League’s insurance pools (Health, Property and Liability, Workers’ Compensation) more lean.  For example, the Health pool has changed both the plan administrator and the pharmacy vendor in the past two years.  These changes have led to lower administrative costs and better reporting.  Under the Property and Liability and Workers’ Compensation programs, the “Slower is Faster” driver safety program is widely used and is providing education that can result in reduced claims under both programs. 

League LINC and Member Engagement

The League takes pride in its efforts to engage and educate members. League LINC has strengthened relationships with affiliates and increased its outreach to members new and old through new communication methods, events and programs. League LINC members are integral to moving the League’s positions with legislators forward and participate in activities such as conversing with state decision-makers, serving on League policy committees and attending events to interact with legislators.  There are more than 700 registered LINC participants and more than 500 personal legislator relationships recorded – a marked increase in 2012.

Strong Research

Providing accurate data to cities and towns is an important League function.  The League helps municipalities better manage financial and human resources by conducting and publishing annual surveys on budget actions and municipal employee salaries.  In addition, the League conducted a survey of economic development practices used by cities and towns.  Further, the League worked with UNC’s Environmental Finance Center to prepare the annual update of the Center’s water utility dashboard database.

National Presence

The League’s members make sure to represent North Carolina well on the national stage. North Carolina can proudly claim the National League of Cities Immediate Past President, Charlotte Council Member James Mitchell, and two other Board of Directors members, Winston-Salem Council Member Dan Besse and High Point Mayor Bernita Sims. There is also a strong representation among our members on policy and steering committees.

Services Support and Operational Consulting

NCLM provided a number of services to municipalities.  The Debt Setoff program gives municipalities a means to collect outstanding debts that would likely go uncollected. The program has collected nearly $7 million for N.C. municipalities.  In addition, the League has a group of preferred partners that the League has endorsed as providing quality goods and services.  The League also has a human resources expert on staff who is available for in-depth problem solving to make your human resources department more efficient. The League provides consulting for a variety of human resources functions including, personnel policies, performance appraisals, trainings and various studies.   Further, the legal department offers advice on an array of subjects to members free of charge. Services include the inquiry service, amicus program, model ordinances, handbooks, manuals, legal memoranda, publications and charter revisions.  Last but not least, NCLM provides technical assistance to municipalities to ensure the best solution is found for your municipal issues. The League can help with manager selection, mayor/board relationships, forms of government, and related topics.

Strengthen Regulatory and Environmental Presence

Over the past few years, the League has made significant efforts in reforming the regulatory policy development process.  These efforts resulted in 23 regulatory-oriented goal recommendations made by the Regulatory Action Committee through more than a dozen in-person and online meetings. Issues debated include water, wastewater, and stormwater service, as well as other regulatory reforms.  We also began publishing EcoLINC, the League's electronic monthly environmental newsletter, in February. It goes to more than 1,000 municipal managers, attorneys, and staff members, state regulators, and League environmental issue partners.  In addition, the League successfully pushed the N.C. Environmental Management Commission to consider oversight of a largely under-the-radar regulatory action called the 303(d) list, a listing of the state's impaired water bodies. Once a water body is "listed," enormous financial regulatory consequences are placed on municipalities.

Publications and Communications

As part of overall efforts to help ensure that members are informed and educated on matters that are important to the League and to municipalities, NCLM produces a number of publications, including:

• Southern City, a monthly publication that highlights news around the state;
• League Letter, a monthly electronic newsletter that keeps members up to date on important news;
• LINC’ed IN, a weekly publication from the governmental affairs team containing legislative updates when the General Assembly is out of session;
• Legislative Bulletins, which are published when the General Assembly is in session and as needed throughout the year;
• Eco LINC, a weekly, electronic publication that highlights environmental legislation and regulation affecting municipalities;
• Municipal Law Notes, which is posted monthly on the website and contain notes from cases involving municipalities; and
• RMS Trust Matters, which is published quarterly and delivers news and helpful information about the insurance pools.

 

Addressing the Challenges and Threats

The League has a number of successes from which to build upon moving forward.  However, the reality is, there are a number of challenges and threats that face the League.

Environment at General Assembly

The League works diligently to serve as a nonpartisan voice at the General Assembly for our cities and towns collectively and individually as needed.  Strong cities and towns are important for the long-term vitality of the state, and we work daily to protect municipalities’ interests.  Despite our work to educate legislators on the role of cities as the economic engine for the state, the reality is, we are facing an environment in the General Assembly that seems to be increasingly less inclined to protect municipal interests. 

North Carolina cities and towns recently lost their greatest advantage.   In the short session, the General Assembly passed legislation that effectively ended city-initiated annexations, a tool that has been used in North Carolina for more than 50 years.  Many have credited strong, fair annexation policies as one of the reasons North Carolina has experienced significant growth over the years, while many other states – notably our neighbors to the north and south – have not. 

Municipalities are in a new era.  There is a lot of work to be done in figuring out strategies and policies to make sure North Carolina’s cities and towns remain economically and financially sound and attractive to businesses.

Other challenges are expected in the upcoming long session.  In the short session, we were successful stopping damaging legislation that would have eliminated extraterritorial planning jurisdictions as a tool to ensure balanced growth for economic development and protection of individual property values.  We were also successful in stopping a number of bills that would have negatively impacted municipal authority and the ability of cities and towns to set rates for water and sewer services.  Additionally, we were successful in slowing and re-negotiating legislation originally intended to immediately stop all contingency fee audits, which are needed to ensure taxpayers are paying their fair share.  However, these and other issues relating to municipal authority, including land use, public infrastructure, transportation and revenue base, are all likely to be key points for the long session. 

Health Care Reform

The League sponsors three of the best, most financially sound risk management pools in the nation. However, the future of one of the pools is uncertain.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March 2010 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2012, is part of the most significant health care reform since the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.  The full implementation of the Act will change the options available to employers.  Cities and towns are beginning to consider the best way for employees to obtain insurance.  The League pools offer many of the same benefits as the health insurance exchanges that will be offered, such as flexibility of choice, competitive cost and a variety of options.  While many questions remain unanswered, it is important to ensure  the Health pool remains strong, and that members understand the value of the pool.

Budget

For the past three years, the League has been making deep cuts to operate more efficiently.  But even with these cuts, which have included personnel reductions, there is still a budget deficit for the general fund. 

The League’s leadership is working hard to address the financial deficit and ensure a balanced, sustainable budget is developed.  Further cuts and increased revenues are unavoidable.  Some of the cuts may affect the service the League is able to provide.  We promise to communicate early and often with the membership about the decisions being made, why they are necessary and the implications of the decisions.                                                    

 

On the Horizon

There are a number of opportunities and new initiatives that the League will undertake moving forward. 

Advocacy Process

January is the culmination of the biennial advocacy goals process.  As the General Assembly convenes at the end of January, the League will move forward under the direction set by members.  The current process was put in place two years ago, and has resulted in increased participation and input from members, which enables the League to best represent the interests of municipalities.  

N.C. Communities and Business Alliance

Given the challenges faced at the General Assembly over the past few years, it has become clear that new approaches should be used.  The League will soon announce a business alliance developed under the direction of the NCLM Board of Directors.  This group will help push the message that strong cities are important to the economic vitality of the state.

Advocacy Tool Kit

The League is working to develop an advocacy tool kit that will help members work with citizens and business leaders to impress upon them the importance of visibility at the General Assembly.  The tool kit will encourage municipal officials to not only be visible themselves, but to bring community leaders to Raleigh to advocate on behalf of cities and towns.

Focus on Managing Risk

There are continuous efforts to manage the Risk Management Services in a manner that protects the future stability of the programs.  To that end, the League is conducting loss control research to better identify loss factors.  The results of the research will be used to implement methods that will help municipalities better manage risk.  In addition, there are continuing efforts to strengthen the NCLM Wellness Initiative.  It is expected that health claims can be decreased by addressing factors that can contribute to poor health.

 

We thank our municipal officials for everything they do and for their support of the League. We stand ready to help in 2013.

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Article Date: 12/19/2012

Page Content: Feds pick N.C. waters for offshore wind farms. Last week, authorities announced 1,900 square miles of Atlantic Ocean will be available for building offshore wind farms. Two of the areas are between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, and one is beyond the Outer Banks across from Kitty Hawk, Nags Head and Manteo. North Carolina’s waters are considered to have some of the best wind resources along the East Coast.  

New group will push urban issues in General Assembly. The N.C. Communities and Business Alliance had its inaugural meeting on Dec. 7. The new bipartisan group of business, city and state leaders will push issues that will affect the economic vitality of municipalities in the General Assembly. Former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot and former Gov. Jim Hunt are among the founding members of the Alliance.

Anonymous N.C. donor gives 26 Christmas trees to honor shooting victims. An anonymous donor from Boone gave 26 Christmas trees to Newtown, Conn., as a way to honor the victims of last week’s school shooting. The trees, one for each victim, are lined up in front of Sandy Hook Elementary decorated with teddy bears and other children’s items.  

McCrory names first three staff members.  Governor-Elect McCrory named his chief of staff and two cabinet secretaries last week. McCrory, who takes office on Jan. 5, said he hopes to have all of his staff in place before lawmakers return to Raleigh on Jan. 9.

N.C. Metropolitan Mayors elects new Chair. Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane is the new Chair of the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors coalition, a bipartisan group that represents 28 of the state’s largest cities. The group elected a new slate of officers at its annual meeting last week.

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Article Date: 12/10/2012

Page Content: $5.4 million in rural development grants awarded. The North Carolina Rural Center awarded 37 grants totaling $5.4 million to municipal and county governments on December 5. The grants for job creation, infrastructure, clean water and economic development will create 587 jobs across 34 counties. 

N.C. road money advocates encouraged by McCrory. Governor-Elect Pat McCrory called for legislators to work together to come to transportation funding solutions in a speech last week. The former Charlotte mayor said he is interested in forming long-term plans to combat funding challenges for infrastructure projects.

Travel Channel films N.C. Christmas Town for 2013 special. McAdenville will compete for the title of Christmas Town U.S.A. against Santa Claus, Indiana, next year in a Travel Channel special, “Christmas Town Showdown.” The Travel Channel filmed the town’s traditional Christmas lights on December 7. McAdenville has been featured on three other Christmas specials and named one of Yahoo’s Top 10 Christmas Attractions.

N.C. tree picked as White House Christmas tree. A tree from Peak Farms in Jefferson has a new home in the Blue Room of the White House. The 19-ft.-tall Frasier fir was harvested in November and delivered to the First Family. Trees from Banner Elk were also selected for the Vice President’s home.

Cary restores first movie theater. The Town of Cary is restoring its first indoor movie theater that was used as an auto parts store. The town, which has become the state’s 7^th largest city, will now have three town owned cultural venues within walking distance.

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Article Date: 12/3/2012

Page Content: N.C. Main Street program creates jobs across state. The Main Street program has had a positive effect on the economy – a press release from the Governor said the 2011-2012 program created 1,029 jobs, 259 business and $95 million in investments throughout the 58 participating communities.  

Bernita Sims becomes High Point’s first black mayor. NCLM Board Member Bernita Sims won the mayor’s seat with a 6-percent margin over her closest competitor. When Sims takes office in December, she will become the first black mayor in High Point’s 153-year history.

Hot Springs, N.C., named Best Small Mountain Town. Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine named Hot Springs, N.C., the Best Small Mountain Town for its abundance of natural resources, including 108-degree mineral water and proximity to the Appalachian Trail and the French Broad River. The town is located in the heart of Pisgah National Forest and has a long history as a tourist destination. 

Fuquay Varina doing well in national recycling contest. Fuquay Varina is representing North Carolina in the SC Johnson Sustainability Grant competition and was in 10^th place as of early November. The town with the highest reported recycling participation rate will win a $100,000 grant to improve the environment. Fuquay Varina has seen an 11.5 percent increase in recycling over the past year.

Wrightsville Beach elementary gives New Jersey school $13,000. A school volunteer and gym teacher at Wrightsville Beach elementary traveled nearly 8 hours to hand deliver a $13,000-check to Hugh J. Boyd Elementary school in New Jersey, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The students of Wrightsville Beach Elementary raised the money to help a school of similar size that was affected by the storm.

Cyber shoppers cost local governments tax revenue. The North Carolina Department of Revenue estimates a loss of $214 million in sales taxes due to increases in online shopping. Analysts expect Cyber Monday to be the biggest shopping day of the year – up 20 percent from last year – and since online retailers are not required to charge sales tax, governments will lose a chunk of their revenue.

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Page Content: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                         Contact:  Najuma Thorpe

November 19, 2012                                                                                              (919) 715-3931

 

NCLM HOSTS ADVOCACY GOALS CONFERENCE

Members will decide legislative goals for the next two years

 

Raleigh, N.C. – The North Carolina League of Municipalities will hold its 2013 Advocacy Goals Conference to decide on legislative priorities for the 2013-2014 biennium. Members are encouraged to take part in the conference in Raleigh on January, 24, 2013.

This meeting marks the culmination of a series of advocacy goals meetings to narrow down the issues that are most important to members that began in January 2012. Input at this meeting will give the League direction to advocate for municipal needs over the next two years.

