NCPA Atcard
Winninfi ISeivspaper
VOL. 87 NO. W
KIMG? MOUriTWri
MIRROR-H€Rf\LD
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 88088 THURSDAY, JULY 80,1078
Terminate Leonard, Sanders, Fox
Commissioners Clean House
By TOM MCINTYRE
Editor, Mirror-Herald
Following an executive session
Monday night city commissioners
named Oeoige B. Thomasson city
attorney and in a surprise move
terminated the services of R. B.
Leonard, Boyce Sanders and Dennis
Fox.
Oommlsslcner Oorbet Nicholson
started the house-cleaning by
stating "after eight months In office
some changes In personnel Is
needed, changes that will be a
forward step for Kings Mountain."
☆ ☆☆
Nicholson moved that the services
of city engineers Fox and Ritter be
terminated along with the services
of Superintendent of Public Worits
R. B. Leonard.
Mayor John H. Moss suggested the
motion be broken into two motions
and that Fox and Ritter be allowed
to complete a couple of ongoing
contracts in which they are In
volved.
Leonard, who has served as public
works director for almost three
years, was terminated effective last
Monday and given two weeks
severance pay. Commissioners
☆ ☆☆
voted to allow Hal Hicks, a veteran
city employe, to serve as Interim
PW director until the new
superintendent reports for work.
The new superintendent Is
Leonard P. Bloxam, who reports for
duties the first of next month.
Commissioner James Childers
made the motion to employ Bloxam
as superintendent of pubUc works.
Commissioner Norman King
moved that Boyce Sanders be ter
minated as superintendent of the
city gas department and that the gas
department be placed under the
supervision of the public works
☆ ☆☆
director. King also moved that Jerry
White, now assistant superintendent
of the gas department, be named
foreman over gas operations. King's
motions, which were approved.
Included given Sanders two weeks
severance pay.
In another motion King asked that
sJl department heads be required to
reside within the city limits of Kings
Mountain. King said If "a depart
ment head now living outside the
city limits owns property inside,
then he should be given a reasonable
amount of time to dispose of his
outside dwelling and move Inside."
Childers also moved that W. K.
Dickson of Charlotte be employed as
city engineer replacing Fox and
Ritter and that Alvin Moretz be
employed as codes and building
Inspector and the city’s Community
Development Funds director.
Both motions were approved.
Following the meeting Com
missioner Childers, when asked the
reason for these surprise motions,
said, "We felt It was time for a
change. We think the city will find
these new appointments are very
beneficial.”
During Monday’s executive
session, which lasted until 11:10 p.
m., the commissioners sent for Fox
and .Leonard and at the time It was
thought they were wanted to discuss
a drainage situation which had
surfaced earlier In the meeting
during public hearings on street
Improvement assessments.
Untouched by Monday’s house
cleaning were Police Chief Earl
Lloyd, Electrical Supt. Harry
(Dutch) Wilson, Street-Sanitation-
Cemetery Supt. Ken Jenkins and
Recreation Director Roy Pearson.
George Thomasson Takes
City Attorney Post
George B. Thomasson, Kings
Mountain’s new city attorney. Is a
native of Kings Mountain who has
practiced law here for 88 years.
He wsuB tapped by the city board of
commissioners Monday night. The
commission had Invited all area
lawyers to meet with them for In
terviews, Including Mike Randall
and Scott Clonlnger, Interim at
torneys for the city for the past two
months suid Robert Bradley. Mr.
Bradley declined because he serves
as attorney for both the city housing
and city redevelopment com
missions.
A graduate of Kings Mountain
High School, Davidson College and
Duke University School of Law, Mr,
ITiomasson served as solicitor of
KM Recorder's Court and sub
sequently was appointed Judge and
served until the new district court
system became effective Dec. 3,
1968.
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. F.
Thomasson, Sr., Mr. Thomasson
served as president of both die Kings
Mountain Jaycees and Kings
Mountain Lions dub. He Is a former
(Please Turn To Page 8A)
Public Support k Needed
New Program For Elderly Begins
GEORGE B. THOBIA8BON
... new City Attoney
Siq)erintradent Of Public Works
Bloxam h Highly Qualified
Leonsurd P. Bloxam.
Not exactly a household name In
Kings Mountain, but one that will
become known throughout the city
when he reports for duty as the city’s
new superintendent of public works
next months.
Bloxam was named to the position
late Monday night after com
missioners voted to terminate R. B.
Leonard as supertntendent of public
works and codes administrator.
Bloxam received a BS Degree In
electrical engineering from N. C.
State University In Raleigh In 1883.
He has completed courses In public
utility management at the Institute
of Government at Chapel Hill and
the executive development course at
ECU at Greenville.
