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VOL. 105 NO. 35
Thursday, September 2, 1993
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Kings Mountain, |
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City adopts smoking ordinance
City Council approves variance
A dispute over who pays for
paving a 200 feet section of a five-
lot subdivision on Downing Street
Extension, the city or the develop-
er, was left unsettled Tuesday night
but City Council authorized a vari-
ance for a 24 feet wide pavement
without curb and gutter.
After a lengthy discussion,
Councilman Fred Finger made the
motion that the board approve a 24
feet variance, instead of an 18 feet
variance that Jim Lybrand had re-
quested and confirm a final
subdivision plat conditional on all
improvements being installed or a
bond posted per the subdivision or-
dinance.-
Finger and Councilman Phil
Hager argued that allowing the 18
feet variance would set a precedent
and City Attorney Mickey Corry
said he had found no proof of dedi-
cation of the street. Corry said the
plat calls for improvements to have
been completed but he found no
proof that a prior council had
granted a variance.
"I see no valid certification that
-the street in question was dedicat-
ed," said Corry.
“If we permit Mr. Lybrand to
change the variance to 18 feet it
will put the city in a bad light be- |
cause we require other developers
to give enough room for fire trucks
to get in and out of a cul de sac,”
said Hager.
Lybrand agreed to the 24 feet
variance.
Councilwoman Norma Bridges
asked that the attorney research the
records to determine who will get
the $3400 bill.
Kings Mountain Planning and
Zoning Board sent Lybrand's vari-
See Dispute, 5-A
Project
contract
awarded
Second Street Extension resi-
dents got good news from city fa-
thers Tuesday night with the
awarding of a $237,767.50 contract
for water, sewer and streets.
~ Steppe Construction was the low
bidder for the work which will n=
feet of streets.
that all permits have been received
except for the Norfolk Southern
Railroad encroachment. The docu-
ments were sent to them by Alley,
Williams, Carmen and King Inc.,
the city’s consultants, on April 27.
The agreements are expected to be
finalized in the next two weeks.
The city has 20 units of housing
scheduled for rehabilitation. Of
these units, nine are complete, two
are under construction and nearing
completion and construction has
just begun at one unit.
Community Development
Director Gene White said that the
city is scheduling permits as soon
as contractors become available.
"With all things going as
planned, construction on water,
sewer, street and drainage improve-
ments will start in mid-September,"
said White.
City engineer Tom Howard said =
Kings Mountain City Council
Tuesday night limited public smok-
ing in city. buildings and banned
smoking in vehicles owned by the
city.
In adopting the ordinance, the
city squeezed by a state law effec-
tive October 15 which limits the
controls cities and counties can im-
pose on smoking.
House Bill 957 establishes a
statewide standard for smoking in
public buildings. It requires that at
least 20 percent of a building's in-
terior space be set aside for smok-
ers. The act also contains provi-
sions limiting the authority of
municipalities to adopt their own
smoking regulations and prohibit-
ing them from adopting smoking
Kings Mountain High assistant principal Mike Rhoney points to the ‘candid camera’ inside a Kings
Mountain school bus.
Bus cameras catch stars in the act
reduced significantly.
"We haven't had time to compile
"When it's least expected, you're
elected, you're the star today.”
Remember that catchy little tune
from the Candid Camera television
show?
Some Kings Mountain school
bus riders may be humming it
again as a reminder before this
school year ends.
The school system purchased
four video cameras during the sum-
mer, and they're being used as a
disciplinary tool.
All system buses have been
equipped with a flush-mounted,
King heads Zoning Board
Joe King was elected chairman
of the Planning and Zoning Board
and Al Moretz, Hal Plonk, Dean
Spears, Joe Champion, Ronnie
Wilson, Tim Miller, Ronnie
Hawkins, Annie Thombs, Terry
Baker, David Faunce, Roger
Goforth, Jerry White and Jim
Guyton were named to the newly
created land use planning commit-
tee by City Council Tuesday night.