“Our direction is decided solely by our members, so it’s critical that we have membership support and opinions when it comes to legislative goals,” said NCLM Director of Communications and Member Relations Najuma Thorpe. “We really pride ourselves on being a member-driven organization.” 

This year, there will be a networking social the night before the event for municipal officials and invited guests to preview the state’s political landscape. After attending Wednesday night’s event, members will be ready to debate the issues on Thursday.

 

Wednesday, January 23

Networking social for municipal officials and invited guests

Double Tree Brownstone

Harvest Grill Main Room (first floor)

1707 Hillsborough St.

Raleigh, NC 27605

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 

Thursday, January 24

Advocacy Goals Conference

Raleigh Convention Center

500 S Salisbury St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Registration is open here. Please contact Crystal Correia with any questions at ccorreia@nclm.org or (919) 715-3941.

 

About NCLM

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of more than 540 great hometowns. For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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November 14, 2012

Contact:  Najuma Thorpe
(919) 715-3931
nthorpe@nclm.org

NCLM HOSTS TRANSPORTATION FORUM
Municipal leadership, NCDOT officials and General Assembly leaders join to discuss
North Carolina’s transportation funding problem

(RALEIGH, N.C.) – More than 100 municipal leaders from across the state joined N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) officials, representatives from the American Association of State  Highway and Transportation Officials and General Assembly leadership to discuss the state’s transportation future at a forum hosted by the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) on Wednesday.  The forum, entitled “Cities Leading the Way:  Confronting NC’s Transportation Challenges,” provided League members with an opportunity to influence transportation policy and to help shape the League’s transportation reform policies for the 2013-2014 biennium.

“N.C. cities spend well over $400 million per year in transportation funding, over and above the $130 million in Powell Bill funds that are received from the state,” said Rudy Wright, Hickory mayor, member of the NCLM Board of Directors and emcee of the forum. “This funding backfills a lack of state and federal resources.  We all know that is not sustainable.  Cities and towns are ready to work with the Department of Transportation, Governor-Elect McCrory and the General Assembly on a better, fair, long-term funding plan.”

Given that Governor-Elect Pat McCrory and some legislators have spoken about their ideas for transportation funding, the discussion during the upcoming long session is sure to include transportation reform.  Municipalities have a good working relationship with NCDOT. 

“We’ve had a good run over the last four years, in part because we try to work with [municipalities] to make sure our communities are strong,” said Gene Conti, NCDOT secretary.  He said that even though there are still issues, he “feels we’ve made a good start.”

“Transportation funding is a national problem, not just one faced on a state and local level,” Conti added.  “We need to figure out a stable source of funding.  Stability and predictability:  that is the key.”

At the forum, attendees received updates on transportation funding and programmatic issues in North Carolina, heard concepts discussed in the General Assembly regarding transportation funding challenges and solutions, and discussed strategies for addressing transportation funding challenges.

Representative Frank Iler, co-chair of the House Transportation Committee, said that they are “looking for ways to finance roads.  There is nothing that won’t be on the table for creating solutions.”

About NCLM
The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a membership association of more than 540 great hometowns. For more than 100 years, the League has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services -- as directed by its membership.

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Article Date: 11/12/2012

Page Content: McCrory calls for long-range study on transportation needs. The governor elect is suggesting a 25-year plan that addresses transportation and infrastructure issues facing the state. The Board of Transportation’s plan estimates a $94 billion price tag over the next three years just to maintain current infrastructure.

Wilmington curators keep veterans history alive.  With a declining World War II veteran population, the curators of the Battleship North Carolina work hard to preserve stories and belongings from the war. The museum houses 200 oral histories, cookbooks and diaries that soldiers weren’t supposed to write.

A visit to an Emerald City of Science: Kannapolis.  An entry on the Science journal’s blog names Kannapolis the “Emerald City of Science” for its extravagant research facility, the North Carolina Research Campus. The Campus is home to researchers from seven different N.C. universities and receives funding from donors like the Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Durham “History Hub” gets $47,000 from city.  The City of Durham gave the Museum of Durham History $47,145 to renovate its History Hub in the downtown DATA station. The city’s contributions will go toward the $197,184 project that will repair the roof, install electricity and make other improvements.

Chapel Hill recognized for fair trade.  A movement that started in a UNC-CH classroom two years ago led Chapel Hill to become the first Fair Trade Town in the state and the 30^th in the nation. Fair trade items help producers in developing nations establish fair prices for products and are becoming a trend in ethical purchasing. Chapel Hill has 11 fair trade retailers and a local fair trade team.

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Article Date: 11/8/2012

Page Content: Raleigh, N.C. – The North Carolina League of Municipalities Board of Directors voted Emerald Isle Mayor Art Schools the organization’s 90th president during the League’s Annual Conference in Charlotte.  The Board also selected its First and Second Vice Presidents and inducted seven new members to the board.

Schools has been on the board since 2007 and served as first vice president last year. Traditionally, and subject to annual election, officers move from second vice president to first vice president to president. As president of the state-wide organization, Schools will preside at business meetings and appoint committees, among other tasks. He will also serve the board as immediate past president next year.

“Art will serve the League well as president,” said Ellis Hankins, League executive director. “Based on his past service to the board, I expect a productive year.”

Schools has been the mayor of Emerald Isle since 2001 and is serving his fourth term. He moved to Emerald Isle from his hometown of Richmond, Va., in 1993 and is heavily involved in volunteer activities in Carteret County. His efforts in the community earned him the title of 2012 Carteret County Citizen of the Year form the county’s chamber of commerce and the 2011 Paul Harris Award from the Swansboro Rotary Club.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Schools has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA. He worked as for the United States Air Force in the 1960s and progressed toward a career in computers. He has more than 30 years of experience in management and finance with companies like General Electric and Ernst and Young.

Mayor Al King now serves as first vice president and Mayor Ronnie Wall was elected second vice president. The new members are Town Manager Hazen Blodgett of Matthews, Council Member Walter Currie of Weaverville, Human Resources Director Eleanor Green of Apex, Mayor Lestine Hutchens of Elkin, Mayor Jody McLeod of Clayton, Council Member Jennifer Robinson of Cary, and Safety and Risk Management Officer Terry Story of Boone. 

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Article Date: 11/6/2012

Page Content: AAA Carolinas names North Carolina 2012 Traffic Safe Communities.  The AAA Carolinas for Traffic Safety Foundation named 16 communities, including three grand winners, Traffic Safe Communities at a ceremony in Durham October 18. The awards are given to r4ecognize communities that make an effort to make roads safer in N.C.

DIY Network to feature N.C. property. DIY Network’s interactive program, “Blog Cabin,” will feature an Atlantic, N.C., home. The program will renovate the 19^th-century, beachside home according to viewer votes online. The renovations will begin in January and will be hosted by Chris Grundy of “Cool Tools.”

60 Minutes CBS News: North Carolina’s Changing Economy. Randolph Community College President Robert Shackleford, Jr. talks about the evolution of manufacturing in the state. With new technologies in manufacturing, educators are adapting to the changes to better prepare North Carolinians for the workforce.

N.C. tops list of Best Business Climates. According to SiteSelection.com, N.C. earned the Best Business Climate title because of its work-force availability and skill sets of interest to employers, proactive business-development agencies, logistics assets and higher education infrastructure. North Carolina beat out Texas for the top spot this year – making it the tenth time the state has been number one in 12 years.

Town Manager one of fifty featured in book. Mills River Town Manager Jaime Laughter was asked to share her experiences as the first female town manager in Mills River in a book about women in local government. The book is a compilation of lessons learned from 50 women in local government.

Edenton celebrates 300 years. Edenton kicked off its 300^th birthday celebration Saturday with a free birthday celebration on the courthouse lawn. This celebration is only the first of a year-long series of events celebrating the history of Edenton.

Elkin Mayor explains value of League membership. Mayor and NCLM Board Member Lestine Hutchens wrote an opinion article published in the Elkin Tribune about the value of the League to small cities and towns. She said the League was instrumental in making sure small town voices are heard in the legislative process.

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Article Date: 11/2/2012

Page Content: This year’s annual conference was a great success! Nearly 1,500 municipal officials, vendors and guests joined us at the Charlotte Convention Center. We had 14 concurrent sessions this year on topics ranging from land use to legislative strategies. You can now download presentations and handouts from sessions by clicking here!

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Article Date: 10/31/2012

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NCLM Burgess Award recognizes outstanding municipal efforts. 

Raleigh, N.C. – The N.C. League of Municipalities is proud to announce that Concord has been named the winner of the 2012 Susan M. Burgess Sustainability Award.

The Burgess Sustainability Award is presented annually to recognize efforts to lessen the environmental impact of municipal operations and to promote and encourage sustainability throughout the community.

Concord received high marks for its creative energy conservation methods. Between the city’s new fuel-efficient vehicles, a no-idling policy and the Switch Off and Walk program for police officers, Concord has reduced carbon emissions by more than 11,000 pounds. Employees are also making smart purchasing decisions for the city. A new sustainable procurement policy puts more importance on buying environmentally friendly products, and an internal swap shop saves money and reduces waste by trading unwanted items for needed items through a company intranet.

“Concord’s focus on improving sustainability made it the outstanding choice in the Green Challenge,” said Lucy Allen, N.C. Utilities Commissioner and judge for the contest. “The city is clearly on the right path.”

Nearly 100 cities and towns participate in the NCLM Green Challenge, which was launched to recognize efforts to implement energy, natural resource and money-saving operations. Burgess Sustainability Award winners must first achieve NCLM Green Challenge Advanced Level status before they can apply for the Burgess Award. To achieve advanced level, a town must complete a number of projects determined by the city’s population.

The Burgess Sustainability Awards were introduced in 2010 to honor the late Susan M. Burgess, a past president of the League and Charlotte city council member. She was a dedicated and enthusiastic environmentalist.  Her efforts and commitment led to the League’s establishment of the Green Challenge program.  Archdale, Conover, Durham and Wilmington are previous winners.

“We are thrilled that so many towns are participating and thriving in the Green Challenge,” League Executive Director Ellis Hankins said. “We hope that other towns will be inspired by Concord’s success and follow suit.”

The award was presented on Monday, October 22, 2012, at the N.C. League of Municipalities Annual Conference in Charlotte.

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Article Date: 10/15/2012

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Kannapolis eases rules on sweepstakes gaming. The Kannapolis City Council voted to loosen city ordinances created in 2010. The less restrictive laws now more closely reflect North Carolina’s laws for electronic gaming operations. The council voted to lessen the setback requirements from residential and nonprofit residences and change the fee structure for operating the machines.

From Still to Shore: North Carolina distilleries booming. North Carolina liquor is becoming more profitable in the state. There are now nine distilleries producing North Carolina liquors, including moonshine. The largest North Carolina distillery, Piedmont Distillers in Madison, sold more than 10,000 cases in the past year. According to the article, Junior Johnson has even added his name to a line of moonshine to tap into the state’s history with bootlegging and NASCAR.

How Mooresville is effectively teaching every child every day. An opinion column by Tom Campbell, a former assistant N.C. treasurer, commends Mooresville schools’ reforms. The district hired a new superintendent, who has made improvements significant enough to garner attention from national publications and educators from other states. Mooresville has a graduation rate 11 percent higher than the state’s average and was one of six districts in the state to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress.

Eighteen NC counties awarded infrastructure grants. Gov. Beverly Purdue announced that 18 counties will be awarded Community Development Block Grants to upgrade existing water and sewer services. The grants, ranging in size from $118,000 to $750,000, are funded by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

Real life Mayberry feels bite of modern economy. The Wall Street Journal tells the story of Mount Airy’s annual Mayberry Days festival. This year, fans flocked to Mt. Airy to remember Andy Griffith’s life and effect on television.  Since the show is only shown in limited reruns and viewership is declining, there are concerns that there will be a significant impact on Mount Airy’s tourism revenue. 

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Article Date: 10/8/2012

Page Content: Fracking may cost cities and towns. WRAL.com addresses the findings of a new study conducted by the anti-fracking group, Environment North Carolina. According to the study, cities and towns could be left with a bill for damages caused by fracking. Supporters of fracking say drillers will pay fees to protect against accidents, but Environment North Carolina says fees might not be enough. NCLM Director of Governmental Affairs Kelli Kukura is featured in the article.

Ohio church gets help from NC town. Twenty five volunteers traveled 630 miles from Benson, N.C., to Madison, Ohio, to make repairs on a Madison mobile-home park. Benson’s town manager, Matthew Zapp, is the former town manager of Madison.

NC Beach towns continue to promote tourism in the fall. Wrightsville Beach creatively uses advertising to prove its worth as a fall vacation destination according to an article in the News & Observer. The article details the difference between a summer beach vacation and a fall beach vacation citing amount of tourists, costs and temperatures as great reasons to visit the shore in the fall.

Study finds fewer North Carolina coastal fish houses are closing. A study by N.C. Sea Grant reveals fish houses in North Carolina are closing at a slower rate than they were five years ago according to the Charlotte Observer. From 2006 to 2011, 10 percent of fish houses closed compared to 30 percent from 2001 to 2006.

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Article Date: 10/8/2012

Page Content: The North Carolina League of Municipalities will hold a Transportation Forum on Wednesday, November 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The forum, which will be held at the Quorum Center in Raleigh, provides members with an opportunity to help shape the League’s transportation reform policies for the 2013-2014 biennium.

