NCPA Award
Winning ISewn/taper
VOL. 87 NO. M
KIMC: MOUMTIMri
MIRROR-H€RI^LD
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 88086 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 80,1078
15‘
City Power Rates Undergo Change
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By TOM McINTVRE
Editor, Mtaror-Heimld
BUI Little Jr., pubUc engineer with
Southeastern Consultant Engineers
Inc., Kings Mountains' electrical
consultants, presented a thoroughly
confusing picture of power rate
changes at Monday night’s meeting.
Pointing to a blackboard filled
with decimals and figures. Little
I Celebration
Plans Firmed
Plans have been firmed for the
October 7, 8 and 0 celebration of the
196th annlverssu^ of The Battle of
Kings Mountain.
This three-day event Is the first
two-state Joint effort to celebrate an
event during the Bicentennial
season anywhere In the United
States. This wlU also be the last
major Bicentennial celebration until
1080.
A number of special guests wUl be
here during the events from the
nation and the North CaroUna-South
Carolina area. Governors Jim
Holahouser and James Edwards,
Miss N. C. — Susie Proffitt and Miss
S. C. — Lavlnla Cox, Oen. William
Westmoreland, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Department of
American Interior — Douglas
Wheeler, Chuck Ooodapeed, director
of American Revolution Bicen
tennial Administration and his
assistant director, Michael
Swineheart, Dick ElUs and John
HUls, North an^ South Carolina
directors of the State BlcentennUd
Committee and Commission and
officials of the lusUonal and
Souttieastem regional National
Park Service — Gary Everhardt and
David Thompson and many others
are on the special guest roster.
The foUowing is the three-day
schedule of events;
THURS.,OOr.7
10 a. m. — Rocking Chair
Marathon — Bicentennial Square;
8:80 p. m. — Culmination of Over
mountain March, KMNMP; Fashion
show In front of Belks, KM; 4:80.8 p.
m. — Senior citizens dinner, com
munity center; 8:80 p. m. —
Overmountain program In KMNM
Park amphitheatre featuring
speaker Oen. William West
moreland; 7 p. m. — City Parking
Plaza — film on history of Blcen-
teimlal celebrations In Southeastern
United States; 7:80 p. m. — Pairklng
plaza — KM Senior High pep rally;
8:80 p. m. — Street dsmce, Bat
tleground Ave.
FRI., OCT. 8
9:80 a. m. — Parking plaza
dedication with guests Miss N. C., S.
C.; 10a. m. — Gov. Holshouser,Gov.
Edwards welcomed at KM city hall;
10:80 a. m. — Governors extend
"Hands Across Mountain" at N. C.
— S. C. border In KMNM Park, drink
a tosuit; 11 a. m. — dedication of
Park visitor's center; 1 p. m. —
Luncheon for special guests at KM
Country Club; 8:80 p. m. — Bicen
tennial parade downtown; S:80p. m.
— Dinner at KM Senior High
cafeteria; 6 p. m. — Senior Citizens
band and program, Blcen Square
downtown; 8p. m. — Mounties meet
Bums In football at Gamble
Stadium; 8:16 p. m. — IWA
Wrestling at community center; 9 p.
m. — Street dance, Battleground
Ave.
SAT., OCT. 9
11 a. m. — Sidewalk arts, crafts
show In parking plaza; Noon — Sky
diving at city stadium; 1 p. m. — Pet
show aiul professional dog show; 4 p.
m. — Grand prize drawing by
merchants; 8 p. m. — Bloentennlal
Ball at Armory.
Sen. Harris,
KMSH Band
At Fair Opening
Sen. Ollle Harris of Kings
Mountain will be the principal
speaker at the opening ceremony of
the Cleveland County Fair Fri., Oct.
1.
Donald Deal will conduct the
Kings Mountain Set'’'>r itigh Band In
a special music pt> ;ram for the
opening ceremony at 5 p. m. at the
fairgrounds In Shelby.
Other special guests Include Miss
North Carolina, Susie Proffitt, the
Cleveland County Commissioners —
Jack Palmer, Coleman Goforth, L.
E. (Jqah) Hlnnant, C. M. Peeler Jr.
and B. E. Simmons,
BroyhiU, Helms
In County Oct. 9
GOP Motorcade
Cleveland County Republicans su'e
finalizing plans for a motorcade on
October 9 which will feature Sen.
Jesse Helms, Rep. Jim BroyhlU,
gubernatorial candidate Dave
Flaherty, and other statewide and
local candidates.
The motorcade will kick off at 9:80
a. m. In Oasar with stops In Fallston,
Lawndale, PolkvUle, Lattlmore,
Boiling Springs, Shelby, Patterson
Springs, Earl, Grover, and Kings
Mountain. The Shelby stop will In
clude the formal opening of Republi
can headquarters In the Charles
Hotel BuUdlng.
