TU€9Dt\Y’9
klMG^ MOUnTWM MIRROR
VOL. 88 NO. 97
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1977
15«
H£Rf\LD
Tile forecast for North Csu'ollna Is
partly cloudy today with mild
temperatures ranging In the mid BOs
and lows In the 40e. Cloudy skies and
a bit warmer weather Is predicted
for Wednesday and Thursday.
CD Hearings Will Decide
How Will City Spend *693,000 In 1978?
*KI«.
AT CL — &iil Hager, rapraaenting Klnga
Mountain Improvement Association, poses a question
about possibility of another community center for
Kings Mountain at Thursday's first of two Community
Development block grant public hearings at City Hall.
City Answers NER
Wastewater Charges
Mayor John Moss has answered
the story published In the Mirror-
Herald last Thursday concerning
the N. C. Department of Natural and
Economic Resources levying a civil
penalty of $B00 against the city for
wsMtewater Inadequacies.
In February 1976 the city received
a permit from NER for the con
struction and operation of waste-
water treatment facilities at the
Ellison Treatment Plant with a June
1, 1977 deadline attached.
The $600 civil penalty, according
to W. B. Knight, director of the
Environmental Management
Commission, was set following an
Investigation Into why the facilities
had not been constructed under
terms of the permit. Knight also said
the city was dumping raw, untreated
wastewater Into Buffalo Creek.
A letter dated Nov. 17, 1977 was
sent to the mayor’s office. It was a
certified letter and had to be signed
for so receipt could be verified. The
city was given 80 days from date the
letter was received to either pay the
1600, request remission or request a
formal hearing. After the 80-day
period. If the city had not responded,
an addltlanal $60 per day penalty
would be added.
The mayor said the letter was not
received In Kings Mountain until
Moa, Nov. 39 and that It was signed
for by someone other than himself.
He said he didn’t see the letter untU
the afternoon of Nov. 80.
"We have answered every query
put to us by the NER and the En
vironmental Management Oom-
I mission,” the mayor said. "The
treason the city did not build and
’ operate the wastewater facility then
or at the present Is because of the
cost factor.
"The city did take bids on the
project," the mayor said, "and the
bosurd of commissioners decided the
bids were excessively high, so the
board declined the bids.”
Contractors were asked to bid on
pipelines, a concrete backwash
water facilities, a water suid sludge
holding tsuik, two 160 gallon clear
liquid return pumps, an 80 gallon per
minute sludge feed pump, a sludge
dewatering centrafuge, a Polymer
feed system, a 66 gallon per minute
centrate pump, an air compressor,
meters and other apertences.
The lowest bid came to about
$280,000, which was considered
extremely high for a system to treat
a relatively small amount of
wastewater.
The mayor said the accusation
that the city Is dumping raw
sewerage Into Buffalo Creek Is false.
"We are not dumping raw sewerage
Into the creek,” he continued.
"There Is some dumpage of the
water used to backwash the filters
and settling basin at the plant."
A1 Moretz, city engineer said,
"What Is actually going Into Buffalo
Creek Is chemical residue and grit
and amounts to about one percent of
the total volume of water in Buffalo
Creek being (himped every other
day.”
About 66,000 gsillons of water are
used In about 10 minutes every 90-
hours to wash the wastewater
treatment filters at the plant.
Mayor Moss said, "By delaying
the construction the cost of con
struction a facility to handle the
wastewater treatment Is going to be
cut substantially."
The city Is planning to reduce the
size of the holding tank, because It
has been discovered the original size
called for was too large. The cen
trafuge Is being eliminated entirely
and that, according to city engineers
Is the most expensive Item In the old
specs. Necessary lines will be In
stalled and the wastewater will be
dumped to Pilot Creek facilities for
treatment.
(Turn To Page 8)
By EUZABBTH STEWART
Staff Writer
How does Kings Mountain spend
$698,000 In fiscal year 1978-79?
That question Is being answered
during public hesuings which began
Thursday night and continues Tues.,
Dec. 18th at City HaU.
