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Page 2A-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Wednesday, August 12, 1987 ;
. Letters To The Editor
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Fired KM Electric Employees
Asking For Meeting With Officials
Dear Editor:
This is an open letter to the Board of City Commissioners:
“We hereby request a meeting with the personnel commit-
tee on the subject of gettin fired by Jimmy Maney, for wan-
ting us to do Sanitation and Street Department’s job.
We had a meeting Monday, July 13, 1987, with Jimmy
Maney, Jimmy said at the meeting that he was going to put in
for us a 5 percent raise, and that he would let us know
something Wednesday, July 15, 1987. Well that day passed
without word from him at all. Gene Waldroup came up to us
Wednesday right before quitting time and told us, Gene
Waldroup told us that they turned down the raise and his
words to us was that John Henry Moss told Him (Gene
Waldrou) that if we didn’t get the limbs up we could go home.
Well Thursday, July 16, 1987, we came in and Gene
Waldroup told or asked us if we were going to get the limbs up
sand we said no! Well he said let’s wait until Jimmy Maney
comes in. Well when Jimmy Maney came in Gene Waldroup
met him as soon as he came in and talked to him about
something. Jimmy came over to us and asked each of us if we
would get up the limbs, and each one of us said no! Well he
said (Jimmy Maney), that if we didn’t get the limbs up to go
ahead and hit the clock. Well we considered that type of
words was that we were fired, so naturally we Minit out.
Again, we request a meeting with the personnel committee
on the subject of getting this matter straightened out.
“EDITOR
OPINION
Ny
Now Is The Time
To Move Ahead KM
The Herald commends the board of city commissioners for
its action Tuesday night in setting wheels in motion for im-
plementing the city manager form of government in Kings
Mountain.
The sooner a city manager is hired the smoother the transi-
tion will be for a mayor to succeed John Henry Moss who has
promised to assist in transition to Kings Mountain’s. new
system of government. The Herald would strongly urge the
commissioners to begin the advertising process for a city
manager as quickly as possible, set the new mayor’s salary in
a part-time position, and in a gesture that taxpayers would
appreciate, cut your own salaries.
The city is spending between $75,000 and $80,000 annually in
salaries, insurance benefits, travel etc. for a mayor and six
members of the board of commissioners. Mayor John Henry
Moss has estimated that a city manager for Kings Mountain
would expect about $50,000 annually. City managers in cities
of similar size, population 5,000 to 13,999, are paid an average
of $35,467 and city commissioners are paid an average of
~ $2,012 annually.
Kings Mountain pays its mayor $33,500 annually or $2,789.49
er month, plus car and travel expense, life and health in-
urance and retirement benefits.
Kings Mountain pays its commissioners $400 eagh per
month plus about $2,000 each for life and health insurance
benefits or approximately $42.000 annually.
According to the N.C. League of Municipalities for govern-
ing boards in towns of 5,000 to 13,999 population the following
salaries are paid: Carrboro pays its mayor $5,000 and its four
member board $2400;Clinton pays its mayor $3,000.and its
five member board $1248; Dunn pays its mayor $3300 and its
six member board $1800; Graham pays its mayor $3,000 and
its three member board $1800; Mint Hill pays its mayor $2400
and its four mem oer board $1200; Mooresville pays its mayor
$5,544 and its five member board $1944; Mount Airy pays its
mayor $4200 and its four member board $2400; Oxford pays its
mayor $14,294 and its five member board $10,751; Rock-
ingham pays its mayor $2400 and its four member board
$1800; Southern Pines pays its mayor $200 and its three
member board $150; Tarboro pays its mayor $3,080 and its
seven member board $1800; Washington pays its mayor $2400
and its four member board $1200, an average of $2,012.
Highest paid city manager for a city of comparable size is
in Laurinburg where the city manager’s salary is $46,500
followed by Reidsville where the salary is $46,008 and in
Whiteville where salary is $45,016.
There are some political strengths in the new system pro-
posed. One important thing to remember as the city moves in-
to the new form of government is that all power in council-
manager government is assigned to the council and the coun-
cil needs to work together. The new city manager, whenever
he is employed, must be charged with exercising leadership
and providing day to day public service to the community.
The council-manager system, we feel can work, if the mayor,
whomever he is on Dec.8, will provide the policy leadership
critical to the community. We feel that a part-time mayor can
have plenty to do. We also feel that city commissioners should
remove themselves from the personnel duties they voted
themselves some time ago and authorize the department
heads to run their own departments. Lo
The public needs and should demand strong leadership in
these times of change. Kings Mountain has come a long way
during the leadership of John Henry Moss. In times of
change, people who are able to find new ways of solving pro-
blems inevitably gain respect, not only for themselves, but
for what they represent. ;
\
Again, we request a meeting with the personnel committee
on the subject of getting this matter straightened out.