Helms, the senior U. S. Senator
from North Carolina will be In the
10th District to support the
reelectlon of Jim BroyhlU, currently
representing the 10th Congressional
District which includes Cleveland
County.
explained about the Federal Power
Commission’s meeting with Duke
Power Co. on August 26 when Duke
was Instructed to place the figure
.8081 In Its base rate schedule and to
lower the fuel adjustment cost
schedule.
In other words Duke was allowed
to shift a portion of the fuel ad
justment costa Into the company’s
base rate cost per kilowatt hour.
When this was done the fuel ad
justment cost block on Duke Power
bUls appears as .1008, while the
figures In the same block Issued In
Kings Mountain’s power billing to
customers appears higher.
"Actually," Little said, "During
the last billing period In Kings
Mountain, the city lost |18,000 to
920,000 because the city’s rata Is
lower than Duke’s rate."
Little recommended the city In
crease Its base rate to .4286 cents per
kilowatt hour, which Is the same
rate that Duke Power charges, to
keep the city from losing the $18,000
to $20,000 each month.
Little further recommended the
city devote about four weeks to a
study of the complete power usage
and billing of Its customers during
the last fiscal year, compute these
figures using the .4826 Increase, then
compute the same average usage
from the city’s last fiscal year using
the entire Duke Power rate
schedule. From the differences, the
city. Little reconmended, should
arrive at a new rate schedule of Its
own that will stop the loss of revenue
from power.
Little said the problem Is that
Duke Power adjusts Its rates to
handle profit margin losses and the
City of Kings Mountain does not.
City commissioners said the first
thing they will hear with this ad
justment Is that the city Is charging
more for electricity than Duke
Power. Little said "I am aware
there will be complaints. However,
the city Is not charging more. The
city Isn’t charging as much. That’s
why you’ve lost money In the last
billing period.”
The base rate Increase, adopted
Monday night, will show up In the
November bills to city customers
and citizens can look for an Increase.
And after the four week study period
la completed and a new rate
schedule adjustment la made
citizens can look for another change
In their billing — and this change
can go either up or down on an In
dividual customer billing baisls.
Little recommended an Increase
In the city’s base rate to Its
customers a year ago, but the In
crease was not sulopted.
"One way of cutting down on
customer complaints,” Little said,
"Is to adopt Duke’s retail realdentlal
rate schedule.” At the same time
Little cautioned the dty against
adoption of Duke’s rates for large
commercial customers. "You
cannot match Duke’s rates In this
case. If you tried you would lose
even more revenue each month. The
city could not afford to continue on
this basis for very many months."
jV—.-j- ■
Iflfe.-
\ —
PARKING LOT NUMBER TWO — This Is an overall view of City Parking
Plaza (lot number two) on the east side of S. Cherokee St. Work began last
week on this lot and last Friday the city commissioners voted to ask for
Informal bids for paving the lot. A1 Moretz, acting public works director.
Photo By Tom McIntyre
designed the lot plan for SO parking spaces for public use. Later sidewalks
for pedestrians can be constructed. The trench in the upper edge of the photo
was cut for conduits to house power lines adjoining the large lot on the west
side of the street.
City Parking Plaza
Parking Lot Two Paving Is Okayed
In a special meeting of the city
commissioners last Friday con
tracts were awarded to three firms
for materials to be used In electrical
work In the Cansler St. and Central
Business District renewal projects.
The total contract was $54,884.70
for poles, conductor accessories,
transformers and miscellaneous
Items from Bryant Supply Oo.,
crossarms and a conductor from
Mill-Power Supply Co., and Insula
tors and pole line hardware from
Rigby Electric Co.
Bill Little Jr. of Southeastern
Consulting Engineers Inc., the city’s
consultants on electricsU projects,
compiled the bids and recommended
the contracts be awarded to the
three firms for sepsu-ate Items. He
said on an Individual basis, the total
cost to the city was $1,000 less than
For Ambulance Fund
Rescuers Going Door-
To-Door For Donations Dr. Hunt And
Newton Attend
Next week don’t be alarmed If you
see a Kings Mountain Rescue Squad
ambulance pull up In your driveway.
Monday through Friday the
rescuers will conduct a door-to-door
fund raising campaign seeking
donations to go Into the new am
bulance fund.
Ben Hord, campaign chairman,
said, ‘‘The door-to-door project la
Just one of several projects the
rescue squad has planmd to ralae
the needed funds to pay for two new
ambulances In 1877.’’
The squad kitty la being enriched
through donations by the various CB
ckibs In the city and through dona
tions given to Cltlsena On Patrol and
''aBmergenclos (COPE) during that
^group’s Operation Identification
cottee breaks.
Last week the club treasury
gained about $700 more In a auto
giveaway project. Steve Murphy of
1004 Cansler St. Ibct. was the winner
In the drawing on the last day of the
Bethware Fair. He won a 1968 Ford
Falrlane In the drawing.
Coming up on Sat., Oct. 28 the
rescue squad will sponsor a country
and western music show at
Ooearoads Music Park and tickets
are on sale now for $2.
