News-Record.com

High Point's Pig Pen property owners beware.
In 2005, owners of lots that are overgrown with foot-high weeds and populated with trash piles could pay dearly.
The city is looking to beef up its public nuisance code and crack down on properties that create eyesores throughout High Point.

How far would you go to help a friend in need?
About 600 miles, said about 15 High Point electric workers that headed to Florida to help a former city leader recover from Hurricane Frances.
The city workers headed to Leesburg to help the city's utility director, Lloyd Shank restore power.
Shank was High Point's electric director for about 20 years. In July 2000, Shank left for the position in Florida.

A handful of council members will consider Tuesday whether or not to allow large trucking terminals in north High Point corporate parks.

Aiming for a high-quality image in the developments along I-40, elected leaders are concerned with the industrial appearance of warehouses, docking pads and large trucks littered throughout the corporate parks.

The council's Planning and Development committee will look at proposed changes to High Point's corporate park zoning that could keep the trucking centers out of the area.

Two years after a proposal to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. was rejected by city leaders. On Monday, one councilwoman tried to revive efforts to honor the civil rights activist.

High Point Councilwoman Bernita Sims encouraged the council to "step outside the box" and resolve a controversial issue that has floated around the community for nearly 13 years.

Read Sims' written statement by clicking here.

With a bull horn, homemade "Bush in 2004" t-shirts, and signs touting Bush and Cheney in 2004, they thought they were exercising their civic rights and getting a grade.
But what eight teens also learned Thursday afternoon was they were breaking the law.
The teens said two High Point Police officers told them to leave unless they had a city permit.
"We didn't know you needed a permit to do this," said Joey Packheiser, a senior at Bishop McGuiness in Kernersville. "We aren't old enough to vote, so that's why we have to campaign."
The students, six seniors at Bishop McGuiness, and two students from Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, were working on a project for their politics class. To get a grade they needed to complete 15 hours of volunteer service with a political party during the upcoming election.
For three weeks, the students stood along the sidewalk waving at cars along Main Street. Some honked, others pulled over to argue politics with the teens.
But according to the city's ordinance, any group that gathers in a city public right-of-way, needs to obtain a parade permit.
"We certainly don't want to frustrate school children," said High Point City Attorney Fred Baggett. "But we have an ordinance and have to work within it."
The High Point Republican Party filed for a permit with the city on Friday, said Genea Blackwell, a party volunteer.
The permit would take a few days to clear through the transportation department and the police department.
But with the elections in just four days, the group may not have time to wait.
"If we can't get a permit, I guess we won't be back," said Andrea Smith, a senior at Bishop McGuiness.
Blackwell said the party may have a demonstration at the party headquarters on Rockspring Road.

As Austin Powers once said, "Allow myself to introduce ... myself."
I'm Eric Swensen, the new High Point city government reporter. I'm replacing the very talented Sue Schultz, who's sliding over to cover the furniture industry, business and downtown High Point.
I've been in the High Point office for about two years, covering everything from arts and entertainment to nonprofits and downtown while doing a whole bunch of general assignment work.
I've been a frequent reader of this and the other blogs on the site, and I'm looking forward to joining the conversation. If you have comments for me, my e-mail address will hopefully be on the side of this page shortly. If not, it's right here. I'm especially interested in hearing from any bloggers out there who focus on High Point issues.
Other than saying a quick hello, I also wanted to expand on an item tucked away at the end of my story on Tuesday's City Council meeting (and if you didn't read all the way to the end, I'm very disappointed in you).
More to follow after the jump...

You may (but probably don't) remember a short story I wrote about a redevelopment plan for High Point's Southside neighborhood, which is just south of downtown and bounded by these four streets: Taylor Avenue, South Main Street, West Green Drive and West Ward Avenue.

The city paid a consultant about $49,000 from a community development block grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to work with residents to develop the plan. Its highlights include turning the Main Street-Elm Street-Hamilton Street into a mixed-used development featuring office, retail and residential developments while rebuilding Main Street to make it a tree-lined street with a median. Other notable elements include lots of new housing, building a greenway along a creek that runs through the community and rezoning industrial land for residential use.

Want to see precisely what the taxpayers' money paid for? You can check out the full report right here.

The city's next step is to use about $190,000 it has set aside from the same HUD block grant to begin purchasing property in the neighborhood for new housing, said Michael McNair, the city's director of community development and housing. Developers would then be brought in to build and sell the new houses.

Depending on how quickly land can be purchased, McNair said, there could be activity as soon as this summer.But the revitalization won't be quick, he said.

"We're going to be in Southside for a while," McNair said. "(It'll take) 10 to 20 years to pull it off."