At the forum, entitled “Cities Leading the Way:  Confronting NC’s Transportation Challenges,” attendees will receive updates on transportation funding and programmatic issues in North Carolina, hear concepts discussed in the General Assembly regarding transportation funding challenges and solutions, and discuss strategies for addressing transportation funding challenges. In addition to municipal elected leaders and staff, North Carolina General Assembly House and Senate leaders and N.C. Department of Transportation officials are expected to attend.

Please register here no later than Wednesday, November 7. The cost is $40 per attendee. Contact Crystal Correia at ccorreia@nclm.org or 919-715-3941 for more information.

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Article Date: 9/5/2012

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Article Date: 8/31/2012

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GENERAL

Durham councilman draws crowd for Tobacco Trail safety run. About 25 runners, walkers and cyclists – including two police officers – joined City Councilman Steve Schewel for a five-mile jaunt on the American Tobacco Trail Tuesday.  Prompted by several recent attacks on runners using the popular trail, Schewel issued an open invitation last Friday to “take the trail back” with him on four consecutive Tuesday evenings. “It seemed like a good idea to get people out here to have a good time and make the trail safer,” said Schewel, in red shorts and a white T-shirt. He said he runs on the trail several times every week.

Lexington hosts Main Street Managers Conference. Main Street Managers from all over North and South Carolina converged upon Lexington for their annual three-day conference Wednesday.

Editorial - NC Apple Festival: Fun for all ages. As the warm, golden days of summer make way for the cool, colorful days of fall, it's time to celebrate the harvest as the 66th annual N.C. Apple Festival gets under way…

 

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Article Date: 8/29/2012

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• 2012 Susan M. Burgess Sustainability Award application
• NCLM Green Challenge Guide

Applications for the N.C. League of Municipalities’ third annual Susan M. Burgess Sustainability Awards are now available. The Sustainability Awards recognize cities and towns for their efforts to develop and implement measures to lessen the environmental impact of municipal operations and to promote and encourage sustainability practices throughout their communities.

The awards were introduced in 2010 to honor the late Susan M. Burgess, a past president of the League and Charlotte city council member. She was a dedicated and enthusiastic environmentalist. Because of her commitment, the League established the Green Challenge program to recognize N.C. cities and towns for their efforts to save energy, natural resources and money. Nearly 100 cities and towns currently participate in the NCLM Green Challenge.

This year, three municipalities may receive the Burgess award:

• one with population below 10,000;
• one with population between 10,000 and 99,999; and
• one with population of 100,000 and above.

Applications must be received no later than September 19. Based on the applications, the judges may choose to make only one award in a given year. To be eligible for the Sustainability Award, recipients must obtain NCLM’s Green Challenge Advanced Level.

To learn more about qualifying for the Susan M. Burges sustainability award, contact Najuma Thorpe at nthorpe@nclm.org or 919-715-3931. The application can be downloaded here, and the NCLM Green Challenge Guide can be downloaded here.

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Article Date: 8/23/2012

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GENERAL

Parade Magazine Showcases Community Gardening in Lenoir.  The cover story of the August 19, 2012 Parade Magazine the  impact community gardens are having on Lenoir, a community that is rebuilding its economy and sense of pride after staggering job losses in manufacturing in the last decade. “Any time you are positively featured on a national stage, it’s good for businesses, tourism and the overall attitude local residents have about themselves and their community,” said Joe Gibbons, mayor of Lenoir. “There are so many great stories about Lenoir, and this is one fantastic example of why this community is so special. We hope those who read the Parade article will take time to learn more about this wonderful community.”

Hickory government is ‘up to the people’.  Michael Crowell, a professor at the UNC School of Government, and Ellis Hankins, executive director of the NC League of Municipalities, participated in a session in Hickory where residents discussed an upcoming referendum on wards. The referendum, in the form of a yes or no question, asks if the city should change to a pure ward system in which each of the six wards would nominate and then elect representatives to the council. Only the mayor would be elected at large. Currently, Hickory uses a modified ward system in which each of the six wards nominate two people for the council, and the entire city votes on all candidates.  A couple of hundred people gathered to hear the information.

Kannapolis moves forward with Main Street program. The city of Kannapolis will accept an offer of a year’s partnership with the N.C. Commerce Dept. and the Main Street program.  The Main Street program offers planning assistance to cities that meet certain criteria, with a heavy emphasis on historical preservation. Kannapolis, while not fully accepted into the program, was offered a year’s services and assistance to determine if Main Street is right for the city.

 

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Article Date: 7/12/2012

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Article Date: 7/10/2012

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GENERAL

Concord's Hiatt named NCCCMA president. City Manager W. Brian Hiatt was sworn in as president of the North Carolina City and County Management Association (NCCCMA) on June 30, 2012 at its annual Summer Seminar in Asheville. The association, which is affiliated with the International City and County Management Association, dates back to 1938 and consists of approximately 480 active members.  ... “It is truly an honor to be selected by my peers to head the Association during a period when we are all working hard to maintain essential services and prepare our organizations for the future,” said Hiatt, who previously served as first vice president of the NCCCMA.

New manager well suited for Fayetteville. Fayetteville's next city manager says the community's "size, complexity and energy" appeal to him. "I've visited a few times over the years, and I have seen some of the transformation," said Ted Voorhees, who takes the reins of the state's sixth-largest city in August. As a deputy city manager in Durham, Voorhees has spent the last decade helping transform Durham's downtown from empty tobacco factories into offices, apartments and restaurants. "That's the sort of challenge Fayetteville is working on, as well, and I would like to contribute to that process," he said.

Waynesville's revered town manager gets state's top award. Longtime Waynesville Town Manager Lee Galloway was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious honors conveyed by the governor, in recognition of his years of service in the state. The order may be awarded to those with 30 or more years of exemplary service to the state and to visiting dignitaries. Among the awards most notable recipients are Maya Angelou, Andy Griffith, Billy Graham, Michael Jordan and Dale Earnhardt. “It only seemed appropriate that you been added to that list,” said Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown.

 

ANNEXATION

N.C. law limits cities' ability to grow.  North Carolina cities, which have enjoyed broad annexation powers for more than five decades, will have a harder time absorbing surrounding areas thanks to a new state law the legislature approved in May.  Before the new law took effect, North Carolina cities were allowed to amass unincorporated territory even over the objections of the residents of those areas. Those rules often dismayed suburbanites, but were hailed by city officials as a proven model for maintaining their tax bases and securing cities’ fiscal health. Under the new law, North Carolina’s annexation process will look more like the process in most other states. Most significantly, residents of unincorporated territory will be able to vote up or down on whether to be absorbed into a city. As in other states, the new rule is likely to make annexations rare because of the higher taxes that come with city residency.

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Article Date: 7/3/2012

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BUDGET

Both chambers override governor's veto of state budget plan.  The legislature will pass a $20.2 billion state budget over Gov. Bev Perdue's objections. The state House voted 74-45 Monday night to override her veto. The Senate voted about 30 minutes later to override with a vote of 31-10. This is the second time in two years that the Republican-controlled legislature has handed Perdue a budget defeat with the help of a handful of House Democrats. Perdue tried to convince five of the six House Democrats who had been voting for the Republican budget to stick with her. But it was Democratic Rep. Darren Jackson of Wake County who made the surprise break, saying he was worried about the Senate going home without negotiating and state employees in his district getting laid off from their jobs. Jackson was not one of the Democrats who had been voting for the budget.

 

GENERAL

Southern Pines has been named an All-America City. The town was one of 32 finalists competing for the prestigious award sponsored by the National Civic League. The 14 winners were announced this afternoon in Denver, Colo.  The town was nominated for its Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Community Network, a collective strategy designed to engage the community in the learning process. Called Southern Pines Grows Great Readers, the campaign dovetails with the schools’ slogan “Growing to Greatness.”

 

FRACKING

Bill becomes law on errant vote.  Republicans successfully overrode Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of a fracking bill during a dramatic vote taken just after 11 p.m. Monday. But like the legislation itself, the vote to override was controversial. Rep. Becky Carney, a Democrat from Mecklenburg County who opposes fracking, pushed the wrong button and accidentally voted with Republicans to override the veto. A maneuver by Wake County Republican Paul “Skip” Stam prevented her from changing her vote, giving the GOP a historic one-vote margin of victory.

 

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Article Date: 6/26/2012

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GENERAL

Five N.C. mayors proclaim June 'Project EverGreen' Month. Project EverGreen, now in its third year in North Carolina, has announced that Mayor Anthony Foxx of Charlotte has recently joined Mayor Bill Bell of Durham, Mayor Robbie Perkins of Greensboro, Mayor Nancy McFarlane of Raleigh, and Mayor Allen Joines of Winston-Salem in officially proclaiming June, 2012 as ‘Project EverGreen Month’ in their respective cities. Project EverGreen is a non-profit, educational alliance of professional lawn and landscape contractors, associations, green industry supplier partner companies and homeowner volunteers, dedicated to educating the public about the benefits and value of healthy, well-maintained yards, parks and athletic fields across North Carolina and nationwide.

New leader to take helm in Wilmington planning. With annexation gone by the wayside, Wilmington will likely be looking to build up instead of out. And it will be the job of the city's new development services director, Glenn Harbeck, to ease that transition from suburban development to a higher density, more urban type of growth.  ... Harbeck starts his new job leading the planning department on Tuesday and is expected to fill a role outlined by a consulting group that studied the city's planning review process. The Novak Consulting Group analyzed the process from the time development plans are submitted for a project until the project is released for construction. The group found the city needs a strong leader to guide the process.

 

PUBLIC SAFETY

New device helps Raleigh police find stolen vehicle. Former city councilman Barlow Herget and his wife Millie had just finished a day of touring the beaches of Normandy in France when their children sent an email: someone had broken into their Cameron Park home and stolen a number of valuables, including their 2004 Honda Accord. Barlow Herget did not think he would ever see the Honda again, but Raleigh police were able to find it about three weeks later using a device mounted on a patrol car that automatically scans license plates, looking for ones that have been stolen. Automated License Plate Recognition consists of four cameras atop the patrol car’s lights bar that are capable of scanning in all directions. The cameras are connected to a processor in the trunk that is in turn linked to the computer in the front seat.

 

 

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Article Date: 6/21/2012

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FRACKING

Bill gets mixed reviews. Lobbyists for city interests are counting as a success Thursday’s N.C. House passage of a bill legalizing a new method of drilling for natural gas, largely for having preserved a say in the matter for local governments. The version of the bill House members approved on a 66-43 vote for the first time calls for giving seats on a new state mining commission to representatives of city and county governments from the part of the state that’s most likely atop a major gas deposit. And both the House and N.C. Senate versions of the bill omit language from an early Senate draft that would have barred cities or counties from regulating drilling operations via zoning laws. “We were fighting, first, to make sure local governments were not totally pre-empted,” said Erin Wynia, legislative and regulatory issues manager for the N.C. League of Municipalities. “And second, we wanted a voice in writing [upcoming] rules and regulations. We felt we were able to achieve that in the bill.”

 

GENERAL

Town managers switching roles. In a musical chairs game involving Lewisville and North Wilkesboro, the towns' managers have quit their jobs and switched places. Cecil Wood, who retired in February as town manager of Lewisville, was named Tuesday as the interim town manager of North Wilkesboro. North Wilkesboro Town Manager Hank Perkins announced two weeks ago that his last day would be July 5. He'll start the next day as town manager of Lewisville. They'll both start work in the other's former job on July 6.

 

STATE BUDGET

Budget deal: Some money for schools, none for eugenics victims. House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate President Pro Temp Phil Berger outlined the $20.2 billion budget deal that legislative leaders inked late Tuesday during a news conference Wednesday morning.  Lawmakers haven't released copies of the budget to the public, but Berger and Tillis said that it included a 1.2 percent raise for state employees and public school teachers. The new budget plan will take effect July 1 if it becomes law. 

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Article Date: 6/20/2012

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State Treasurer Janet Cowell, a former member of the Raleigh city council, recently shared information with Fox News about North Carolina local government financing today.  Click this link to view it.

The video is entitled, "Keeping N.C.'s Debt in Control." One of the highlights of the video is that it notes that North Carolina has more Triple-A rated cities than any other state.

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Article Date: 6/15/2012

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Both the N.C. Justice Academy and the Association of Law Enforcement Emergency Response Trainers, as well as the Georgia Municipal Association, have asked to use a video produced by the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) in order to educate police officers and others about safe pursuit driving techniques.

The video, “Slower is Faster,” was produced by NCLM Risk Management Services with significant contributions and input from Hillsborough Town Manager Eric Peterson, who is also an acclaimed race car driver with years of training experience. The 27-minute video was part of several police driver training seminars that NCLM held across North Carolina in March. The video and the seminars were geared around helping police departments reduce the number of claims against a department. (You can read more about the seminars and the video in both the April and May issues of Southern City.)

“This was not expected, but we are delighted that both the Justice Academy and the Law Enforcement Emergency Response Trainers have found this video helpful enough to include in their training,” said Bob Haynes, NCLM associate director of risk management and member services.

