The League has released its latest Revenue Report – a quarterly update on the League's annual forecast of state-collected local revenues, which is published annually in March. Produced by League Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives Chris Nida, the report examines state-collected local government revenues through the third quarter of the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Several additional General Assembly-approved bills received Gov. Roy Cooper's signature this week. Among them (presented by bill number):
- HB 89, An Act to Allow Municipalities to Transfer the Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities of a Public Housing Authority to a Regional Council of Government
- HB 128, An Act to Prohibit the Use of an Unmanned Aircraft System Near a Local Confinement Facility or State or Federal Correctional Facility
- HB 138, An Act to Standardize Criteria for Classification of Criminal Gang Membership, Create a Sentencing Enhancement for Certain Crimes Perpetrated by Gang Members, and Increase the Penalties for Certain Gang-Related Offenses
- HB 161, An Act to Require State Divestment from, and Prohibit State Agencies (including political subdivisions of the state) From Contracting With, Companies that Boycott Israel and to Amend the Existing Sudan and Iran Divestment Statutes
- HB 396, An Act Authorizing the City of Wilson to Continue the Provision of Communication Services in the City's Temporary Extension Areas Until Thirty Days After Alternative Service is Established
These bills and others put into law this week (along with a veto) are detailed in press releases from the governor's office. Also this week, the League made available its End of Session Bulletin for in-depth information about the 2017 legislative session and the status of bills considered.
The League has scheduled two post-legislative session webinars, each to provide clarity on an item of high interest to cities and towns lately, following actions by the General Assembly. The first webinar, at 10 a.m. on July 31 (registration), will explain legislation concerning impact fees or capacity development fees. (Additionally, the UNC School of Government will hold its own impact-fees webinar on Aug. 17.) The second, at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15 (registration), will explain new small-cell wireless legislation and what it means for municipalities. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.
Zebulon Mayor and League President Bob Matheny with Nomaco officials at a recent ribbon cutting for a boost to the company and the town. Photo courtesy Town of Zebulon
Growing to capacity, one of Zebulon’s longtime corporate residents is expanding in square-footage and personnel with eyes for an innovative future. In June, more than 130 people involved with or served by Nomaco, a custom engineering foam manufacturer, gathered to celebrate the opening of its 60,000-square-foot Gert Noël Innovation Center on Zebulon’s East Gannon Avenue, right in time for Nomaco’s 38th anniversary. “This is an exciting milestone for our company,” said CEO Lars von Kantzow.
But why does Nomaco consider Zebulon's local government to be a great growth partner? Read the story at herwegrownc.org to find out. That's the online home of Here We Grow, the League's economic development campaign collecting stories of plans, investments, solutions and success from city and town halls across North Carolina -- so you can see for yourself how they add up for the state. Kannapolis also recently added an update -- the town released an animation of its West Avenue streetscape, the first component of the City’s visionary Downtown Revitalization Project that is expected to bring over $370 million in private investment to Kannapolis once completed.
Submit your own story at herewegrownc.org. Not registered? If you're one of our member municipalities, send an email to about@herewegrownc.org to obtain login credentials. It's easy, and shows your importance to the state.
The federal government is expected to provide North Carolina nearly $32 million in additional funds to help communities still trying to heal after Hurricane Matthew. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development "had previously allocated just $6.1 million under the 2017 appropriations omnibus but revisited its assessment at North Carolina's request," notes a
press release from the governor's office, adding that work is underway to secure more funds. The 2016 storm caused an estimated $4.8 billion in damage to the state. Nearly $1.3 billion in state and federal relief money has been programmed here to date, according to the governor's office.
The pre-registration deadline isn't far off for the League's annual conference -- Connect CityVision 2017 -- scheduled for Sept. 20-23 in Greenville. Sign up now! Don't miss your chance to join with hundreds of municipal officials from across North Carolina to network and learn best practices for connecting to technology, to neighboring cities and towns, to regional projects and organizations, and to influential leadership skills. The annual conference also is where members elect officers and make any constitutional or bylaw changes. There's no other event like CityVision. Register now!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the launch of its Water Finance Clearinghouse, a web-based portal to help communities make informed financing decisions for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs. The Clearinghouse provides communities with a searchable database with more than $10 billion in water funding sources and over 550 resources to support local water infrastructure projects. It consolidates and expands upon existing EPA-supported databases to create a one-stop-shop for all community water finance needs, the agency says.
"Investing in water infrastructure sustains local economies by creating jobs, protecting public health, and increasing quality of life," said EPA Office of Water Deputy Assistant Administrator D. Lee Forsgren via press release. "EPA’s Clearinghouse is a vital portal that helps connect communities with the information and tools they need to finance much needed water infrastructure improvement projects." The press release also announces a series of dates through August for webinars on how to use the Clearinghouse.