KM'S new superintendent of public
works Is a member of the American
Water Works Aes, relation and has
served on the board of directors and
LEONARD P. BLOXAM
... Public Works Supt.
as chairman of the North Carolina
chapter. He is a member of the
Water Pollution Control Federation
and has served on the luttlonal board
of directors and as chalrmsm of the
state chapter.
Bloxam Is a member of the
American Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers, a past mem-
berof International City atxl County
Managers Association, former
board member of the N. C. League of
Municipalities and Is a member of
the N. C. Society of Engineers.
He began his engineering career
with Duke Power Co. hi steam
generation and later transferred to
transmission, substation smd dis
tribution engineering.
During World War Two he was on
active duty with the U. S. Navy
Engineering Corps.
(Please Turn To Page 8A)
Tills week saw the birth of another
first for the Kings Mountain
Program For The Elderly and
Handicapped.
Monday the staff of this CD funded
inrogram began delivering hot meals
to the homes of the elderly and
handicapped.
The Rev. Keimeth George,
program coordinator, said, "This
program is not a part of the Meals on
Wheels project and does not take
anything away from the congregate
meals program at the community
center.”
About 60 persons attend the flve-
day-a-week lunch program at the
community center. Rev. George
said the new program Is designed to
serve the elderly and handicapped
living alone, those so SLfflicted by
arthritis they cannot prepare meals
for themselves and others who have
suffered strokes or are recovering
from surgery.
"Our staff has made surveys of
the needs,” Rev. George said. "And
we will serve about 36 meals each
day to begin with.”
How la the program to be finan
ced?
"It is time for churches, clubs,
organizations and individuals to give
O’Herron Here
Next Wednesday
Ed O’Herron, Democratic can
didate for Governor In the Aug. 17
primary, will visit Kings Mountain
next Wed., Aug. 4.
H. A. Logan, Jr. of Kings Moun
tain will escort the candidate to the
downtown business district and
through local government offices
during his visit.
strong support to this venture, ’ ’ Rev.
George said.
The hot, nutrltuous meals cost
about $1.26 each and donations
from the public will finance the
project.
“I do not hesitate to tell the people
of Kings Mountain that we need your
support,” Rev. George said. "Our
elderly citizens need at least one hot
nutrltuous meal each day, but moat
of them are living on small fixed
incomes and in view of the high cost
of medical aid, high cost of food, fuel
and clothing. It is Impossible for
many of the elderly to get even one
hot meal a day.”
Rev. George said many people
have offered to aid the program in
the past, but until now most of the
needs of the program for the elderly
have been met with community
development funds. The program
has received less than $200 In
donations since it began from out
side sources.
‘"This iMw project needs that
offered assistance,” Rev. George
said. “It Is difficult to know which
way to go In creating new programs,
(Please Turn To Page 8A)
Jaycees Tournament Plans
Finalized Last Monday
The Kings Mountain Jaycees met
Monday night at the Kings Mountain
Motor Inn. Special guests were
David Myers, Director of Field
Operations and Mrs. Lucy Hodges,
Regional Director for the Miss
North Carolina Pageant.
Plans were finalized for The Kings
Mountain Jaycee First Annual In
vitational Softball Tournament. The
tournament will be held Thursday,
Friday and Saturday July 29, 30 and
31st at City Stadium. Participants In
the tournament are Lithium Cor
poration, Herman’s Trading Post,
Oliver Enterprises, R. Qonlnger,
Carolina Sports, PPG Industries, B.
R. Smith and Reliable T.V.
The tournament will begin
Thursday night at 6:30 p. m., Friday
night at6:30p.m. and Saturday at 1
p. m.
Tickets are $1 each and will be
good for all 16 games. Tickets will
Alvin Moretz
New Codes Director
Ahdn B. Moretz came out ot the
basement of city hall Monday night
where he has been directing the
city’s community development fund
programs to take on the Job of codes
admlnistratar, building Inspector
and CD director.
The 38-year old Hickory native Is
handling such Jobs as adapting the
former Southsm Railroad Depot for
ALVOrMtMHDTZ
.Oodes. CD Director
use In community functions, adding
a new entrance ^m lower to upper
parking areas at Moss Lake and
continuing as general troubleshooter
and director of community
development funded programs like
water lines construction, street work
and work with the appearance (or
beautlflcaticm) committee.
Moretz graduated In 1978 from N.
C. State University with a BS degree
in civil engineering. He Is registered
as Engineer In Training In North
Carolina and Is affiliated as an
associate member of the American
Society of Civil Engineers and a
member of the Professional
Engineers of North Carolina.
