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VOL. 101 NUMBER 30 ~ WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1988 KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH cf 2 >
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Kings Mountain Position: Economics, Not Politic
AN ANALYSIS
By Robert L. Williams
Whatever decision is made
tonight when officials from
Gastonia meet with Kings Moun-
tain authorities, George Wood in-
sists that the position he has
taken is essentially one of pure
economics rather than politics.
“What we are going to try to do
is determine what Kings Moun-
tain can reasonably do with
reference to this project,” Wood
said in an interview Monday.
“What we mean is, of course,
financial in nature,” he added.
Wood said that he and District
Councilman Al Moretz and
others involved in city govern-
ment have been exploring all
reasonable options. “We are
looking right now at approx-
imately $11.5 million in im-
provements. $1.943 million will
be needed for a two million
gallons per day expansion in the
water treatment plant opera-
tions; another $4.588 million will
be needed to give us a 36” water
line and a pump station in addi-
tion to a one million gallon per
day clear well.”
For this money the city would.
realize an extra two million
gallons per day of additional
capacity for the water system.
Wood repeated his position on °
the Pilot Creek versus Crowders
Creek proposed wastewater
treatment project. Under the
terms of the court order under
which local authorities are work-
ing, one of the major considera-
tions is that of sludge handling
capacity. Wood noted that in
rainy weather or cold weather it
takes much longer to dry the
~
sludge than it takes in summer
weather.
This year’s budget reflects the
addition of three additional per-
sons needed to work in the
wastewater disposal system, and
Wood explained that the addi-
tional personnel were required
by the state.
“The sludge handling added
facilities will cost us $565,000,”
Wood said, ‘according to our
engineers’ best estimates.”
An additional $1.5 million will
be needed for improvements in
the city’s electrical system. The
money is needed for upgrading
one substation and replacing
another.
“These projects have been
identified since 1984,” Wood ex-
plained. ‘So in light of the above
items we are looking at a cost of
about $8.4 million.”
But the most critical problem,
Wood said, is where to get the
needed additional wastewater
treatment capacity. He said that
the utilities systems are the
engines that drive economic
development.
But the most critical problem,
Wood said, is where to get the
needed additional wastewater
treatment capacity. He said that
the utilities systems are the
engines that drive economic
development. :
“What we are trying to do,”
Wood said, “is to increase our
water capacity by two million
gallons and the sewage capacity
by the same amount,” he said,
‘‘and then correct the problems
we now have in our electrical
system so that we can handle ad-
ditional commercial or in-
dustrial clients. The situation we
are facing could reach the zero
industrial growth status if im-
provements are not made.”
At present two treatment
plants, McGill and Pilot Creek,
nandle the Kings Mountain
wastewater needs. The McGill
plant handles one million gallons
per day. The Pilot Creek system
handles four million gallons of
wastewater per day.
The unique element of the
system is that during past years
pump stations were installed,
and the eleven-to-thirteen sta-
tions can pump sewerage from
McGill drainage basin w wu.
Pilot Creek drainage basin.
“But the problem we have
essentially is that we are at pre-
sent at roughly 92 per cent
capacity on both of those
wastewater treatment plants,”
Wood said. “In some systems
you may have one station
operating at 70 percent capacity
and another at 90 per cent, but we
can even those flows, so out of
five million gallons per day
capability we have roughly
400,000 gallons left.”
So the time element is critical
for bringing new system im-
provements and sewage treat-
ment capacity on line; it is not
the time to begin making plans,
Wood points out. The Crowder’s
Creek proposal could take two to
Turn To Page 9-A
Photo by Gary Stewart
DISCUSS PROJ ECT - Some City and Chamber of Commerce efficials met at City Hall Tuesday night to
exchange viewpoints on the proposed Crowder’s Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility. Left to right,
looking over maps and charts of the Kings Mountain utility system, are City Manager George Wood,
Kings Mountain city officials
met with representatives of the
Kings Mountain Chamber of
Commerce Board of Directors’
Tuesday night at City Hall to ex-
change views on the proposed
Crowder’s Creek Wastewater
Treatment Plant.
Kemp Mauney, Claude Suber
and Will Herndon, representing
the Chamber, urged the city of-
ficials to do all they can to re-
main in the Crowder’s Creek pro-
ject which stands to lose $14
million federal grant money and
fall by the wayside if Kings
Mountain pulls out.
