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Feb. 22 UPDATE A letter Tuesday from Norfolk Southern Railroad to the N.C. Department of Transportation casts enormous doubt on the proposed $452 million Red Line from Charlotte to Lake Norman.

The letter, from John V. Edwards, general director of passenger policy at Norfolk Southern, to the NCDOT's Paul Morris, says the Red Line plan is "fatally flawed and based upon assumptions about the projected freight use of the "O" Line that are no longer valid."

Oddly, Morris fired back a few hours later this way: "It is wonderful to have Norfolk Southern taking an active role in this project."

Opposition to the Red Line is building. Cornelius Town Commissioner Dave Gilroy said: "We need to move on."

The Red Line proposal seemed to get off on the wrong track in December when a proposal put forward by state-paid consultants called for special assessment or taxation districts around 10 proposed stations between Charlotte and Mooresville. Nine government entities were called on to study the proposal for 90 days starting in January.

But it became apparent in recent weeks that a key player in the commuter rail—the owner of the tracks themselves—was hardly on board.

Jeff Hare, a Cornelius Town Commissioner, said it was "disappointing that we have been all asked to spend time analyzing a plan where a necessary participant in the plan was not involved in the plan’s design.  There seems to be no quick fix based upon the Norfolk Southern letter.  We will wait for a response from NCDOT before proceeding with any additional analysis."

Hare, the owner of an investment advisory business, has dutifully led the Cornelius rail task force through the Red Line's proscribed 90-day review process.

Part of the Red Line proposal called for a Joint Powers Authority to oversee the project and pay the bills. It would not have taxing authority, but there would be a tax of 75 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in  Special Assessment Districts around the stations.

Edwards' letter says the "current proposal is not feasible and does not constitute a starting point for further discussions. The JPA development process, therefore, is premature and will not lead to an accelerated construction schedule." Nevertheless, Norfolk Southern left the door open for more study. "It will be an expensive process for NCDOT," Edwards said in the letter. Of course, the state is in difficult financial circumstances because of the recession and spending that has outstripped income.

"If NCDOT wishes to pursue some form of commuter rail on Norfolk Southern's "O" Line, Norfolk Southern will be ready to begin the study based upon updated freight operating assumptions, and the correct financial, tax, liability and regulatory models. This process is not short or easy. It will be an expensive process for NCDOT. But we will work with you to ensure that together we get it right," Edwards said.

Gilroy, himself an ardent critic of the Red Line, said it was "astonishing how half-baked this all was."

The Cornelius town commissioner questioned the financial underpinnings of the project. "My sense is that it’s a house of cards, and they’re in a mode of promising everything to everyone, but then somehow making the math work as well. This is a tough, actually impossible, trick to pull off," Gilroy said.

Cornelius Mayor Pro Tem Lynette Rinker said: "At the end of the days this just feels like a cruel joke."

2011 Diversity Award winners Bob McIntosh, founder of the McIntosh Law Firm, and Nannie Potts

Feb. 21 The Diversity Council at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has opened nominations for the second annual "Champions of Diversity" awards. Last year's honorees were Nannie Potts, the first African American mayor of Cornelius, as well as The McIntosh Law Firm and Duke Energy for their demonstrated support of a diverse workplace and community.

The Diversity Council is part of the Lake Norman Chamber's efforts to better reflect the local business community. "Diversity isn't just about race or gender, it's about everything from socio-economic background to age," said Jack Salzman, 2012 chairman of the chamber.

"I tend to view diversity as a positive result of doing things the right way, the American way. It's how to build a successful business and build a community in this day and age," Salzman, the owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, said.

Nominations for the business awards emphasize a proven support of diversity through work practices, services, hiring policies and support within the community.

GILROY

TRAVIS

"Voting would coincide with national elections half the time, which may be the only realistic way to have more than 5 % of Cornelius citizens (exactly 10.6% of registered voters last cycle) actually participate in our democracy locally. This is the single, most important reason."

—Dave Gilroy, Commissioner

UPDATE Feb 21 To have a more representative government, it stands to reason that higher voter participation would accomplish that. The Cornelius Town Board has begun to discuss making commissioners' terms three years instead of the current two. The push comes from long-time commissioner Dave Gilroy who explains that the current two-year terms, which come up for grabs only in odd-numbered years, ultimately limit voter participation to something akin to a friends and family plan. Voter turn-out in some districts is only in the single districts, while in The Peninsula it can exceed 20 percent. But three-year terms would frequently coincide with statewide elections and national elections which historically have much higher voter turnouts. Three-year terms would also strike a good balance between having accountability and "fresh leadership and ideas on the Board along with having continuity and...knowledge of the history of projects and prior Board decisions,” Gilroy said. Commissioner Chuck Travis said he supports the change, but "as always, the devil is in the details of how we make the change."  On Monday night, the Town Board agreed to study the matter further.

