SE
PEERS
Page 4A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, June 1, 1995
DEDICATION - People's Baptist Church dedicated the first phase of its new building program Sunday
to a capacity crowd of worshipers at special services at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. led by Pastor John Houze, as-
sisted by Dr. Corbin Cooper and Rev. Eugene Early. Phase 1 of the building program utilizes a metal
structure featuring a temporary sanctuary in what will be the fellowship hall and several classrooms. The
church is blue carpeted with blue cushions on the pews. Some of the furnishings were donated by other
churches of the community.
Pictured are members of the City of Kings Mountain Electric Department, one of the safety award win-
ners of the Pacemaker Award for Excellence. From left to right, Utility Director Jimmy Maney, Rick
Chapman, Gene Waldroup, John Houser, Bob Boles, Tom Roddy and Director of Human Services
Winston Bagley. Not pictured: Scott Buchanan, Ni
ck Hendricks and Timmy Adams.
Moss Lake clean-up underway
The clean-up by a Gastonia
dredging company from a diesel
oil spill at Moss Lake Friday after-
noon could run into the thousands
of dollars and was still underway
yesterday.
Walt Ollis, Water Superintendent
for the City of Kings Mountain,
said there is no danger "whatsoev-
er" to Kings Mountain's drinking
water supply.
A subcontractor for John Jenkins
dredging sand on the upper end of
Moss Lake Friday afternoon sank
his barge and diesel oil from a 30-
gallon tank leaked into the lake.
Ollis said he was told that the
tank was full on Friday but had
been used all day and and whatever
was unused spilled over.
Booms were installed by emer-
gency crews across the lake
Saturday to trap the oil that got
into the upper end of the city-
owned lake. Ollis said that the oil
was also trapped by brush along
the shore and was well contained
in the upper end of the lake and
was nowhere close to the intake of
the water plant.
City officials were not notified
by company officials about the
spill until Saturday, according to
City Manager Chuck Nance, who
said that Moss Lake residents noti-
fied the city's lake officer Friday
evening and others who monitored
the situation. Some residents of the
lake said they saw the barge sink
and had watched the progress to
contain the spill and cleanup dur-
ing the Memorial Day weekend.
Nance, who was on a weekend
camping trip, found out about the
spill Sunday at 9:30 p.m. But
Finance Director Maxine Parsons
was on the scene during the week-
end as well as other city officials,
according to Ollis.
Tuesday morning city officials
were holding an assessment meet-
ing with representatives of the
Division of Natural Resources
Water Quality Division, environ-
mental cleanup officials and David
Bumgardner, president of John
Jenkins Inc.
Nance said the barge was con-
nected to a dragline and the opera-
tor was returning to shore to refuel
and the barge went down about 20
to 30 feet off the shore in six to
eight feet of water. One of the ca-
bles may have been too tight and
tilted the barge. The diesel fuel in
the tank leaked out.
Cherryville truck museum
plans facility improvements
The Board of Directors of the C.
Grier Beam Truck Museum in
Cherryville has approved extensive
upgrades to the facility which
opened in 1982.
The museum opened as Carolina
Freight Carriers Corp. celebrated
its 50th anniversary. It is operated
as a charitable trust and is managed
by a board of directors which is in-
dependent of the company. The
museum has no affiliation with the
company except as its supplier of
promotional items used by the
company in its marketing of ser- -
vices.
In making the announcement,
Palmer E. Huffstetler, president of
the museum, stated that the
changes are designed to make a
more lively presentation of the
company's history.
City approves appraisal
of City, Davidson lakes
City Council unanimously voted
Tuesday to appraise the Davidson
and City Lake properties at fair
market value with an eye to "see-
ing if we want to try to sell them."
The motion was made by
Councilman Jim Guyton, seconded
by Councilman Jerry White.
Gnyton, chairman of the city
utility committee, has said at sever-
al city utilitiy committee meetings
recently that the city is losing mon-
ey on the lakes.
The city is spending $300,000
for state-mandated improvements
to the dam at Davidson Lake this
year and must make improvements
to the City Lake dam in the near
future.
"When the time comes to sell
we need to place some restrictions
on the property,” said Councilman
Ralph Grindstaff, who said that ad-
joining property owners must be
considered.
A group of property owners vis-
ited the recent utility committee
meeting to question the rumored
sale of the properties and asked
that some restrictions be placed if
the property is sold.