Representing the city were Ci-
ty Manager George Wood and
Councilman Al Moretz, who gave
a review of Kings Mountain’s en-
tire utility system, as well as in-
formation about the proposed
Crowder’s Creek project. Gene
White, the city’s Director of
Community Development, and
private citizen Floyd Sanders
also attended.
In a nutshell, city officials said
they had not fully made up their
mind to pull out of the Crowder’s
Creek project, but that they can
solve their sewage problems
quicker and cheaper by expand-
ing the city’s Pilot Creek Facili-
ty. Kings Mountain is under
judicial order to get its plant up
Chamber directors Kemp Mauney and Claude Suber and City Councilman Al Moretz.
to state standards by June 1, 1990
or face fines. Kings Mountain
was recently released from a
state moratorium against ac-
cepting private residences on the
system, but the city still cannot
accept any new industries until
the Pilot Creek problems are cor-
rected.
The Chamber representatives
say they recognize Kings Moun-
tain’s problems at Pilot Creek
and that they, too, want them
corrected. However, they urged
the city to try its best to go along
with the Crowder’s Creek plans
also.
“This has a lot to do with Kings
Mountain in the future,” said
Will Herndon. ‘We're talking
about a relationship that will last
a hundred years, not a sewer pro-
ject that will last a few years. If
we don’t go along with this, I'm
afraid we’ll be a little communi-
ty between Shelby and
Gastonia.”
Moretz said the city is operting
at near capacity at Moss Lake,
both in its treatment of sewage
and water-selling capacity. In
addition to supplying all of Kings
Mountain’s water needs, Moss
Lake also provides water for
Bessemer City and Grover. In
addition, the lines carrying
water to these areas need to be
Former KM Commissioner
J.E. “Zip” Rhea Is Dead
James Elmer “Zip” Rhea Sr.,
72, of 514 West King Street, died
Monday at Kings Mountain
Hospital. :
A native of Cleveland County,
he was a retired lumber
salesman and the son of the late
Grady and Dora Dixon Rhea. He
was a member of Central United
Methodist Church, former Kings
Mountain City Commissioner,
Past President of Kings Moun-
tain Country Club, Past Com-
maunder of American Legion Post
155, a Mason and a Shriner. He
was a Navy veteran of World
War II.
He is survived by his wife,
Madge Wright Rhea; one son,
Bud Rhea of Kings Mountain;
five brothers, Clyde Rhea of
Grover, Bill Rhea of Atlanta,
Ga., and J.D. Rhea, Bob Rhea
and Jack Rhea, all of Kings
Mountain; four sisters, Mrs.
Wilma Hinson and Mrs. Hazel
Folding of Douglas, Ga., and
Mrs. Doris Hamrick and Mrs.
Linda Sanders of Kings Moun-
tain; four grandchildren; and
JAMES RHEA
one great-grandchild.
Services were conducted
Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Central
United Methodist Church by the
Rev. George Auman. Burial was
in Mountain Rest Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to
Central United Methodist
Church.
_ the city plans to insert valves s
LE
improved and one other added.
Kings Mountain has hired con-
sultants to advise it on its water
needs, rate structures, etc., and
Moretz said that study will not be
completed until November. A
bond referendum will likely be
called to provide the funds.
‘Right now, our water system
is not paying for itself,” he said.
“Our only real asset as far as
utilities is concerned is the gas
department, which is in excellent
shape. But we're pulling out
$175,000 out of the gas depart-
ment and $300,000 out of the elec-
trical department to support
water and sewer.”
Moretz and Wood said the
water rates haven’t been chang-
ed in 20 years (since Moss Lake
was built) but that costs of sup-
plying water have gone up
considerably.
“It’s costing us more to supply
water than we're charging for
it,”” Moretz said. ‘‘The rate study
is due in November and we can’t
make too many moves until
that’s complete.” Moretz said
the city cannot increase the price
of water to Bessemer City and
Grover without increasing the
rates paid by. Kings Mountain
customers.
Moretz said the water plant is
capable of producing eigh
million gallons water per day
and that it pumped over seven
million gallons on 16 days of las
year, with the highest day being
7.5 million. The city has had one
day this year when it pumped 7.
million.
“We can’t pump that muci
every day,” he said. ‘‘We should
have an expansion going on at#
the water plant right now.”