SALZMAN

HOPPER

CARPENTER

Feb. 17 While none of the 50 state Democratic delegations will be put up in Lake Norman hotels, 12 out of 19 hotels in Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville have 80 percent of their inventory contracted for the Democratic National Convention in September, according to Visit Lake Norman. At least one former delegate to a national convention, Mary Hopper, executive director of University City Partners, said Lake Norman business may ultimately fare better without actual delegates, but with members of the media instead. "Having been a delegate, I can tell you that Lake Norman may be better able to make money on folks who stay there since delegates do not have to spend money on food and are not in hotels much," she said.

Vinay Patel, vice president of Charlotte-based SREE Hotels, said his Concord and airport area hotels "were strategically selected for delegations based on their proximity to the large full-service hotels like Embassy Suites and Great Wolf Lodge with substantial capacity for meeting and reception space."

Over the next several weeks Patel anticipates additional placements, such as the thousands of security, media, speakers, and groups the committee will house.

Jack Salzman, chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, said not having the delegates themselves won't necessarily be detrimental to showcasing our region and generating income for area businesses. "We're looking forward to hosting media and general committee observers. I believe that the Lake Norman region will be represented well with a unique special event that will focus all of the assets we have to offer as a region including our wonderful lake," Salzman said, explaining that Visit Lake Norman is leading the way on this event and is working diligently to promote the Lake Norman region to the convention-goers. "We have a dedicated team of board members working to put a signature event together around this time to spotlight our communities. We believe launching a new "region" based, multi faceted event will show visitors all the unique features our area has to offer. The event will ideally involve the best assets of each community: Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius," said Salzman, owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.

Cornelius Today TV: Video of Mayor Tarte's announcement, click here

Feb. 16 Saying he will work to cut taxes statewide, Mayor Jeff Tarte officially announced that he is running for newly redistricted State Senate District 41, in the Republican primary in May. At a press conference in front of the flag at the Veterans Monument at Rotary Plaza in Cornelius Wednesday, Tarte said he had the backing of several dozen business leaders and public officials, including former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot; Greg Wessling, former senior vice president of Lowe's; Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor; and Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain. Tarte said state government needs to get out of the way to help the economy improve. "From Day 1, I will fight to cut taxes like the gas tax, reduce overlapping red tape, and improve our legal climate through tort reform. State government badly needs an experienced businessman to fight for conservative principles like these," Tarte, a management consultant, said. Tarte is in the midst of his third term as mayor of Cornelius, having run unopposed in the non-partisan local elections in 2011 and 2009.

LIND

Feb. 15 Commercial property owners and developers around Cornelius are quietly hoping they can organize a Red Line information session to help offset the wave of negativity that they say poured from a Cornelius Town Hall presentation by Randal O'Toole, a fellow at the Cato Institute. Saying he was a fan of rail, O'Toole excoriated virtually every aspect of the $452 million commuter/freight line between Charlotte and Lake Norman.

As of right now, they're working with Cornelius Town Hall to find an acceptable speaker who could field a variety of questions, ranging from transit finance to economic development prospects along the 25-mile route. None of the commercial property owners, however, would comment on the record, although Mecklenburg County voters, albeit in a different time, have voted to fund a commuter rail line by approving a sales tax. Indeed, some members of the development community are expressing deep concerns that the Red Line plan is not getting a fair hearing during a 90-day review period. "Despite what Mr. O'Toole had to say and while we appreciate that viewpoint, we also have to look at the counterbalance to that, which I think is not as vocal and visible, that there's a quiet dialog under way. I think it would be a mistake to assume that the loudest voices represent the majority," one significant commercial property owner said. The Red Line proposal is still a proposal, developers emphasized, and can be shaped through rational input during the 90-day review process. Commercial property owners have attempted to recruit a speaker to come to Cornelius, but so far no one in Town Hall is biting. One possible speaker was William S. Lind, director of The American Conservative Center for Public Transportation, co-author, of "Moving Minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation." In a letter supporting the Red Line, Lind said commuter rail is an economic driver. "The mean earnings of rail commuters were more than $76,000; the figure for bus riders was less than $14,000," he wrote. Some of his other writings, though, have an unusual conservative twist that troubled town officials. To download Lind's letter, click here.

TARTE

Feb. 14 Mayor Jeff Tarte, who officially launches his campaign for NC Senate District 41 Feb. 15, has lined up support from Mayor Jill Swain of Huntersville and Jim Taylor, the mayor of Matthews. Tarte's supporters include members of the business community: Sid Morris of The Lake Norman Co., and Rich Davis, of Davis Capital Group. Tarte is running in the May Republican primary against John Aneralla, a Huntersville business owner and former chairman of the Mecklenburg County Republican Party. The newly created District 41 includes the towns of Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews and Mint Hill.

Feb. 14 Hundreds of delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be housed in six hotels along Bruton Smith Boulevard in Concord, but Lake Norman area hotels are apparently not on the DNC list.

Nevertheless, business leaders in the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce are actively trying to organize a special lake-oriented event that could draw delegates and their spouses for a festive tour of the region.

Their tentative plan, in conjunction with Mooresville, could take visitors by a boat or yacht out on Lake Norman, involving destinations and attractions from Huntersville and Cornelius to Davidson and Mooresville. The thinking is to make it an annual signature event. Jack Salzman, the new chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber, could not be reached for comment.

