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Posted on: March 4, 2021

Council sets priorities for 2021

The City of Lenoir City Council set a vision for Lenoir in 2021 during a two-part, virtual retreat last week. Council's top priorities focused on employees, housing, infrastructure, and cleaning up the city.

City Council held their annual retreat during two Zoom meetings. The first session was Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, at 8:30 am and the second session was Thursday Feb. 25, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. The agenda for the sessions is available online at www.cityoflenoir.com/councilmeetings.

During the Tuesday session, Council reviewed the City's Mission and Vision statement and got an update from Paul Meyer, Executive Director for the North Carolina League of Municipalities. City Manager Scott Hildebran also gave a state-of-the-city presentation that covered more than 80 slides about private and public investment in the City of Lenoir during the past year.

More than a dozen private businesses and organizations opened or added to their operations in Lenoir. Woodgrain Millworks received a $200,000 grant to help renovate a 216,137-square-foot building. The company expects to add 33 jobs and invest $202,750. Malouf acquired a 500,000-square-foot warehouse building on Complex St SW to support the company’s growing product lines and same-day shipping policy. Malouf owns three other locations in Lenoir. Craftmaster Furniture out of Taylorsville is expanding manufacturing by 20 percent with a new plant in Lenoir in the former Broyhill Complex.

Several new businesses opened in the City including Telco Community Credit Union, Southern Roots Salon, The Flour Shoppe, Main Street Magic Café, Mandem Syndicate, Hole Lotta Doughnuts, and Moonjoy Meadery. Click the following link or the slide below to view the state-of-the-city slide show - Hindsight 2020: The Future Looks Bright (PDF). A bulleted list of the presentation is at the end of the article.

During the Thursday session, county tax administrator Monty R. Woods gave an update on the Caldwell County Revaluation and Planning Director Jenny Wheelock talked about updating the City's comprehensive plan. Council also reviewed and ranked priorities for 2021.

Council's top goals for the coming year are to continue efforts to offer competitive compensation and benefits for employees, pursue market rate housing, encourage affordable housing opportunities, implement the City's branding and wayfinding plan, address commercial blight, address appearance issues at city entry corridors, fund the street paving plan, fund water and sewer capital improvements plan, develop strategies for diversity, equity and inclusion, fund sidewalks and greenway paving, support code enforcement, develop plan to address litter in community, re-initiate neighborhood meetings (once safe to do so), and encourage Whitnel and West End area improvements.

The City of Lenoir City Council generally meets three times a month and all Council meetings are open to the public. Click here to go to the Council Meetings page.

Hindsight : The Future Looks Bright

This is a bullet point list of the slides presented during the City of Lenoir City Council virtual retreat held Tuesday, February 23, 2021. Click the following link to view the presentation with photos and details - Hindsight 2020: The Future Looks Bright (PDF).

Private Investment Opened In Past year

Blue Ridge Energy
Telco Community Credit Union - January
818 Harper Ave - January
Yokefellow - January
Waterlife Church - February
Google Greenway Extension - April
Woodgrain Millworks Grant - April
Caldwell County Farmers Market Moved Downtown - May
Malouf Distribution Center Expanded Footprint - May
Southern Roots Salon - May
The Flour Shoppe - June
Jonas Hill Hospital and Clinic - July
Main Street Magic Café - August
Caldwell Pediatric Dentistry Moved To New Location Downtown - August
Lenoir Family Medicine - August
Craftmaster Furniture Expanded To Lenoir- August
Mandem Syndicate - August
Hole Lotta Doughnuts - August
Dollar General new location - September
Moonjoy Meadery - October
Teachery Townhomes - December
MMI Textiles & Mikan Printing Co-Located In Lenoir - December
Tumbleweeds Steak & Tavern New Ownership - January 2021
Mi Carreta - February 2021

Private Investment On The Way

Bionutra
West Avenue Apartments
819 Harper Ave
Housing Permits
Multifamily Housing
- Kattz Corner Llc
- Blue Bell Lenoir Llc
Single Family Housing, Woodbine Place
Parkview Subdivision (18+ houses) & New Greenway
Single Family Housing Building Permits
- Georgetown Estates Building Permits
- Summerhill Building Permits
- Stonecroft Building Permits
Cubesmart Storage In The Lenoir Mall
814 Harper Ave

Public Investment Completed in the Past Year

Roof Replacements at City buildings
Lenoir Optimist Park
Caldwell County EMS Bases
False Alarm Reduction Program - January
New K9s - February
City Hall 1st Floor Renovation
City Hall Sculpture - December
Baton Water Agreement - March
Covid-19 Downtown Response - March
NPS & Main Street America Façade Grant - March
Life In The Carolinas Show - November
Safety Improvements - March
Financial Assistance - The City Of Lenoir And Caldwell County Yokefellow Partnered To Provide Water/Sewer Bill And Mortgage Help
Led Lights in City buildings
Main Street Awards - March
NC3C Awards - July
Finance Receives CAFR Award - May
Automated Garbage Collection - May
Community Garden, WPCC Horticulture Student Delivered Nearly 1,000 Plants - May
#8CANTWAIT - July
Norwood Street Parking - August
Nuisance Ordinance - August
Paving - October
Greenway Expansion At Wilson Park - November
Social Media Reach, Increased By 14.4% From December 2019 To December
Bernhardt Lease Public Works - December
Minimum Housing
Water Risk & Resiliency Study - December
Branding & Wayfinding - January 2021
City Website Refresh With New Brand - January 2021
Virginia Street Property - January 2021
NCGS 160D Update - January 2021
Broyhill Walking Park Improvements- January 2021
Tree Trimming In Downtown - January 2021
Police Parking Lot
Outside Dining Tables - February 2021