Paul White and the Country
Bunch, Hart) Thomas and The
Roustabouts and other groups will
perform. There will be two shows on
Oct. 28. One at 7 p. m. and another at
9:80 p. m.
Agoepel sbig la also being planned
at Barnes Audltorhim, Hord said,
and details will be released later.
Carter Rally
Dr. Jack Hunt of Lattlmore and
Clint Newton of Shelby were In
Raleigh last week tor the first meet
ing of the N. C. Democrats for
Carter Committee.
Dr. Hunt la Democratic candidate
for the lOth Congressional District
seat currently held by Rep. James
BroyhlU. BroyhlU and Hunt wUl
campaign for the seat In the general
election.
State Party Chairman Mrs. Betty
McCain of Wilson stressed the need
for Democrsdlc unity In the state to
work for the election of Jimmy
Carter as President on November 2.
lump sum bids from any one con
tractor.
Little said delivery of the tran
sformers wlU take 12 to 14 weeks, but
the other materials will be on hand
to begin the electrical work in the
Cansler S t. and downtown projects
immediately. "By the time we are
ready for the transformers,” Little
said, "they will be here so there is no
problem.”
In other action last Friday the
commlsaloners voted to complete
work on the city-owned property
between S. Cherokee and S. Pied
mont Sts. as additional parking for
the public.
Work actually began last week on
lot number two, but at first paving
was not considered. Grading and
InstalUng crushed rock was the first
order, but In Friday’s meeting the
board voted to accept Informal bids
for paving the lot. The estimated
cost Is $4,800 and about 80 percent of
that cost could come from com
munity development funds.
The second public lot will contain
80 spaces; 10 angled spaces behind
Kings Mountain Baptist Church, and
20 In the center of the lot between the
old Winn-Dixie property and the
backs of Myers Printing, the KM
Redevelopment Commission offices
and Fulton’s Department Store.
The commissioners also voted to
nsune the public psu'klng complex.
Including the 88-space munlclpsil lot
on the west side of 8. Cherokee St.,
City Parking Plaza.
During the past week city crews
have trenched the lot and Installed
conduit lines for a continuation of
underground wiring In the downtown
business area. Under the approved
design by A1 Moretz, city codes
director and acting public works
director, only 88 feet of the 100 feet In
the lot is being used for parking. The
extra footage will allow for con
struction of sidewalks in the second
parking lot.
The underground electrical
system was switched over to
complete use Tuesday, according to
Harry Wilson, city electrical
department superintendent.
Wilson’s employes spent several
days last week removing poles,
transformers and wires above
ground In the parking lot area.
— Mayor John H. Moss appointed
Commissioners Humes Houston and
Bill Grissom. City Attorney George
Thomastiion, Bill Little and himself
as a contract review committee on
the electrical materials contracts
and will meet this week for a noon
work session.
— TTie mayor also appointed
Commissioners Norman King, Jim
Oillders and Humes Houston to
serve as a city personnel committee
to study and Implement the N. C.
League of MunlclpsLlltles Personnel
Program.
Tills program Is designed to Im
prove the standards of quality and
delivery of city services to the public
and to upgrade benefits to city
employes.
Stowe Rites Are Held
Funeral services for Logan Perry
(Skimp) Stowe, 70, retired Kings
Mountain merchant, were con
ducted Sat., Sept. 18 at 4 p. m. fromi
the Chapel of Harris Funeral Home.
Rev. Gary Bryant and Dr. Paul
Ausley officiated at the final rites
and Interment was In Mountain Rest
Cemetery.
Mr. Stowe died at his home Friday
morning after declining health. He
owned and operatedStowe’s Radio k
TV Service In the downtown area for
many years before his retirement.
He was a member of First
Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Stowe was Chief Operator of
the KM Water Treatment Plsint for
14 years and owned Stowe’s Radio
and TV Service on CSierokee St. for
28 years before his retirement. He
was Chief Pilot at Atlanta Municipal
Airport, an Army flight Instructor In
Camden, S. C. and Decatur, Ga. and
was manager of Southern Airways
In Greenville, S. C.
He was a star athlete In all sports
In school and continued to play
basketbsLll until well In his 80’s for
various ball clubs In surrounding
areM. He was also well known as a
basketball referee for many years
and a tennis champion.
He was born July 18, 1906, son of
the late Mr. and Mrs. Hugh H.
Stowe.
Surviving are his wife Mrs.
Cbrlnne Hambright Stowe; hla son,
Logan Perry Stowe. Jr. of Kemers-
vllle, N. C.; hla daughter, Mrs.
George William Allen, Jr. of Kings
Motsitaln; and four grandchildren.
Mrs. WllUiun Harry Austraw of
Winston Salem. Miss Donna Lynn
Stowe of KernersvUla, Steven Ed
ward Allen of Kings Mountain and
Miss Bettlna Allen of Charlotte.