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Spring
| Edition
Inside Today's Herald
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VOL. 104 NO. 14
City Council is cracking down on junked cars and
putting teeth in its current ordinance.
An amended ordinance delegating authority to
the Kings Mountain Police Department and building
inspector to enforce the law on the books was passed
unanimously by Council Tuesday night.
The ordinance makes it unlawful for a property
owner to have more than one junked motor vehicle
on the premises of public or private property and
makes it unlawful for a registered owner of a vehicle
to allow that vehicle to remain on his property after it
has been declared a nuisance vehicle.
The ordinance gives building inspector Chris
KM streets
Thursday, April 2, 1992
Rossi the authority to determine if a vehicle is aban-
doned or junked and order the removal of the junked
vehicle. The abandoned car will be towed only after
notice to the registered owner or person entitled to
possession of the vehicle.
The ordinance gives the Police Department the re-
sponsibility for administering the removal and dispo-
sition of vehicles determined to be abandoned on the
public streets and highways within the city and on
property owned by the city.
The ordinance gives the building inspector the au-
thority to administer the removal and disposition of
abandoned, nuisance or junked motor vehicles locat-
ed on private property. The ordinance also gives the
city the power, on an annual basis, to contract with
private tow truck operators or towing businesses to
remoye, store and dispose of abandoned vehicles,
nuisance vehicles and junked motor vehicles.
A vehicle is defined in the ordinance as abandoned
when it is left on a public street or highway for
longer than seven days; left on property owned or op-
erated by the city for longer than 24 hours; and left
on private property without the consent of the owner,
occupant or lessee, for longer than two hours.
A junked vehicle is defined in the ordinance as a
vehicle that does not display a current license plate
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lawfully upon that vehicle, is partially d bled or
wrecked, cannot be self propelled or mov zd and is
more than five years old and appears'io be worth less
than $100 and does not display a current license
plate.
A nuisance vehicle is defined in the ordinance as a
vehicle on private property that is determined and de-
clared to be a health or safety hazard, a public nui-
sance and unlawful, including a vehicle found to be a
breeding ground or harbor for mosquitoes, a point of
heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation
See Codes, 11-A
ov
Water, sewer
get face lifts
Crabapple trees at the islands
leading to Country Club Drive
were axed recently by city crews.
City engineer Tom Howard said
citizens had been asking the city to
remove the trees for years. Howard
said it has been difficult for emer-
gency vehicles, such as firetrucks,
to clear the area at the busy inter-
section of Country Club Drive and
King Street at the entrance to KM
Country Club.
Paving of Country Club Drive
was funded this year by City
Council among a group of streets
for which $81,000 came from
Powell Bill funds for street im-
provements.
"Eliminating two of the six is-
lands on Country Club Drive 1s
what should have been done years
ago," said Howard, who said
neighbors of the property were en-
thusiastic about cutting down the
trees.
Weather permitting, the site
preparations should be completed
this week. Howard said once the is-
lands are the right dimensions and
the road is built up, the paving can
start.
Department, under the direction. of
city fire hydrant.
The Public Works
Supt. Karl Moss, is working on
plans to beautify islands centering
the asphalt curbing, :
Paving crews also put down as-
phalt on Clinton Drive, Juniper
Street and Ridge Street in the
vicinity of Piedmont Avenue this
week.
Country Club Drive, which is
being aligned with Sherwood and
Sharon Drive, is the last project on
the current paving list.
Howard said city council ear-
marked money for more street im-
provements in the new budget. He
said an ad hoc committee named
by Mayor Scott Neisler helps prior-
itize the paving projects.
Mid to late April appears to be
the date that Kings Mountain will
hook on to the new regional
Crowders Creek Wastewater treat-
ment system and terminate opera-
tions at old, outdated McGill Plant,
said Howard.
Electrical bond contractors are
finishing up inventory and cleanup
of the last remaining electric pro-
ject, the two electric substations. A
dedication at one of the substations
is planned for spring.
See Trees, 14-A
Time to spruce up KM
Get your paint brushes out. Be creative and paint a
the old post office for an exhibit.
Mountain Historical Committee to use the lobby of
ats
Crabapple trees, which once stood at the islands leading to the
Country Club, got the axe recently. The paving project was funded
by City Council this year and is near completion.
This is the invitation from the Kings Mountain
Chamber of Commerce. The project is a promotional
tool for the upcoming Mountain Fest on May 30.
President Ruby Alexander asked City Council for
permission to paint the fire hydrants and got approval
Tuesday night at the city board meeting.
Alexander said a committee will be appointed to
oversee the project and to decide a theme. She said
the fire hydrant caps are color identified by firemen
and the committee will stick to the city regulations.
She says some folks have suggested a historical
theme and may want to decorate the hydrant as a sol-
dier/mountain man and others want to paint the hy-
drants dark green and decorate with spring floral mo-
tif.
"We are excited about the events making up
Mountain Fest and feel this project would certainly
add to the interest and pride already being generated
Alexander said the Chamber's aim is to present a
positive image of Kings Mountain and took the occa-
sion to thank commissioners for their cooperation.
She said that the Chamber has just completed its first
30-sec onds commercial to air on cable television and
is working on its second 30-seconds commercial.
Responding to question of Councilman Fred
Finger, City Manager George Wood said the city has
liability insurance on the old post office, which the
city owns. Alexander said the Chamber also has lia-
bility insurance.
Responding to question of Councilman Jerry
White, Fire Chief Frank Burns said the fire depart-
ment sees no problem with the painting of the hy-
drants since the color codes will be kept intact.
Plans are shaping up to make the May event one of
the best ever in Kings Mountain, according to
Alexander, who urges antique car owners to register
their cars now for the big car show. Ronnie
Begins Sunday, 2 am
in the project,” said Alexander.
