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Public hearing Tuesday on abolishing elections board
Citizens are invited to give input to City
Council Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on a proposed char-
ter change governing city elections an¢l on the
proposed abolishment of the 45-yearold city
board of elections.
The board passed a resolution of intent at last
month's meeting to ask the County Hoard of
Elections to run the city elections and to amend
the charter to establish non-partisan elections to
be determined by simple plurality vote.
A non-partisan election with plurality means
there is no primary election and no runoff, only
one election in November with the highest
votegetter the winner in each race. In event of a
tie, the winner would be decided by the luck of a
draw. The present charter provides for a primary
and a runoff if necessary.
Elections Board Chairman Becky Cook had
suggested the changes some months ago, citing
the cost of two elections and noting that under
the present system absentee votes are not allowed
because the city does not open its board of elec-
tions office five days a week.
If the new proposal is adopted, candidates
would pay their filing fees in Shelby but voters
could still register here at Mauney Memorial
Library as well as at the county elections board
office in Shelby. City officials would have to ne-
gotiate the cost of the service with the county
board of elections.
The proposal could be adopted at the
November meeting of Council but would still re-
quire approval of the US Justice Department.
Public hearings will also be held on a rezoning
request from Don Welch, Dixon School Road,
and on the agenda is a determination of fitness of
a dwelling owned by Linda Smith, 110 Center
Street.
Council will receive a petition from residents
of Southwoods and Somerset Drives for four-
way "children playing" signs at the intersection.
The board will be offered a gift to the city of 3.1
acres of land from Plonk Heirs. The tract is locat-
ed on Dilling Street behind the existing Gaston
Street Sub-Station.
The board will set Christmas holidays and
vote on bonuses for employees.
City Manager Jimmy Maney will report on on-
going city projects, including the Peak Generation
plant for which the foundation has been poured
on North Gaston Street. Construction is expected
to start on the $2 million facility next week.
GOING AFTER #1
Kings Mountain High football coach Roin Massey talks to his
team following an outstanding effort in a rizcent 28-28 tie with 4-
A power Crest at Gamble Stadium. The Mlountaineers face their
Dr. Anderson enjoying life in U.S.
Dr. Christian Anderson, 38, is
looking forward to next year
when he becomes a United
States Citizen.
Meantime, the native of West
Africa is continuing his work in
the Emergency Room at Kings
Mountain Hospital and is join-
ing Dr. Emmanuel Eloi in the
practice of internal medicine
and primary care at Kings
Mountain Walk-In Clinic on
King Street.
A native of Ghana, Anderson
set his sights on the medical
profession as a teenager grow-
ing up in a big family in Ghana
which is about the size of
North Carolina.
He héd two uncles who are
doctors and he decided to fol-
low in their footsteps. After
graduation from Medical
School ilh Ghana, he came to the
United (tates in 1988 and com-
pleted a three year residency in
internal medicine at New York
Hospital Medical Center of
Queens, In 1992 he moved to
Welch, West Virginia and prac-
ticed for three years before he
was recruited by Kings
Mountain Hospital and
Carolinas Medical Center to
move to this area.
Anderson went to work at
Kings Mountain Hospital in
1995 and moved to Gastonia.
Ground to be broken for new Fouirsquare church
which began in home of Rev. ancl Mrs. Dale Randle
Rev. Dale Randle, 46, is a
modern day Jonah and
Abraham.
Like Noah, the Bethlehem
Community man was reluctant
to follow God's call to preach.
But 15 years ago, by his own
testimony, he and his wife, Ann,
stepped out in faith like
Abraham. Without job security
or insurance they left a comfort-
able home and business to go
into the gospel ministry.
Four months ago four people
started a church in the Randle
home in Bethlehem Estates.
Sunday at 3 p.m. the 35
members of the new congrega-
tion will break ground for
Woodbridg Foursquare Church.
By early spring the $150,000
house of worship will open.
Mrs. Randall turned the den
of their four-bedroom, three
bath home into a sanctuary
with 50 chairs and a pulpit. An
organ,and computer system
were donated. One of the bed-
rooms is now an office and chil-
dren's church and Sunday
School classes are held in two
bedrooms.
Ann | supports her husband
by running errands, teaching in
the Sunday School or visiting
the sicki and shut in.
Ranclle said he was called to
preach as a teenager growing
up on a dairy farm and attend-
ing Bethlehem Baptist Church.
A 1968 graduate of Kings
Mountain High School, he start-
ed dating Ann Sprouse in high
school and they wed in 1971
and buiilt a new home in 1978.
Randle was partner with his
brother, Larry, in Randle
Brothers Grading for many
years.
"I made a decision for Christ
in 1978," he said. He attended a
small Four Square church on
Second Street and was assistant
pastor at Kings Mountain
FourSiquare before taking a pas-
torate; in Lincolnton from 1980-
85. The couple moved to
Macon, Ga. in 1985 and served
four ‘years before returning to
See Randles, 12-A
toughest challenge of the season Friday when they host Shelby
in a battle for first place in the Southwestern 3-A Conference.