In addition, Wood and Moret,
said the city needs to run anothe
main distribution line to the city
At present, there is only one lin
serving the system and if i
should experience breakage pro-
blems, the entire system ma
have to be shut down. Wood sai
certain sections can be shut of
during breakage without closin:
down then entire system.
Wood and Moretz said that
whether Kings Mountain stays i
the Crowder’s Creek project or}
not, it still must clear up its cur-
rent problems at Pilot Creek
which are costly. The city recent
ly paid $92,000 to have sewag
sludge cleaned out of the numbe
three basin and $95,000 for a spli
ter box. The plant is running at 92
percent capacity. Under terms of
the judicial order of consent sign-.
Turn To Page 8-A
conflict.
Property Owners Object
To Proposed Location
A standing room crowd of pro-
testers filled the Gaston County
Courthouse last Thursday to ob-
ject to the recommended loca-
tion of the proposed Crowder’s
Creek Regional Waste-Water
System.
Representatives of the four
municipalities involved in the
project --- Kings Mountain,
Bessemer City, Gastonia and
Gaston County---were present at
the four hour public hearing.
Mayor Kyle Smith, City
Manager George Wood, along
with council members Al Moretz,
Humes Houston, Fred Finger,
Jackie Barette and Harold
Phillips represented Kings
Mountain. Councilmember Nor-
ma Bridges was unable to attend
because of a personal scheduling
Gastonia Mayor Jick Garlan
resided over
Gastonia has headed up the 26
Million project.
Armed with “West of 321 is
Best” placards, petitions and en-
thusiam for their cause, county
residents objected to two of the
three proposed sites near US 321
in southeastern Gaston County.
Site 3 along Thompson Road and
near the South Carolina border is
the favored location by
Gastonia’s counsulting engineers
on the project. Two other sites
were rejected because they
would cost more, the engineer
said.
Property owners Mary and
George Ratchford, who own site
three, objected to their property
being used for the project.
The Ratchfords, who are farm
and livestock producers, said
they believe their property is not
best suited for the project. Poor
site access, extra cost and the
location of a residential area
nearby were objections given
against site 3. :
“But there is more to it than
that,” said Mrs. Ratchford.
“This farm has been in our fami-
ly seven generations, and we
hate to see it used when a more
suitable location is available.”
Protestors said they favored
construction of the needed plant,
but only object to the proposed
locatio
t think anyone expected
City Council To Meet
With Gaston Officials
S00]
ANOVKR
AAVIgT Tv
Kings Mountain Mayor Kyle Smith has called a special meeting
of City Council for 7 o’clock tonight at City Hall to meet with
Gastonia Council members to discuss Kings Mountain’s involve-
ment in the Crowder’s Creek Wastewater project.
Gastonia is expected to present several proposals that may
make it possible for Kings Mountain to remain in the project.
Also on the agenda tonight is the consideration of liability in-
surance coverage premiums for fiscal year 1988-89.
The public is invited to attend the meeting.
the hearing.
this level of protest,” said City
Manager Wood following the
meeting. “We were surpi 1
that so many came out agi t
the recommended site,” Coun-
cilmember Moretz added.
~ Gaston County Commission
project needed to be done for en-
vironmental reasons to clean up
Crowders Creek and overburden-
ed wells and septic tanks.
“What would property values
do if a moratorium begins? What
would home values be if the
water goes sour,” he ask. ‘‘Let’s
do this now. The opportunity may
never come again.”
Several other county, city and
Chamber officials from Gaston
County spoke in favor of building
Inside At A Glance
KM PRE-MAJORS
UNDEFEATED
Could be on their way to Texas.
PAGE 1-B
airman David Beam said the
the plant to accomodate future
industrial development west of
Gastonia. :
A representative of York Coun-
ty, S.C., Councilmember Peggy
Upchurch, said she supported
sites further north of the state |
border. South Carolina com-
munities draw water from Lake
Wylie which Crowders Creek
flows into. Moving the project
further north would lesson the
risk of contamination if a
malfunction occurred at the
treatment plant.
Protesters of the recommend-
ed site say if site 1 is not chosen
as the location, they intend to
battle the question in court, a
move that could delay the pro-
ject for several years.
Darrell Austin, Jr./Rudi Rudisill
KMCC Member-Guest
Champions
PAGE 1-B
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