In 1969 Moretz Joined the firm of
Rummel, Klepper and Kahl, Raleigh
office, as a Junior design engineer
and after his graduation from
NCSU, he was appointed design
engineer.
He participated In the design of
highways and preparation of plans
fbr projects In North Carolina,
Maryland, West Virginia and
Florida. His work Included route
location studies. Intersection and
Interchange design and supervision
of contract drawing preparation.
(Please Turn To Page 8A)
The
Fourth
}
Bid......
Mystery!
Suspense!
Comedy!
Those are the elements of the case
of the fourth bid.
Itall came about during Monday’s
commissioner meeting under Item
Sbe of the agenda — receiving bids
fbr fencing of old depot property.
Mayor John H. Moss said there
were three bids; Chastain of KM,
Allison of Charlotte and Fence
Builders, Inc. ot Winston-Salem.
Fred Barnes of Charlotte stood to
say his company — BAH Fence
Builders — has entered a bid, too.
“Where?" the mayor asked.
“Downstairs last Friday. The girl
In the office said she would accept It
and see It got Into the right hands,”
Barnes said.
“Somebody get the learned at
torneys in here and let’s see what the
legal opinion on this happens to be,”
the mayor said.
Mike Randall and Scott Clonlnger,
the two honorary temporary Interim
city attorneys, came In and con
ferred and Mike stood. “The board
could vote to accept this fourth bid
or vote to readvertlse for new bids.
But since, through no fault of the
board, you do not have the fourth
bid, then you can vote to open the
three you have and forget the
fourth.”
A hurried conference brought out
the theory that "downstairs” where
Barnes submitted his bid was Chief
Earl Lloyd’s office. Tbe chief was
summond and he and Barnes went
down to plow throug h the offices to
find the bid. The mayor called a
recess.
Twenty minutes later It was stated
"the girl” In the chief’s office had
been phoned and confirmed she had
been given the bid and that she had
turned it over to ’ 'Al. ’ ’ Then a search
was conducted for “Al.”
“Al” turned out to be Alvin
Moretz, the CD man. He came to city
hall to help straighten out the mess.
Moretz said "the girl” had given
him the bid and described the man
who had given her the bid. Moretz
said “that describes Mr. Chastain."
So he wrote Chastain on the en
velope.
Mayor Moss was holding the
“CTiastaln” bid and when Barnes
came forward he described the
envelope as his own. So the Barnes
bid turned out to be the Chastain bid
and It turns out that Chastain did not
bid on the fence at all.
Mike Randall stood again, “I’d
like to withdraw everything I said
earlier.”
Commissioner Norman King said,
"Yeah, but what happened to the
fourth bid?”
"There was no fourth bid," Mayor
Moss said.
WeU. that’s the end of that
mystery.
also be good for door prizes to be
given away between each game.
Merchants contributing door
prizes are:
Fulton’s Department Store,
Morgan & Boggs, Dellingers
Jewelry, Grayson’s Jewelry,
Willie’s Jewelry, McGinnis Fur
niture, Eagle Store, Royal Villa,
Paul's Seafood, Mauney Hosiery,
Plonk Bros. Department Store,
Cooper’s Furniture, Joy Theatre, .
Smith Drug, Winn Dixie, Parkers
Amoco, TG & Y, A& P Food Store,
McGinnis Department Store,
Sterchl’s Furniture, Clark’s
Goodyear, TTmms Furniture, Wade
Ford, Dining Heating and ElUslon
Grocery.
Proceeds will help finance a
Jaycee Little League bstll team.
Tickets are available from Jaycee
members and at the gate.
Firemen Set
Hot Dog Sale
The Kings Mountain Fire
Department has about 2,600 hot dogs
to sell on Sat., July 31.
The dogs will go on ssile at 8 a. m.
July 31 and Charles (Pete) Peterson,
one of the firemen In charge, said
delivery orders will be filled. The
number to call Is 739-2662.
Firemen and volunteers ase trying
to raise about $600 to finish paying
for the antique fire engine pur
chased for display In the historical
fire museum.
Rummage And
Bake Sale Set
The Kings Mountain Rescue
Squad Is planning a rummage and
bake sale at the community center
on Sat., Aug. 14 from 8 a. m. until....
The sale will be held rain or shine
In the gymnasium.
Rescuers are requesting donations
of household Items to be sold at the
sale. Citizens who have odds and
ends of Items they wish to donate to
the squad may do so by calling 789-
2077 or 789-3071. Rescuers will
pickup the donations.
The bake goods will be made by
members of the ladles rescue
auxiliary. Cupcakes, pastry, coffee
and soft drinks will be sold.
Proceeds will go toward the new
ambulance fund.