See stories on page 6-A.
He is accepting new patients
and will be admitting patients
to Kings Mountain Hospital.
Although no appointment is
necessary for patients at Kings
Mountain Walk In Clinic, ap-
pointments may be made by
calling the clinic.
For relaxation, Anderson en-
joys golfing and movies. He at-
tends St. Stephens AME Zion
Church in Gastonia. He is sin-
gle.
Anderson says he loves
small town life and has met
many new friends in the area.
"We can get the big city ameni-
See Doctor, 12-A
DR. CHRISTIAN ANDERSON
SE
THE CHURCH HOUSE
Candidates speak
out at CCC forum
The majority of the six candi-
dates for three seats on the
Cleveland County Board of
Commissioners favor an indus-
trial park but not all want tax
money to be used to finance it.
They participated in a candi-
date forum Monday night at
Cleveland Community College.
"We have been trying to get
an industrial park for five years
and it's time for the county to
step in and show we are pro-
gressing,"' said Kings
Mountain's Ruby Alexander
who said she thinks the use of
tax monies to finance the park
is an "investment for the coun-
ty.
+ On other issues none of the
“candidates agreed with the
county's appointment of two
minority commissioners and
limited voting that will begin in
1998 to insure minority repre-
sentation on the board. :
Willie McIntosh, the only
African American running for
county commissioner, said lim-
ited voting is "detrimental to
the county."
Only Democrat John
McBrayer supported the merger
of the county's three schools. He
said "down the road merger
will definitely happen in
Cleveland County."
The county's increased crime
problems was a concern of can-
didates as well as such priori-
ties as more jobs, economic de-
velopment and improvements
to utilities infrastructure.
Candidates running for three
seats open on the board are:
John McBrayer, Jack Spangler
and Willie McIntosh, all
Democrats; and Ruby
Alexander, Joe Cabaniss and
Ray Thomas, Republicans.
Rep. Clary defends
attendance record
The question of whether state |
legislators not attending com-
mittee meetings should be paid
was a hot topic at Tuesday
night's candidate forum at
Cleveland Community College
which evoked some jabs from
both Republicans and
Democrats.
On other issues, the 11 candi-
dates for two seats in Senate
District 25, two seats in District
37 and the seven candidates for
three seats in House District 48
were in general agreement that
jobs, economic development
and eflucational improvements |
were priorities.
The candidates are: Democrat
Walter Dalton and incumbent
Republican Dennis Dauvis,
District 25 Senate; incumbent
Democrat David Hoyle and
Republican Ray Hoyle, Senate
District 37; and incumbent GOP
House 48 Representatives John
Weatherly and Debbie Clary,
Republican Dean Allen,
Libertarian Mark Seiler, and
Democrats Aileene Ford, Andy
Dedmon and Doug Pearson.
With the exception of Ray
Hoyle , all were in agreement
that the governor should have
veto power.
Ray Hoyle also stood alone
on the question of the school
bond issue. He said he would
vote against both the school and
road bonds because "there's too
much debt now."
The Senate forum attracted
50-60 people and the House fo-
rum attracted a smaller number,
mostly candidate families and
reporters.
See Forum, 12-A
KM school officials considering
building new school for grades 5-6
School officials could be
mulling over the possibility of a
new school for grades 5-6 in a
central location of the commu-
nity.
The idea hinges on passage of
the school bond referendum
Nov. 5 in which Kings
Mountain's projected share of
the pie is $6.1 million for school
improvements over a five year
period, said Board of Education
Chairman Ronnie Hawkins.
Hawkins is encouraging ev-
ery voter to vote "yes" for
school bonds.
"There's a possibility that a
new school could go up for
grades K-5 to handle the grow-
ing populations at Grover and
Bethware areas but I like the
idea that came from a local
principal who suggested that a
new school house grades 5-6,"
he said.
Hawkins said the suggestion
could be a winner because by
putting all fifth graders in one
schools and taking the sixth
grade from the middle school
would give more classroom
space where it's needed and al-
so alleviate some of the traffic
problems at the middle and
high schools.
Hawkins said bonds will be
paid from existing state revenue
sources. . Hawkins said State
Treasurer Harlan Boles has said
that as long as the economy is
healthy the bonds could be paid
off without a tax increase.
Funds would enable the rate
of school construction to double
in North Carolina and the three
school systems in Cleveland
County would share in a whop-
ping $25 million over a five
year period if there are match-
ing dollars and Hawkins says
Kings Mountain has matching
dollars from purchase of com-
puters and renovation of
Central School among other
things.
The school bonds are No. 4
on the ballot. There are three
constitutional amendments vot-
ers will also decide at the polls:
veto power to the Governor;
probation, restitution, commu-
nity service and work programs
as punishments imposed on a
person convicted; of a criminal
offense; and adding Victims
Rights giving crime victims ba-
sic rights to participate in the
justice system...
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