ld
Page 2A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, February 2, 1995
KM HOSTS BAND CLINIC - Pictured are a group of band students performing in the South Central
District Band Clinic at Kings Mountain High School Friday. More than 300 musicians participated in
the two-day clinic highlighted by a Saturday afternoon concert in Barnes Auditorium.
WHITE
From Page 1-A
"However, you have already
made a legal commitment,” he
said.
"Didn't you tell us that the
city limits started and ended
from the city limits across an
imaginary line and back into the
city limits on a straight shot,"
said Spears.
"That was not the case," said
White.
White said the Councilmen
violated the public trust and
asked them to step down from
their seats.
White also had questions
about the Lybrand development
in Ashbrook Park. In
December Council authorized
on White's recommendation an
engineering review in which it
compared plans made by
Moretz Engineers of Kings
Mountain.
Tuesday Council tabled reim-
bursement to Lybrand for street
improvements and water im-
provements at Ashley Park
Subdivision.
"Since some questions have
been raised I think we need to
study this further," said
Councilman Ralph Grindstaff.
Councilman Jim Guyton, util-
ity chairman, said that the utili-
ty committee recommended at
the recent meeting that the city
pay Lybrand one-half of cost of
the water lines now and one-
half of the sewer line costs af-
ter the property is dedicated.
TERMS
From Page 1-A
time for the upcoming elec-
tion," White said.
His proposal got no public
comment from Council.
After the meeting Mayor
Scott Neisler said he would
welcome the change.
Terms of Neisler and
Commissioners Phil Hager,
Ward 1; Jim Guyton, Ward 2;
and At-Large Commissioner
Norma Bridges expire in
October.
"I think my paid advertisement
in last week's Kings Mountain
Herald explains my feelings and
1 am a fairly blunt individual,"
White told a standing-room-
crowd which came for a meet-
ing which lived up to its expec-
tations of "fireworks." Only
about 25 of a crowd of over 100
people remained for the full
meeting.
Interim Chief of Police Bob
Hayes and Officer Melvin
Proctor stood at the front of
the room throughout the
evening. Ptl. Lisa Capps was at
the back of the room.
Although tempers flared sev-
eral times during White's sec-
ond appearance on the agenda
the meeting was otherwise or-
derly and there were no out-
bursts from the audience. There
was applause after Gary Joy de-
fended Finance Director and
former Interim Manager
Maxine Parsons "for doing her
job."
"Maxine was hounded by the
Mayor to resign and she didn't
deserve it."
Joy asked Mayor Scott
Neisler ‘if former Manager
George Wood helped him with
his proposals to amend the
1994-95 Parsons-prepared bud-
get. Joy claimed that faxed in-
formation came to City Hall
from Cleveland, Tennessee, the
present residence of the former
manager.
"This is my proposal and I
stand by it," said Neisler.
Neisler said after the meeting
that a Charlotte accountant as-
sisted him in his 19-page pro-
posal and that the fax number
from Tennessee was that of an
electrical supply firm.
Joy questioned statements
by the mayor that appeared in
The Herald, Shelby Star and
Gaston Gazette and asked him
if he had ever been misquoted
in The Herald. The Mayor said
he had not been misquoted.
"} see no necessity of every-
thing going in the newspapers,”
said Joy, quoting inferences by
the mayor that the under-
billing/overbilling of utilities
could result in an investigation
by authorities.
"The only thing I said to the
Gaston Gazette was that a third
party opinion could be better af-
ter I concurred with an editorial
in the Shelby Star," said the
Mayor.
"First of all I want to put the
rumors to rest," said White.
"This is not my kickoff cam-
paign for mayor or City Council
and I am not a former typical
disgruntled city employee out to
cause problems because you
are doing all right without my
help."
White emphasized he was
not present to discuss numbers
or out to criticize industry and
business.
But White charged that the
city's financial problem is not as
big as has been portrayed
through accounts in the newspa-
pers, although he admitted there
is a financial crunch.
"We've lost our credibility
and the newspapers are full of
it," he said.
"I'm showing you a list of
mayors and Council members
since 1874 who were responsi-
ble for the city and nowhere do
I see mention of an auditor or
employee," he said.
