Volume 1, Issue 3

Connecting with our Community

September proved a busy time for the Charlotte City Council as we considered several major projects and connected with citizens.   Council Members Austin, Driggs, and Fallon recently hosted town halls for citizens to learn more about city processes, engage with city staff/elected officials and take an active role in shaping the community outcomes.   I would like to thank each of them for offering the citizens of district 2, district 7, and the at-large community the opportunity to participate in these activities.   Other council members will soon be hosting similar events, so be looking for those details. We know community engagement is critical to our success.

Dan Clodfelter

Mayor 

The City of Charlotte has announced the Queen City Bowl, a friendly social media challenge issued to the City of Cincinnati to determine the rightful owner of the nickname “Queen City.” With each name staking claim to the nickname, the rightful owner will be determined by the outcome of the week six NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. EST. I encourage you to vote Charlotte as the REAL Queen City!

Both cities have agreed that the loser of the Queen City Bowl must issue the winner a symbolic item relevant to its city. Items will be announced following Sunday’s game.  Follow me on Twitter @CLTMayor and join the conversation using #QCBowl

A'True Renaissance' in West Charlotte

We had a great kickoff to the Purpose Built Communities Networking Conference in Charlotte as we celebrated the opening of The Renaissance in the West Boulevard corridor. We welcomed members of the PBC network from all across the nation to our city to mark the occasion. 

 

We are so proud of The Renaissance and what it has come to symbolize for this part of the greater Charlotte community. The site is a superior model of the comprehensive, inclusive development needed to revitalize challenged areas that are not yet reaching their full potential.

 

The property offers high-quality mixed income housing for families and seniors, with an educational village for students grades K-8 and early childhood development center.

 

As many of you know our City Council’s housing and neighborhood development strategy focuses on creating and sustaining communities of choice, all across our city. We want healthy, vibrant neighborhoods in every part of Charlotte and this project is a catalyst for the type of change we want to see.

 

Each time I travel to the property, I’m reminded of fallen Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers John Burnette and Andy Nobles, who were lost nearly 21 years ago in the area where The Renaissance now stands. This neighborhood has new life and it honors their sacrifice.

 

The Renaissance may be the first property of its kind in this area, but it certainly won't be the last. On behalf of the city, I extend a huge thank you to our many partners:

 

•Mecklenburg County
•Charlotte Housing Authority
•Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
•Renaissance West Community Initiative
•Purpose Built Communities
•Laurel Street Residential

Celebrating Neighbors who make a difference

The 2nd annual Neighborhood Leadership Awards held September 27 at BB&T Ballpark was a huge success. The NLA awards recognized neighborhood associations, individuals and businesses that have gone above and beyond to improve outcomes throughout Charlotte.

• Eastway Sheffield Neighborhood Association received the Community Safety Ambassador award for efforts that included distributing crime alerts to residents and encouraging residents to partner with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
• Eastwood Acres received the Embracing Diversity Award for activities that included printing bilingual newsletters and implementing a communications plan that has been recognized by Queens University.
• Bridlewood Community Association was presented with the Good Neighbors award for hosting City of Charlotte guest speakers at community meetings and connecting neighbors with various resources through Emerging Leaders and the Catholic Heart Work Camp.
• Plaza Midwood received the Moving Charlotte Forward award for hosting BikeFest, a bicycle-themed neighborhood block party, and Plaza Midwood Tuesday Night Ride.
• Grier Heights was presented with the Sustainability Pioneer award for efforts that included creating a Sustainable Vision Plan, creating a community garden and managing a Cash for Trash program.
• Hollis Nixon received the People’s Choice Award for her contributions to the North Davidson (NoDa) community. Hollis, who won the award by popular vote, was recognized for serving as NoDa Neighborhood & Business Association president and leading the charge on various issues facing her community.

Public-Private Partnership: Siemens & CPCC

Public-private partnerships are a critical part of maintaining a strong, attractive workforce in our region. It was great to join Siemens and CPCC for the announcement of a $32 million grant that will allow college students to be trained on software used by some 200 companies in North Carolina and nearly 77,000 companies worldwide. I met a CPCC student, David Whalen, who shared that his work experience with Siemens was the best experience of his life, leading him to choose a career in advanced manufacturing.

 

By collaborating with Siemens, CPCC will ensure students have access to the training in advanced manufacturing technologies and practices needed to be successful in a highly competitive job market.

