WY Nl RE II y
HE PTE I AR i A
Church Celebrates
75th Anniversary
Summer Reading
Post 155 Set
Program Underway
For Playoffs
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Member Of The
North Carolina
Press Association
VOL. 102 NO. 25
ON NIK
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98087
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AYVEEIT TVINORE
Thursday, June 21, 1990 KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. 28086
United Fund Sets
Its Highest Goal
Kings Mountain United Fund will seek its biggest
goal ever- $127,500 for 17 causes-in the 1991 cam-
paign which will soon get underway.
Campaign President Ruby Alexander, Campaign
Chairman Glenn Anderson and officers and directors
approved the budget following an allocation meeting
Tuesday night at First Union National Bank and fol-
lowing interviews with representatives of agencies
seeking donations.
A kickoff for the drive will be announced by
Anderson, who is appointing committee chairmen to
head the effort.
The 1991 goal is up $6500 from last year's success-
ful campaign which raised the most money ever in the
history of the volunteer organization. Kings Mountain
citizens gave $127,000 on a goal of $121,500.
This year's campaign will ask for an additional
$10,000 for three Venture grants. Funded for Venture
grants are James Home, $2,000; Youth Assistance of
Cleveland County, $4,000 and Crisis Ministry of the
Kings Mountain Ministerial Association, an additional
$4,000, plus budgeted money for the Association's
Helping Hand and Chaplain's program.
Chairman Anderson is City Executive of BB&T.
Realty.
KM Council
To Adopt
90-91 Budget
Kings Mountain City Council is ready to adopt a
$16.88 million budget for fiscal year 1990-91 follow-
ing a workshop session Tuesday night in which no
changes were made from the preliminary budget they
studied at a public hearing last week.
Commissioners said they were concerned that street
improvements were not included in the budget but
Wood said that big projects had to be cut from the bud-
get to fund drainage improvements to the Bridges
Drive area and the renovation of the old post office for
a new Police Station. Both projects, Wood had termed
as "large ticket" items which the board had talked
about at the public hearing. "We simply can't absorb
these projects totally without cutting back in other ar-
President Alexander is associated with Alexander
UNITED FUND SETS GOAL-Ken Bagley, standing, presents a request for funds from Cleveland
Vocational Industries as Odus Smith, left, Glee Bridges, Chairman Glenn Anders(>n, and Tommy
Bennett listen during a budget allocation meeting Tuesday night.
eas,” he said. Wood suggested, and the board con-
curred, that some budget amendments be made after
the winter months to determine if monies can be allo-
cated for major street work. Powell Bill monies, which
Thrift Promoted
. By KM Schools
The promotion of Mrs. Jean Thrift to the position of
Director of Pupil Support, an expanded position in the
administrative offices of KM District Schools, was an-
nounced this week by Dr. Bob McRae.
Mrs. McRae, Director of
~ Exceptional Children's Program for
six years, assumed her new duties
this week in an upgraded position.
She succeeds Cozell Vance, who
retired as educational specialist.
In her new position, Thrift
. will be responsible for annual stan-
dardized testing in all grades, for C.
A. T. ( competency) testing, end of
~ course testing and for criteria test-
THRIFT ing for all elementary grades. She
; will also supervise annual summer
school, supervise guidance counselors and direct the
Chapter I reading program in the schools.
"We are delighted to have Mrs. Thrift in this new
role," said McRae, who said that Mrs. Thrift has been
associated with KM Schools for 21 years. She taught
9th grade science, was a resource teacher at Central
School, a diagnostician in the Exceptional Children's
program for five years and supervised testing and
placement.
She is married to Jerry Thrift,who is employed at
Porter Brothers. They have two sons, Bryan, who is in
graduate school at UNC at Chapel Hill, and Todd
Thrift, who works at Lavender's Inc. of Shelby.
A graduate of Limestone College, Thrift earned her
master's degree from UNC at Charlotte.
The family resides in Kings Mountain and is active
in First Baptist Church.
Bloodmobile Visit Set
Kings Mountain Chamber of Commerce will spon-
sor a visit of the Red Cross bloodmobile June 29 at
First Baptist Church fellowship building.
Donors will be processed from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
and goal of the collection is 100 pints of blood.