The board also gave permission for the Kings
Barrett withdraws
rezoning
By ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
Barrett Floor Covering withdrew
application for a rezoning request
Thursday. Mrs. Jack Barrett said
the firm will resubmit a plat to in-
dicate the portion of the old six
acre Compact School tract they
want to rezone to general business.
Members of the Planning and
Zoning Board told the Barretts they
would need to comply with buffer-
ing requirements and suggested
that the Barretts do some house-
keeping and clean up litter at the
site before they return to the April
25 meeting of the Planning &
Zoning Board.
After Thursday night's public
hearing M.C. Pruette made the .
motion to deny the request.
Presiding vice chairman David
Faunce asked representatives of the
Whetstine has registration forms.
bills increase
Your April water and sewer bills
you receive April 30 will reflect
the 9 percent across-the-board hike
approved unanimously by City
Council Tuesday night.
For the average inside-city resi-
dential user of 7,000 gallons of wa-
ter and sewer the increased cost
will be $1.53 or $16.99 monthly .
For the 'fixed income’ inside-city
user of 3,000 gallons of water and
sewer the increased cost will be 83
cents or $10.06.
For industries, the increase will
also be 9 percent and for some of
the biggest users, Spectrum, Anvil
Knitwear, and Clevemont Mills,
the hike will represent a hefty in-
crease, ,
"We have ho!choice,® saig
Utility Committee chairman and
Commissioner-At-Large Alvin
Moretz, referring io state mandated
requirements to make dam repairs
at old Davidson Lake and the old
City Lake and for an aeration basin
liner at Moss Lake. "It's an accu-
mulation of needs and repairs."
City Manager George Wood said
the current year's budget has in-
cluded funds to make the first half-
year payments to Gastonia for sew-
er pumped from Kings Mountain to
the new Crowders Creek Waste
Treatment Plant but the new bud-
get must include the full year cost.
However, he said the plant had de-
layed opening and this saves the
city money. .
"But it hurts our pocketbooks,"
said Clavon Kelly. "Now they're
talking two more months before
putting the plant on line."
Commissioner Jim Guyton made
the motion to amend the water and
sewer rates and Commissioner
Phil Hager seconded.
After a public hearing, the
board rezoned two pieces of prop-
erty which match adjoining proper-
ty zoning and would not consutate
Spot Zoning. 7 :
The requests were from Helen
C. Davis to rezone from L-I to R-
20 6.43 acres on south York Road
she wants to sell for residential use
and from John O. Plonk to rezone
from R-6 to L-I property on
Canterbury Road. Plonk's property
was previously zoned R-6 because
the developer had a prospect for an
apartment site.
See Water, 11-A
Monday deadline to register
If you haven't registered to vote
in the upcoming Primaries time is
running out. Monday, April 6, is
the final day to register to vote in
the May 5 Democratic and
Republican Primaries.
Election officials remind that
young people 17 years of age who
will be 18 by the general election
November 2, 1992 can register to
vote in the May primaries.
Mauney Memorial Library,
Cleveland Memorial Library at
Shelby, and the Cleveland County
Board of Elections in Shelby will
accept voter registrations until
closing hours Monday. Local elec-
tion officials may also register at
their homes until midnight
Monday. State law states that new
voters must be registered 30 days
prior to the election.
How do you register to vote?
Election officials offer these guide-
lines:
You must show proof of resi-
dence. This can be done by driver's
license, addressed mail, address of
bills for utilities, medical,etc.,
school records, employment check
stub, or tax notice.
You can register at any of 349
public libraries in the state, with
every county board of election er
with local election officials.
It takes only about three minutes
to establish identity, give oath and
fill out a card. :
You are qualified if you are a cit-
izen of the United States, are 13
years old by November 2, and a
resident of the county in which yc
wish to vote.
request
company if they would revise their
petition and point out exactly
where they want to add two build-
ings to accommodate storage and
an expanded salvage business. In
the meantime, Faunce will look in-
to what could be a problem of spot
zoning if the board makes recom-
mendation to city council to rezone
the property.
"I'm against spot zoning because
this is what the city is trying not to
do," said board mcmber Gene
Coxcen.
Board member Connic Allison
seconded the motion to deny the
request after 15 members of the
Compact Community came with
photographs of the sitc and peti-
tions.
"Barrett hasn't kept his promises
since last year when he said he'd
See Barrett, 13-A
JONAS BRIDGES
His voice is softer,
but KM spirit is high
By ELIZABETH STEWART
of The Herald Staff
Jonas Bridges has been the radio
voice of Kings Mountain for nearly
40 years on WKMT, 1220 on your
dial.
Last year cancer of his vocal
chords silenced the air voice of the
man who has become a legend in
the broadcasting business for his
play-by-play sportscasts of not on-
ly local athletic cvents but rodco
shows in the Southeast for a quar-
ter century.
Successful surgery removed the
cancerous tumor and miraculously
Bridges can talk without the aid of
a voice box, but not on the air. His
organizational skills and behind the
scenes dedication contribute to the
successful business he owns and
operates as Bridges Broadcasting
Inc. He also hopes to return to
rodeo promotional work soon.
Pagcantry is a big part of success-
ful rodeo shows and Bridges is
adept at lining up the various
cvents.
His expertise in broadcasting has
gained Jonas a high reputation for
professionalism in the vocation he
loves but which happened by acci-
dent back in 1953 when he came to
Kings Mountain for a week's vaca-
tion to help put WKMT on the air
and stayed to move up in the com-
pany as owner and president,
Jonas' pleasing radio voice was a
big plus for WKMT which he
signed on the air March 12, 1953.
Busy as a "onc arm paperhanger,”
he recalled that he was a jack of all
28 See Jonas, 13-A