"I don't want to see anyone's
property devalued," said
Grindstaff.
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Hazardous materials team mem-
bers from the county and other
emergency crews worked for sev-
eral hours Saturday morning to
contain the spill.
Carolina Aggregates, a sub-
sidiary of John Jenkins Inc., owns
the dredging equipment and had
just got its equipment in place and
running to dredge the accumulation
of sand at the upper end of the
lake, according to Ollis.
"Our people at the water plant
are on top of it and are continuing
to monitor the situation," said
Ollis.
"We could never have planned a
better practice session in emergen-
cy preparedness,” said Ollis, who
speculated that even if all 30 gal-
lons had spilled into the water that
the diesel fuel would have floated
on top of the water and there would
have been no danger of contamina-
tion.
No warnings were issued to city
residents about water usage.
The spill occurred on the side of
the lake farthest from the Kings
Mountain water plant. The fuel oil
left little more than a film on the
top of the water, lake residents
said.
Nance said it would be up to the
state's Environmental Protection
Agency to decide whether to fine
Carolina Aggregates for not report-
ing the spill on Friday.
"It bothers me is that the city
had to be contacted by the property
owners first instead of by the con-
tractor," said Nance.
MAYOR
From Page 1-A
zens have the right to speak at ev-
ery meeting but they need to fol-
low the procedure by placing their
names on an agenda with City
Manager Chuck Nance by
Wednesday at 5 p.m. prior to the
next Tuesday meeting.
"This procedure makes for a pro-
ductive meeting and has worked in
the past."
Hager said he thought the may-
or's idea was worth trying and re-
minded that Council is there to lis-
ten to the concerns of the citizens
who sit in the audience.
"We are representing all the citi-
zens of the community," he said.
Spears said the proposal both-
ered him because as many as 30
people could come to one meeting
for instance and filibuster.
Bridges noted that a person
could give no input unless he or
she were first placed on an agenda
with no opportunity to ask ques-
tions or to comment.
"This is not right," she said.
From the audience Clayvon
Kelly, who attends virtually all
Council meetings, agreed.
Grindstaff questioned if only
citizens of Kings Mountain would
be permitted to speak or would the
mayor's recommendation apply to
all.
After the meeting Joe Champion
objected strongly to the board's de-
cision to omit public input.
"It seems to me Council would
welcome public input,” said the
chairman of the land use planning
committee and Moss Lake
Commission.
MORGAN
From Page 1-A
celled in soccer. She holds the
state bowling record in Special
Olympics. The four-feet 11, straw-
berry blonde endurance swimmer
goes to Raleigh this weekend to
swim free style and backstrokes in
the state championship Special
Olympics.
At North Shelby Awards Day
she won the principal's leadership,
career participation and communi-
ty-based training awards, arts and
honor chorus awards and was the
only one of the six graduates who
graduated with high honors. She
“has an all-A record for the past 10
years in school.
Sissy has been attending the spe-
cial school for 15 years, learning
social skills and vocational train-
ing from a talented and caring
staff. Now she plans to look for a
job at a fast food business or cloth-
ing store.
In-between job hunting she is
dreaming of making wedding plans
and babysitting for her younger sis-
ter, Marlowe Higginbotham, 8. She
also attended her brother Philip's
graduation from Crest High School
and is planning a family trip to
Clemson University to see her
brother, Brandon, receive his de-
gree. Summer vacation days will
find her swimming at Lake
Montonia and at the beach.
Special guests at her graduation
were her father, Vernon Morgan of
Gaffney, SC, and her grandmother,
Mrs. Lewis Morgan of Grover. She
is the granddaughter of the late Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Marlowe of Kings
Mountain.
Forty-five family members and
close friends gathered after the
graduation exercises for a celebra-
tion dinner at Satterfield's
Restaurant hosted by Sissy's moth-
er and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs.
John Higginbotham.
Bowling, soccer and swimming
charms on a gold charm bracelet
were gifts from her family.
A die-hard Charlotte Hornets
fan, Sissy received a Hornet charm
from her aunt, Ginny Arnette.
On Graduate Sunday at First
Presbyterian Church she received a
white Bible.
"What happened to Sissy at birth
July 10, 1973 was a fluke," said her
mother. "It was a genetic but not
inherited disease that some people
have and are not as lucky as my
daughter and her friend.