Lou Ballew was named chair-
man last month by the board but
said after she was contacted about
the appointment that she could not
serve.
Baker, Faunce and Goforth are
all members of the Planning Board.
In a related action, Council reap-
pointed Van Birmingham, Bob
Myers and Clayvon Kelly to the
board of adjustments to serve with
Allen Fuller, whose term has not
expired, and will appoint a member
and an alternate member, to be
named, from the Planning Board.
Councilman Al Moretz suggest-
ed that at least two members of the
Planning Board scrve on the ap-
peals board to insure good commu-
nication between the two groups
and a cross representation of the
community.
In other actions, Council:
MB Tabled until September 28 a
request by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Cook regarding the possible clos-
ing of a dirt road adjacent to their
property on Meadowbrook Road.
Mrs. Cook said the road has been a
cut-through for traffic and has cre-
ated a dust problem. She said three
of the four adjoining property own-
ers agree to either closing the road
or paying 1/2 the cost of paving the
property. Moretz suggested that the
staff review the cost estimates for
paving versus closing of the prop-
erty and work out the legal details.
BM Accepted the low bid of
$79,500 for a new roof at the
Community Center. City Engineer
Tom Howard said engineering es-
timates were $84,000. He said the
city received nine bids and the low
bid was from Roof-Tek Inc: of
Marshville. Construction is expect-
ed to be completed prior to the
opening of basketball season in
November.
BW Authorized the City Manager
to apply to the Federal
Communications Commission for
certification as a cable television
franchising authority to regulate
basic ticr service and rates. Ninc
communities in the arca, including
Kings Mountain, arc scrved by
Jones Intercable.
BM Tabled a request from Bill
Patterson on a previously denied
See King, 5-A
wired box that can house one of the
cameras. There is a one way glass
on the front where the lens would
be. A red indicator light has been
installed just above each camera:
box. When the driver turns the ig-
nition on, the light is illuminated.
There may or may not be a camera
in the box, only the school princi-
pals or an assistant knows for sure.
To the left of each box is a sign
that reads: WARNING your ac-
tions may be video taped. Camera
removed at night.
"We checked with several school
systems last spring who were using
cameras," said Assistant
Superintendent, Larry Allen, "and
saw how successful they were, SO
we decided to give it a Try. We pt#-
sented the idea to the school board,
and they approved the funds. We
just got them all installed last
week."
According to Allen and KM
High School assistant principal
Mike Rhoney, just having the red
light on has been an effective de-
terrent. Problems that sometimes
occur early in the year have been
KINGS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
restrictions that exceed those estab-
lished for state facilities, unless the
local rule or ordinance is adopted
before October 15.
"The new state law will preempt
local governments ability to pro-
hibit smoking," said City Manager
George Wood, noting that already
two counties, Durham and Wake,
have strict anti-smoking policies.
In a memorandum to Council
from the North Carolina League of
Municipalities, Assistant General
Counsel Kimberly Smith said that
the police power, which the state
has delegated to municipalities,
provides a broad authority to pro-
hibit, regulate or abate acts that are
detrimental to the health, safety or
welfare of the citizenry. Smoking is
. Family and friends of the miss-
ing Laotian man feared drowned in
Moss Lake held a memorial service
Saturday for Viengkeo Sinnorai.
Dr. Donald Mitchell led the 5:30
p.m. service in First Presbyterian
Church.
Although Moss Lake patrol of-
ficers continue to search the lake
daily for the missing man, the
search: has been futile. The city
plans to lower the lake level in
September to do some work on the
beach but Kings Mountain Police
known to increase health risks, and
secondhand smoke is thought to
cause similar risks.
Smith said cities can rely on the
general police power to enact rea-
sonable smoking restrictions.
"If we don't amend our ordi-
nances by October 15 the state
statutes will kick in and allocate 20
‘percent of our buildings for smok-
ing areas," said Wood. "This ordi-
nance allows you to decide what
areas you want to regulate.”