The video also reinforces the "Below 100" campaign, a national campaign aimed at reducing in-the-line-of-duty deaths to below 100 for the first time since 1944. The campaign focuses on speed, seatbelts, wearing vests, avoiding complacency and focusing on WIN, or What's Important Now.

“On a national scale, more police officers are killed in traffic accidents than in any other way,” said Steve Lee, NCLM director of claims. “Our hope is that this training video will help prepare officers and possibly save lives.”

In addition to the “Slower is Faster” video, NCLM has also produced a training manual, “High Speed: Pursuit Guidelines & Emergency Response Training.”

To learn more about the "Slower is Faster" DVD and support materials, please contact Steve Lee, NCLM director of claims, at slee@nclm.org or 919-733-3106.

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Article Date: 6/14/2012

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GENERAL

Greenville, Havelock & Wilson to receive Brownfield grants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Regional Administrator, Stan Meiburg, will recognize the cities of Greenville, Havelock, and Wilson, NC as the recipients of brownfield grants for assessment and cleanup of contaminated properties on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at the Reade Ventures Redevelopment Site in Greenville, NC.

Morganton Main Street holds vandalism summit. “We’re dealing with two separate issues here,” Louis Vinay said addressing community merchants and property owners Tuesday evening. “One is vandalism, and that’s a crime. The other is skylarking, and that’s hard to control.” At a meeting open to local business and property owners held at the Morganton Community House, Vinay, Morganton’s city attorney, and other city officials talked about risk management – a matter that those attending felt had been left widely opaque for years. In an attempt to shed light on the situation, the city introduced Risk Management Field Consultant Amy Whisnant of the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

 

ETJ

Boone ETJ billed pulled from Senate floor. A bill abolishing the town of Boone's extraterritorial jurisdiction seemed to be on the road to passage late last week, but the legislation was withdrawn from the Senate calendar Monday evening. Senate Bill 949 would eliminate the town of Boone's ETJ powers, which it has exercised since 1983, effective June 30, 2013. The bill was scheduled for consideration during the Senate session that convened at 7 p.m. Monday evening. Instead, the bill was withdrawn from the calendar and re-referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.

 

FRACKING

Fracking may be legalized this year. A bill legalizing fracking may become law this year, despite growing opposition from local governments. ...  Erin Wynia, a policy analyst for the N.C. League of Municipalities, said her group supports fracking because of its potential to encourage economic development and create jobs. But the league wants state and local representation on the bill’s newly created Oil and Gas Board — which will oversee the development and regulation of fracking in the state.

 

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Cary could make room for sweepstakes. Internet sweepstakes parlors may get the legal nod from the town of Cary. Town staff have drafted rules to explicitly allow and set rules for the “gambling lite” businesses, where patrons win and lose money playing virtual slot machines. The town, like other governments across the state, is changing its laws months after a state court ruled the parlors legal. Town staff have fielded more than 20 calls in the last 10 weeks from prospective parlor owners while at least nine businesses host the gaming machines, according to town staff.

 

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Article Date: 6/12/2012

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ANNEXATION

Gov. Perdue won't block forced annexation changes. People who live in unincorporated areas will be able to vote to halt forced annexations under a bill that legislators approved earlier and that Governor Bev Perdue said Sunday she will neither sign nor veto. The bill becomes law if the governor doesn’t sign it. “I recognize the need for some changes in the annexation process,” Perdue said in a statement given Sunday to the Associated Press. “But reform should neither stifle the natural growth -- nor limit the role -- of local governments.”

Oak Island property owners petitioning for annexation into Caswell Beach.  Annexation has been a hot button issue lately, but this time folks are asking for it. A group of Oak Island residents has organized a petition, requesting to be annexed into Caswell Beach. Marc Younginer is one of about 160 property owners in Oak Island Estates, a neighborhood surrounding the golf course. Three out of four sides surrounding it are part of the town of Caswell Beach and now residents want in.

 

STATE BUDGET

Senate releases budget; municipal revenues appear unaffected. The N.C. Senate released its budget proposal over the weekend. On the whole, the budget leaves municipal revenues unaffected, and the League thanks both the Senate and House of representatives for not balancing their budgets on the backs of the state's municipalities. The Senate budget also maintains recurring funding for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, whereas the House's budget does not. But while the Senate budget provides more funding for public transportation operating grants than the House, the Senate also eliminates the $29 million Regional New Starts and Capital Program.

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Article Date: 6/7/2012

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GENERAL

Local governments in North Carolina better off because of unique state agency. The four states with the nation’s highest unemployment rate are Nevada, Rhode Island, California and North Carolina. All except North Carolina are replete with financially stressed local governments, some near insolvency. North Carolina’s success at dodging similar crises is due in large part to a little-known state agency called the Local Government Commission. Other states have formal and informal tools to assist local governments, but none has the same reach as North Carolina’s commission, which imposes budget controls and advises troubled communities.

 

Fee means Raleigh can grab more late ticket money from tax refunds. The City Council voted Tuesday to tack on an extra fee for tardy payment of parking tickets, allowing Raleigh to tap the tax returns of first-time offenders to get the money it's owed. Raleigh officials estimate that drivers owe the city $3.2 million in parking tickets, so the city put its foot down last year and began intercepting the state income tax refund of anyone with more than $50 in unpaid parking citations that are more than six months delinquent in order to pay off their bill. During the first five months of the program, the city collected $314,000, City Manager Russell Allen said.

 

Durham county, city discuss merging governments. The argument over the map in Durham has gone on for decades: Do the lines need to be blurred between the city and the county? Durham first considered consolidating municipal and county governments in the early 1970s, but voters rejected the idea by a 2-1 margin. The issue was studied again a little over a decade ago, but opposition on various fronts scuttled the move before it could be put on the ballot. County Manager Mike Ruffin revived the consolidation discussion again last week in laying out his budget proposal for 2012-13.

 

NCLM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Save the date: Annual Conference will be October 21-23 in Charlotte. Now that Town Hall Day is behind us for another year, the staff of the N.C. League of Municipalities will begin working hard to make the upcoming NCLM Annual Conference one to remember. This year's annual conference will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center, October 21-23, 2012. Please mark these dates down now, and watch for more information to hit your mailbox (or inbox) soon.

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 6/6/2012

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This year's annual conference will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center, October 21-23, 2012. Please mark these dates down now, and click here to register.

We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!

Modified By: System Account

Article Date: 6/5/2012

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GENERAL

Mayoral Summits highlight the role of city leaders. With support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and The Wallace Foundation, NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education and Families is providing technical and financial assistance to nine statewide afterschool networks that are collaborating with state municipal leagues to host mayoral summits on afterschool and expanded learning. Thus far, four statewide networks have hosted summits with resounding success in Nebraska, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington. Additional summits will take place in Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Oregon and Pennsylvania over the next few months. The goals of each summit are to inform municipal leaders of the importance of afterschool opportunities and help them strengthen afterschool efforts in their communities.

 

ANNEXATION

Councilmember Padgett weighs in on ruling. The City of Wilmington is still smarting from the end of the annexation process in Monkey Junction. ... Councilmembers Laura Padgett and Margaret Haynes recently sent emails to fellow council members, the city manager, and city spokeswoman. They say they believe there should have been more press releases and interviews on the government channel to better educate the nearly 110,000 people living in Wilmington on how repealing annexation would hurt them.

 

ETJ

Bill targets Boone's ETJ powers. All North Carolina municipalities have had statutory authority to create extraterritorial jurisdictions (ETJ) outside of city limits since 1959.  Senate Bill 949, introduced May 30 by state Sen. Dan Soucek, a Republican from Boone, would specifically revoke the town of Boone's ETJ powers.

 

BUDGET

Local budget crises fading, but cautious spending remains. As cities and counties across the Charlotte region finalize their budgets for next year, much of the panic and crisis that came after the recession has faded. Local governments aren’t planning for mass layoffs or deep cuts to services. Meanwhile, money raised by sales taxes and some other revenues are still gradually improving - enough so that most plan to keep property tax rates the same or offer a slight cut.

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/31/2012

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ANNEXATION

Annexation rule changes approved. The General Assembly gave final approval Tuesday to two bills that alter forced annexation rules in North Carolina for the second year in a row — this time to respond to a court ruling that struck down changes made in 2011. Without debate, the House completed the second of two required votes on Senate versions of a pair of measures.

Residents declare victory.  A few Lexington residents showed up at the Lexington City Council meeting on Tuesday evening wearing bright red shirts, flaunting their victory on the two annexation bills that will alter forced annexation rules in North Carolina. Not too much was said about the final reading of the bill, but Gary Fancyand his wife, and two other residents stated their red shirts said it all. Fancy happily announced, "We won!" when several councilmen came his way at the end of the meeting.

Opinion: Reform will be good for North Carolina. ... Will forced annexations be more difficult for cities to implement? Yes. And that is the way it should be. These cities are going to have to do a great sales job on a targeted area. They are going to have to show how coming into the city is a good deal for both the city and for the annexed area. They are going to have to get their act together. I maintain that is a good thing, and should make these cities better stewards of the tax dollars they collect from both their existing residents and any potentially new ones.

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/29/2012

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ANNEXATION

Legislators tout annexation bill. While a wide range of subjects were addressed during a legislative briefing Friday morning at Davidson County Community College sponsored by the Lexington and Thomasville area chambers of commerce, Sen. Stan Bingham, R-Davidson, and Rep. Rayne Brown, R-Davidson, both praised the probable passage of a bill that would block involuntary annexations in Lexington and eight other cities around the state. The General Assembly is expected to approve the bill next week. Bingham noted the issue could not be brought up again for at least 12 years.

Editorial: Forced annexation on the ropes. Municipal officials across North Carolina don’t have much faith in a city’s ability to 1) offer services meaningful enough to distinguish city from county and 2) grow without expanding into outlying neighborhoods uninvited. Otherwise, cities and towns like Kinston wouldn’t be fighting tooth and nail to retain their nearly unparalleled powers of forced annexation.

 

GENERAL

N.C. city leaders tour Danville. About 18 months ago, the Danville Regional Foundation took Danville City Council and other city leaders on a trip to Greenville, S.C., to see what that city had done to revitalize its downtown. Now a year into its own River District revitalization project, Danville was visited Thursday by another city’s officials hoping for pointers in its revitalization: Thomasville, N.C.

 

FRACKING

Opinion: The gas well next door? Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly referred to as “fracking,” ought to be a pretty cut-and-dried issue for most people. If you tend to align with the “drill-baby-drill” crowd, believing that concerns about water pollution are overblown, you are all for it, right? If you are more prone to line up behind environmental causes and don’t buy the assurances that drinking water will be protected, you are against it, right? It might not be so simple, especially when it comes to a plan being considered by the state Senate that would have North Carolina blithely enter the world of fracking. 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/24/2012

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ANNEXATION

Senate approves annexation law changes involving Asheville.  Legislation approved by the N.C. Senate would cancel recent annexations by Asheville and eight other cities and towns while bypassing a recent judge’s ruling that struck down a new way to block annexations. The two bills approved late Monday now head to the House for consideration.

 

BUDGETS

Bonfield seeks 1 cent increase in Durham property tax. City Manager Tom Bonfield’s fiscal 2012-13 budget request calls, as elected officials wanted, for a 1-cent increase in Durham’s citywide property tax rate to raise more money for low-cost-housing programs. Bonfield’s request without the City Council-directed initiative would otherwise have held property taxes at their present level, 55.75 cents per $100 of assessed value. The tax rate as proposed would rise to 56.75 cents per $100, a year-to-year increase of 1.8 percent.

 

WELLNESS

Healthy workers mean healthy wallets for towns. ... Rolesville has had a non-mandatory wellness program for three years, free through the League of Municipalities, Town Manager Brian Hicks said. The town offers wellness testing once a year, which includes weight and body fat assessments. Nearly 100 percent of the town’s employees choose to participate, Hicks said. The impact on health insurance costs are minor – only a dollar or two for the year. But that’s something, he said. “Every little bit counts,” Hicks said.

 

GENERAL

The debate over the American Community Survey. The American Community Survey may be the most important government function you’ve never heard of, and it’s in trouble. This survey of American households has been around in some form since 1850, either as a longer version of or a richer supplement to the basic decennial census. It tells Americans how poor we are, how rich we are, who is suffering, who is thriving, where people work, what kind of training people need to get jobs, what languages people speak, who uses food stamps, who has access to health care, and so on.

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/22/2012

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The New York Times recently published an analysis about the demise of the American Community Survey, which is under attack.

"This survey of American households has been around in some form since 1850, either as a longer version of or a richer supplement to the basic decennial census," writes the Times. "It tells Americans how poor we are, how rich we are, who is suffering, who is thriving, where people work, what kind of training people need to get jobs, what languages people speak, who uses food stamps, who has access to health care, and so on.

"It is, more or less, the country’s primary check for determining how well the government is doing — and in fact what the government will be doing. The survey’s findings help determine how over $400 billion in government funds is distributed each year. ... Each year the Census Bureau polls a representative, randomized sample of about three million American households about demographics, habits, languages spoken, occupation, housing and various other categories. The resulting numbers are released without identifying individuals, and offer current demographic portraits of even the country’s tiniest communities.

"It is the largest (and only) data set of its kind and is used across the federal government in formulas that determine how much funding states and communities get for things like education and public health."

