Term request to go hefore Council City Manager Chuck Nance said this week that the city's current budget has been underspent by over $1 million but he remains "cautiously optimistic" pending payment of several emergency ex- penditures before the end of the fiscal year. Nance credited frugal spending ‘by department heads as the main reason for the good news he shared in a memorandum to City Council March 17. "This amount will be subject to change on a monthly basis depend- ing on what is expended during the remainder of the year," he said. Revenues in the general fund are 3 percent under budget mainly due to the fact that the gas fund was unable to make the transfers during the fist eight months of the fiscal year, he said. Actual revenues over expenditures are $164,858. Revenues in the water/sewer fund are 2.3 percent over budget at this time. Actual revenues over ex- penditures are $200,545. Gas fund revenues are 8 percent under budget. The cash balance in the gas fund has been insufficient to make the $400,000 transfer for Frugal spending’ improves budget picture] the first eight months of the fiscal year. The gas fund also owes the water/sewer fund $361, 323 which was due June 30, 1994 when the gas fund had to borrow this amount from the water/sewer fund to have a zero cash balance. Actual revenues over expendi- tures in the landfill fund are $15,079. "We hope this trend will contin- ue, however we know of several emergency expenditures which have to be made before the end of See Budget, 12-A KMH, CMC may extend agreement The extension of the Kings Mountain Hospital's management contract with Carolinas Medical Center is on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the executive committee at 5:15 p.m. and the full board of directors at 7:15 p.m. Hank Neal, administrator of the hospital, said that both groups are pledged to provide continuity of care for patients. Neal said the hospital is com- pleting negotiations with two Canadian family practitioners who are expected this summer, one of whom has signed a contract, and with a woman internist who is looking at a residence in the area. In addition two more doctors are expected for interviews, one on Thursday and one next month. Neal said the two additional doc- tors could be coming next spring. Carolinas Health Care Network, which will hire the two new doc- tors, will manage their two offices in Professional Park formerly oc- cupied by Dr. Scott Mayse and Dr. Staley Jackson. Neal said that Dr. Sam Robinson, longtime Kings Mountain surgeon, will occupy an office in the Outpatient wing of the Kings Mountain Hospital be- ginning April 3. She said his pa- tients can contact him using his current office telephone number. Robinson recently vacated his former office on West King Street. The former Hugh Ormand resi- dence was renovated to a two-of- fice clinic for the medical practice of Dr. Robinson and his daughter, Dr. Cindy Robinson, both sur- geons. Dr. Deepak Gelot bought the building recently from Dr. Mayse and will open Carolina Family Care, a family practice, in mid-April. Nursing Nursing homes such as Kings Mountain's White Oak Manor op- erate under stringent rules and reg- ulations and require a state certifi- cate of need before they can be built. "If you've got the money, are an adult and are able to meet a series of minimal requirements it's likely you could open a rest home in North Carolina but not a nursing home," says Jane Alexander, ad- ministrator of Kings Mountain's nursing home across from the Kings Mountain Hospital. The story of the death of Ellie Wall and the state closing of a Shelby rest home prompted Alexander's comparison of rest home and nursing homes. An uproar about Wall's death outside Whispering Pines Rest Home has prompted Rep. Debbie Clary, R-Shelby, to begin drafting rest home legislation that calls for City Commissioner Jim Guyton, Spears and Director of Water/Wastewater Walt Ollis, Kings Mountain City Council Tuesday will probably set the date of June 20 for a special election on shortening terms of Council from four to two years. Tuesday the Cleveland County Board of Elections verified that the 433 names on a petition calling for the election are registered voters and represent more than 10 percent of Kings Mountain's registered vot- er population of 4,213. For the past six weeks retired city planning director Gene White has led the petition effort. He said he paid for expenses of advertis- ing, materials and special mailings from his pocket. "I feel real good about this, giv- en the severe time frame we need seated, and Utility Director Jimmy Maney, Commissioner Dean left to right, look over plans for a proposed subdivi- sion on US 74 West. Piedmont Housing of Lincolnton is requesting city water and sewer line extension to serve the 100 lots for manufactured housing. Water, sewer request going to Council A request from Piedmont Housing of Lincolnton for city wa- ter and sewer line extensions to serve 100-lot Kings Point subdivi- sion outside the city's one mile ju- risdiction will be on the agenda for Tuesday night's City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. Walt Ollis, Director of Water/Wastewater for the City of Kings Mountain, met with the county's technical review commit- tee Tuesday afternoon which clari- fied the county's lot size ordinances but indicated it would work with the developers. ~~ If the city approves running wa- ter and sewer to serve the manufac- tured housing units, the developer would pay the outside rate for in- stallation and also the outside rate for water and sewer consumption. "It looks real good but this is outside the city limits and there's no way we could satellite annex," said Ollis. "Remember we put one develop- er's housing project on hold be- cause the city didn't have the mon- ey," said Utility Commission chairman Jim Guyton Monday night when the question of provid- ing the utilities surfaced. "This firm is paying all the costs," said Ollis. Ollis said that the builder would have to cut the size of his lots to comply with building codes but he is not planning to seek satellite an- nexation. "I can't vote for satellite annexa- tion and if we approved it what would we do about other trailer parks?" asked Guyton. Ollis estimated the cost of each of the proposed homes is $60,000. Piedmont Housing owns 167 lots on about 100 acres and is putting up the first 100 homes in the first phase of the project. The subdivision is located past the end of Morris Road, off US 74 west. Ollis will also share OSHA con- cerns fore city's old water plant on Deal Street where the city crews work on pumps in two rooms. The building is listed on the State Historical Register and has deteriorated with age. "We can't tear it down but we can eliminate these safety prob- lems and possible fines by storing our equipment and moving to an- other location," he said. Ollis will ask City Council for permission to change the crew of- fice to another building