 

This partnership will be a huge win, not just for CPCC, but for all of Charlotte, as it enhances our city’s reputation as a center for energy-related commerce and educational opportunities.

 

We’re creating a pipeline of talent here in Charlotte with the ability to design and develop complex products in a variety of industries including automotive, aviation, healthcare, machining, and high-tech electronics. It's great news for our local citizens and Charlotte’s economy.

'It's our Anniversary': ICMA turns 100 in CLT

We welcomed city and county management staff from all over the nation to Charlotte to celebrate 100 years of the council manager form of government. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference highlights the group’s leadership role in the development of the local government management profession. The City of Charlotte is proud to be a council-manager form of government.

Charlotte’s longstanding commitment to this form of government dates back to 1929. Our city has greatly benefitted from the expertise of the 11 city managers who have served us over the last 85 years. I personally thanked our current city manager Ron Carlee, and Wendell White, former city manager who served during the mid 1990's, for their visionary leadership.  

The professionalism and dedication of our city management team allows our elected body to be more effective as ambassadors and champions for our city, leading the collective vision of the council and the larger community’s vision for itself.

Never Forget - 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

I was honored to participate in the 9/11 memorial stair climb on September 13. We had a great group of firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel and their families come together at the Duke Energy Center to remember the fallen of that fateful September day in 2001.

 

This was our city’s opportunity to honor the memories of the 343 New York firefighters, 60 law enforcement and 10 EMS members who selflessly gave their lives in an effort to save others.

 

Let us always honor our firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency services personnel, who put themselves in harm’s way every day. Be sure to view this video of the sounds and sights from this year's event.

Investing in Charlotte's Future

Transportation and neighborhood infrastructure will be critical as Charlotte grows. Our Community Investment Plan (CIP) plays a huge role in ensuring that we are prepared for the growth expected in next decade and beyond.

 

As you may know the Charlotte City Council approved the CIP – which will be on the November ballot for your consideration.

 

It is important to note that there are no tax increases associated with the bonds on the ballot.

 

This bond referendum provides $145.9 million and will fund several projects to support infrastructure including streets, intersection and road improvements, housing, sidewalks, a “cross-Charlotte” trail, among other projects that will help transform our community.

In addition to these 2014 Bond projects, the Community Investment Plan includes other 2014 capital investments that are supported by non-bond capital funding.  These projects are not on the referendum but are related to the transportation and neighborhood bond projects.

 

·         A Joint Communications Center for Police 911, Fire 911, and Charmeck 311.  This facility will be located on North Graham St. and Statesville Ave.  adjacent to the Applied Innovation Corridor and will assist in the area’s redevelopment.

 

·         Bojangles/Ovens Area Redevelopment (Amateur Sports).  This project is part of the Independence Corridor redevelopment effort.

 

·         Westover Police Station.  This new station will improve public safety and neighborhood stability in the West Trade/Rozzelles Ferry area in conjunction with a bond-funded Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program for that area.

 

 If you are not familiar with the Community Investment Plan, I would encourage you to learn as much as you can about it. Visit charlottefuture.org for more information.

City & County Welcome Newest Citizens

In September, I had the pleasure of welcoming nearly 50 Charlotte newcomers and their families to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center for a special citizenship ceremony hosted by the Office of International Relations, and the Charlotte Integration Immigration Task Force.

 

I read a joint special proclamation declaring September 13-21 National Welcoming Week throughout Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Participants watched video clips and took the oath of citizenship before receiving special certificates.

 

Our city and county recognize the impact of immigrant populations to economic development, job growth and creation, and improved value in our local housing market. Diversity is one of our city’s greatest strengths and our goal is for every newcomer to feel at home. We are committed to maintaining a warm, friendly environment for our immigrant populations.

'Blessings in a Backpack': Fight Child Hunger

Poverty remains one of the most systemic challenges for our community. When I was asked to pack bags of food for children at Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School as part of a nationwide effort to combat childhood hunger, I jumped at the opportunity.  

Every weekend, children across the country go hungry because they don’t have enough food to eat. Blessings in a Backpack is a 501(c)3 organization that provides food for more than 65,000 of these elementary school children across 45 different states on weekends during the school year, filling a significant hunger gap for these children.

The United States Conference of Mayors passed a resolution declaring September 18, 2014 “Blessings in a Backpack Day.” I joined several mayors who took part in this initiative across the country.

To learn more about Blessings in a Backpack and find out more about how you can support this great effort, please visit: http://www.blessingsinabackpack.org/