D§.V°TEO tOC%, TO OUR COMMUNITY THE GROWING SWANNANOA VALLEY
1
J
Second (')ass Postage Paid at
Hiat'k Mountain. \ f 287t!
sday, December 15, 1977, Vol 24, No. 9
Serving --
* Black Mountain
* Swannanoa
* Montreat
* Ridgecrest
15ct*nts per copy
71&M7H wawager
by Dan Ward
[ter two hours of
cussion in a closed
eting, the newiy-instaUed
c)t Mountain Town Board
}d Town Manager Jon
ighton, apparently for not
ng outgoing in his
fetation with townspeopie.
] really don't know why I
! fired,' ' Creighton said
-r the 3 to 2 decision, in
,ch Aid. Ruth Brandon and
Tyson strongly defended
ighton's performance as
r manager and town cierh
reighton said that all the
;rmen said that he had
le a good job ad
ustratively, but that new
rd members Michael
;iey, Jim Norton and John
ittr said that he had a
sonality clash with some
tens.
!ayor Tom Sobol said that
would not discuss what
urred in closed session,
ich lasted two hours, or
nment on specific com
ints about Creighton's
formance because it could
t Creighton's chances of
ling another job. He
ifirmed Creighton' s
nment that the board found
complaints with his ad
iistrative performance,
obol diu say that he had
uved about 100 calls from
sons asking that Creighton
replaced with "e load
*oo '^ Sobol said that he
'i persons capable of
itdling the town manager's
ties.
tdonl think there was one
ng (major reason for firing
ttghton)-I think it was
ierally a number of smaller
ngs, "Sobol said.
<"boi said that the board did
t have to give a reason for
mussing the town manager,
cause "the town manager
ves at the pleasure of the
Md."
ryson, after noting that
nghton was unanimously
ted a merit raise six months
" by the board, said that
piecing a trained
"fessional manager with a
'comer to town
nagement "hurts the
payers.'*
yaon pointed out that the
mous Town Board set up
r prerequisites for a town
eager two years sgo when
mer Town Manager
ulie Lindsey resigned,
le said they were that the
' manager had training in
micipal management, that
have experience in
micipal management,
't he have no political ties
i that he maintain good
personal habits (remain aloof
from personality cliques).
Tyson said that Creighton has
iived up to those qualifications
and that no local person could
fill them.
"I've been on the board 14
years, and this is the saddest
night I've had on the board of
Black Mountain, "Tyson said
after the decision.
Brandon, who also would not
comment on events in the
closed session, said she could
not understand why Creighton
should be fired
"Sure, I' ve heard com
plaints,"Brandon said. "I've
heard he (Creighton) is not
outgoing-he' s not a
backsiapping, favor-doing
good Joe. He treats everyone
equaiiy-and that upsets some"
Brandon noted that the town
has invested $1052.62 in
educating Creighton, who
holds bachelor's and master's
degrees in town management.
Creighton said that the
board did not offer him a
chance to resign, but did offer
to write a tetter of recom
mendation for other job
prospects. Creighton aiso said
that he was not consulted on a
motion by Brandon that the
press, inciuding a television
cameramen, be allowed to
observe discussion during the
executive session. He would
not say how the voting went on
that motion, although It ap
parently failed.
Mayor Sobol called a special
meeting after the voting to
discuss possible replacements
for Creighton. The public
meeting will be heid
December 15 at 6 p.m. at Town
Hall. Sobol and Brandon said
that no individuals were
mentioned as possible
replacements at the closed
meeting.
Creighton will be given 90
days severence pay from the
date his duties end.
Approximately 70 persons,
some offering catcalls as pro
and con Creighton aldermen
spoke, attended the meeting,
which was held in the Black
Mountain Library.
New board sworn in
by Dan Ward
Prior to ar izecutive
session in which it was
decided to fire Town Manager
Jon Creighton, an appeal for
cooperation and forgetting the
past was the keynote of the
first regular meeting of the
New Black Mountain Town
Board December 12.
After swearing in aldermen
Jim Norton, John Kluttz add
Michael Begley and in
cumbants Ruth Brandon and
A F. Tyson, Mayor Tom Sobol
asked that the new board abort
out on a new foot.,
"Effective from nowL j&e
."SobotdM
past is behind us,"i__
Its and _
mistakes have been made.**
The board split on its first
action. Kluttz, Begley and
Norton voted in favor of
electing Begley vice-mayor
over Tyson.