"Sissy's beau was several
months old when his disease was
diagnosed after surgery. They are
both very responsible young peo-
ple and children of doting parents.”
Sissy, who may get her versatili-
ty and bright outlook on life from
her doting mother, says she got a
"better than average chance at life"
and thinks the doctor who deliv-
ered her at birth may get a clipping
of this story.
By all accounts, the pretty girl in
the red cap and gown was all
‘smiles.
" Who knows? She may even
break another record and drive that
red Corvette she has her eyes on.
RHONEY
From Page 1-A
was assistant principal and
coached at Burns High School in
the Cleveland County system and
taught business subjects from
1974-84 and was on the faculty at
Burns Junior High from 1984-86.
He taught in the Gaston County
Schools at Bessemer City High
from 1986-88. He has 21 years ex-
perience in education.
A native of Valdese, he earned
his bachelor's and master's degrees
from Appalachian State University
and a certificate in administration
from Western Carolina University.
He resides at Woodbridge.
"I am very excited about work-
ing at Parker Street School," said
Rhoney.
Rhoney says he sca the new al-
ternative school as a good program
county-wide.
"We need a commitment from
the entire community of parents
and students to make this much-
needed program work," he said.
Parker Street School enrolled 63
students during the recent school
year.
ELECTION
From Page 1-A
current City Council who has spo-
ken publicly about the election.
The mayor favors a two year term.
Gene White, retired city planner
who led the successful petition ef-
fort which called for the election, is
encouraging voter turnout with
newspaper advertisements and
handouts. "Regardless how people
vote it will take only abou 20 min-
utes of their time and it's impor-
tant,” said White.
TYNER
From Page 1-A
"I'd been working all my life to
have my own place. I was never
afraid I couldn't do it."
Tyner had offers to go elsewhere
but he said he wanted his own
place in Cleveland County and he
liked Kings Mountain. Years later
he and his wife, Bradine Lail
Tyner, built a home at Moss Lake.
Mrs. Tyner remains active in the
business.
The family includes three chil-
dren, Kevin Queen, David Tyner
and Kyle Tyner. Queen joined the
company as general sales manager
and an officer in 1987. Tyner says
long-range plans are to approve
Queen as his successor when he re-
tires.
Life has been good to him and
he says he's thankful for the good
health to enjoy it.
"I've no thought of retiring yet,"
he laughed.
"Yet you come to realize it
would be something nice to do.
"Retirement would give me
more time to enjoy life a little more
if that's possible."
When he has time Wade swims,
skis, boats, indulges his photogra-
phy hobby during another hobby-
travel - and answers the call of the
wild each duck hunting season. He
also deer hunts.
His community service is leg-
end.
He was a charter member and
past president of Shelby Civitan
Club, served on the advisory
boards of Salvation Army,
Cleveland County Museum,
Cleveland Community College and
KM District Schools, is senior ac-
tive member and was president of
KM Rotary Club where he was a
Paul Harris Fellow.
President of the Kings Mountain
Chamber which merged recently
with Cleveland Chamber, he re-
mains on the board of directors and
also on the board of Home Federal
Savings Bank and Security Capitol.
He is active in First Baptist
Church. He has been president of
Pinnacle Homeowners Association
in North Myrtle Beach, SC for
eight years.
Active in the state Automobile
Dealers Association for 25 years,
currently on the board of directors
and secretary of the association in
1985, Tyner earned the North
Carolina Time Magazine Quality
Dealer Award in 1993. He is the
immediate past president of the
North Carolina Automobile
Dealers Association which in-
cludes 700 franchise dealers in the
state. For 10 years he has been re-
cipient of Ford's Distinguished
Achievement Award.
Since his association with the
state and national automobile trade
associations, the successful dealer
has been kept hopping, attending
workshops and seminars trying to
keep on top of the ever-changing
industry.
There are numerous plaques on
his walls which reflect the exper-
tise of Tyner and his staff in sales
records. More plaques were added
this week as he holds special 25th
anniversary events at the dealer-
ship.
"We have progressed from pen
and paper to satellite communica-
tions with Ford Motor Company,"
says Wade.
"We now have electronic fund
transfers and credit approval with
Ford Motor Credit even on week-
ends and after business hours plus
highly sophisticated Service Bay
Diagnostic Systems which fine
tune problems in vehicles."
Wade Ford Inc. has doubled its
staff since 1970 and expanded its
facilities.