The area around High Point's downtown could change radically in the coming years. Along with the city's plans for Southside, there's the ongoing rebuilding of the Macedonia community - which has produced a community center, new houses and a ballfield - GTCC's plans to expand its High Point campus and the High Point Housing Authority's proposal to rebuild the Clara Cox public housing community.

(This post was updated at 4:05 to clarify where the money is coming for the Southside improvements)

As I mentioned in a story today, High Point's City Council will hold its annual retreat Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. They have chosen an appropriate meeting place for the governing body of the home furnsihings capital of the world -- the La-Z-Boy Lecture Hall inside High Point University's Norton Hall.

Guessing that even loyal Scoop readers won't be rolling out of bed to make the 8:30 start time, I'll have gavel-to-gavel coverage in Sunday's paper - in the Greensboro section. Why? The Sunday High Point section is printed in advance. According to John Robinson, our press isn't big enough to print all the Sunday sections live, so High Point is one of the sections printed in advance.

The retreat story might make the front of the Greensboro section, but if not, be prepared to root around inside the section to find it.

I just filed my story on High Point City Council's annual retreat, so the brave among you will be able to read plenty more about it in Sunday's paper. Here are a couple of other quick thoughts.

The best way to cushion the blow of spending seven hours indoors on a sunny and warm (for February) day: leather chairs. City Councilors met inside the La-Z-Boy Lecture Hall at High Point University's Norton Hall, and the chairs were appropriately comfortable given the room's sponsor.

The News & Record came up during a discussion of how and when to borrow $73.65 million in bonds to pay for projects that voters approved in a November referendum. City Manager Strib Boynton held up a copy of a recent News & Record that had a story about bond projects approved by Greensboro's voters in 2000. He said he never wanted to see a headline about High Point's bond projects like this one.

High Point hopes to complete its bond projects in five to six years.

Update: Here's my story on the retreat.

The city of High Point has been repaid for helping cities in North Carolina and Florida cope with hurricane damage last year.

Crews from the city's public services and electric departments lent a hand to Asheville and the Florida cities of Leesburg, Lakeland and Vero Beach.

Those four cities reimbursed High Point a total of $333,379 for its expenses while providing hurricane relief.

High Point's red-light camera program has been in the news quite a lot this week, to put it mildly. City officials announced Thursday that the program will be suspended at the end of the month pending their appeal of a Superior Court ruling that Guilford County Schools are entitled to 90 percent of the proceeds from the red-light camera citations.

A fuller explanation of what happened this week is available here and here. (My thanks to intrepid courts reporter Eric Collins for his help this week.)

In this morning's story about High Point suspending its red-light camera program, I mentioned a pending bill in the state Senate introduced by Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston. There are some interesting elements to the proposal that I didn't have room for in today's story.

More after the jump...

High Point City Council meets at 4:45 p.m. Monday. Items on the agenda include a proposal to rebuild Kepley's Barn - a popular reception hall that burned down in 2001 - as part of a larger commercial development called Kepley's Center off Eastchester Drive in north High Point.

Whenever my preview story gets posted, I'll add a link to it. Until then, you can check out the agenda for Monday's meeting here.

Update: My story on Monday's meeting is here.

It's a relatively light agenda. Saying that guarantees the meeting will last until midnight.

Anyway, my preview of the meeting should be floating around the Web site Saturday.

The biggest item on the agenda is a budget amendment to spend about $1.7 million for the first phase of an expansion to the downtown transportational terminal for the furniture market. Most of that money - about $1.37 million - is coming from the federal government.

To see Monday's full agenda, click here.

At Monday's High Point City Council meeting. Shugart Management is proposing a 55-home development on about 20 acres straddling the northeast Davidson/Forsyth County border.

City planners and the city Planning and Zoning Commission have recommended rejecting the project because the land is too far from the city's edge to annex it into the city. Among the issues, according to planners: the proposed development is 1.5 miles from roads used by city vehicles, which would make it tough to provide city services like police and fire protection.

As always, the fun and games begin at 4:45 p.m. inside council chambers on the third floor of City Hall at 211 S. Hamilton St.

For a look at the full agenda, look here.

That's the question High Point City Council will ponder now and in the coming weeks as they grapple with how to pay for $73.65 million in bond projects approved by voters last November.

Council members took a look at two options at a Tuesday briefing: raise taxes 3.9 cents per $100 of assessed value next year (fiscal 2006) or raise taxes a total of 5.1 cents per $100 of assessed value from fiscal 2007 through fiscal 2009. For the owner of a $200,000 house, that would add $78 or $102 to their tax bill, depending on which option is chosen. The upfront option costs less because the city would be able to invest some of the money earmarked for the bonds before spending it to issue the bonds.

My full story is here.

So let me pose this question to my fellow High Point residents: which option do you prefer and why?

Available for tonight's High Point City Council meeting.