The board voted
unanimously in favor of a
motion by Kluttz to adopt
Robert's Rules of Order for all
Town Board meetings. Under
Robert's Rules, a member of
the audience will only be
allowed to speak if he is
recognized by the mayor, and
must ask for recognition by
raising his hand. All un
scheduled business, under the
rules, must be saved for the
end of the meetinng. Mayor
Sobol asked that all persons
who wish to address the board
made an effort to contact the
town manager before the
meeting to be listed on the
agenda
The board also approved a
third application for a
Department of Housing and
Urban Development Com
munity Development grant of
up to (300,000. One of the
prerequisites for obtaining
the grant is that a aeries of
community input hearings be
held to determine town needs.
A citizens' participation
committee, who will organize
the hearings, was nominated.
Jean Standiey and Bili Hickey
accepted nominations.
Margaret Siagie.Don Hoefiing
and Jack Milby deciined.
More persons are needed to
serve on the committee, Soboi
said.
The board voted to license
insulation contractors, as
recommended by state
legislation, in order to be
authorized to put in insulation,
a contractor must apply for a
privilege license with the town
and affirm that he has never
been involved in fraud. Either
the town or county building
inspector will issue the
licenses. The board passed
two of the three needed
readings.
Sobol also noted that con
trary to action taken last
month, Valley Realty, of
which he is co-manager, will
pay not half but the entire
amount of a disputed bill with
the town for installation of
water pipe at Sky High
Reservoir.
Sobol aiso said Mat a
meeting will be held the week
of December 19 to determine
which town service each
alderman will represent.
While in closed meeting, the
board decided to give (100
Christmas bonuses to town
employees.
Mayor Tom Sobo! announces that Jon Creighton wiit be/ired as town manager. fDan Ward)
Town gets $15,298
FDAA officials today ap
roved a reimbursement of
15,298 in disaster public
assistance funds to help the
Biack Mountain Board of
Aidermen defray the costs of
restoring public property
damaged by flood November
4-4, according to Federal
botzrd imslztHed, iwaifor cbo$ew
Outgoing members o/ the Montreat Board o/ Commissioners fbach row)
Larry Wiison, Elizabeth Maxweii and Ed Crisp got together with new board
members Andy Andrews, John Abernethy and Ivan Sta//ord at the iast town
board meeting, where the changeover was made.
Parade route set
by Ed Weber
The Black Mountatn
'annanoa Chamber of
"merce will pa on ita
ChrinhnM
"Pm.. Friday. Decker
M Black Mountain. The
^ede will begin on the eaat
"ofthetownon!-M-70eaat
and proceed west to City Hall.
The parade will feature
"Mr. Bill' ' from WLOS-TV,
Billy the Bear from Grand
father Mountain, marching
high school bands and
cheerleaders from Owen and
McDowell; ROTC units from
Pisgah and McDowell high
schools, floats, the Flashettes;
baton groups, girt and boy
scout troops; elves, clowns.
Miss Teenage North Carolina -
Theresa Smith, Black
Mountain and Swannanoa fire
trucks, VFW, drill teams and
Santa Claus.
One Swannanoa fire truck
will be manned entirely by
women firefighters
Greenwood to run
/or re-efectiow
Rep. Gordon Greenwood of
Black Mountain has an
nounced that he will seek a
seventh term as state
representative.
Greenwood, a Democrat, is
assistant to the president of
Montreat-Anderson College
and former publisher of the
Biack Mountain News.
Greenwood, who
represents Buncombe and
Transylvania Counties, serves
as chairman of the Local
Government II Committee,
vice chairman of theAp^
propriations Committee of
Education, vice chairman of
the Employment Security
committee and ia on the State
Personnel and Aging Com
mittees.
He is the fourth to announce
for one of the four seats open
from the 43rd District,
following Mar e Colton, and
Reps. Claude DeBruhi and
James Clarke.
A former Black Mountain
alderman, he resides in Black
Mountain with his wife,
Gramet. They have two sons,
Ricky and Buddy.
Special meeting set
A speciai meeting wi!! be held at Town Hall, State
Street, Blach Mountain, on December 13 at 6 p.m.
The purpose o/ this open meeting is to discuss the
/iMing o/ the vacancy o/ position o/ Town Cierh and
such added duties as the Town^r-ard may assign.
by Elizabeth Harwell
At the regular December
meeting of the Board of
Commissioners of the Town of
Montreat, the newly-elected
commissioners-John N.
Abemethy, E.A. Andrews Jr.,
and Ivan B. StaHord-were
swom in by Mayor Elisabeth
Masweii, and the retiring
board officially withdrew.
The new board then elected
John Abemethy mayor and
E.A. Andrews mayor pro
temp.
The new mayor announced
that Andrews wiii have
general oversight of streets,
town workmen, and licensing
and that Dr. Stafford will be
the finance officer.