on the same lot. Ollis said grease in the sewer caused some major problems for residents of Williams Street during the weekend and that crews were called to one other location due to sewers clogged with grease. homes follow strict rules stricter regulations, more employee training and stiffer penalties for vi- olations. "We already have those restric- tions," says Alexander who says the biggest difference between rest homes and nursing homes is around-the- clock coverage by a state certified nursing staff which operates under the supervision of the Division of Facility Services and Life Safety with offices in Raleigh and Black Mountain. She said that only seven percent of North Carolina nursing homes are deficiency free and Kings Mountain's White Oak Manor re- ceived a clean bill of health during the annual inspection last July. "We're proud of our record," says Alexander. Nursing assistants are also state certified and must pass 12 hours of continuing education classes each See Home, 12-A Dr. McMurray joins White Oak Manor Dr. Avery McMurray, prominent semi-retired Shelby physician, has joined the staff of White Oak Manor as medical director effec- tive March 1. Dr. Sam Robinson, Kings Mountain surgeon, and physician assistants Deborah Spada and Gary Reynolds are the new members of the review committee. Jane Alexander, administrator, announced the appointments this week, welcoming the new doctors to the facility. Alexander said White Oak Manor contracted to network for doctors with CLECO to obtain the director, working with Cleveland County Health Director Denise Stallings and Kings Mountain Hospital Administrator Hank Neal. "We are very excited and see some very positive changes com- ing to the community in health care," said Alexander. Alexander said the changes were necessary due to recent retirement of doctors and the resignation of former medical director Dr. Philip Day, who said his Grover practice requires more of his time. "We have a well trained staff and have very little turnover,"said Alexander, who said longevity of staff adds to its efficiency. She said the Activities Department headed by Shirley Mathis, assisted by Chris Lovell and Kathy Conner, is one of the most active groups providing resi- dents with a number of activities to enhance healthy attitudes. See Director, 12-A to complete before the municipal election October 10," said White. "People have responded and are very enthusiastic, and, of course, those who don't favor a two year term will have their say at the polls - i as those who favor the propos- White will present the petition and a notarized certification of the petition from Debra Blanton, su- pervisor of elections for the Cleveland County Board of Elections. Blanton has indicated she may attend Council's 7:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall. White will ask the board to re- ceive the petition, call for the spe- cial election and authorize City Attorney Mickey Corry to submit notification to the U. S. Justice Department, Voting Section, Civil Rights Division with a deadline of April 14 for the submission of the letter. White said he will volunteer to do any legwork necessary, working under the local attorney's supervi- sion, to meet the 13 working days the attorney has to submit the letter to Washington, DC. The Justice Department would have 60 days to review and give approval by June 15. ; "If we had more time we could get twice the number of names on the petition but we only need vali- dation of 10 percent of the number See Election, 12-A Peak shaving plant put on back burner A peak generation project was put on the back burner Monday night by the city utilities commis- sion pending the go-ahead by the Local Government Commission. Because of the city's current fi- nancial crunch, the borrowing power has been limited and City Manager Chuck Nance said he needed to give the state treasurer's office current financial information before the utilities group makes a recommendation to the full City Council. ... Nance said he called representa- fives of the LGC this week who were "cautious" about recommend- ing the project over the telephone. The generator could cost between $1.4 and $1.8 million with the ca- pability of a lease/purchase ar- rangement Utilities Director Jimmy Maney said the payback for the generator could be five years or earlier. Nance said that the City of Edenton operates seven or eight generators and is realizing monthly savings of $36,000 with peak shaving, utilizing also a SCATA system comparable to Kings Mountain's computerized system. Neighboring Shelby also has a peak generation system which util- ity commissioners say they want to see in operation. "When Duke Power reaches its highest point or peak in the system the new equipment would send out a signal and we could shave it off and save the city and customers money on electricity," said Maney. Tony Ruppe, owner of Ruppe Hosiery, questioned demand charges but Maney said that de- mand charges from the city's sup- plier Duke Power must be passed on to the customer. Ruppe questioned why his plants which operate the same hours in two locations are not charged the same amount for electrical power and said he pays the same demand charge for 12 months rather than being billed for a three months’ ratchet.” "There's just no rhyme or reason for it," he said. Councilman Jim Guyton sug- gested that Ruppe ask an engineer to test which plant pulls the most power. Maney said he has no control over setting new demand charges but explained that the rate is de- signed to help customers like Ruppe rather than hurt them. "You would be paying that same amount in three months instead of Spreading It out to A220 Te said In March the city got a bill for its three delivery units from Duke Power for electrical power totaling $371,930.39. The demand charge was $178,070.25 which was passed on to customers. Maney said that at least three plants in Kings Mountain have computers that monitor demand charges for electricity. __In a related report, Maney said there are demand meters at schools, churches and the Public Housing Authority but none have ever been billed demand charges. "Treat all the customers alike and anyone using more than 30kw will get a bill," said Guyton. Guyton also suggested that spe- cial gas rates be abolished and that Maney work up a rate sheet that would detail all rates. Maney said he would also work up a rate tariff which would give a definition of each rate class. "We need to have rates fair and equal so that people won't be tak- ing shots at us for treating one cus- tomer different from the other," said Guyton. "We've been tracking the cost of natural gas and the city is paying less, so the customer is paying less," he said. Maney said that Margrace cus- tomers who recently became city ‘customers said they were buying gas cheaper from Kings Mountain Virginia Grigg, seated, has her blood pressure checked by nurse Robin Champion at White Oak Manor.