But, as the article noted, the U.S. House last week voted to eliminate the survey altogether, "on the grounds that the government should not be butting its nose into Americans’ homes."

Some census experts do not expect the U.S. Senate to agree on fully eliminating the American Community Survey -- or the Economic Census, which would be effectively destroyed by the House bill. Experts are hopeful that a compromise will develop that will keep the survey -- but make it voluntary. (Under current law, participation is mandatory.)

As the Times notes: "If the American Community Survey were made voluntary, experts say, the census would have to spend significantly more money on follow-up phone calls and in-person visits to get enough households to answer."

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/21/2012

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Hurricane season is off to an early start with Alberto churning in the Atlantic. The storm is expected to stay offshore, which is always good news. But now is as good a time as any to make sure your city, town or county is prepared.

Last year, the League and the N.C. Association of County Commissioners created  ReadyNCLocal.org, a websited devoted to helping local governments make sure they are prepared for any and all disasters.

ReadyNCLocal.org features sections on Mutual Aid, NC Water Warn, Getting Ready and Recovery, along with a list of county emergency management contacts.

Please visit ReadyNCLocal.org today and get prepared -- don't wait until it's too late.

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/22/2012

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ANNEXATION

Saffo: Senate votes against annexation 'unfortunate, unfair.' After the state Senate voted to stop forced annexation, we wanted to hear from Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo about the city's plan. ... "If this is the new law of the day for the State of North Carolina, we'll follow that law," Saffo said. "If they change the law next year, we'll follow that law. If they change the law next year, we'll follow that law."

Pitts: Legislators show Fayetteville who's boss. State legislators are in the process of showing the city of Fayetteville who's boss and putting the kibosh on the city's recent annexation of Gates Four. It might settle the matter for as long as 12 years. Or will it?However one feels about annexation, it is interesting to watch this multi-year saga play out as both sides go as far as they can legally go. Gates Four neighbors have money, and they're willing to spend it.

Editorial: Slapped - Lawmakers punish cities, offer no growth tools. It's no surprise that the N.C. General Assembly is moving swiftly to plug a loophole in its new annexation law that Fayetteville and other cities moved swiftly to exploit. Fayetteville helped create the loophole, with a winning legal challenge of a provision that allows a majority of property owners in a forcibly annexed area to opt out of the taking. ... Even allowing residents to veto annexation of their neighborhoods would be reasonable, but for one thing: State law contains no usable alternatives for managing urban growth. Without annexation, nothing requires developers who build urban-density neighborhoods just across city boundaries to provide urban services such as sidewalks, curbs and gutters, sewers and water lines. Cumberland County is a poster child for what happens when those controls aren't in place - as they weren't here for the many years when law prevented this county from doing annexations.

 

GENERAL

Summerfield celebrates Founders' Day. Historians and towns people love days like Saturday. It was a day of celebrating, past, present and future for a northwest Guilford County town. Summerfield held its 16th celebration of Founders' Day. The town also marked a milestone...the 200th anniversary of when it changed names. The town was formerly called Bruce's Crossing.

On the road in Kinston. As people who live around here or often visit know, Kinston is an old city that is finding re-birth. In a city that has been around since our country began, Kinston has some new growth. As part of that growth, a new rail spur is being built to connect the Global Transpark to ships. Due to Kinston's growth, two new fire stations have been built to replace two older ones. And this summer, Kinston is getting a first of its kind for the area. The Woodman of the World, the city and county have partnered to build a community center which will have 2 gyms, a fitness center, and it's a project that could give the city and county a profit.

 

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Editorial: Tax 'em to death. If Internet sweepstakes operators won’t go away, they ought to be taxed — heavily. Greensboro adopted that policy last year, raising the annual privilege license tax to $2,500, plus $500 for each electronic sweepstakes machine. The town of Oak Ridge in Guilford County recently set the same fees, even though it doesn’t have any video sweepstakes parlors — yet. With luck, and high fees, maybe it won’t. Some other North Carolina cities also have hit video gambling parlors with high taxes, and two have gotten support from the courts in important test cases.

 

FRACKING

Fracking in N.C. could carry extra risks. North Carolina’s flirtation with fracking is increasingly looking like the real thing, with Republican lawmakers poised to pass sweeping legislation this summer that would lead to drilling for natural gas. The state may have just a fraction of the enormous natural gas reserves found in Texas and Pennsylvania. But fracking here will likely entail greater risks to drinking water supplies and may require special measures not used in other states.

 

ETJ

Knightdale joins fight against ETJ legislation. Knightdale and other Wake County towns oppose legislation that they say would limit the ability of NC municipalities to expand their extraterritorial jurisdiction (or ETJ). “Any restrictions would punish the 98 percent of us that play by the rules and don't abuse our power,” Knightdale Mayor Russell Killen said on May 7 after Town Council passed a resolution opposing ETJ reform.

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/17/2012

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Legislature reconvening for 'short session' focused on budget changes, gambling, education. ... The General Assembly's main job for the roughly six-week "short session" is to change parts of the second year of the two-year budget approved last year. Republicans, who took control of the Legislature after the 2010 elections, insist the final product of House and Senate negotiators won't include the higher temporary sales tax that Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue proposed last week.

 

GENERAL

Former Raleigh Mayor Tomlinson remembered as visionary.  Travis “Tommy” Tomlinson, a former Raleigh mayor who helped calm the capital in the tense days after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., was remembered by hundreds of friends and family members Tuesday who gathered for his funeral at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church in Raleigh. Tomlinson died last week at 98. He served on Raleigh’s City Council for eight years during a time when the council named the mayor. He was mayor from 1965 to 1969.

 

ENVIRONMENT

Clayton agrees to buy land, remediate contaminated land along Neuse River.  When DuPont bought land along the Neuse River between Loop Road and Covered Bridge Road in 1975, the state had different regulations on hazardous waste. Today, DuPont will have to go through a state process to restore the land it used as an agricultural research facility to a limited level of contamination before the town will buy the 40 acres it wants to purchase. The town council voted Monday to unanimously approve a memorandum of understanding which outlines the conditions under which both parties will negotiate a purchasing contract by December 31.

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/15/2012

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GENERAL

High Point mayor not running for re-election. High Point Mayor Becky Smothers said Wednesday she is not running for re-election, the High Point Enterprise reports. Smothers made the announcement at the High Point Chamber of Commerce's State of the Community luncheon. She was first elected to the city council in 1977 and was elected mayor six times. She has been mayor of the city for all but four of the last 20 years. Smothers, however, did not rule out a run for public office.

 

BILLBOARDS

Billboard company pledges to replant trees. Adams Outdoor Advertising, Charlotte’s largest billboard company, said Friday it will replant more trees than it will cut down under a new state law that allows companies to clear vegetation blocking signs. The announcement follows criticism from residents upset about the loss of trees along the city’s roadsides. A law that went into effect on March 1 allows billboard companies to ask the N.C. Department of Transportation for a permit to clear a 340-foot window in front of billboards along state roads.  The previous window was 250 feet.

 

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

State lawmakers return to Raleigh for short session with long agenda. State lawmakers returning to the capital Wednesday have a long list of controversial issues to tackle and not a lot of time to do it. The primary purpose of the "short session" is to adjust the state's biennial budget. But the legislature will likely debate everything from sales taxes and pay raises for state workers to education reform and municipal annexation. There likely will be showdowns between the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Democrat Gov. Bev Perdue. Controversial legislation may ultimately be decided by a group of five Democrats - informally known as the Party of Five by some and derided as the Gang of Five by others - who sometimes break with their party to give Republicans enough votes to override gubernatorial vetoes.

Lawmakers return to consider state budget and other controversial issues.  The so-called short session is designed to tweak the two-year state budget approved in 2011. But the Republican lawmakers – starting just their second term at the helm of both the House and Senate – want to do much more. On the table are a bevy of controversial issues ranging from drilling for natural gas through fracking to requiring voter identification at the polls. At the same time, GOP leaders want to finish business by the end of June, much sooner than during recent even-year sessions.

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/10/2012

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ANNEXATION

Gates Four homeowners to receive back-to-back tax bills from Cumberland County. Homeowners in Gates Four will get their first city tax bills in August - and then another bill just a few weeks later.

ENVIRONMENT

Editorial: Why sustainability is good for North Carolina’s economy. Sustainability is not just a “nice to have” abstraction, but a fundamentally important driver of economic prosperity for North Carolina.

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Editorial: It's time for North Carolina leaders to consider legalized gambling. It is time for state leaders to devise a sensible and realistic state gambling policy, one that will allow some forms of gambling but regulate it closely.

GENERAL

Former Mayor receives Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Former Mayor Leo Mercer received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine awards Saturday, before acting as the parade marshal for the 80th North Carolina Strawberry Festival.

House Speaker Thom Tillis touts moving to consumption-oriented tax structure. North Carolina needs to shift its tax structure toward consumption-related taxes, such as the sales tax, and away from corporate and personal income taxes, N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillia says, according to the Independent Tribune of Concord.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 5/8/2012

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ANNEXATION

Senators announce plan to stop Monkey Junction annexation. State Sens. David Rouzer of Johnston County and Thom Goolsby of New Hanover County plan to introduce legislation that would stop the Monkey Junction annexation. The bill would suspend the annexation while lawmakers work on a bigger package of legislation they say would be harder for cities to fight.

GENERAL

Editorial: The costs of fracking. The potential for an increase in North Carolina’s gross domestic product comes with the potential for additional costs.

Editorial: Cities and towns gaming the system? Sweepstakes operators believe that some sort of fee system is not unreasonable but shouldn’t be very far out of line with what other businesses are charged by municipalities.

Greenville leaders pitch initiatives. Greenville leaders last week presented the city’s legislative initiatives to the area’s local legislative representatives for the May 16 State Legislature short session.

TRANSPORTATION

Spring Lake mayor pushes for better transit options around Cumberland County, Fort Bragg. Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey says he wishes town residents had better transit options to get around Cumberland County and Fort Bragg.

Leaders look for an alternative route in and out of Southport. Senator Bill Rabon is supporting a way to ease the drive to Southport for many residents and tourists.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 5/3/2012

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ANNEXATION

Fayetteville officials looking to add Shaw Heights to city. Fayetteville officials want the state legislature's permission to annex Shaw Heights without having to follow provisions in North Carolina's new annexation laws.

REDISTRICTING

N.C. judges: More time for redistricting documents. A three-judge panel has given Republican legislative leaders and their attorneys time to seek relief from a ruling requiring them to produce more redistricting documents for Democratic officials and allies challenging North Carolina's new district maps.

PRIVILEGE LICENSE TAX

N.C. Court of Appeals grants Fayetteville gambling houses new day in court. The N.C. Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted three Fayetteville gambling houses a new day in court to fight the high privilege license taxes the city levied on them several years ago.

ENVIRONMENT

State environmental agency issues final report on hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing can be done safely in North Carolina only if the General Assembly adopts state-specific regulatory standards and invests sufficient resources in compliance and enforcement prior to issuance of any permits for the practice, according to a report issued today by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

GENERAL

Mount Airy chosen for “Great Main Street” in ‘Great Places’ contest. North Carolinians showed their love for Mount Airy, casting hundreds of votes to make the Mayberry inspiration the winner of the 2012 People’s Choice contest for “Great Main Street.”

N.C. budget discussions beginning at legislature. The annual North Carolina state budget dance is about to begin in earnest now that legislators know how much money they'll have to spend.

N.C. still expecting small surplus this budget year. North Carolina's state government revenues remain slightly above projections used in forming this year's budget after the all-important April tax collections arrived.

Atlantic Beach celebrates 75th birthday. The year-long celebration kicked off Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. with a commemorative ceremony marking the anniversary of the town's first ever town council meeting.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 5/2/2012

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The NC Forest Service, in partnership with the N.C. League of Municipalities, the Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities Program, the National Community Forestry Service Center, the NC Rural Center and other partners, is sponsoring an exciting opportunity for small communities across North Carolina to learn how to manage forests owned by local governments.

 

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Elected officials, local government staff, public works leaders, school officials, maintenance professionals, and others with responsibility for forested lands owned by local governments.

WHERE?

Workshops will be held across North Carolina.

Volunteer to host a workshop in your community!

 

FOCUS GROUP NOW!

Tell us what you need! Attend a discussion on

May 11 at 12:30 p.m. in Asheboro. Lunch will be

provided! Sign up NOW to attend!

 

HOW CAN I SIGN UP?

For more information, contact:

Donna Pratt

Program Assistant

dpratt@conservationfund.org

919‐951‐0116

Alton Perry

Outreach Coordinator

alton.perry@ncagr.gov

919‐857‐4847

 

Modified By: Matt Lail

Article Date: 5/2/2012

Page Content: North Carolinians showed their love for Mount Airy, casting hundreds of votes to make the Mayberry inspiration the winner of the 2012 People’s Choice contest for “Great Main Street.” This award is part of the "Great Places in North Carolina" initiative sponsored by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association to celebrate great communities throughout the state.

An expert panel also selected five other North Carolina main streets, from the mountains to the coast, for recognition. From dozens of nominations submitted, the panel named Asheville’s Lexington Avenue, Charlotte’s Tryon Street, Edenton’s Broad Street, and Hillsborough’s Churton Street as “Great Main Streets” and Gastonia’s Main Avenue as a “Great Place in the Making.”