Resolutions of appreciation
to the retiring commissioners
were read, and plaques were
presented to Elizabeth
Maxwell, Larry Wilson, and
Ed. Crisp.
Board confirmed the con
tinued appointment of town
employ ees-attomey: Philip
Carson; municipal accountant
and tax collector: Susan
Neville; police officers: Chief
Pete Post, Captain Robbie
Yates, Thomas Morris, Ron
Halford, and Mike Burnette;
street maintenance: Joe
Quinn; contractor for solid
waste removal: John
Hamilton.
Also named were the
following appointees: town
clerk: Helen Miles; Asistant
town clerk: Pat Daniel;
assistant to finance officer:
Ed Crisp; building inspector:
Bob Marshall; assistant
building inspector: Ed Berg;
and auxiliary police: Virginia
Post, Pete Robinson, Wayne
Dickens, and Edwin Neville.
Dr Stafford requested Crisp
to present the financial report
for the month of November.
The board amended the
budget, increasing both
revenues and expenitures by
$1200, and accepted the report.
The board voted to give
Christmas hams or turkeys to
the employees.
Mayor Abemethy named
the following as members of
the Planning and Zoning
Commission: Elizabeth
Maxwell. Frances Foreman,
Charles Hardie, Steve Aceto,
and Ed Teters - and
a: members of the Board of
Adjustment: l^arry Wilson,
Marilyn Munson, Chris Bauer,
Dan Marshall, and Nancy
Talmage, with Helen Miles as
an aitemate.
The board moved to take
steps toward increasing the
number of commissioners and
changing the term of office,
and referred the matter to the
Planning Commission for
study and recommendation.
The Pianning Commission
was aiso asked to iooh into the
possibility of squiring the
Gate House as town
headquarters.
After a statement con
cerning the plans for piacing a
Channei IS soiar-powered
reiay station on Rainbow
Mountain, the board agreed to
iend the town's backhoe and
the services of Joe Quinn for
as much as two days to aid in
opening up Rainbow Ridge
Road so that equipment may
roach the construction site.
After welcoming Denny
Martin, associate director of
Land-of-Sky Regional Council,
and passing a motion to
continue Montreat's mem
bership in that organization,
the board moved to adjourn
until January 12.
Moot of the visitors present
remained for an
organizational meeting of the
League of Voters, deciding on
purposes of the league and
electing as co-chairmen Dr.
Harry Bryan and Bob Mar
shall.
Coordinating Officer Joe D.
WinMe.
The major portion of the
reimbursement, (12,420,
earmarked to offset the costs
of extensive repairs to the
damaged public utiiities
system; (2,373 is allocated to
repair washed-out shoulders
along town streets in the waha
of the flood.
The request for federal
assistance by the board of
alderman cites un budgeted
need caused by flood
emergency as a reason for the
request FDA A approval
triggers federal funds
reimbursing town of Black
Mountain funds used in the
flood recovery effort.
The grant of (15,296 to the
town is made under provisions
of Public Law 266, 93rd UJS.
Congress, the Disaster Relief
Act of 1974, according &
FDAA sources.
JHfbywe /or so/if se/7
by Dan Ward
A Valley serviceman came
home a couple weeks ago not
on leave, but to work.
Airman Charles Robinson, a
1972 Owen graduate who grew
up In the Presbyterian Home
tor Children, spent 15 days
telling it like it is "to potential
recruits from the Valley in the
Air Force's Hastywrap
Program before returning to
Malstrom AFB in Montana
last week.
"The idea is just to let the
young people know what is
going on. Are the recruiters
telling lies? I have no quotas to
fill,To I tell it iike it is,"he
said.
"It gives people the new
image of the Air Force-not
the old "I gotcha'thlng.'
Robinson's love for the Air
Force is obvious. He is
president of the Enlisted
Airman Council at Malstrom.
In addition, he is now in
competition for the Out
standing Airman of the 15th
Air Force. He and three
others are representing three
air force bases, all Strategic
Air Command (SAC) bases
from Montana The honor is
based on job knowledge, ef
ficiency, job evaluation,
military bearing and an in
terview by superiors.
Robinson's job is an im
portant one. As a security
specialist, he is one of a
number of military police
responsible for guarding
nuclear missile sites along the
Canadian border - par
ticularly against terrorists.
Although his wife, the
former Dana Brookshire of
Biack Mountain, was not abie
to accompany him home,
Robinson said he is happy to
take part in the recruiting
program - which has included
teievision and radio spots.
"It's wonderful,"he joked, "I
haven't been a cop since
February."
The airman, who is alec
working on a degree in
criminal justice, recently
received a "below the zooe",
or early promotion - an honor
enjoyed by only 14 of Mil
competing airmen in Montana
this spring.