Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Feb. 27, 1997, edition 1 / Page 1
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Member North Carolina Press Association Vol. 109 No. 09 of Southwestern 3A Championship Thursday, February 27, 1997 United Fund merges with count Kings Mountain United Fund was dissolved Monday by its board of directors and merged with United Way of Cleveland County. The two county charitable or- ganizations announced the partnership at a press confer- ence at City Hall Tuesday morning after the unanimous action by the Kings Mountain board at a luncheon meeting Monday. The merger had been talked for several years, voted down at least once and came after sever- al weeks of discussions among Utility bill irks KM woman WA 71-year-old Kings ~ Mountain woman says she has een hit by the city with utility ~ bills she doesn't owe at least twice in recent months and now she's hopping mad be- return her telephone calls. Aileen Ross, of 306 Blanton St., said four months ago she got her electric bill for $800 and ~ complained to Counciiman get anyone fired. Ross, who is also a city gas customer, recently received a bill that didn't include gas and when she received the second bill with no gas listed on it she called the city and informed them that somcthing was wrong wth the meter. "Someone came out and looked at the meter and said, "No, it's not working and left," she said. She said she called the city and told them they'd better bring her out a new meter the next day and they did. However, the next bill she re- ceived was for $375.64 which she was told was estimated by using figures from an average of consumption over the last three or four years. Ross says she owed for gas only for two months but that she and her daughter went to City Hall on February 7 and paid $70 on the bill and she paid her regular utility bill of $37.95. The city’s Customer Service Representative Mary Bowen confirmed that she offered Ross and three other customers whose gas meters malfunc- tioned recently a contract to pay the back gas bills over the several months it took the city to change out the meters and install new ones. Bowen said in hardship cases the city spreads the payment time. Ross won't be charged a $10 late fee if she pays current charges monthly on time which the city says she does. Bowen said Mrs. Ross called the city January 8 after she found no gas charges on her December billing. "Customers usc very little gas in October but it picks up in November and December," said Bowen. She said the work order and getting a history of consumption is time consum- ing. “It usually takes a couple of months to bill but we always give the customer time to pay for any back charges that could come from malfunctioning me- ters," she said. Monday Mayor Scott Neisler signed a contract with the city to pay $50 a month on the re- See Ross, 3-A United Way leaders. Ruby Alexander, a past pres- ident and campaign chairman for Kings Mountain United Fund and a new member of the board of the Cleveland County United Way, was instrumental in bringing about the merger and said there are numerous benefits to the collaboration. "The fund raising and alloca- tions procedure conducted by both the United Fund and United Way will now be han- dled through one organization. This will make the process easi- er for both the agencies and tr contributors,’ she said. "By combining these two organiza- tions, the attention the cam- paign will get from the profes- sional staff at the United Way of Cleveland County can only en- hance our fundraising efforts." "The needs all around Cleveland County continue to grow daily- while the resources do not. The volunteers of the United Fund have done a won- derful job raising the funds to help meet these needs but it is time to give the effort the full time, year round attention that is needed," she said. "We are ex- Ross who said she wasn't out to to tremely excited about this new opportunity and hope the resi- dents of our hometown will share that excitement." Longtime volunteer and re- tired hardwareman J. C. Bridges, who worked in the Kings Mountain United Fund beginning with its inception in the early 1950's, echoed Alexander's sentiments. Bridges made the motion to merge, sec- onded by banker Elaine Grigg, at the Monday meeting. Alexander, bankers Jay See United, 2-A Grover students receive free dental care The late Ellen Sisk was carried to Bessemer City Memorial Cemetery in the horse dian hearse purchased by her husband, Frank F. Sisk, founder of Sisk-Butler Funeral Home. The hearse , which dates back to 1914, was made by the Pennsylvania Amish. Sisk Purchased the unique car- riage in 1969 from an antique store in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. City approves rezoning for plant City Council approved a re- zoning request Tuesday night that paves the way for Patriot Homes of Elkhart, Indiana to build a 120,000 square feet $3.5 million dollar plant on Crocker Road which could mean up to 200 new jobs . Norma Divers, engineer, said if all goes well that the plant could be up and ready by August or September for pro- duction of manufactured hous- es. He said preliminary site de- signs are underway. Realtor John Barker and Economic Development Officer Steve Nigh, both of Shelby, said the new industry would bring the largest influx of new jobs to Cleveland County in more than 10 years. Nigh said the jobs would be very welcome in this area since the closing of the big Clevemont Plant which left many workers out of a job. Last week the Planning and Zoning Board voted 5-1 in favor of rezoning 80 acres of farm land owned by Phillip R. Elam from residential to light indus- trial. Worried that the plant would change the rural charac- ter of the arca, Bob Lupcan of Country Creck, Keith Miller from Quail