White said the city's credibili-
ty gap had widened by informa-
tion disseminated by city audi-
tor Darrell Keller and finance
director Parsons and said they
did nothing illegal in providing
the information.
"I know the representatives
from the Local Government
Commission are going to tell us
about fund balance and cash
flow problems tonight and
they see some improvement
which is good news but I have a
problem with reports in the
news media that Powell Bill
money has been spent for some-
thing else and that the city can't
make its weekly payrolls.
White questioned the hiring
by Council on a 4-3 vote of
Parsons as interim city manager
last March over a retiree with
more experience and questioned
the hiring of City Manager
Chuck Nance last September
from a pool of 97 applicants,
many of whom he charged had
more experience in the opera-
tion of city government.
"Your mistake is that you
were pennywise and pound
foolish," he told the board.
"Mrs. Parsons was the first to
tell us about a severe financial
crunch and that the sky was
falling and then bought a com-
puter system and a new desk,”
he said.
, "Is the city broke?" he asked.
"No, the problem is not as big
as we were told.”
KERNS
From Page 1-A
Whetstine said the proposed
"Wiliamsburg community” on
2.46 acres R-10 zoned on
Williams Street will have a fea-
tured entrance, natural land-
scape buffers and speciality
street lighting as enhancements
and will be priced from
$130,000 to $140,000 to be
compatible with the surround-
ing community.
Whetstine said typical lot
sizes will be 50 by 200 feet.
Kerns, property owner, and
Whetstine, local builder, are
the joint developers of the prop-
erty. .
"These three bedroom homes
offer the low maintenance of
condominiums and the privacy
of single family dwellings,"
said Kerns, who said that re-
tirees and "empty nesters” will
find features they are looking
for in retirement homes.
M.-C. Pruette; chairman. of
BUDGET
Bridges said she had received
conflicting statements from
both the newspapers and city
hall personnel. She quoted from
a balance sheet that showed
clearly, she said, that the city
was not bankrupt.
"The public has been misled,"
declared Bridges.
"I see no point in the newspa-
pers making an ugly picture. At
December 31, we had $868,000
and had paid our bills."
Responding to question from
Councilman Phil Hager, City
Manager Chuck Nance said
that the Duke Power bill for
November was paid in
February.
Hager requested copies of all
unpaid bills." Guyton also
asked for copies of expenditures
and revenue which he said he
had not received.,
Councilman Ralph Grindstaff
asked Barclay if, in his profes-
sional opinion, he thought the
city was on the right track.
Barclay said he did not rec-
ommend a repeal of taxes or
rates and that the budget pre-
pared by Interim City Manager
Maxine Parsons was a good
move in the right direction.
Keller also praised Parsons and
said she served in three or four
positions at the same time while
running the day to day opera-
CONFLICT
From Page 1-A
"Should Spears have dis-
cussed the matter and voted on
it since he is a long-term associ-
ate of Ruppe Hosiery according
to articles of Incorporation filed
with the Secretary of State
January 17, 1995 which lists the
corporation in good standing,"
said White, producing the doc-
ument at Tuesday night's
marathon city board session.
"Why audit past one year
when we can't legally collect
it?" Spears said he asked at the
city board meeting at which
Council voted unanimously on
the recommendation of City
Attorney Mickey Corry not to
bill further back than one year
the cight utility customers who
had been underbilled by the
city.
"I asked why spend the mon-
cy to audit for more than one
Home sewing classes
to begin at CCC Feb. 14
The Continuing Education
Department of Cleveland
Community College is offering
an exciting new class for the
home sewer.
Both day and night classes
will be offered with specific ar-
eas of instruction to include
window treatments to match
function, style and window,
three methods for balloon
shades and pinch-pleated
drapes.
The first seven weeks will
cover the necessary techniques
for sewing in the home.
The evening class will begin
on February 14 and gwill meet
each Tuesday fro -9 p.m.
through May 2. The day class
will begin on February 16 and
will meet each Thursday from 9
a.m.-12 noon through M ay 4.
Both classes will meet in cam-
pus room 2007.