We have three boss men, Gene Waldroup, Jimmy Maney
and James Moore, we believe that it is very hard to go under
the word of three different boss men, especially for a situa-
tion of something like this.
We were all talking, (us four), that we have a similar case
like the Iran Contra Hearing. Oliver North, was doing what
his superiors told him to do and that if he didn’t do it he was
fired, he followed his ShDassers and it put him in a heap of
trouble for a little while but the people still respected him for
what he did, because he stood up for his rights of his position
with the United States Government.
Gene Waldroup told us Tuesday morning to start trimming
trees, then Jmes Moore went to Jim Downy and told him that
we didn’t have no ways to get the limbs up, Jimmy Downy
told James that we would get the brush up as quick as he
could. Jim went Wednesday morning and started picking
them up and Karl Moss went to Jim Downy and told him that
the Electrical Department was suppossed to get them limbs
up, and then he told Jim to quit picking them up. Well thee
was someone on the job of picking them up, he had no right to
tell someone to quit picking them up and tell him it is so-
meone else’s job when the job was being done.
We are willing to come back under better conditions, that is
the reason we are asking for this meeting with the Personnel
Committee. We request that we only have one boss man who
tells us what to do and what our original job is, if we have to
have three bossmen well then let one make the decisions and
be over us as our Supervisor.
Give us a call when you receive this letter and let us know
how the situation stands, or when the meeting will be, we do
want the meeting so that the truth will come out.”
We appreciation your Cooperation.
James Moore, Lead Man
James Hawkins, Lineman
Willard Yarborough, Lineman
David Richardson, Lineman
Moss Dedicated To Job
Dear Editor: >
It is with deep regret that I have learned that our efficient
and energetic Mayor John Henry Moss will not seek reelec-
tion for the next term of office. Many others throughout our
town have expressed that same regret.
Mayor Moss has revitalized our town beyond measure in
his 22 years of office. I would like him to know many of our
citizens want to thank him for the perserverance and hard
driving WORK he has put into our town. Few mayors
anywhere have shown his constant dedication to his job.
Won't you reconsider, Honorzble Mr, Mayor? We still need
your ‘‘guts and guidance.” {0 Lon ;
\ Ee Hazel H. Fryer
202 N. Roxford Rd.
Kings Mountain, N.C.
Thanks For Supporting
KM Dixie Youth
An Open Letter:
The 11 and 12 Year-Old Dixie Youth All-Star Team and
coaches would like to thank you for your contribution in sen-
ding them to Fayetteville to participate in the 1987 State Tour-
nament. Without your help, this once-in-a-lifetime event
could not have happened.
The All-Star Team placed fifth in the state, winning their
first game and losing the next two. The score of the first game
was Kings Mountain 8, Cumberland County 6. Damon Put-
nam hit a 3-run homer in this game. The score of the second
game was Kings Mountain 4, Columbus County 9. Michael
Smith hit a 2-run homer in this game. The score of the third
game was Kings Mountain 7, Hope Mills 8. Tee Gee Goforth
hit a 3-run homer in this game. Columbus County went on to
win the tournament,
Thanks to the following local businesses and citizens for
their generous contributions to the State Tournament Fund.
BB&T Mayor John H. Moss
Mr. Bobby Bridges Mountaineer Restaurant
Bridges Hardware Mr. Corbett Nicholson
Mr. & Mrs. Wendell Bunch Parker’s American
Bunch, Inc. Patterson Oil Company
City Of Kings Mountain Mr. Roy Pearson
Dellinger’s Jewel Shop, Inc. ~~ Mr. Harold Phillips
First Federal Savings Plonk Brothers & Co., Inc.
& Loan Plonk Tire Company
First Union National Bank Dr. & Mrs. George Plonk
Foote Mineral Company Mr. & Mrs. Hal Plonk
Harper’s Pharmacy, Inc. Rupe Hosiery, Inc.
Dr. & Mrs. Paul E. Robert L. Smith, Jr.
Hendricks, Jr. Insurance Agency
Home Federal Saving Sagesport
& Loan T&W Textile Machinery,
Jones Intercable, Inc. Inc.
Kings Mountain Rotary Club
B.F. Maner Agency, Inc.
McGinnis Dept. Store, Inc.
Trammell Surveying
& Mapping, Inc.
Warlick & Hamrick Assoc.
