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City Manager


W. Brian Hiatt
City Manager

W. Brian Hiatt has served as Concord's City Manager since 1998. He came to Concord from Hickory where he served as Assistant City Manager for over 10 years. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in History and Government Service from Appalachian State University where he was a summa cum laude graduate, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Active in the community, Brian serves as President of the Academic Learning Center and is on the Board of Directors for the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation and the Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County. He is a Past-President of both the Concord Rotary Club and the Lake Hickory Rotary Club.  He is also a Past-President of the Board of Directors for United Way of Cabarrus County. In 2002, Brian served as the Chairman of the United Way Campaign in Cabarrus County.  He is currently the Vice-President of the North Carolina City and County Management Association.  Brian was a member of the Board of Directors of the NC League of Municipalities from 2004 through 2008 and now serves on its General Government Legislative Action Committee.  Having a desire to see young people better educated in government, Brian previously served as Chairman of the Civic Education Committee of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association and on the Steering Committee of the North Carolina Civic Education Consortium. He has also been recognized as a Credentialed City Manager by the International City and County Management Association. Brian is married to Julie, and they have two children, Andrew and Erin.

 

 

Council-Manager Form of Government

  

City Manager's Column
by Brian Hiatt, City Manager

 

More Water on the Way

Those who have resided in this area for more than a few years recognize that Cabarrus County is “water challenged” with no major river flowing near the population centers. We have known for some time now that the safe yield of our existing reservoirs, particularly our largest in Lake Howell, are challenged because of the county’s location at the headwaters of the creeks that feed them and that ultimately flow into the Rocky River and then the Yadkin/Pee Dee River. Residents know that during drought periods, those on public water systems in Cabarrus are often the first to experience restrictions because the major raw water supplies are just a few miles to our west and east, but not in our county.

 
That is why permission was sought and eventually granted, after several years of careful documentation and analysis, to draw water from both the Catawba and Yadkin Rivers. This approval was not received without great effort and some controversy, but Concord and Kannapolis are working together to prepare to meet existing and future needs. We also continue to be leaders among North Carolina local governments in promoting conservation.
 
One important element of this plan is partnering with the City of Albemarle to take advantage of their access to raw water and their additional water treatment plant capacity rather than burdening rate payers with locating and buying a treatment plant site on the Yadkin, then building an entirely new plant. The partnership with Albemarle involves Concord and Kannapolis building a line to connect to the end of an Albemarle line along NC 49 in Stanly County, then buying treated water from the City of Albemarle. Albemarle is paying for the land and the pipe in Stanly County while Concord and Kannapolis will pay for all facilities in Cabarrus.
 
The agreements necessary to build this project have already been signed and engineering is nearing completion. Easement acquisition is starting on both sides of the County line and two public hearings have been held regarding the project and the alignment. It is anticipated the project will be out to bid by spring of 2012. Construction is estimated to take 18 months once bids are awarded.
 
When complete, there will be infrastructure in place to bring up to ten million gallons of water per day (MGD) from Albemarle. The interlocal agreement allows Concord and Kannapolis to purchase up to five MGD of Albemarle’s existing capacity, and contains provisions for the expansion of the Albemarle water plant once it is clear the need will exceed five MGD, plus any amount above five MGD that Albemarle can provide at that time.
 
Concord and Kannapolis also have authority to draw up to ten MGD from the Catawba River to the west. Concord is already interconnected with the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Utilities system (CMU) at three locations and can use Catawba water coming from CMU if needed. This means there is a total of an extra twenty MGD available to meet future demand, and address the limitations with the safe yield of existing supplies.
 
It is critical for local governments to plan ahead to determine how essential public health and infrastructure requirements will be met. I am pleased to report Concord and Kannapolis have worked together and are now well beyond the planning stages for providing potable water to address future public health and economic development needs.

Physical Address
26 Union St., South
Concord, NC 28025

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 308
Concord, NC 28026-0308

Phone Number
(704) 920-5215

City Hall
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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City of Concord • 26 Union St S, Concord, NC 28025 • 704-920-5555
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