Ricky Overcash

For Ricky Overcash, the director of public works for the Town of Cornelius, each day starts at 6:30 or 7 a.m. If it happens to be snowing, he could be driving the town’s Chevy snow plow all night.

With spring less than two months away, the department of seven people and one secretary is playing catch up with maintenance on street paving.

TARTE

Jan. 31 With property re-valuation cases stacking up, and municipal budget time fast approaching, the town of Cornelius is looking for answers from Mecklenburg County about process and procedures. Indeed, a letter from the Town Board of Cornelius signed by Mayor Jeff Tarte today asks that "a moratorium be immediately put into place on processing further revaluation appeals until all affected citizens are assure of due process, fair and equal treatment and adequate information to make informed decisions."

Although tax bills have been sent with new valuations—many substantially higher than the 2003 valuation and higher than current property values—the backlog of appeals is enormous, based on the number that can be heard each day.

COGDELL

While Mecklenburg officials are still looking at ways to speed up the handling of appeals,  The board handles appeals where a property owner isn't satisfied with the results of an informal review by county staff. It has been meeting since August and currently considers 75 cases a day, three times per week.

The stakes are high. In a town with literally thousands of houses valued at more than $500,000, a property owner's bill can soar from $5,000 a year to $7,500 a year if the appraisal climbs 50 percent.

Some waterfront property appraisals have risen more than that.

Jan. 30 Tax season is getting under way—your W2 should be in your hands this week—and help is available in Mooresville and at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in University City. AARP's Tax Aide program begins statewide today, with free preparation of income-tax returns for low- to moderate-income people.

The Family Financial Literacy Coalition is coordinating free income tax assistance for low- to moderate-income seniors and families (household income less than $50,000). Trained AARP Tax-Aide and VITA volunteers, in cooperation with the IRS, will prepare and electronically file your individual tax return. Sessions will be at various locations in Mecklenburg County, including some libraries and the Senior Center on Tyvola Road.

The tax preparer will want to see the taxpayer's photo ID and a copy of their Social Security card, as well as last year's tax return and documentation needed for this year.

All Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations have access to downloadable and/or reproducible state and federal tax forms. Library staff are able to help you locate and print tax forms. Printing costs 20 cents per page.

Charlotte public libraries are no longer a distribution center for state tax forms and booklets. If you filed a paper form last year, you will receive a paper form in the mail this year. If you need a booklet, call the North Carolina Department of Revenue at 1-877-252-3052.

Here are some places to find help

Mooresville War Memorial 221 N. Maple Street, Mooresville, NC Tues., 9:30am-3pm 704-663-2670
South Iredell Senior Center 215 N. Main St., Mooresville, NC Thurs., 9:30am-3pm 704-662-3337
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library-University City 301 East W.T. Harris, Charlotte, NC 28262 Mon., Wed. & Thurs. 10:30am-1:30pm 704-416-7200 Now thru 2/2/12 704-416-7252 After 2/2/12

Here's what you need to bring:
Photo Identification
Social Security Cards and birthdates for all listed on tax return
ALL income documents (W-2, 1099, W-2G, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV)
Total Amounts of itemized deductions (charitable contributions, auto taxes paid, other property taxes, etc.)
For direct deposit of refund, bank documents showing routing and account numbers.
otal Amount paid for child dependent care & providers ID or SS Number
2010 Tax return
To file a “married filing joint” return electronically, both spouses must
be present to sign forms

ENGEL

Jan. 26 Aquesta Bank is back in the black. CEO Jim Engel said the bank's unaudited operating income for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $78,000 compared to net income of $2,000 for the same quarter of 2010. Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2011 increased to $1.8 million from $1.6 million. The increase was largely due to improved net interest margins, but loan volume declined amidst a weak economy. At the same time, Aquesta had set aside a total of $1.8 million in loan loss reserves at the end of 2011, compared to $1.2 million set aside at the end of 2010.

Engel said Aquesta has hunkered down because of the economy. 

"We had a rough patch in the third quarter and really decided to reduce our cost structure. We took a hard look at our loan portfolio to see if they are all priced correctly," Engel said, explaining that the bank is prepared for slow growth in 2012 and 2013.

