Calendar Details:
   (See Below)

Information Items:
- Police Department Graduation and Promotion Ceremonies
- Annual Wastewater Performance Report
- FY2008 Annual Audit Summary
- Non-Residential Building Code Stakeholders Group
- Recent Expansion at Time Warner Cable

Attachments:
- August and September Calendars
- Annual Wastewater Performance Report
- 2008 Annual Audit Summary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Calendar Details:
Monday, September 1
HOLIDAY – LABOR DAYTuesday, September 2
       2:30 pm - Transportation Committee, Room 280.  AGENDA: CDOT Connectivity Policy/Mitigation, Tyvola/Archdale Station Plan 5:00 pm Council Workshop, Room 267
       7:30 pm - Citizens' Forum, Room 267

Wednesday, September 3
     12:00 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee, Room 280.  AGENDA: Residential Pedestrian Lighting Process; Preview of Business Corridor Symposium Follow-up

 

Information Items:
Police Department Graduation & Promotion Ceremonies on Friday, Sept 5, 2008
Staff Resource:
       Marylyn Williams, (704) 336-2361, or mwilliams@cmpd.org

The Police Department invites Council members to join them on Friday September 5 for two special events.

At 10:00 a.m., there will be a graduation ceremony for the department's first lateral entry recruit class. Twelve officers who are already certified in North Carolina have completed an abbreviated version of the CMPD recruit school, developed by CMPD in conjunction with the North Carolina Training and Standards Commission, and will be sworn in as CMPD officers.

At 3:00 p.m., there will be a promotion ceremony for thirteen officers who are being promoted to the rank of Sergeant. There will also be a ceremony to recognize the 39 sergeants who are assuming their responsibilities as Response Area Commanders under the reorganization plan which will take effect on September 6. The 39 Response Area Commanders will receive enhanced insignia in recognition of their new responsibilities.

Both ceremonies will be at the Police and Fire Training Academy.

Annual Wastewater Performance Report
Staff Resource:
       Doug Bean, 704-391-5070 or dbean@ci.charlotte.nc.us

In September, customers will receive the attached bill insert about how well Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities successfully collected and treated the community's wastewater before recycling it to the environment. Wastewater treatment plants continued their award winning performance as they treated 28 billion gallons of wastewater during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2008. Crews maintained and improved the infrastructure and responded to 59 fewer wastewater overflows.

The bill insert and a detailed annual report are posted on www.cmutilities.com. An advertisement will also be placed in a local Spanish newspaper as well as on our website.

FY2008 Annual Audit Summary
Staff Resource:
       Greg McDowell, (704)336-8085 or gmcdowell@ci.charlotte.nc.us

Attached is a copy of the FY2008 Annual Audit Summary prepared by City Auditor Greg McDowell. If you have any questions, please contact Greg McDowell or the City Manager.

Non-Residential Building Code Stakeholders Group
Staff Resources:
       Stanley Watkins, (704) 336-3796, or swatkins@i.charlotte.nc.us
       Walter Abernethy, (704) 336-4213, or wabernethy@ci.charlotte.nc.us

The City Manager's Office has finalized the Non-Residential Building Code stakeholders group. The stakeholders group has been expanded to include additional neighborhood and business industry representatives. The purpose of the stakeholders group is to develop a proposed non-residential building code ordinance and make recommendations concerning the scope, and minimum standards of fitness and enforcement for Council's consideration.

The first stakeholders meeting is scheduled for September 8, 6:30 pm, CMGC, Room 280.

The stakeholders group includes:

Neighborhood Residents

• Brian Fincher – West Area
• Tarik Kiley – Freedom Drive Area
• Susan Lindsay – Eastside Partners
• Al Peace – Montclaire South
• Lori Polite – Echo Hills

Business & Industry

• Carol Burke – North Tryon Area
• Randy Fink – Commercial Real Estate
• Andy Munn – Real Estate & Building Coalition
• Pat Pierce – Commercial Real Estate
• Sid Smith – Charlotte Area Hotel Association

City/County Staff

• Walter Abernethy – Charlotte Code Enforcement
• Chief Rob Kinniburgh – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire
• Tim Taylor – Charlotte Code Enforcement
• Brian Cunningham - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police

Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

• Brian Francis – Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

Foreclosure Initiative Update
Staff Resource:
       Stanley Watkins, (704) 336-3796,or swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
       Stephanie Small, (704) 336-2929, or ssmall@ci.charlotte.nc.us

The growing number of housing foreclosures is a major issue both nationally and locally. Between 2000 and 2007, the number of foreclosure filings in Charlotte-Mecklenburg increased by 244 percent, from 2,311 to 7,943 filings. Foreclosures have brought financial ruin to families, reduced property values and resulted in vandalized abandoned housing that have become havens for criminal activity.