Only a handful of citizens turned
out at the first meeting vriilch
brought suggestions for a com
munity center In the Davidson Park
area of the city, fencing of property
adjoining Deal Street Park, a
continuation of recycling of
sdumlnum, new(q>aper8 and glass
spearheaded by the Woman’s Club,
and continuation of existing
programs. Including water Im
provements and new outfall sewer
lines In the Cansler urban area, four
new mini-parks, and extended
programs for senior citizens and
home-based child care, among
others.
The $698,000 Is earmarked for the
city’s housing and community
development program under the
Federal Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974, providing
the city with a.total of $4,160,000 over
a L.e year period.
Mayor John Moss, who presided at
the hearing, explained that under
the community development block
grant program Kings Mountain
received $1,040,000 In 1976. Another
$1,040,000 was received last year and
other equal amount for 1977. The
sum drc^ to $698,000 In 1978 and
finally. In 1879, to $847,000.
lOngs Mountain has submitted 81
triplications for federal monies and
29 have been approved, said Mayor
Moss, with public hearings designed
to bring In citizen Input for future
planning. The Dec. 18th meeting will
feature the completion of
specifications for the various
projects suggested and formal
submission of the application.
City planner David Long of the N.
C. Resources and Development
Commission reviewed existing
projects and pointed out projects
which are eligible for funding.
Leaders of CD funded programs
now In operation also gave a brief
summary of the projects and called
for extension of the services.
Mayor Moss reiterated that the
funds are distributed with "no
strings attached” and that Kings
Mountain la a "hold harmless"
community entitlement grant
recipient.
BUI Hager, of the Kings Mountain
Improvement Association, said he’d
like to see a community center
constructed In the Davidson Park
area to serve, not only young people
but senior citizens as well, with a
full-time director. He made the
remarks after a suggestion by Mrs.
Haywood E. Lynch, of Ridge 3t.,
whose property adjoins the Deal St.
Park, that fencing be constructed
around the park to keep out the noise
and eliminate some of the other
problems which have occurred with
lighting of new tennis courts and
congestion of baffle.
"I ask you to seriously consider
the welfare of the people living In
this area of Deal St. and Parker,”
said Mrs. Lynch. "I am all for
spending money to Improve our
neighborhoods but see the need for
funds to protect us."
Mrs. Lynch also suggesded that
funds be earmarked for storm
drainage Improvements In the
Parker St. areas.
Representing the Woman’s Club,
Mrs. Aubrey Mauney, Mrs. L. L.
Lohr and Mrs. Jerry Blalock,
requested that the city "take over
the project of recycling glass,
aluminum and newspapers” which
the Woman’sClub Initiated recently,
suggesting that coat would be for
dumpsters or containers.
Mayor Moss suggested that all
new suggested programs be sub
mitted with full particulars at the
next hearing.
"I share your concern,” the
mayor told Mrs. Aubrey Mauney,
"but do not know If the city is large
enough to qualify for a grant for a
recycling program.”
Planner Long pointed out that
HUD funds are targeted for low and
moderate Income areas and replied
that the fencing project for the Deal
St. area would be eligible for fun
ding.
Mayor Moss noted that new
programs are underway at both the
Davidson and Deal St. recreation
parks with money for construction of
new tennis courts, site Im
provements and Installation of
picnic tables and shelters coming
from CD funds.
Mrs. Joel Marable, director of the
home based child care program at
the Community Center, requested
that the program be given a $14,600
Increase for next year (Increasing
the budget to $86,000) so that the
,,Center coul-4 «erve 60four-year-olds
of low-income families Instead of 80.
"We have kids waiting to be
helped," said Mrs. Marable, who
reported on the success of the
program since Its Inception four
years ago with 16 children and a CD
budget of $6,000 with volunteers
giving of time and money to prove
the program would work in Kings
Mountain.
"I have seen the changes In the
lives of these children and their
families,” said Mrs. Marable, who
commended her staff, which In
cludes two teachers at the Center
and one home visitor.
’’These children who used to be
behind are now reading with kin
dergarten youngsters,” she
declared.
Gme White, director of the KM
Redevelopment Commission, told
the group that ’’we’ve given people a
leg up," pointing to the creation of
new homes for many by relocation,
by tearing down substandard
housing and praising the
redevelopment of the Cansler St.