The agenda includes a possible end to the debate over proposed changes to Piedmont Crossing, a 277-acre development in north High Point. Neighbors (and a few City Council members) have objected to one change: allowing offices with second-floor housing along the west side of Barrow Road near Willard Dairy Road.

Neighbors are concerned about increased traffic and the size of the buildings. They also don't believe offices should be located in a spot where they'd be surrounded on three sides by homes.

Developer Faith Properties has volunteered a host of restrictions on the offices, including a limit on the size of buildings. Faith Properties anticipates having an entrance to the development at the intersection of Barrow and Willard Dairy roads and believes the offices would serve as a transition into the residential section of the development.

No one seems to have a problem with any of the other proposed changes, and at least three City Council members - Latimer Alexander, Owen Strickland and John Faircloth - want to vote on the offices separately so they can vote against them while voting in favor of the rest of the development changes.

Outside agencies will also make their pitches for city funding in the 2005-2006 budget during a public hearing.

The meeting starts at 4:45 p.m., with public hearings kicking off at 5:30 p.m. If you want a good seat for the floor show, you may want to come early - with furniture market in town, parking anywhere other than the City Hall parking lots will be tough.

Tuesday update: The offices proposed by Faith Properties have been removed in favor of condos and townhomes. My full story is here.

The High Point City Council will get together today at 4 p.m. to continue their discussion of how to pay for $73.65 million in bonds approved last November by voters.

At a meeting earlier this month, council members were presented with two options: one tax hike next year or smaller increases over three years.

The first option would raise taxes 3.9 cents per $100 of assessed value next year. For the owner of a $150,000 home, that would add $58.50 to their tax bill.

The second option would raise taxes a total of 5.1 cents per $100 of assessed value from fiscal 2007 through fiscal 2009. That plan would add $76.50 to the tax bill of the owner of a $150,000 home.

Increasing taxes upfront would cost taxpayers less because the city could invest the money and accumulate interest to offset the cost of issuing the bonds.

All the voter-approved bond projects are scheduled for completion by the end of June 2009.

I'll have a full report in tomorrow's paper and online about their discussions.

That's the question High Point City Council will wrestle with as they determine how to pay for the $73.65 million in bond projects approved by voters last November. The projects include new recreation centers, several road widening projects and a renovated and expanded library.

My report from last night's City Council briefing on how to pay for the bond projects is here.

City staff recommended a 3.4-cent tax increase next year to begin paying for the bonds and building the projects over seven years. That option would add $51 to the tax bill of the owner of a $150,000 home.

Other options presented to council would postpone tax increases to future years and spread the increases over several years - but the tax increase would be higher.

Which option do you prefer? A tax increase next year or tax hikes spread out over several years in the future?

At the High Point Museum from 7:30 to 9 a.m. May 13.

The High Point City Council member turned N.C. House member will discuss happenings at the General Assembly.

Registration is required, and the event costs $5 to help pay for breakfast. Anyone interested can register by calling Tonia Stephenson at 889-8151, Ext. 24. The registration deadline is May 11.

High Point City Council meets today at 4:45 p.m.

They'll likely vote on the city's proposed 2005-06 budget - which includes a tax increase along with hikes in electric and water and sewer rates - and also consider demolition orders for three buildings with some historical significance.

The final scheduled public hearing on the budget is slated for 6:30 p.m.

Filing for city and town council seats around Guilford County is underway and runs through Aug. 5. For a list of office seekers (and what they're running for), click here.

With election season underway, I'm looking to hear from High Point voters on what they see as the important issues facing the city. You can post here or send me an e-mail.

As filing continues for City Council seats in High Point, here's a quick look at who's tossed their hat in the ring.

The incumbents: Mayor Becky Smothers, at-large council members Latimer Alexander and John Faircloth, Ward 3 council member John Linton and Ward 4 council member Bill Bencini have filed for reelection. Earlier this month, every council member except Ward 6 representative Owen Strickland indicated they would seek another term.

New faces: This heading is kind of a misnomer, since both of the non-incumbents who have filed so far have previously sought City Council seats.

Thurman Marley is seeking the Ward 2 seat now held by Ron Wilkins. Marley unsuccessfully challenged Wilkins for the seat in the 2003 elections.

Lisa Stahlmann has filed for the Ward 6 seat that Strickland is giving up. She was one of five residents considered last year by City Council to fill the unexpired term of Laura Wiley, who resigned following her election to the state House of Representatives.

Council members ended up choosing Strickland, but earlier this year appointed Stahlmann to a seat on the High Point Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

Filing runs through Aug. 5.

Grecia Sanniota made a small bit of High Point history Monday night, becoming the first resident to take advantage of High Point City Council's new public comment period.

The council set public comments at 5:30 p.m. at their first Monday meeting each month after the General Assembly ratified a new law requiring local governing bodies to open the floor to public comment at least once a month.