“All of these ‘Great Main Streets’ are walkable, interesting, and alive,” said Fleming El-Amin, president of APA-NC. “Through this program we celebrate their vitality and the local partnerships that have made them a focal point for community life.”

Futher, “These places didn’t happen by accident,” said Ben Hitchings, president-elect of APA-NC and chair of the initiative. “We salute the collaborative efforts in each of these communities which resulted in places that people love and cherish.”

Later in May, a ceremony will be held in each community to recognize its local planning efforts. All of the communities will be featured on www.nc-apa.org/greatplaces. This year’s initiative is the first of what will be an annual event recognizing great communities in North Carolina.

The selected places are:

• In the mountain region: Asheville’s Lexington Avenue. Lexington Avenue—which was threatened to be replaced by a mall 30 years ago—has become the cultural heart of downtown and the main canvas of street art, local shopping and food, and local celebration.
• In the Piedmont: Hillsborough’s Churton Street and Charlotte’s Tryon Street. Churton Street is a true, small-town main street that has served as the community core of the town and county for over 250 years. Along Churton Street, the historic district hosts a variety of unique restaurants, artisan shops, historic law offices and more, providing visitors a destination that not only preserves the past but also represents a vital and prosperous present day. Tryon Street, the main street of the largest city in North Carolina, is a dynamic and vibrant place, emblematic of a major financial, cultural, entertainment, and educational center. “Tryon Street,” as Tom Hanchett of The Charlotte Observer once put it, “is Charlotte’s main drag, public face and front porch.”
• At the coast: Edenton’s Broad Street. While most small towns in North Carolina have experienced decline at some point in their history, Edenton's Broad Street has remained the center of the community since its incorporation in 1722. Broad Street serves as Edenton's cultural, social and commercial center of the community. Its beauty is found not only in the magnificent vista of Edenton Bay and the Albemarle Sound but also in its architecture and people.

Gastonia’s Main Avenue was recognized as a “Great Place in the Making.” Gastonia’s downtown is a story of revival and resurgence. In the 1970s and ‘80s, Main Avenue suffered from the outmigration of people and jobs to the suburbs. In recent years, implementation of a Downtown Streetscape and Public Realm Plan has brought residents and businesses back to Main Avenue.

Voters selected Mount Airy’s Main Street as the People’s Choice in an online contest in which 1,700 votes were cast. The expert panel that made the selections included the APA-NC chapter president (Fleming El- Amin), two Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (George Chapman, Sue Schwartz), a Fellow from the American Society of Landscape Architects (Rodney Swink), and three representatives from two partner organizations (Professor David Owens from the UNC School of Government and Elizabeth Hudson, editor of Our State magazine).

The program was inspired by the “Great Places in America” program sponsored by the American Planning Association, which celebrates places across the country that are of exemplary character, quality, and planning. The North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association is an organization of 1,500 professional and citizen planners dedicated to preserving and creating great communities throughout North Carolina. For more information, visit www.nc-apa.org.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 5/1/2012

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ANNEXATION

Lawmakers say city 'jumping the gun' on annexation. Republican state lawmakers say the city of Wilmington is wasting taxpayer dollars by providing services to the Monkey Junction area, where residents have been on a roller-coaster ride through the battle over annexation.

ENVIRONMENT

N.C. Attorney General's Office releases draft report on fracking, consumer protection. Strong landowner protections are needed before the state moves forward on legalizing fracking.

State attorney: N.C. needs consumer protections on 'fracking.' A lawyer in the Attorney General's Office said Thursday that North Carolina needs to adopt consumer protections before legalizing a controversial method of natural gas drilling.

TRANSPORTATION

Red Line officials seek June meeting with Norfolk Southern. Officials from the N.C. Department of Transportation, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and the Red Line Task Force are seeking a meeting, possibly in mid-June, with Norfolk Southern Corp. to discuss the rail company’s misgivings about the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project north of Charlotte.

Lawmakers want change in how gas tax money is used. House Speaker Thom Tillis said he plans to eliminate the N.C. DOT transferring money into the general fund and wants new rules that limit how much the DOT spends on projects with little impact on transportation.

Editorial - Funding ferries only a tiny piece of transportation challenge. The recommendation to hold off on fare increases, proposed by Rep. Frank Iler of Brunswick County, gives lawmakers and Gov. Beverly Perdue’s administration an ideal opening to focus on the future of North Carolina’s entire transportation infrastructure.

GENERAL

N.C. legislators experiment with paperless chambers. The House and Senate will embark on a pilot program with the May budget session in which lawmakers will follow bills and amendments during floor debate on laptops or other devices, not paper. The House is going further by having members file their own bills electronically; its wooden racks have been dismantled.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 4/26/2012

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ANNEXATION

Editorial: Gates Four homeowners not ready to give up annexation battle. Gates Four folks are not giving up. Far from it.

GENERAL

Leland mayor proposes unifying police forces in northern Brunswick Co. Leland Mayor Brenda Bozeman says combining police forces would help all of northern Brunswick County.

Grants help volunteer fire departments get gear, truck. Recent grants have provided two area volunteer fire departments with new equipment. 

Worth the money? Wilmington to hire lobbyist. Wilmington officials plan to hire a lobbyist to rally the local cause at the state and federal level.

Holden Beach named top family beach in nation. Holden Beach has been named as one of the top family beach in the nation by American Profile magazine.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 4/24/2012

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REDISTRICTING

Judges order more records for N.C. maps challengers. Some North Carolina judges have ordered Republican legislative leaders and attorneys who worked on redistricting maps last year to provide more documents requested by Democratic elected officials and allies challenging the maps in court.

BILLBOARDS

Some seek to change billboard rules again. The state changed the rules on highway billboards last year, and a movement is afoot to change them again this year.

ENVIRONMENTAL

N.C. panel sets marker for fracking laws. A state Senate panel unveiled proposed legislation Wednesday that would bar a natural gas drilling method called fracking for more than two years while regulations are being developed.

Editorial: Let's live up to promise of Buncombe's motto. The former Board of Commissioners, four of five of whom were Democrats, all agreed that an independent water sewer authority merged with MSD would be the best means to serve our community.

Editorial: Fracking chances. The consequences of not getting fracking right are enormous. 

Editorial: Drill team. But for those eager to make North Carolina an oil and gas production hub, another pertinent slogan is “Haste makes waste.”

GENERAL

N.C. lawmakers gavel session out quickly. The North Carolina General Assembly made quick work again of a mini-work session Monday, meeting for less than five minutes before adjourning.

A budget by (and for) the people. In an effort to cut wasteful spending and generate political support, cash-strapped municipal officials are turning to a process called participatory budgeting, which allows residents to devise and vote on small-scale infrastructure projects.

Mayor urges volunteerism at White House panel. Salisbury Mayor Paul Woodson joined several officials on a White House panel to talk about how volunteerism has a positive impact on a community and assists the local government with improving the quality of life for its residents. The panel also discussed using volunteerism as a means for the unemployed to get involved and possibly parlay it into a job.

Old railroad depot gets a new lease on life. For 20 years, the New Bern Preservation Foundation has tried to gain approval from the North Carolina and Norfolk Southern railroad companies to restore the 101-year-old New Bern Union Depot. And it has finally paid off.

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Land use regulation of internet sweepstakes cafes. Regulating video gaming and gambling of one sort or another has vexed state and local governments in North Carolina for the better part of two decades.

TRANSPORTATION

Republican legislators back repeal of ferry tolls. Some legislators say they welcome a second chance to decide how riders should pay their share of state ferry operating costs, after a House-Senate oversight committee voted Monday to repeal new ferry tolls worth several million dollars.

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Article Date: 4/27/2012

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RALEIGH, N.C.  -- Najuma Thorpe has been tapped to lead the N.C. League of Municipalities’ new department of Communications and Member Relations.

Thorpe previously served as the public information officer for the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development in Washington, D.C. She also worked in similar capacities for the Transportation Federal Credit Union in Alexandria, Va., and for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Before that she worked with a private sector communications firm.

“Najuma will help fill our need to enhance our communications capabilities and is well suited for all responsibilities of this position,” said NCLM Executive Director S. Ellis Hankins.

Thorpe is a native of Butner, where her family still resides. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double major in journalism and psychology (with a concentration in public relations), and has a Master’s degree in organizational communications from Bowie State University (Md.) and a Master’s in Business Administration from Strayer University in Washington, D.C.

The new department of Communications and Member Relations was created due to an NCLM re-organization at the beginning of the year. Within this department are communications, which was previously called public affairs; member relations, which was previously member services; and meeting planning.

Thorpe, as director of Communications and Member Relations, will manage the League’s branding and overall communications plans, legislative messaging, publications, member education; and training and marketing of the League’s three risk management trusts.

“I am excited to join the talented group of professionals at the League,” said Thorpe. “I look forward to working with the League staff and dedicated public servants throughout the state as we strive to achieve greater success for municipalities statewide and for the state as a whole. It is a privilege to be able to serve my home state in this capacity.”

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Article Date: 4/19/2012

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ANNEXATION

New annexation details released. The city now has a timeline for when specific departments like solid waste or street maintenance will be fully operational and available.

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Laurel Park puts hold on electronic gaming. The Laurel Park Town Council Tuesday imposed a moratorium on electronic gaming operations within the city limits after an individual expressed an interest in opening such a business at the Laurel Park Village shopping center.

Buoyed by court ruling, sweepstakes parlors gear up to expand. Sweepstakes parlors in North Carolina are poised for another rapid expansion, a month after the N.C. Court of Appeals made them legal.

GENERAL

Oak Island to create historical society. The Town of Oak Island is excited to announce the formation of a historical society.

Asheville's big day in Raleigh. Today, two major local issues will be discussed (and finalized) in Raleigh at the General Assembly: the debate regarding the fate of Asheville's water system and whether Mission Hospital will continue to operate under the only Certificate of Public Advantage in the state.

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Article Date: 4/25/2012

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North Carolina’s hometowns are the LINC* to so many great things about this state. Our hometowns are the LINC to:

• business growth
• safe streets
•  family time
• jobs
• quality of life
• a sense of place 
• a sense of belonging.

 REGISTER NOW FOR TOWN HALL DAY Early registration has ended; however, you can register onsite on June 6.

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Article Date: 4/17/2012

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ANNEXATION

Blog: City of Fayetteville says Gates Four is now in the city. The City of Fayetteville has decided that, since a recent N.C. Supreme Court decision went against Gates Four, the neighborhood is “in.” I’ll say right out I cannot follow all the legal reasoning.

General Assembly republicans target cities that sued over annexation. A Republican state lawmaker pledged to protect property owners from being annexed involuntarily into the five cities that sued the state over annexation reform legislation that passed last year. Supporters of the decision say the annexations at issue followed the law and that it was unfair for the General Assembly to allow property owners to undo them after the fact.

ENVIRONMENT

Water report leaves questions about direction of Asheville's system. Work on handing control over the region’s largest water system to a sewerage district that serves 51,000 customers likely would begin with a mountain of questions and few answers.

North Carolina doesn't give a frack. Hydraulic fracturing has gotten a great deal of local attention—but a recent poll shows North Carolina really isn’t that concerned.

New Bern pursues grant for new walking, biking trail. A plan is in the works that could give residents in New Bern a new place to go and enjoy the water, nature, walking and cycling.

TRANSPORTATION

N.C. DOT seeks input on 30-year plan. The public has until May 25 to comment on a draft version of the 2040 Plan, a 30-year long-range transportation plan update prepared by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

N.C. attorney general questions Perdue toll order. North Carolina's attorney general is questioning the legality of Gov. Beverly Perdue's executive order placing a one-year moratorium on new or increased ferry tolls that legislative leaders say they ordered in the budget, but Perdue isn't budging.  

GENERAL

N.C. coast among best places to dive. If you are looking to do a little Scuba diving, the North Carolina coast is a good place to be.

Mayor addresses police department elimination rumors. Town leaders in Navassa recently spent their Saturday prioritizing the town's "to-do" list, and one of the items at the top is the police department.

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Article Date: 4/12/2012

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ENVIRONMENT

Poll: 85% of N.C. residents want more energy options. Amid an environment of relatively stagnant income growth and high fuel prices, residents across North Carolina are indicating an increased interest in access to clean energy sources, according to a recent survey sponsored by the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association.

WNC Alliance: Three decades and still going strong. Just in time for its 30th anniversary, the Western North Carolina Alliance one of the region’s most august environmental organizations is promising to reassert itself as a highly visible and prominent force in communities outside of Asheville.

SWEEPSTAKES

News video: Video sweepstakes tax. The city of Asheville plans to re-institute its tax on video sweepstakes gaming machines to help bring in revenue for its budget.

TRANSPORTATION

Feds demand further study of Red Route. The Federal Highway Administration has indicated that funding for the southeastern stretch of the Triangle Expressway could be in jeopardy unless the widely reviled Red Route gets a closer look.

MUNICIPAL ELECTION

Ramseur seeks non-plurality election. The town of Ramseur, in Randolph County, has adopted a resolution of intent to pursue getting rid of their local primaries.