Under the newly adopted city or-
dinance, it is unlawful for any per-
son to smoke in any building or fa-
cility or portion of a building or
facility owned, leased, operated,
occupied, managed or controlled
See Smoking, 5-A
Service for missing man
Chief Warren Goforth said he did-
n't know if that would help them
find Sinnorai's body.
Sinnorai, 33, disappeared on
July 18 when he fell out of his boat
while trying to rescue his 9-year-
old daughter Juanita.
Kamphone Sonvichit said the
family wants to thank police,
search groups and friends for their
extensive search efforts in dragging
the lake and especially want to
thank boater Carl Fowler who
pulled Juanita from the water.
United Fund to begin drive
i Kings Mountain United Fund
0 ty
Campaign Chairman Jay Rhodes
said that several divisional chair-
men will present their reports as a
highlight of the event.
"The community's efforts during
this campaign are the key to its
any statistics yet,” says Allen. "It's
too early, but it appears to be work-
ing just fine. I was witness to one
incident where a student had mis-
behaved, and was called in by his
principal. When confronted he
said, "don't remember doing any-
thing like that,’ but after viewing
the footage he said, 'oh yeah, now I
remember."
Rhoney had a similar experi-
ence. "We had one youth who had
created a disturbance, so 1 called
success,"
that th
said Rhodes, who said
ncies being funded are
are Snoting for November 30 as
the completion date for the drive.
"Let's reach this goal and move on
to other priority needs in our com-
munity," said Rhodes.
him to the office," said Rhoney.
"He told me he didn't remember
doing anything wrong, so I asked
him to turn around and watch the
tape. I flipped the switch and start-
ed it rolling and he said, 'let me tell
you about that." I said you don't
have to tell me anything, son, I've
seen the entire movie."
Students never know which bus
might be carrying a camera. The
light tells them the possibility is
there and they are acting responsi-
bly thus far, Allen says.
See Cameras, 5-A
YANCEY PATTERSON
Yancey Patterson, 97,
looks forward to age 100
Yancey Patterson, 97, relaxes
quietly in his rocking chair on the
front porch of his comfortable
home on Brice Street and talks
wistfully about "the good old
days."
A World War 1 veteran,
Patterson loves to talk about his
war experience. He regrets he did-
n't reenlist when his four-year hitch
with Uncle Sam's Army was over.
But times were hard and he had
fought in one war and wasn't itch-
ing to get involved in another.
Patterson said he helped bury
both friend and foe and when it
was time to come home to Kings
Mountain and return to work in the
. cotton mill he was "raring to go."
"He loves to talk about the war
days," said Clois Price Patterson,
his devoted wife of 69 years. On
February 23, the couple will mark
their 70th year of wedded bliss, a
remarkable feat, they say, for this
day and time.
"I reckon I attributc my ycars
and good hcalth to the carc my
wifc gives me, traveling and listen-
ing to my clders,” said Patterson,
who quit driving his car two ycars
ago but still gets to the beach at
least twice a year, to the moun-
tains and to eat out frequently. with
kin and friends.
"Our children pick us up and we
all have a wonderful time," said
Mrs. Patterson. "We don't need a
car."
When five generations of the
Patterson family get together
there's a crowd, usually up to 50
people in their home at one time .
That's why the family decided to
have reunions and holiday gather-
ings at Chestnut Ridge Baptist
Church fellowship hall to give
them plenty of room to mix and
mingle and make family pictures.
Patterson, who will be 98 on
November 24, has outlived his
cight brothers and sisters, all of
whom grew up on a farm ncar
Grover, the children of the late Mr.
and Mrs. Samuel Andrew
Patterson.
Patterson went to work at the
age of 13, doffing twisters at the
Park Yarn Mill for 50 cents a day.
For over 50 years he worked in
various plants, including the old
See Yancey, Page 5-A