On April 28, the Charlotte City Council unanimously approved the City's Initial Foreclosure Strategy and on June 23, authorized over $400,000 in redirected funding for this initiative. The Charlotte Foreclosure Strategy is comprised of two components. These include City-wide Education, Outreach and Advocacy and a Neighborhood Preservation Strategy.

The Education, Outreach and Advocacy component is designed to:

• Monitor and support state and federal foreclosure related legislation
• Establish a city-wide website providing resources/referrals related to foreclosures
• Conduct a targeted outreach campaign to residents in highly impacted foreclosure neighborhoods
• Work with local pre-and post-homeownership counseling agencies
• Coordinate with financial institutions to make mortgage assistance available
• Work with state and federal agencies to implement foreclosure prevention and intervention strategies

Results:

• In June, staff launched a website with over 26 local, state and national foreclosure prevention resources. To date, over 130 entities have visited the website and registered to receive updates through "Notify me."
• Staff is developing a brochure on neighborhood aesthetics that will provide information, tools, and resources to address the curb appeal of private residences. 
• Staff has completed the first phase of the targeted outreach campaign to residents in highly impacted foreclosure neighborhoods by developing over 5,000 cards for distribution. The card provides information on foreclosure prevention and directs the reader to the City's foreclosure website.

The Neighborhood Preservation Strategy is designed to create a model to address a highly impacted foreclosure neighborhood (Peachtree Hills). The strategy includes assistance with foreclosure prevention, intervention and financial literacy counseling, as well as acquisition and repair of foreclosed and abandoned properties to allow new residents to quickly occupy their new homes.

Results:

• The City has entered into an agreement with the Self Help Community Development Corporation, Habitat for Humanity, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership to implement the Neighborhood Preservation Strategy.
• The Self Help Community Development Corporation has acquired 5 of the 25 homes targeted for homeownership.
• City staff has engaged the residents of Peachtree Hills in a series of three meetings to develop a Service Delivery and Investment Plan. The plan is nearing completion and will be presented to the community in late September.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department conducted targeted neighborhood enforcement and organized youth initiatives.
• The Peachtree Hills Homeowner's Association has developed a newsletter detailing capacity building efforts and initiatives that are positively impacting their neighborhood.
• During the summer months, the City and Mecklenburg County's Parks and Recreation Department partnered to address the lack of youth activities in the neighborhood and the need for summer employment. As a result of the partnership, two youth received summer employment through Parks and Recreation and a youth meeting was held on August 12 to discuss park upgrades and recreation activities.

Next Steps

• Mayor and City Council will be invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony in Peachtree Hills, tentatively scheduled for September 25. The purpose of this celebration is to welcome new homeowners to the neighborhood and to allow potential homeowners to tour the homes acquired, and renovated, by Self Help.
• A neighborhood celebration is tentatively scheduled for residents on September 27.

Recent Expansion at Time Warner Cable
Staff Resource:
       Brad Richardson, (704) 336-3857,or brichardson@ci.charlotte.nc.us

On August 5, 2008 the State of North Carolina announced an incentive to Time Warner Cable (TWC) for the company's latest $3.6 million expansion, which will add 200 new jobs in Charlotte. Staff want to take this opportunity to update Council on the status of the City and County Business Investment Grant awarded to TWC.

In 2002, Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate a Business Investment Grant Framework for TWC to create up to 1,150 jobs and more than $65 million in new investment in Charlotte. The amount of the grant was not to exceed $8 million.

Under this framework, the City and County awarded a $3 million Business Investment Grant to TWC in 2003 for the first two phases of the expansion. The grant required the company to add 670 new jobs and invest $27.9 million. Since then, TWC has created over 800 new jobs and invested more than $100 million, not counting the jobs and investment for their latest expansion announced earlier this month. To date, TWC has received $313,600 from the City and $574,400 from the County toward the $3 million total grant for the first two phases.

The Council-approved Framework also allowed two additional phases of TWC's expansion to qualify for additional grants (up to the $8 million maximum), subject to approval from the City Council and County Commission. TWC officials believe its recently announced expansion will qualify for an additional Business Investment Grant under the original Framework. This grant would have a value of $3 million (City and County combined) and be paid over a 10-year term. Staff will be bringing this item to Council for consideration on September 22.