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Article Date: 4/11/2012

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Public Executive Leadership Academy
July 9-13 and August 6-10, 2012
Knapp-Sanders Building
School of Government, UNC-Chapel Hill  

 

Local government leaders must find new ways of dealing with growing demands for service and increasingly limited resources. This environment calls for strong leadership and innovative problem-solving approaches that build external partnerships across jurisdictions and sectors.  

As a graduate of the Senior Executive Institute, you know the value of a program designed specifically for public leaders. PELA's intensive executive training experience provides the opportunity to build your capacity to successfully manage change in your community.

 

You will have the opportunity to:  

• Create a framework to think about your relationship with your board and staff
• Develop a plan to carry out a "real world" community or regional change project
• Strengthen your ability to diagnose problems and create solutions within your community and your organization
• Exchange ideas with faculty from the UNC School of Government and national organizations, and with a diverse group of your peers  

Who should attend? PELA is designed for public leaders with at least five to seven years of progressively responsible management experience, including city and county managers, assistant managers, and department heads who currently play significant external roles in their community.

 

Application: A select group of 30 participants will be admitted. Application deadline is May 1. Apply online at www.pela.unc.edu. 

 

Course Fee: The course fee of $4,000 may be paid over two fiscal years. Lodging, most meals, and instructional materials are included.     

 

For more information: Visit www.pela.unc.edu for the program agenda, or contact Lisa Sheffield, program manager, at 919.962.3464 or sheffield@sog.unc.edu or Carl Stenberg, PELA director, atstenberg@sog.unc.edu or 919.962.2377.

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Article Date: 4/10/2012

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ANNEXATION

Services, taxes in the works for Monkey Junction. Monkey Junction-area residents may soon be getting services from the city of Wilmington, and they may soon be liable for property taxes back to the start of 2012 as well.

Davidson County homeowners "blindsided" but not discouraged in annexation fight. It's been a roller-coaster ride for some residents of Davidson County who have been fighting for about four years to keep their properties from being annexed into the city of Lexington, N.C.

FRACKING

Letter to the editor: Let’s vote on fracking. I attended the public hearing in Chapel Hill at which the Department of Energy and Natural Resources stated they concluded that fracking could be done safely in N.C. Let’s get the facts… and let’s have a public referendum.

INTERNET SALES TAX

Amazon ruling casts doubt on N.C. online sales tax law. A court ruling in Colorado could throw into doubt North Carolina’s two-year effort to tax online retailers such as Amazon.com.

GENERAL

Wilson repeats opposition to Interstate 95 tolls. The Wilson City Council is repeating its opposition to tolls along Interstate 95.

N.C. budget snapshot: $309M in the red. North Carolina’s weekly cash position was negative $309 million for the week ending April 5, according to Controller David McCoy. McCoy puts out the figure weekly in a release called “cash watch.” It’s a step, he believes, toward transparency in government. It’s a floating number, though, and bears little meaning.

Lawmakers can't find way to unplug high municipal power bills. State lawmakers offered no relief Thursday to the residents of 32 cities in eastern North Carolina who have to pay exorbitant electric bills because of bad municipal investments decades ago.

Census shows people concentrating in cities, with widespread population loss in N.C. counties. The state grew by 1.3 percent from 2010 to 2011, but new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show that 44 of the state's 100 counties — including most in Northwest North Carolina — lost residents.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 4/5/2012

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FRACKING

Environmental advisory group recommends fracking delay. Durham city and county leaders voiced support on Wednesday for an environmental advisory board’s report that recommends taking more time to understand potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing, a natural gas extraction technique known as “fracking.”

Editorial: It’s your water they’re talking about. The North Carolina legislature is about to consider whether to allow drilling for natural gas using a technology called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” for short. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a detailed report concluding that hydraulic fracturing is safe to conduct – assuming a hefty list of precautions is put into place first. That’s the rub. Will our water be vigorously protected?

ANNEXATION

Wilmington to provide services to Monkey Junction in wake of court ruling. Wilmington city leaders agreed to take immediate steps to provide city services to residents in the Monkey Junction area.  Council members made the decision after a recent court ruling that found the new annexation statutes were unconstitutional. Those statutes were approved by the General Assembly in 2011.

Bingham preparing annexation bill similar to House measure. Lawmakers are continuing to step up their efforts to give Davidson County some future authority in dealing with annexations of any type by surrounding cities.

STATE BUDGET

Legislators: State budget is on target. North Carolina’s budget this year is very close to where it should be, Rowan County’s legislative delegation says. The three state legislators met with county commissioners Monday to talk about several issues of concern. The budget was first on the list.

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Article Date: 4/3/2012

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FRACKING

Editorial: A welcome caution shown on fracking. It will take a General Assembly determined not to let industry unleash this highly questionable and controversial gas-extraction procedure within our borders until the facts about its potentially devastating impact on the environment are far clearer than they are now.

Editorial: Cautious approach on fracking. it appears the Legislature’s majority party has adopted a more cautious approach to shale gas drilling and hydrofracturing, the controversial method commonly known as “fracking.

Editorial: Fracking sidestepping. A few politicians are making a stab at sidestepping the zero-sum politics when it comes to natural gas hydraulic fracturing, more commonly called fracking.

ANNEXATION

Editorial: Annexation decision must be revisited. In 2011, the North Carolina Legislature took a much-needed step in setting up a legal means for property owners to decide whether they would choose to accept the rules of a local government. Joseph turned freedom and individual liberty upside down with her recent ruling.

Blog: Was annexation ruling judicial activism? It seems only logical that property owners would be the parties entitled to petition, because they are the parties directly impacted by the new taxation that will arise because of annexations.

Editorial: Wake judge right to hold up new annexation law. A good outcome would be one that supports a well-established N.C. principle: that as new neighborhoods crop up on the urban outskirts, cities and towns need to be able to bring them under the property tax umbrella in exchange for municipal services.

GENERAL

Perdue names Dempsey Benton to head N.C. unemployment agency. Gov. Bev Perdue has named veteran manager Dempsey Benton to head North Carolina’s unemployment division. Benton, 66, spent most of his career as Raleigh’s city manager before taking several senior positions in state government, including secretary of Health and Human Services and, most recently leading the state’s economic stimulus office.

Judge: N.C. can’t ban guns during emergencies. A federal court ruling says state law can’t make a blanket ban that keeps the plaintiffs from carrying or buying guns and ammunition during an emergency.

City council: Funding for local airport up in the air. A Washington City airport is under the microscope as financially-strapped city looks for ways to make money. 

Sea rise consequences loom large along OBX. Two reports released this month by a group of independent researchers have only reinforced predictions about the effects of a rising Atlantic on the coast.

Hearing to examine High Point wastewater plan expansion. A public hearing Monday night will open the floor for discussion on a proposed special use permit that would allow High Point to expand the Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant into northeast Davidson County. 

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Article Date: 4/2/2012

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Article Date: 4/2/2012

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Chris Jones, League Immediate Past President and Village of Clemmons council member, passed away early this morning, at age 70.

Chris suffered severe brain injuries in a fall down steps at home on Wednesday night. He survived emergency surgery, but the damage was just too great.

“I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Chris and his dear wife Susan over the past few years,” said League Executive Director S. Ellis Hankins. “Chris was a kind and gentle man, and quietly exerted very effective leadership. He had a wonderful and sometimes wicked sense of humor. He was proud of his service to the Village of Clemmons, and in introducing himself to elected officials from other cities and states often said that he was ‘from D.C.—Downtown Clemmons.’

“Chris also valued the public service of the members of our League staff, and often told our staff members how much he appreciated our work. His father-in-law, George Dill, Susan’s father, was mayor of Morehead City and president of the League 52 years ago, and Chris was proud to follow in his footsteps in the elected leadership of the League. He was a committed member of our League Risk Management Services Board of Trustees on behalf of all of our cities and towns, and believed in those municipal insurance programs. He also was very proud of the service of his fellow elected officials on the Clemmons Village Council and in all of our cities and towns, and greatly appreciated the service of our municipal employees.

“Chris loved children and young people, and he kept us well informed about the accomplishments of their adult children and baby granddaughter Ashley. He loved his part-time work as a substitute public school teacher, after his retirement from RJR, and we heard many stories about his work with those kids (such as telling chemistry students, in response to a question about the periodic table, that when he was their age, there were only three known chemical elements: gold, frankincense, and myrrh).”

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Article Date: 3/29/2012

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ANNEXATION

Editorial: Room to grow. Last year’s rewrite of the state’s annexation laws have hit a bump. A good outcome would be one that supports a well-established North Carolina principle: that as new neighborhoods crop up on the urban outskirts, cities and towns need to be able to bring them under the property tax umbrella in exchange for municipal services.

Editorial: Ruling clouds defense against annexation. The excitement that greeted North Carolina’s new annexation law was dulled considerably when a judge struck down key provisions in the law on Monday.

Blog: What’s in store for Fayetteville because of the gates four annexation lawsuit. Fayetteville, Rocky Mount, Goldsboro, Kinston, Lexington and Wilmington may need to watch out for the general assembly when the assembly reconvenes in May.

Lexington residents in uproar after annexation law struck down.The battle over involuntary annexation should have been over by now, but it’s far from it.

Latest annexation decision produces mixed response. While City of Lexington officials are pleased with Wake County Superior Court Judge Shannon Joseph's Tuesday ruling that stripped property owners' ability to petition against forced annexations, opponents of the issue have indicated that a challenge of the ruling looms.

Judge's ruling adds twist yet again for annexation. Members of the Citizens United Against Forced Annexation, confident of the signatures they spent months gathering and upheld by the Davidson County Board of Elections, were thrown for another loop Tuesday when a judge ruled that the law allowing the group the ability to petition the city was unconstitutional.

Annexation petition ruled unconstitutional, "Good Neighbors" to keep fighting. People who refuse to be annexed into neighboring cities are not giving up their fight. On Monday a superior court judge ruled a recent state law allowing people to block annexation with a petition unconstitutional.

Annexation ruling raises questions about Asheville and Biltmore Lake. A lawsuit challenging new restrictions on municipal annexations may put in limbo the city’s effort to bring Biltmore Lake within the city limits.

GENERAL

Town to put notices online. The Garner Town Council voted unanimously last week to stop advertising public hearings in newspapers and instead post them solely on the town’s website.

N.C. General Assembly to study fracking. Two Republican leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly are pledging to find a way to legislate the mining for shale gas by a controversial method called “fracking” in North Carolina. 

Chapel Hill bans use of cell phones while driving, including hands free devices. Chapel Hill council members voted to ban all cellphones behind the wheel, including the use of hands-free mobile devices.

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Article Date: 3/27/2012

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ANNEXATION

Judge: annexation petition process unconstitutional. A Wake County Superior Court judge ruled Monday that the petition process that terminated the Monkey Junction annexation is unconstitutional.

INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Privilege fees on sweepstakes a tax boon. In Southeastern North Carolina, privilege fees from sweepstakes machines have been a boon to municipalities, but only when they have been able to collect.

Town raises fees for Internet parlors. The Hillsborough town board unanimously voted to drastically increase the privilege license fees for these businesses, jacking the price from the previous $500 flat fee to $2,500 for each machine on top of a $5,000 fee per location. The board also asked staff to begin drafting a change in the zoning ordinance to restrict sweepstakes parlors within Hillsborough’s jurisdiction.

ENVIRONMENT

Editorial: Fracking’s future. Natural gas, however, has emerged as a new opportunity. What will its future be? The release of a state agency’s draft report on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the drilling technique used to unlock natural gas (and oil) in underground shale-rock formations, offers a hefty helping of answers.

Editorial: Don't rush decision on N.C. 'fracking.' Done properly, energy extraction can add jobs and remove dependence on unstable foreign energy sources. With a rush job, there’s a chance drinking water for North Carolinians could be fouled, not to mention a host of other dire consequences.

Davidson County objects to High Point. Davidson County residents are resolutely against High Point expanding its Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant in Davidson County – unusually, not primarily for environmental reasons, but because they just don't want more of High Point in their county.

TRANSPORTATION

Towns, county oppose I-95 tolls.  Elected leaders along Interstate 95 in Johnston County are lining up to oppose proposed tolls on the busy north-south highway.

GENERAL

N.C., S.C. state line isn't where folks thought it was. For decades, officials thought the land where a convenience store sits was in South Carolina, because maps said the boundary with North Carolina drawn back in the 1700s was just to the north.

N.C., other states need work on transparency. North Carolina received a grade of “A” in the area of lobbying disclosure, a “B” for internal auditing, and a “B-” for state pension fund management.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 3/22/2012

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ENVIRONMENTAL

Residents fractured over fracking in Lee County shale basin. For hundreds of people who showed up in Sanford Tuesday night for a public hearing about natural gas drilling in North Carolina, fracking is a dirty word. Others, however, said they're open to cautious energy exploration that could help the state's struggling economy.

Editorial: Potential bounty for North Carolina. Why is North Carolina not yet a site for drilling rigs, mud and service companies?

GENERAL

King residents weigh on council proposal to consider disbanding police. How do you balance saving money and saving lives? That's the question in the town of King after a city council proposal caused a fire storm.

Here's the pitch! Baseball execs make case for future in Wilmington. Three top executives from the Atlanta Braves baseball organization, along with a baseball developer and the mayor of Wilmington, met Tuesday morning to discuss the potential future of the sport in Wilmington.

