Hickory's help needed to boost economy, arts

The Hickory City Council offered no comments when seven local organizations asked for money at Tuesday night’s council meeting, but the requests provided basic information about their ongoing partnerships with the city.

The presentations included:

* Scott Millar for the Catawba County Economic Development Corp. The EDC wants $140,999 for the next budget year, 2012-13. The EDC receives funding from local governments in the county. Catawba County and Hickory supply about 80 percent of the EDC’s annual budget. The county is the largest contributor.

“We could stand a lot more prosperity around here,” Millar said. He told the council that business and industrial recruitment must remain a priority. He said the effort to market Hickory through a new branding initiative is a positive development for the city.

Millar called the council’s attention to some of the more recent economic successes in Hickory such as the investments in new facilities and hiring by Turbocoating, Fairmont Designs, Punker LLC, Stewart Super Absorbents, Turbotec and Shurtape Technologies that is renovating a vacant building to move its offices.

Millar said plans by Duke Energy and Progress Energy to expand in the Charlotte area will have an impact on Hickory and Catawba County by increasing the demand for local industrial and business services and adding to the area’s investment potential.

The EDC wants 1.8 percent more money from Hickory that it received last year. “We pledge to use the money as carefully as you would,” Millar said.

* Connie Kincaid for the Hickory Downtown Development Association. The DDA is asking $75,000 next year. The city-association link has resulted in many positive changes, Kincaid said. She said Hickory is known as a festival center. For example, Oktoberfest is worth $7 million in economic impact for the city.

Kincaid said two areas for action are the need to upgrade wayfinding signs to direct people to different parts of Hickory, and the opportunity to attract new business to downtown because of the vacant space available. Twenty-three buildings in Hickory are vacant or partially unoccupied, she said, adding that Hickory had a net gain of 10 new businesses in 2011.

The DDA’s primary source of funding is through the membership and revenue from DDA-sponsored special events.

* Habitat for Humanity did not have a representative at Tuesday’s meeting. Habitat seeks $22,850 from Hickory. Mayor Rudy Wright explained that the money is the anticipated cost of water and sewer connections for new Habitat houses. Hickory provides those for free. Reading from information provided by Habitat, Wright said the organization has built 120 houses that affect approximately 600 residents. “That’s more houses on the tax rolls,” he said.

* The Hickory Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau wants $20,000 from the city to supplement its effort to secure conventions, trade shows and other special events.

* L.T. Thompson, treasurer of the SALT Block Foundation, made the pitch for $100,000 for the SALT Block facility improvement program. The SALT Block is the site for The Hickory Art Museum, Catawba Science Center and Patrick Beaver Library, and other arts and education organizations. The money will be used, Thompson said, “to refurbish our aging buildings.” Much of the block contains historic structures such as the old Claremont High School that are being used for the arts, yet maintaining their architectural significance.

* Kimberly George spoke for the United Arts Council of Catawba County. The council wants $1 for every person who lives in Hickory. That’s $40,000. George said the general commitment to the arts “helps set our city apart from other cities of our size … it is a model partnership.” The council supports the SALT Block, plus Hickory Community Theatre and other arts-related organizations.

* John Rambo said the Hickory Community Theatre needs $50,000 to maintain the former city hall building that once was home for the fire department, police department and city offices. HCT now has a main stage and several smaller stages to accommodate its productions. Rambo said 11,000 people attended HCT shows last year. He said money from the city would be used to upgrade restrooms to Americans with Disabilities Act stipulations and the installation of an elevator in keeping with ADA standards.

Rambo said the theatre will formally launch its capital campaign later. The goal is $1.2 million for renovations, and $500,000 already is in hand.

The requests will be considered when next year’s budget is put together later this spring.