Hollow, Cameron Ware and Mike Hutchins spoke at the public hearing but al- though areca residents were pre- sent Tuesday no one spoke in opposition. City Council unan- imously adopted the Planning Board's recommendation. The new Kings Mountain plant, the first for the 25-ycar- old company in North Carolina, specializes in manufactured homes. The pay scale for em- ployees runs $9 an hour but with bonuses $10.60 per hour, plant officials pointed out last week. Cleveland Community KM residents get place to rest after their walk A Conversation Patio and six park benches create a pleasant atmosphere for approximately 150 people who walk the city's walking track every day. Karl Moss, the city's superin- tendent of public works, starts the day with the carly walkers about 4:30 a.m. The walking track is open until 11 p.m. daily and is one of the busiest places in town. Adding the park benches is a big boon for people who have to rest before taking another trek around the track, according to Moss. David Green bricked the 39 by 29 feet patio with its 12 feet flower garden in the center sur- rounded by Bradford pear trees. donated by the First Baptist Church and Kings Mountain Fire Muscum. The parking lot has also been expanded to ac- commodate 70 automobiles and topsoil is being added in front of the track and grass is being planted. Landscaper Robert Hutchinson said that seasonal bulbs are being planted and that the whole track will be resurfaced with five inches of new rock dirt. A new informa- tion sign is in place. : Kings Mountain Police stepped up patrol of the arca since the vandalism. of park benches and bathroom facilitics. Moss said walkers should start off slow and consult a doc- tor before beginning a rigorous program. "It's fun and rel axing for pco- ple of all ages and it's good for your health," he says. College will begin training of carpenters, electricians and plumbers in May. The plant will operate one shift from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Normal production runs from one to two manufactured homes a day. Nye said the company had looked at numerous sites in North Carolina, including Shelby and Boiling Springs, and chose the Kings Mountain site because of the availability of water, sewer, electricity and gas with access to 1-85 and the po- tential for employces. City planning director Steve Killian said by its action Council concurred with the Planning Board that commercial and industrial development should be encouraged in that 2.9 mile corridor from I-85 tp See Plant, 3-A PIPE~98082 IN NIVLINNOW SONIA Ah aguas 9 S 00T AdHHETT AINAYH v1 ! Lod Ut 2000%% LY0S La~dPIxKs 7 Kings Mountain, N.C. 28086 * 50¢ UNITED FUND MERGES - J.C. Bridges, Sherwood Southerland and UF President Mikie Smith, right, made the announcement Tuesday of the merger of the Kings Mountain United Fund and United Way of Cleveland County. Ruby Alexander, left to City Manager {0 oversee lake | A reorganization of some de- partments in city government will begin with Moss Lake where the city will get tougher on people who don't pay leases in a timely manner and will run the lake operation as a business. City Manager Jimmy Mancy got the endorsement of his plans by City Council members attending the first work session on the 1997-98 budget Thursday eration of the department would fall directly under the city manager's authority and that of the Planning Department Codes Officer Jeff Putnam. Maney said that since the summer lake business is usually brisk on weekends that he will recommend that the beach areca be closed except Saturday and Sunday to cut down on the costs. “We need to inventory the lake shoreline and get a handle on the lake operation,’ said Maney. "Everyone will pay his fair share,"said Mancy, saying that if lease payments become delin- quent that residents won't get their leases renewed and have no access to the lake. "We need to be firm and let people know who is in charge," said Councilman Jerry Mullinax. Maney said that he hoped to include $10,000 in capital re- serves which is new to the bud- get proposal for lake opera- tions. Planning Director Steve Killian opened the discussion of the lake needs, noting that ac- countability, financial responsi- See Lake, 3-A City will retain animal control By a vote of 4-3, Kings Mountain City Council Tuesday night rejected a proposal by the Cleveland County Health Department to take over its ani- mal control duties. Councilman Jerry White made the motion, seconded by have called for a $21, 000 plus annual salary to the person run- ning the job, turning over the city's new dog truck and a con- tract which left liability with the city due to the fact that the city has a leash law and the county does not. Voting for the proposal were Councilmen Rick Murphrey, Dean Spears and Phil Hager. They joined Mayor Scott Neisler and. City Manager Jimmy Maney in endorsing the proposal. "There is a misconception here," said White, a county} deputy, who said there isn't a single sworn officer currently in animal control and after hours those employees respond only in emergencies. "I am 100 percent opposed,” said White. "We have our own animal control department and we need to keep it here.” Hager said the board's failure to take the recommendation of the city manager was micro- management. "We hired Jimmy Maney to do a job and we're not letting | him do it," charged Hager. But Grindstaff and Mullinak disagreed. "This is not micromanaging,” See Animal, 3-A PE Le or 4% ee 5 CONVERSATION PARK - A Conversation Park has been added to the city's walking track. Public Works Supt. Karl Moss, left, builder David Green and landscaper Robert Hutchinson survey some of the additions.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Feb. 27, 1997, edition 1
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