Confusion clouded passage of N.C. billboard law. When state Rep. Becky Carney voted last year to give billboard companies more power to cut trees that obstruct signs, the Charlotte Democrat thought the bill preserved the city’s final right to protect the landscape.

STATE BUDGET

Panel removes 2 N.C. attractions from chopping block. A legislative panel on Wednesday declined to recommend closing an Elizabeth City museum and a Kinston shrine to North Carolina's first elected governor despite below-average attendance after boosters pleaded to save the locations.

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Article Date: 3/20/2012

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GAS TAX

Move afoot to revise system for setting fuel taxes in N.C. A plan to change the way North Carolina calculates its fuel tax could tamp down price fluctuations, says a legislator behind the effort.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Study: Grid parity for solar in North Carolina. A new report offers the latest evidence of solar energy-generated electricity’s approach to cost parity with other forms of generation that send power to the grid.

Legalization of ‘fracking’ approved by the state. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued a draft report Friday that recommends legalizing hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, in the state. 

State hearings begin today on fracking in N.C. A meeting today in Sanford marks the North Carolina public's first chance to hear from state officials about the controversial process of fracking, where natural gas is extracted from the ground with horizontal drillings, after rock formations deep underground are fractured with chemicals.

TRANSPORTATION

Perdue: Consider all options to pay I-95 improvement costs. Gov. Bev Perdue said people need to be willing to look at all viable options to solve the “I-95 dilemma” for North Carolina’s commercial and economic development.

VIDEO SWEEPSTAKES

Opinion: Video gambling ruling opens state’s door to other vices. If video gambling can be reduced to freedom of speech, surely prostitution can be reduced to freedom of association. If the First Amendment can be invoked to protect one, why not the other?

GENERAL

Two weeks left to vote for favorite N.C. main street. Time is running out to help choose the five best Main Streets in the state. The “Great Places in North Carolina” contest, sponsored by the N.C. Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-NC), will recognize “Great Main Streets” in North Carolina’s mountain, Piedmont and coastal regions. Online voting ends March 30^th at www.nc-apa.org/greatplaces.

Streets of glory. Towns large and small have main drags. And whether it’s called Main Street, Market Street, Broadway or Sunset Boulevard, the character of that main drag speaks volumes about a town’s history, prosperity and culture.

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Article Date: 4/11/2012

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North Carolina is filled with vibrant Main Streets. Now residents throughout the state have the opportunity to choose their favorite.

The contest is part of an initiative called "Great Places in North Carolina" sponsored by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association. This year the program is honoring “Great Main Streets”. North Carolina residents can vote online for their favorite Main Street through April 30th by going to www.nc-apa.org/greatplaces. Once there, they will find information on how to vote for the “People's Choice”.

A panel of experts chose six “People’s Choice” award finalists from the more than 40 nominations submitted by North Carolina residents. The finalists include: Mount Airy and Waynesville from the mountains; Davidson and Salisbury from the Piedmont; and Roseboro and Southport from the coast.

“We received a wonderful array of nominations for main streets across North Carolina,” said Ben Hitchings, president-elect of APA-NC and chair of the initiative. “We were impressed by the efforts of communities across the state to make their main streets great places.”

“Through this program, we hope to celebrate the great places that make North Carolina special,” said Fleming El-Amin, president of APA-NC. “We invite people across the state to help us by voting online for their favorite main street.”

The expert panel that made the selections included the APA-NC chapter president (Fleming El- Amin), two Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (George Chapman, Sue Schwartz), a Fellow from the American Society of Landscape Architects (Rodney Swink), and representatives from two partner organizations (Professor David Owens from the UNC School of Government and Elizabeth Hudson, editor of Our State magazine).

All the selections will be announced in late May. Each place chosen will receive a framed certificate and will be featured in APA-NC outreach efforts and on www.nc-apa.org/greatplaces.

“Our plan is to make this an annual event,” said Hitchings. “Based on the quality of the nominations received this year, we’ll have many great places to celebrate across North Carolina in the future.”

The program was inspired by the “Great Places in America” program sponsored by the American Planning Association, which celebrates places across the country that are of exemplary character, quality, and planning. The North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association is an organization of 1,500 professional and citizen planners dedicated to preserving and creating great communities throughout North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.nc-apa.org.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 3/15/2012

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BILLBOARDS

Trees too close to billboards could start coming down. Since a new law went into effect March 1, Charlotte's largest billboard company has applied to clear trees around some of the city's major interstates.

ANNEXATION

Local bill giving county power over annexations headed to Raleigh. The Davidson County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday night sending a local bill to Raleigh that if passed, will give the county some authority in responding to any future annexation attempts made by municipalities bordering the county.

OPEN GOVERNMENT WEEK

Keeping government open a responsibility for us all. It’s true the media in general and newspapers in particular make the most use of those laws, especially when they seek information that they believe is the public’s right to know. But people don’t have to be employed by the media to use those laws to find out what government’s doing on all levels.

ENVIRONMENT

Gov. Perdue takes unannounced trip to Pennsylvania to see fracking rigs. Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue and top administration officials flew to Pennsylvania last week to examine drilling rigs used for shale gas extraction, a controversial practice known as fracking.

Perdue backing 'fracking' in N.C. Months after she vetoed a bill that would have allowed test drilling for natural gas in central North Carolina, Gov. Beverly Perdue said Wednesday that she believes drilling can be done safely in the state.

GENERAL

Interim hire first hurdle in manager search. Contacting the N.C. League of Municipalities is a common first step when a manager leaves a town.

N.C. high court hears whether fees void county immunity. North Carolina’s Supreme Court will decide whether municipalities lose their government immunity from lawsuits if they charge for recreation.

County proposes watershed allocation transfer to towns. Moore County has taken the first steps to transfer more than 46,000 acres of its initial watershed allocation to the county’s 11 municipalities.

Amid debate on ferry fare, some fear ripple effect. Businesses, tourist attractions and residents on both sides of the Cape Fear River worry that an increase in tolls on the Southport-Fort Fisher ferry will hurt bottom lines, attendance numbers and family budgets.

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Article Date: 3/13/2012

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OPEN GOVERNMENT WEEK

Keeping government open this week’s focus. Sunday kick off Sunshine Week, an annual nationwide initiative to spotlight the importance of open government.

Private sector finds value in public records. The N.C. Cable Telecommunications Association, whose largest member is Time Warner, is one of a growing number of private enterprises turning to the public records law in recent years to settle beefs with government or to collect information they can use to make money.

 Openness may not apply to judges; Emails could be shielded. North Carolina's public records law says most everything created by government officials belongs to the public and should be available for inspection by the public. But that law and other state laws carve out some exceptions to the broad language.

ELECTRICITIES

No solution from panel studying municipal electric debt. A legislative committee examining why electric rates for 30 eastern North Carolina municipalities are so high says more study is needed on the debt that causes eye-popping power bills and whether a solution can be found.

GENERAL

Blowing Rock one of ‘America’s Prettiest Winter Towns.’ The March edition of Travel+Leisure magazine has an article titled “America’s Prettiest Winter Towns,” naming 12 towns, including Blowing Rock, where you can find small town charm and scenic vistas.

Clayton council discusses Neuse River, leisure and downtown vibrancy. Owning more acres on the Neuse River is a goal for the town that fits into its long-range vision as a community that values recreation, nature, walkability and downtown entertainment.

Archer Lodge to have town hall by end of summer. Hopefully, come late summer, when Archer Lodge town council members and town officials will have their own town hall on the triangular town center at Buffalo and Archer Lodge Road.

Zebulon staff stresses three capital projects. At a time when the town is looking into delays for many capital projects, three large projects have been proposed by town staff as priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

N.C. lawmakers set to discuss fate of estate tax. General Assembly members are discussing whether North Carolina's estate tax should be changed or repealed as its scope is about to expand. 

 

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 3/8/2012

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INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES

Appeals court rules in favor of sweepstakes machines. A divided state Court of Appeals today struck down North Carolina's ban on video sweepstakes machines, ruling the law is overbroad and infringes on the free speech rights of their operators. 

INTERNET SALES TAX

Local leaders lobbying for internet sales tax. Local leaders from across the country are in Washington, D.C. this week, where they'll be lobbying federal lawmakers on a bevy of priorities. Chief among them: a sales tax on Internet purchases.

GENERAL

Mayor not a fan of beach mixing with baseball. Everyone is talking about baseball in Wilmington these days, which is why Kure Beach Mayor Dean Lambeth doesn't want to send any mixed messages.

N.C. revenues remain ahead of targets for budget. North Carolina state government revenues remain slightly ahead of projections during this fiscal year, but the Legislature’s top economist warns that slow employment and potential recessions in other countries could drag collections down.

At 28, Paris youngest manager for a city of Salisbury’s size. In a rapid rise from city intern to city manager, Douglas T. Paris Jr. will become the youngest chief executive in the state for a city Salisbury’s size when he is sworn in March 20. 

City drops lawsuit against man buying Roanoke Rapids Theatre. Roanoke Rapids is dropping its lawsuit against a Chicago businessman who has twice agreed to buy the troubled Roanoke Rapids Theatre. The move should help the city move forward with getting a contract signed to sell the theatre.

TRANSPORTATION

N.C. DOT to hold public meetings on ports. The state Department of Transportation is holding three public meetings this week to hear comments about the draft version of a report about North Carolina's ports.

Missing link - Cost of rebuilding rail route high. A quick look at a map of active rail lines in North Carolina shows a missing link from Castle Hayne in northern New Hanover County to Wallace in Duplin County.

Editorial: Proposed tolls for two North Carolina ferries are rocking the boat. State Senate leader Phil Berger may well be right. Gov. Beverly Perdue’s decision to ignore the legislature when it comes to collecting tolls on the state’s ferries may be legally indefensible.

EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION

Wendell expansion clears one more hurdle. Town officials can extend Wendell’s extra-territorial jurisdiction with a vote at the March 12 town meeting after receiving little resistance to the plan at a public hearing Monday night.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 3/7/2012

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The North Carolina Emergency Management Association and the N.C. Division of Emergency Management are offering free training for local elected officials and senior local government personnel on the incident command system (ICS) and local government emergency legal authorities. 

This free workshop (which includes lunch) is designed to help local officials and senior local government personnel understand important operational and legal aspects of disaster response and recovery. City and County officials and senior personnel involved in any aspect of disaster response and recovery are “strongly encouraged” by FEMA to receive training on the Incident Command System.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 14th from 9:45 am – 2:00 pm (including lunch) at the Sea Trail Conference Center in Sunset Beach. For more information and to register, see the attached information flyer and registration form. 

Modified By: System Account

Article Date: 3/7/2012

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UNC School of Government Professor Kara Millonzi will lead a program on the legal requirements related to billing and collecting utility fees for water, sewer, and solid waste utilities.

Designed for finance officers, utility managers, and other finance professionals, the program will answer questions of concern to municipal governments, including:

• How to legally set fees and bill for utility services;
• How to determine who is liable for payment of utility services; and  
• How to legally collect delinquent utility fees.

The workshop will be held on Monday, April 16, 2012, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Registration at 9:30),

Auditorium of the N.C. Arboretum, Asheville, N.C.  A $35 registration fee covers the cost of instruction, materials and food. Registration ends Thursday, April 12, or when the class is full (50 attendees).

To register, please complete the form provided and return it to the address below. Checks should be made payable to Western Carolina University. The workshop is sponsored by the Local Government Training Program in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University. For additional information, contact Vickey Wade at (828) 227-3442 or vwade@wcu.edu.

For driving directions visit: http://www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit/hours-directions.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell

Article Date: 3/6/2012

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BILLBOARDS

Judge declines to stop billboard tree-cutting for now. A Wake County Superior Court judge has declined to halt new temporary rules allowing billboard companies to expand clear-cutting trees around their signs and not have to replant them.

MUNICIPAL ELECTION

Current Mt. Gilead Mayor: I'm ready to retire. Four months after the November elections, a Montgomery County town still doesn't know who its new mayor is. Nearly a dozen people filed election protests, saying they should have voted but were turned away at the polls.

ANNEXATION

Potts hopes local bill could help county with annexation attempts. Larry Potts, Davidson County Board of Commissioners' vice chairman, is preparing a local bill that could give the board of commissioners more authority in responding to involuntary annexations proposed by municipalities close to or within Davidson County lines.

Editorial: Cumberland County, Fayetteville at odds over annexation plans. Almost four years ago, elected officials in Fayetteville and Cumberland County put aside their differences on annexation and crafted an agreement for a municipal influence area (MIA). Recently, the county's Joint Planning Board, which has often been at odds over the city's aggressive approach to annexation in the past, urged Cumberland County commissioners to scrap the MIA altogether.

GENERAL

APA-NC announces the launch of “Great Places in North Carolina.”  This year, the initiative will recognize “Great Main Streets” in North Carolina’s mountain, Piedmont and coastal regions. Successful nominations will highlight what makes the place special and how it enhances the local community.

Editorial: Waste-to-electricity push lags. In one energy category, where North Carolina has mounds of raw material, the green energy goals will not likely be met: swine waste and chicken manure.

Modified By: Brenda Rockwell