| | | Your Hometown Newspaper ¢ Since 1889 e VOL. 102 NO. 48 Stocking Fund Needs Your Help The Kings Mountain Empty Stocking Fund is off to a slow start and your help is needed if the drive is to equal or surpass last year's collection of $3,988.17. Thus far the only contribution received is a $250 donation from the United Methodist Women of Central United Methodist Church. Donations are needed to supply toys, food and other necessities to needy children and their families in the Kings Mountain area. Donations may be mailed to Empty Stocking Fund, P.O. Box 1461, Kings Mountain 28086, or may be deposited into the Empty Stocking Fund account at Home Federal Savings Bank. Donations may be made in memory or in honor of someone, or may be made anonymously. Last week's total - 0 This week's contributions: United Methodist Women, Central United Methodist Church, $250.00 New total - $250.00 DEBI FAUBION Christmas Parade Is December 9 The annual Kings Mountain Christmas parade will be held Sunday, December 9 at 2 p.m. in the downtown area. This year's grand marshall will be Channel 9 Eyewitness News an- chor Debi Faubion. The parade will also include, from WSOC, the Chopper 9 float with Harold Johnson and Bill Coy. Any groups, organizations or persons who would like to enter the parade should go by the Community Center and fill out an entry form. Deadline is Friday, November 30. There is no fee for entering the parade. For more information call 734-0449. mmm sey E 3 os £72. Z v= £ SZ STF ROSS —_—, te 2, NEXT J SW SV) == Z re eS ZXEF 8" NY f = Wa = = Zs Ee = = = EZ Fis w IPN | Ly 5 1} 4 2 \/ tf Bb ed 1 Library Christmas Tree Lighting Moiday...2A D.J. Williams Plonk Most Valuable...9A i ‘ } HO, HO, HO! ad Thursday, November 29, 1990 Photo by Darrell Austin - John McGinnis of McGinnis Department Store in downtown Kings Mountain gets into the spirit of Christmas while decorating a tree in his store. With Just 22 more shopping days until Christmas, merchants say business is brisk. ITER Ee ity Writes City Council, in accepting its 1989-90 fiscal year audit Tuesday night, authorized "marking off" $71,000 in bad utility debts and $1,930 in property tax debts. During a lengthy discussion with auditor Darrell Keller, it was pointed out that law requires unpaid util- ity bills to be written off after three years and that un- paid property tax bills be written off after 10 years. Keller and City Manager George Wood pointed out that the action does not prevent the city from collect- ing the bills if the opportunity arises in the future. If customers who left the city owing bills return and re- quest service, it can be refused until the old bills are paid. City Attorney Mickey Corry also pointed out that the city can pursue legal action through magistrate's court; however, he said he would not advise it except in the cases of substantial bills. He said each time a claim is filed, the city must pay filing costs "up front" and in the case of very small claims the city could end up paying more in court costs than it would collect. Finance Director Jeff Rosencrans said he would not feel "comfortable" trying to collect some of the debts incurred before the city went on its new computer sys- tem in August 1988. Some of the records prior to that time had not been kept properly, he claimed. Council members discussed shortening the period that customers have to pay bills without having service disconnected. They pointed out that current payment timetables allow customers to go over 2 1/2 months be- fore having service disconnected. In response to questions by Councilman Elvin Green, City Manager George Wood assured him that See Budget. 11-A Binge EE vote. 15-Minute' raring OK'd For 90 Days "The Corner" merchants on East Gold Street were given 15-minute parking spaces for a 90-day trial basis at City Council's regular monthly meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. Bernice Chappell, owner of "The Corner" and man- ager of the Sub Factory, petitioned the council on be- half of the merchants, requesting that the current spaces designated as loading zones be changed to 15- minute parking to allow "stop and go" customers to park in front of the buildings. After a lengthy discussion which drew mixed opin- ions from council members, the board voted 5-1 to al- low the 15-minute parking for 90 days while Police Chief Warren Goforth studied the situation. He will re- port back to the board after 90 days and a final deci- sion will be made. Councilman Fred Finger cast the no Mayor Kyle Smith, council members Norma Bridges and Scott Neisler and Chamber of Commerce director Loretta Cozart spoke in favor of allowing 15- minute parking. Finger said he opposed parking on the street because of the high volume of traffic, and councilmen J.D. Barrett and Al Moretz had several questions about the matter. Mrs. Chappel said the main reason for her petition was that it had been requested by customers who want North x 2 ssociation } =O i ZO GS Oe ors 6 «35¢ 238 zg O SER ® > eee on ial oo