Sanniota was one of three speakers to take advantage of the public comment period.

Proving the old adage that all politics is local, Sanniota came to the podium to ask council about making improvements to Waterview Road, where she lives.

She asked for help with drainage problems and requested the city install sidewalks or widen the road to make it safer for her and her neighbors to walk to Oak Hollow Lake, which is at the southern end of the street.

Mayor Becky Smothers said the city would look into her request.

With election season in full swing in Greensboro, High Point and elsewhere, we want to hear from you on what you consider the top issues facing your hometown - and what you want to hear candidates talking about.

Your answers will help guide our election coverage, so post your thoughts here or send an e-mail to me or Matt Williams.

Update: This was post was changed from an earlier version to expand our request for input to include Greensboro, Jamestown and other local cities and towns holding elections this fall. (Being the High Point government reporter, I get a little parochial sometimes.)

Last month, High Point City Council approved spending $60,000 to $70,000 on a study by Greensboro-based management consultants The Herman Group of how well prepared city residents are for available jobs.

The council also appointed an oversight committee to guide the progress of the study. The committee held its first meeting Tuesday, which we were unable to squeeze into the paper due to space constraints and news about Hurricane Katrina and the approval of the state lottery.

Here's a quick look at the highlights of the meeting...

Consultants from Greensboro-based The Herman Group preparing a study on workforce preparedness in High Point should have their final report ready in mid-October. The purpose is to provide a snapshot of the preparedness level of the city's workforce versus the skills needed by employers.

But in meeting with an oversight committee for the study Monday, the consultants had a couple of interesting things to say...

It's not much of a report, to be honest. Just one candidate - incumbent Mayor Becky Smothers - has passed the $3,000 threshold in fundraising or spending that mandates a finance report. The first round of campaign finance filings for High Point City Council candidates were due earlier this week.

Check out all her donors here.

Her largest single contribution came from High Point University President Nido Qubein, who gave $1,000. He gave the same amount to Smothers' 2003 campaign.

There are also several contributions from realtors and real estate developers, including $300 from the N.C. Realtors PAC.

The city is working to purchase property owned by landlord Bill Agapion at the corner of Cedar Street and Friendly Avenue, City Council member Robbie Perkins revealed at the tail end of Tuesday's six-hour council meeting.

The city has a contract to purchase the property for $1.65 million, Perkins said. Council members directed staff to present options for paying for the property at council's briefing session Nov. 22, with final action on purchasing the property likely coming at the council's Dec. 6 meeting.

Perkins said the city plans to clean up Agapion's property, combine it with a small piece of city-owned property on Friendly and put it out to bid. Five developers have already expressed interest in the property, Perkins said.

The News & Record reported back in September that the city was working to turned the fire-wrecked apartments owned by Agapion at 211 N. Cedar St. over to a private developer. City inspectors had cited the property for thousands of building-code violations prior to a June fire that destroyed the complex while it was undergoing repair.

Also late Tuesday, the city committed itself to spending no more than about $200,000 to move some storm sewer lines under the site of some condominiums planned as part of the first phase of the Bellemeade Village project on Smith Street.

The city will pay for the project with bond money originally targeted for the Church Street streetscape project.

More to come on both of these items Wednesday after Scoop gets a couple hours sleep.

It was always hard to track Judy Mendenhall’s comings and goings in High Point. But with a new transportation terminal named after her, it may get a bit easier.

She was the city’s former mayor and council member, president of the High Point Chamber of Commerce, and executive director of the High Point Substance Abuse Coalition. She even found time to serve as the business manager for the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and the director of development for Westchester Academy.

This month, she will bid farewell to one of her most challenging roles, president of the International Home Furnishings Market Authority, a non-profit group that oversees services to one of the state’s largest economic events the International Home Furnishings Market in downtown High Point.

But her service to High Point isn’t quite done. She will serve on a part-time basis with Open Door Ministries, a non-profit shelter in High Point. Mendenhall will work with the group’s finances.

City officials decided her contributions to the city shouldn’t go unnoticed, and named the transportation terminal on Commerce Avenue - which she lobbied state and federal legislators to put in place – for her namesake. Shuttle buses, taxi services and even school buses will be able to use the new Mendenhall station, which was completed last October.

“When I told my youngest granddaughter in New Hampshire about it, she said ‘Take a picture and send it to me, because no one believes how important I am up here,’” Mendenhall quipped at a recent High Point Economic Development Corporation board meeting.

--written by staff writer Sue Schultz

Earlier this year, the News & Record looked into attendance issues facing committees with members often appointed by elected leaders.

A story which followed found that many members had poor attendance and boards and commissions were often unable to conduct city and taxpayer business as a result.

Monday night, the High Point City Council took action to replace the absent members.