An earlier plan to carry delegates and visitors to Lake Norman on a special train north out of Charlotte to whistle stops in Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson fell through after officials at Norfolk Southern discouraged the proposal. Business leaders are hopeful members of the media—the DNC will draw worldwide attention to Charlotte—will stay in Lake Norman hotels. Neither Sally Ashworth, executive director of Visit Lake Norman, nor Randy Marion, chairman of the VLN board, could be reached for comment.

Mayor Tarte expresses gratitude for fast response to a different fire at his house

The Powers home at 21117 Brinkley Street

Denise Powers and her two girls, ages 5 and 7, lost their home in a fire Sunday morning. 'Cornelius Cares' is a mechanism to provide funds for Ms. Powers to purchase clothes and household items that her renters insurance does not cover. Donations of cash or checks to the 'Cornelius Cares' fund may be made at any branch of Aquesta Bank.

Feb. 13 Two house fires in Cornelius Sunday highlighted the danger that comes with exceptionally cold weather. There were no injuries in either fire, but Denise Powers and her two children are staying in a hotel after their house at 21117 Brinkley Street was destroyed when a candle ignited bedding material. Powers said her two girls, Makenna and Kylee, attended classes at Cornelius Elementary this morning.

TARTE

On the other side of town, the Belle Isle Drive home of Mayor Jeff Tarte and Dr. Nancy Tarte was damaged 12 hours later after a fire began in the wood sub-flooring beneath a fireplace, which had been in use for much of the day. The fire was reported around 6 p.m. after Mayor Tarte extinguished the smoldering plywood sub-flooring below the firebox by accessing the crawl space. The Tarte family stayed in the 5,164 square foot house Sunday night, after the Cornelius Fire Department cut out flooring to ensure the fire was totally extinguished.

HOW TO prevent fires in the winter:

Be sure all furnace controls and shutoffs are in working order.

Leave furnace repairs to qualified specialists.

Inspect walls, ceiling at chimney. If hot/discolored, put out the fire and call an expert.

Never try to thaw frozen water pipes with a flame.

Never discharge hot ashes inside or near the home.

Never use a kitchen range for heating.

If you are using an electric heater, be sure not to overload the circuit.

Be sure every level of your home has a working fire alarm.

Keep trash and combustibles away from the heating system.

Never leave candles burning unattended.

Mailboxes are the subject of considerable discussion in The Peninsula where there’s a push under way to get residents to refurbish the distinctive verdigris boxes. There is more than $1 million worth of mailboxes in the 850-home neighborhood.

By Dave Yochum

Each one costs on the order of $1,200, including the matching posts to which each one is bolted. While standard mailboxes run $10 to $20 at local hardware stores, the mailboxes in the Peninsula neighborhood are identical, vault-like boxes painted with a distinctive, hand-done verdigris finish.

Verdigris describes the patina formed when copper, brass or bronze is weathered over a long period of time. These mailboxes are made of cast metal and painted black, then given a green overlay to look like weathered copper or bronze.

Most of them, particularly the ones that date back to the start two decades ago of the carefully laid-out neighborhood, have faded. In many cases the signature blacks and greens are now various shades of gray.

To view an interview with Randal O'Toole, click here.

O'TOOLE

Feb. 9 The Red Line Regional Rail Project came under fire Wednesday when a well-known commuter rail critic, Randal O'Toole, a fellow at a think tank, said ridership numbers put out by CATS to the public are 40 percent higher than those they report to the Federal Transit Administration. "When you have a train that goes from where you don’t live to where you don’t want to go, most [commuter] trains are empty," he said.

O'Toole, who works for the Cato Institute, a libertarian research institution in Washington, D.C., was speaking at a forum hosted by the Cornelius Red Line Task Force at Town Hall. As expected, he excoriated the proposed $452 million rail line from Lake Norman to Charlotte as a government excursion into 19th century technology.

O'Toole is advocating sort of a new era of bus and car technologies which would reflect the dispersed nature of both worker populations and jobs. Only 30 percent of all jobs are in traditional employment centers like downtowns, he says.

The Red Line debate, while stunning in its ferocity, is said to be good for the project as officials seek to devise a business plan that might win public approval. Feedback on proposed governance and financial plans is part of studying the project and improving it, Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte said. The goal of three months of meetings--and intense review--is to develop a plan that will pass muster with property owners within Special Assessment Districts near the Red Line stations.

By Frank DeLoache

McMAHON	CUYLER

The state and its top consultant say people who own commercial property near future stations for the Red Line commuter-freight rail line will reap the benefits when the line opens. And they say those property owners should be willing to pay extra in advance to provide the early capital needed to build the line.

But local property owners, a prominent commercial real estate broker and local town leaders are skeptical about the predictions consultant Mark Briggs’ and his team have presented at numerous meetings recently. And if their caution provides any gauge of sentiment among other commercial property owners in Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville, Briggs and the state have their work cut out for them.

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.