Minit Grill Western Auto Associate
Store
$ ALL-STAR TEAM
Chris Blanton Caja Ormond
Douglas Bridges Damon Putnam
Steven Fisher Chris Rider
Tee Gee Goforth Robby Ruff
Ricky Marr Michael Smith
Doran Moore Todd Ware
Mark Wood
ALTERNATES:
Brad Putnam
Ty Ross
Sincerely,
Mike Smith
Tom Goforth
Phillip Putnam
Roger Ross
Moss Clears
Way For Change
Supporters and critics alike must agree that the flam-
boyant and often controversial Kings Mountain Mayor John
Henry Moss will not easily be replaced.
Moss shocked his town and Cleveland County Thursday by
announcing an end to his 22-year reign at the helm of Kings
Mountain government. His departure sent candidates scurry-
ing to file for the mayor’s race. When the filing period closed
at noon Friday, six men were vying to succeed Moss.
By the end of the year, someone else will sit in the Kings
Mountain mayor’s office. But there will not be another John
Henry Moss. And there shouldn’t be. It’s risky when one per-
son becomes as dominant a force over any governmental unit
as Mayor Moss has been in his town for the past two decades.
One risk is that the forceful leader may take too much
authority upon himself. Another is that capable citizens who
could make contributions may be content to sit back and let
their vigorous leader run the show. Kings Mountain has ex-
perienced hioth of those undesirable situations in recent
years. :
When we have disagreed with Mayor Moss, it usually has
been not so much because of the things he was doing but the
way he was doing them. We've had several occasions to call
for more openness and accountability in Kings Mountain
government. There was a tendency in the past for the mayor
to decide what was best for the town and the board of com-
misisoners to rubber stamp his decisions with little or no
ublic discussion. That’s begun to change, however, with
oard members taking a more assertive role. They will have
to work even harder at their jobs and become more informed
and involved in the future.
Mayor Moss didn’t become legendary among North
Carolina’s mayors by being timid.- To the contrary, he is a
man of vision and action who led his community to many
economic successes despite trying times. Years ago he
foresaw water shortages and built a lake to contend with
them. Now he is fighting for a second lake. He has been
heralded for his ability to garner federal dollars to benefit his
town. And he has recruited industries which provide jobs for
the people of eastern Cleveland County.
The Moss imprint on Kings Mountain will last forever.
But the time is right for change. Kings Mountain is the last
town of its size in the state administered by a full-time mayor
also acting as manager. Adoption of a city manager form of
government will be a progressive move for the town, and
Moss’s decision to step down paves the way for the switch.
Though the issue wasn’t mentioned by Moss in his
withdrawal statement, it likely was a factor in the mayor’s
decision not to seek re-election. It would have been difficult
for Moss, with 22 years in the driver’s seat, to hand over the
management of Kings Mountain’s affairs to someone new. If
by retiring, Mayor Moss enables the town to hire a city
manager four years earlier than it otherwise would, he will
have performed yet another service for his town.
The first post-Moss mayor of Kings Mountain will face an
extraordinary challenge. It’s a bit surprising that so many
are eager to accept the responsibility. Members of the town
board of commissioners also will be called upon to play a big-
ger role than ever before. And citizens who have in the said,
“Let John Henry do it,” should recognize the need and the op-
portunity to become more involved in decision-making about
their town.
Ri —SHELBY STAR
Go To Polls
And Vote Oct. 6
To The Editor:
In the election to be held Oct. 6, 1987 most of you know the
mayor and three commissioners eats are to be filled. Some
have filed, others will file, and some are undecided what to
do: It is my prayer that in the Oct. 6, 1987 municipal election
that you will not let anyone take away your privilege to vote.
Another thing be a strong American and don’t let someone en-
tice you to buy your vote.
I don’t suppose that some men who have been elected to
public offices meant to become a dictator or a puppet regime.
If we aren’t very careful we will have more of the same type
of city government as it has been over a number of years. If
you are a candidate or will be, or yet undecided, What Would
Be Your Reason for Seeking One Of The Offices to be filled.
Why don’t you sit down, and really give the electorate some
sound reasons why you should be elected to an honorable of-
fice for the betterment of the total community, and not think
of some selfish motive for a few.
Thoughts continue to come to mind. I thought how many
women and men have served our country in peace and in war
to preserve our country homes, families to sum it up all of our
freedoms. Some of them gave their lives, and were never to
return to these great United States alive. They came home in
a box, but some of us who served at home and abroad have
not forgotten what some suffered, and how much they gave
for our freedom. Many have lost all morals, principles, and
no concern for spiritual matters, but we need those of utmost
integrity, dedication, and a purpose for a better total com-
munity to offer for the offices to be filled Oct. 1987.
At this time I do not know how I will vote, but I will vote if I
can get to the polls.
Rev. Kenneth George
GARY STEWART
Managing Editor
GARLAND ATKINS
Publisher
ELIZABETH STEWART
News Editor
DARRELL AUSTIN
General Manager
MEMBER OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
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