Cost for the course is $35 and
registration is at the fist class
meeting.
the Planning Board, said his
board can't make decisions on
variances related to standard
building setbacks and Interim
Planning Director Jeff Putnam
suggested that a setback line be
included in the plans he asked
Kerns to resubmit.
Pruette acknowledged that he
had received several telephone
calls from adjoining property
owners worried that new con-
struction would cause additional
traffic in the area. No one was
present to oppose the building
plan.
But Kerns said that the neigh-
borhood he proposes would not
create a traffic problem and he
thought citizens would approve
of the type of housing he pro-
posed to build.
In other actions, the Planning
Board:
Welcomed Jim Childers, Lee
McIntyre and Odus Smith as
new members.
Tabled consideration of a new
sign ordinance until the March
meeting so that all members
“would have time to review it.
tion of the city.
Council voted 4-3 to send the
mayor's proposed budget in-
tended to satisfy the 8 percent
general fund balance require-
ments to the Local Government
Commission for study. Voting
against the motion were
Commissioners Dean Spears,
Guyton and Jerry White.
"I don't agree with his pro-
posals but I don't object to the
LGC taking a look at the may-
or's proposal," said Murphrey.
Neisler maintains that over
$1 million in working capital in
the utility funds and over
$600,000 cash in the bank is at-
tainable by June 30, 1995.
The mayor contended also
that the budget officer overbud-
geted for capital improvements.
"I find it incredible that the
LGC officials could tell me we
would not be in a good cash po-
sition by June 30 without even
looking at my proposal," said
the mayor.
"All they talk about is what
we owe and they don't talk
about assets,’ said the mayor.
Neisler said the city's
February balance sheet should
paint a brighter picture.
"We will start accumulating
funds once lease payments are
paid off this year," he said.
Barfield said the city's in-
creased dependency of utility
funds and the decrease of the
tax rate led to the current finan-
year when we can't collect
legally for no more than one
year," said Spears.
Ruppe was the major industry
underbilled by the city. The city
acknowledged it was the city's
fault for the underbilling and
some overcharging of utility
customers.
Spears said he owned 10 per-
cent stock in Ruppe, Dixon and
Spears in the 1970's with stock
also held by Chick Dixon, Tony
Ruppe's father. George Ruppe.
and accountants Trent Wilson
and Leon Collier. Spears said he
worked six years for the compa-
ny and George Ruppe bought
him out in 1980. The building
was leased by Ruppe. Dixon
and Spears to Andrew Milewski
and operates as Hank Fink Inc.
"I am assuming that the
building is still leased in the
corporation name," said Spears.
White said the Articles of
Incorporation in the Secretary
Little Billy Bridges Jr. and his grandparents, Clarence and Helen
Barnette, enjoy Billy's fourth birthday at an early celebration
Saturday.
Billy Bridges four years old
The four big candles on his Lion King cake made Billy Bridges
Jr. laugh at his birthday celebration Saturday.
Terminally ill little Billy, 4 on Wednesday, fights for life despite
the odds and his grandparents say their "golden boy" is worth every
second of the attention they give him.
Billy hugged friends and thanked them for their presents at an
early birthday party at Western Steer in Shelby where a decorated
cake he could not eat was on a festive table.
"Blow her a kiss, Billy," his grandmother Helen Barnette said to
Billy as guests arrived for his party.
Billy's grandfather, Clarence Barnette, said the family is really
worried about Billy this week. Doctors let Billy leave Carolinas
Medical Center Thursday but said the boy may have to be readmit-
ted to the hospital if his condition does not improve.
Billy lost six ounces in a day's time this week and his weight
dropped to 24 pounds, said Helen, who said the boy must be fed pe-
dialyte each hour through a tube along with a formula and new
medicines.
"We may decide to take Billy to Children's Hospital in
Cincinnati, Ohio," said Helen, who is a registered nurse at Kings
Mountain Hospital.
Mrs. Don McCurry of New Hope Baptist Church baked Billy's
cake.
"This little boy has really touched our hearts," she said at his par-
ty on Saturday.
The party room was festive with red, blue and yellow balloons
and streamers. Billy wore a colorful pantsuit with red turtle neck
shirt. On the back of his suspenders was a Ninja turtle that could be
squeezed to make a funny sound.