TARTE	PERDUE	McCRORY

Jan. 26 Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte says the fact that Gov. Bev Perdue will not seek re-election throws a whole new light on former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory’s plans to run for governor. “She was a slam dunk to beat,” Tarte said, explaining that the incumbent Democrat has “significant problems she has to deal with which will take her attention away from running, prevent her from being able to focus on her re-election campaign.” Tarte, who plans to run for newly created N.C. Senate District 41, said McCrory will have to alter his campaign strategy to run against a Democrat who is likely to be more popular than Perdue. “He has been preparing to run against Perdue,” Tarte said, “so it will take homework to redirect his campaign message.” Among the most feared Dems in the wings: N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper who was ultimately responsible for dismissing the case against the Duke University lacrosse team players, declaring them “innoncent” and victims of a rush to judgment.

FOR TEXT OF PERDUE'S LETTER SAYING SHE WILL NOT RUN, PRESS THE FULL STORY LINK

Jan. 24 The head of strategic planning for Norfolk & Southern has let the NC Department of Transportation know that the railroad has grave concerns about plans for the $452 million Red Line from Charlotte to Mooresville near the Lowe's corporate campus.

"As I explained in our meeting, Norfolk Southern is concerned that the proposed Red Line project may now be fundamentally incompatible with Norfolk Southern's potential future use of the line and our ability to grow our business in North Carolina," John Edwards, general director of passenger policy and strategic planning, said in a letter to Paul Morris, the deputy secretary of the NC Transportation Department.

That NorfolkSouthern has serious doubts that freight and passenger service can co-exist calls into question the validity of the process, Cornelius Mayor Pro Tem Lynette Rinker said. 

TARTE

POINT: "It is difficult to understand why NS was not contacted sooner to bring them in as a partner in the development of the rail line.  As we don't know where NS will come out in their analysis of the line, we are going to continue our fact finding and analysis albeit with some additional concern as to the depth of the plan's development."
--Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte

GILROY

COUNTERPOINT: "Utterly unbelievable! Iredell County Chairman’s description of all this as “cockamamie”, “insane”, and a “fairy tale” are proven even more accurate… NC DOT should be utterly ashamed for this waste of time and money. We need to widen I-77 and seriously plan and develop a 21st century rapid bus transit system."
--Dave Gilroy, Cornelius Town Commissioner

Excerpts from Jan. 16 Letter from John Edwards, Norfolk Southern's general director of strategic planning, to Paul Morris, deputy secretary of transit for the NC Transportation Department:

"As I explained in our meeting, Norfolk Southern is concerned that the proposed
Red Line project may now be fundamentally incompatible with Norfolk Southern's
potential future use of the line and our ability to grow our business in North Carolina."

"Current publicity and discussions indicate that Norfolk Southern has agreed to,
endorsed, or otherwise has consented to the proposed Red Line project, which is
simply not the case.There has been a significant change in the use of the North Carolina mainline between Charlotte and Raleigh that may require the 0 Line to be used as an alternative through-freight route."

To read the entire letter click here.

Neighbors at Jetton and Brigadoon were up in arms Monday night

Jan. 24 Property rights in a multimillion-dollar neighborhood on Jetton Road collided with the concept of adequate compensation for a lost use Monday night at Town Hall. Steve and Lisa Haimbaugh rent their $1.2 million home on Jetton Road for $5,000 a week in the summer, generating $50,000-plus a year in revenue.

It violates the town’s vacation rental ordinance, but it allows the Haimbaughs to make their mortgage payment. Paul Duke, whose $1.975 million home is next door, asked that the town uphold the ordinance vacation rental ban, which would force the Haimbaugh’s close down what amounts to a bed and breakfast in February, when a three-year grace period comes to an end.

Mr. and Mrs. Haimbaugh asked the town for a 30-year extension because they wanted the rental income from the property to cover their investment.

Town to Mr. Harlan: Tear down that wall

A war of words and wills is under way in downtown Cornelius.

Property owner Ralph Harlan, the owner of a  commercial building at 21314 Catawba, says the town is taking a hard-line approach to his efforts to restore the brick building to the way it was when Cornelius was becoming a bustling mill town.

Harlan, who is doing the restoration work himself, has erected a plywood scaffold to shield pedestrians and cars from debris.

That’s where the battle of words and wills begins. The scaffold is turning into an eyesore, according to town officials.