Urban Renewal Area which Is
being accomplished with CX> funds.
"You’ve qient $700,000 In the (Tan-
sler St. project,” said White, who
noted that residents are now en
joying comfortable homes with
electric heat for the first time In
their lives."
"I am concerned," said White,
"with conserving our present
housing stock with strict code en
forcements and rehabilitating what
we have."
Elaborating on the housing
situation, David Long pointed out
that a recent study his firm com
pleted In Kings Mountain reveals
that 90 percent of our homes are sub
standard with less than one percent
vacant units. He also said that one-
half of our residents live In homes
which are at least 96 years old. He
also expressed the hope that the city
can obtain grant aid for direct
rehabilitation to thoee who want to
Improve their homes.
Rev. Ken Oeorge, director of the
city’s aging program, asked that
the same allocation of $86,000 be
submitted In the CD budget for the
aging program for the next fiscal
year and pointed to the real services
that this agency Is performing,
citing statistics that In the Center’s
first year of operation his office
performed 17,364 services to senior
citizens, excluding hot meals, with
the second year of operation, 1976-77
(Turn To Page 8)
CITES HOUSma FIOURBS - David Long, com
munity planner for the city with the N. C. Resources
and Development Commission, answers questions
about housing In Kings Mountain at Thursday night’s
first of two public hearings by citizens to decide how to
spend $698,000 In the fourth year of block grant funding
for city Improvements.
City Bnployes Get Bonus
city employes can look forward to
bonuses for Christmas following
action at Monday night’s com-
mlsslcHiers meeting.
A total of $10,604.89 will be taken
from the city budget contingency
fond to pay bonuses In aU, except the
police department. The police
budget for 1977-78 contains enough
money to provide bonus pay for
Christmas.
Commissioner James Childers
said, "The city’s pay plan doesn’t
have Christmas bonuses buUt In, so
this wlU be a true bonus to em
ployes.”
Bonuses are broken down
depending cn length of service.
Employes with at least SO days
employment with the city will
receive a fraction of a week’s pay.
Employes with at least 46 days on
the job will receive a full week’s pay.
The budget amendment ordinance
approved Monday night designated
the following amounts by depart
ment to be taken from the con
tingency fund as HoUday bonus pay:
Water A Sewer — $8,876.68;
Electric — $1,841.94; Oas — $776.79;
Cemetery — $681.28; Administrative
- $1,626.81; Fire - $1,896.48; and
Recreation — $967.46.
Mon., Dec. 26 will be a holiday for
city employes since Christmas falls
on Sunday.
Bioodmobile
Here Monday
The Red Cross Bioodmobile will be
In Kings Mountain at First Baptist
Church Mon., Dec. 12 from 10:80 a.
m. until 4 p. m.
Mary Helen Timms, general
chairman, urges KMers to visit the
bloodmobUe and donate. "During
the holiday season more blood Is
vitally needed. The Kings Mountain
quota hsLs been below expectations
In recent visits, but we can make up
for that next Monday.”
United Fund Grants
Money To Agencies
' The Shelter Home of Cleveland
County and the Kings Mountain
Ministerial Association Helping
Hand fund have been granted
operating money by the Kings
Mountain United Fund.
Larry Wood, outgoing president of
the local campaign, said the board of
directors granted Shelter Home
$1,800 to share In operating expenses
for 1978. A grant of $3,000 was made
to the KMMA for use In the Helping
Hand Fund through the remainder
of 1977.
Shelter Home of Cleveland Cfounty
provides emergency care for
children In a foster home arrange
ment. Children of all ages and for
many reasons are served by this
agency which has previously been
supported through aeveland County
United Fund and the department of
social services.
Wood said the agency requested
and was granted funds by the local
United Fund because a significant
percentage of children assisted are
from the Kings Mountsdn area.
The $3,000 grant to the Helping
Hand Fund was to aid the
ministerial association In continuing
to provide food, clothing and other
personal needs for emergencies
Involving KM cltUens. Wood said the
fund has been depleted due to the
large number of csuies needing
assistance this year.
"The United Fund was able to
make these grants due to the suc
cessful campaigns the city has
conducted over the past couple of
years," Wood said