"Blood is badly needed at this holiday season when
accidents are more prevalent,” said Lucille Williams,
of the Chamber office, who encourages industry em-
ployers to allow their employees some time away from
their jobs to visit the blood bank.
‘Demolition Begins
At Grover School
Bulldozer crews from Randall Brothers in Kings
Mountain were demolishing the old auditorium at
Grover School Wednesday afternoon, first phase of a
building program which will give the campus a new
facelift.
The auditorium, built in 1919, is the first building to
be torn down but demolition crews will also bulldoze
the library and office building built in 1939.
Numerous trailers now dot the campus playground
areas behind the gymnasium and between the second
and third grade building and will be utilized by the of-
fice staff, library, music, art, Spanish, speech classes,
guidance department and special services next
school year. .
Principal Jim Scruggs said the new drive areas of
the school will be completed by school opening and
that contractors will start putting up the new walls by
Nov. 21 with completion date by Feb. 15,1991.
BRIDGES DRIVE PROJECT UNDERWAY-City crews are pictured working Wednesday on a m ajor
project on Bridges Drive, above, with relocation of gas lines. One of the city workers, William Carro| IL, is
pictured.
Construction Underway
City crews are relocating the gas
line on the north side of Bridges
Drive, first phase of a major pro-
ject which will result in months to
come the correction of one of the
city's most serious drainage prob-
lems.
Water and sewer improvements
on Bridges Drive will cost
$340,000 with an additional
$181,000 for drainage improve-
ment.
City Manager George Wood said
that the new budget year will see
major improvements coming to be
paid by utility bond monies.
"All bond work will be under-
way in the next fiscal year. Bids for
the water project are expected in
45-60 days, and since the Council
is close to a decision on sub-sta-
tion improvements, it will be
about 60 days before we have elec-
trical bids in hand,” he said.
In addition to drainage improve-
ments on Bridges Drive, the city is
budgeting money for improve-
ments on Woodside Drive; for run-
ning utility lines to a new sub-divi-
sion, Colonial Woods off Maner
Road, to install a six inch water
line on Gold between Phifer and
Juniper Streets and for a new sewer
pump station.
The city is getting into the recy-
cling business also with more bins
added at the Community Center.
"Once the Council adopts the
budget, our priorities will be in or-
der and we'll be ready to move on
these projects,” said Wood.
The Bridges Drive project wil 1
initially correct the water and sew- :
er problems by abandoning the
lines behind houses and placing
them in the street. Property owners
are being asked to sign easements
so that service lines can be rerout-
ed. Final connections may result in
a short disruption of water and
sewer services of about an hour.
Wood said the city has narrowed
finalists to three for architectural
design for the proposed KM Law
Enforcement Center at the old post
office. The estimated-$100,000
project will be phased out over a
three year period but architectural
fees are included in the new bud-
get commissioners are expected to
adopt Tuesday night.
Suspects Charged In Gang Fight
Six of seven suspects charged by
Kings Mountain Police in last
week's gang fight were in custody
this week, three of them minors al-
so charged with felonies.
All seven suspects were charged
with the same offense, assault with
a deadly weapon with intent to kill
in the alleged beating of three men-
Bart Truesdale, Joe Cody and Eric
Sparrow, with sticks, 2x4s and oth-
er weapons during a fight on
North School grounds last
Thursday night.
The trio, all of whom were in-
jured in the fight, had gone to
Ramseur Street to confront one of
the suspects, with whom Truesdale
reportedly had been feuding.
Police said the trio didn't expect to
find seven people waiting for them
and attempted to leave in a truck
operated by Sparrow when the sus-
pects blocked the drive. Sparrow
told investigation officers that one
of the suspects threw a can through
the open window of the driver's
side of his truck and struck him in
the head, causing his vehicle to
wreck, The three victims were
pulled out of the truck, according
to police reports. Cody was treated
at the hospital and dismissed.
Truesdale has been discharged
from Charlotte's Mercy Hospital
and Sparrow remains a patient at
Gaston Memorial Hospital where
he is listed in fair condition.
Charged, in addition to the mi-
nors, were Dandy Dwight Sanders,
20, of Route 2 Box 530, Bessemer
City, three counts of assault with
deadly weapon with intent to Kill
inflicting serious bodily injury and
one count injury to personal prop-
erty, $10,000 bond, secured.