Doctors gave Little Billy little chance for survival when he was
born four years ago.
On Wednesday the Barnette mailbox was full of birthday cards
from friends near and far.
"The doctors call Billy their golden boy because his medical bills
have amounted to millions," she said.
Barnette said she will return to Raleigh next week to try to fight
the Medicaid system that is threatening to cut back on nursing care
for the boy.
"Billy needs around-the-clock nursing care and the doctors say he
thrives in a home environment," said Barnette.
"We're just going to put Billy and our financial situation in the
hands of the Lord," she said.
cial’“problems. “Assisted “by
Holleman, he showed charts
which showed the drop in net
income from 1988 and the drop
from a $1 million in working
capital in 1988 to non-sufficient
cash to transfer to the general
fund revenue in 1994. Kings
Mountain's fund balance also
dropped from 7.5 percent in
1988 to negative 1.2 percent in
1993 and negative 6.14 percent
at June 30, 1994.
"The financial condition of
the general fund has gone down
and down," said Barclay, who
said the city must maintain a
minimum of 8 percent in re-
serves to take care of emergen-
cies such as floods or a tornado.
At June 30, 1994, the city had
only $17,000 in the bank.
Holleman said the Local
Government Commission could
only report what it sees from
budgets and audit reports.
Comparing Kings Mountain
with cities of similar population
and with those owning electric
utilities, Holleman said Kings
Mountain is out of place.
"I'm not trying to rub your
noses in the ground but you can
see how you stand with your
peers," he said.
Holleman said the recent
credit downgrade by Moody's
Investment Service is an indica-
tion that the city, unfortunately,
is not in good shape.
Nance also praised Parsons
of State's office on January 17,
1995 list Ruppe, Dixon and
Spears in good standing.
White said the company is
still listed in the telephone
book. Spears acknowledged the
telephone number is 739-6531.
Tony Ruppe and his family
own Ruppe Hosiery which has
several locations in the city with
offices in the old Sadie Mill of-
fice building on East Gold
Street.
"The city's accounting proce-
dure is to write off debts uncol-
lectible and my point is should
we follow Spear's advice and
"out of good faith" write off the
debt.
"Why can't be get the utility
billing right?" said White, lay-
ing the blame for the problems
on management and suggesting
that City Manager Chuck Nance
"gather all the parties in a room
and tell them they are Killing us
and straighten out the mess.”
for her leadership and said the
Parsons prepared budget is over
$1 million less than the 1993-94
budget prepared by George
Wood. He said the reason was
the reduction in spending of
$435,210 and $590,477 specifi-
cally allocated to fund balance.
Nance said Wood's budget
made no appropriation to fund
balance. It was also recom-
mended by the LGC to make
the general fund reliant on the
enterprise funds and there was a
$339,000 reduction in transfers.
Both Nance and Keller said
the city expects its customers to
pay bills on time and will cut
off service if they don't.
"The city should also pay its
bills on time and although we-
are not 90 days behind on
wholesale power payments we
are 30 to 60 days past due," he
said.
He said the mayor's proposals
don't address the remaining ac-
counts payable debt shown in
the 1993-94 audit of $314,330.
He said he had never worked
with a city that has received"
continued correspondence with:
the Local Government-
Commission regarding its finan--
cial situation, had less than
what was required in undesig-
nated fund balance or had trou-
ble paying its bills.
Nance said he stands ready
to carry out the current leader-
ship proposals
White fired off a list of nu-
merous employees involved in
billings and metering of utilities
to the tune of $236.000 in
salaries.
"And don't forget it has been
suggested that we hire a
$25,000 a year customer service
representative.” he said. allud-
ing to a report in the local news-
paper.
White also suggested the city
bill Councilman Grindstaff
$900 for money he offered to
give the city from his monthly
pay of $300. White reminded
the first term commissioner that
he made a motion in a city
council meeting to cut salaries
of elected officials $100. The
motion failed for lack of a sec-
ond but Grindstaff directed
Finance Director Maxine
Parsons to cut his pay.
"Your: pay has not been cut.”
said White.
ane
Rn eros
Se