Wade's commitment to customer
satisfaction is related by his son.
A social worker with the
Migrant Workers had been in
Cleveland County and on her way
back to Raleigh when her foreign
car developed major mechanical
problems. With deadlines to meet it
was imperative she return to
Raleigh . She left her car at Wade
Ford to be repaired and drove on to
Raleigh in the Tyner's personal car.
On the following Saturday her car
was delivered to her in Raleigh by
the Tyners on their way to visit
Kevin, who lived there at the time.
Tyner's automotive career spans
40-plus years but his philosophy in
business is still the same.
Practice the golden rule. he tells
his staff, in pricing and dealing
with people.
The automobile business is very
demanding on ‘Tyner and his fani-
ly.
"You've got to stay with it.”
Tyner says of his job.
He looks forward, never back.
METERS
From Page 1-A
which at first were estimated to be
$120,000 are still in litigation.
"My auditors have been saying
that something is wrong,” said
Ruppe after Stone gave his initial
report last week.
"The way I look at it the city
owes me."
In the Ruppe account 140060) the
billing demand was 128.0 for 12.
months and was 136.0 for eight
months. Guyton called attention to
several accounts where the billing
demand was the same for a long
period of time and said, "this tells
me we are not reading meters."
Councilman Ralph Grindstaff
suggested that residential meters be
checked on a monthly basis and
asked if new software would help
red flag the accounts and spot
check trouble areas.
"The only red flags I see on a
regular basis are the red faces of
customers who complain and leave
the city mad," he said.
Finance Director Maxine
Parsons said that new software
and more personnel in the billing
department plus training for them
would pay off.
Councilwoman Norma Bridges
suggested that the city's first chore
should be to get the 125 water me-
ters fixed which which are broke.
But Water Supt. Walt Ollis said
he does not have the staff to repair
meters but said that new meters
now being put in are self-reading,
disagreeing with Guyton who sug-
gested that the city sub-contract the
job of meter repairs.
"The city needs the revenue and
we need to eliminate the zero
billings," said Guyton.
Ollis said he had personally
checked 111 addresses of water
customers with zero consumption
and found 27 homes vacant, Six
homes under new construction,
and 22 people who had used less
than 1000 gallons of water in a
month.
Ollis said that the city has
14,000 meters and his first priority
has to be water lines.
Utilities Supt. Jimmy Maney
said that it has been city policy that
when a customer moves that all the
utilities are turned off except water.
He suggested that this policy be
changed to included all utilities
shut off when a customer moves.
Grindstaff said he knew of one
instance where-the owner of the
property had died and the property
was apparently vacant but several
people had been seen washing cars.
Maney said he was not attempt-
ing to defend any department but
he said the staff had looked last
year at many of the suggestions in
the audit and is working to make
corrections.
"A year ago when my depart-
ment took on supervision of meter
reading, the readers didn't have to
read the demand, for instance", he
said.
"Other screwy things have hap-
pened and we have had to revalu-
ate and take steps to make im-
provements."
Responding to Guyton's sugges-
tion to reroute metering and which
the utilities committee approved
last week, Maney said it isn't a
simple matter. Customers could be
billed for 45-50 day cycles if the
rerouting is done at this time of
year when usage is high.
"Can't we do something about
those people on fixed incomes who
would find trying to pay more a
struggle?" asked Councilman Jerry
White.
Maney suggested that a repre-
sentative from water, gas and elec-
tric departments check every meter
in the city and inventory to see
what's there.
"Appeal to the customer to come
forward if he's getting free utilities
and there are some and then send
them a bill.
Maney said that meter readers
and the billing department were ac-
countable with reports and in find-
ing and correcting the problems.
"It's a mess with a capital M."
said Maney.
Guyton agreed and said he will
start going door to door and putting
on paper the names of residents
and if he finds a person who does-
n't pay for either one of the utili-
ties. water, gas or electric, and
sanitation that he is going to write
it down and take the names to City
Hall with copies to the newspaper.
Maney said the problem with
Guyton's scenario is that often the
occupant of a dwelling is not the
one to whom the utilities are
billed.,
Councilman Rick Murphrey sug-
gested that the board implement
the suggestions of the auditor, in-
cluding a rate study expected to
cost about $55.000.
Councilman Phil Hager noted
that the board had already ap-
proved the agenda to hear only the
formal presentation and action was
delayed.
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