Keith Wayne Palmer, 21, of 614
Canterbury Road, three counts of
assault with deadly weapon with
intent to kill, one count of injury to
personal property, $10,000 bond,
secured.
Ralph Bryant Berrong, 20, of
Route 3 Box 187, injury to person-
al property and two counts aiding
and abetting assault with deadly
weapon with intent to kill, one
count of assault with deadly
weapon with intent to kill, $10,000
bond, secured.
Michael Shane Hall, 19, of 1340
Second Street, was charged with
See Suspects, Page 7A
are used for street repairs, will also be used to pay
salaries of street workers.
The budget calls for no increase in the tax rate and
provides for cost-of-living and merit raises for em-
ployees. It is down from last year's budget--$17.2 mil-
lion-because of fewer capital projects.
Although no utility hikes are projected in this year's
budget, the extra fees will be coming in the form of
sanitation fees, probably by Jan. 1, 1991, and this time
next year in a additional 10% hike to water and sewer
customers for sewage treatment when the new
Crowders Creek Wastewater Treatment plant becomes
‘operational. i!
Cleveland County will be pas
% 0 : Ange akong band ape
ing fees 10 the city by Fan. 1/1991 which Council wai
{ probably implement at that time to city residents on ut-
© lity bills. The 10% water and sewer hike reflected in
the 1990-91 budget will include payments to Gastonia
for treating McGill plant sewage. And, another reason
for the utility increase a year from now is that the city
will begin making principal payments on the water and
sewer bonds that are being financed for needed im-
provements, City Manager George Wood pointed out.
Rose Turner, librarian at city-owned Mauney
Memorial Library, and Mrs. Bob Baker, chairman of
the library's board of trustees, asked for additional
funds for books. Mayor Kyle Smith said the board
would take the request under consideration. Mrs.
Baker said the library is enjoying a highly successful
summer reading program with a book circulation of
1668 and program attendance at 337, compared to
1204 books and 193 people in attendance in 1989. She
noted that the average cost of a book is $20 and that
the library wants to include more periodicals and re-
source books.
"What is the city's progress on implementation of
the auditor's suggestions on city bookkeeping?" asked
Commissioner Fred Finger. City Clerk Jeff Rosencrans
said that all recommendations will be in place by July
14 when the new audit will be made available to com-
missioners. "I am reconciling the bank statements and
fixed assets now and it will take about a week to 10
days to complete,” said Rosencrans, who said the city's
books are in good shape. Finger also asked if all city
facilities are metered and if the various departments
are aware that the cost is included in their budget for
\ the year. "Everything is metered,” Roscncrans said.
Responding to a question, Wood said that the bud-
g et for each department includes costs of administra
tic on.
Rosencrans said that all city records are on comput-
er mow. The city assesses a $10 a month late fee for
uni. aid bills and maintains records on them, in event
the | account is written off as a bad debt.
C ouncilwoman Norman Bridges asked that some
mont 2y be set aside for street paving and suggested that
the b oard amend the budget in February or March if
moni¢ >s were available. Other members agreed that
street | Daving was important.
Fing ‘er noted that "$12 million of the nearly $17 mil-
lion bu: dget is a "pass through situation for utility ser-
vices with operation of the city at $4 million."
Wood led a discussion of the six continuing separate
funds the: city operates: the general fund; Powell Bill
funds; Ce: metery perpetual care fund; water and sewer
fund; elec. tric fund and gas fund.
In lieu «of construction, the bond monies voted by
KM citizen's in the recent $9 million referendum, are
invested in| money market accounts and earning over
8% interest, ‘Wood said.
Wood saici! that due to a state shortfall of funds, the
city didn't req seive the expected increase in Powell Bill
funds. When | the the state passed a $9 million road
bond and incr eased the gasoline tax, the city was told
it would recei ve a 50% increase in receipts. "We're
looking at $24( ),000 instead of $330,000," he said.
At year-end, the city reports $1,454,450 in fund bal-
ances, which r¢ presents, Wood said, an increase of
$80,000.
The budget ac loption ordinance will be the major
item of business at Tuesday night's board meeting at
7:30 p.m. at City 1 Hall.
CAL ape