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Vol. 110 No. 33
uestions
&
Answers
City Manager
talks about
wastewater
treatment issue
By WES GROOMS
Since the article on water
rates appeared in the Herald
several weeks ago there seems
to be confusion in regards to
how this breaks down and what
it actually means. We sat down
with City Manager Jimmy
Maney in a question-and-an-
swer session to go into full de-
tails of the issue.
Q - Please explain the 7% wa-
ter increase.
A - There was never a 7% wa-
ter increase
discussed.
The City of
Gastonia
passed on a
7% wastewa-
to Kings
~ Mountain.
~The city
sends
wastewater
to Crowders Creek Wasterwater
Facility owned and operated by
the City of Gastonia.
Q - Why does the city send
wastewater to Crowders
Creek?
A - The city of Kings
Mountain entered into a 30-year
contract with the city of
Gastonia in 1988 for the
Crowders Creek project. There
is a minimum monthly contract
demand associated with this
contract whether you send 1
_gallon or millions of gallons
each month. This contract was
entered into after the State of
North Carolina basically shut
down the McGill treatment
plant. The state also issued a
moratorium (stop order) on all
new wastewater taps which in-
cluded residential, commercial
and industrial. This meant no
new growth. The city spent mil-
lions of dollars of bond money
to upgrade the Pilot Creek plant
and infrastructure. The state
indicated they would not issue
a permit to upgrade the McGill
Plant, a facility over 50 years
old; therefore the Crowders
Creck project became the only
option at the time for the city.
The city could have spent eight
to ten-million dollars to build a
new plant but financially could
"hot afford it. Improvements
were needed on the system in-
frastructure as well as the treat-
ment facility.
Q - Why doesn't the city own
its own wastewater treatment
facility?
A - The city has two wastew-
ater treatment outlets. We own
capacity in Crowders Creek and
we own Pilot Creek wastewater
treatment facility.
Q - What about sending flow
to Pilot Creek from this side of
town?
A - There are problems asso-
ciated with this concept. Pilot
See Questions, 12A
First Carolina Federal
BE
ter increase
Thursday, August 13, 1998
Copula
salvaged
by firemen
Retired fireman Red Ware
and other KM firemen spot-
ted planes from copula dur-
ing World War ll
Ware spot
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Of The Herald Staff
The 1937 wood and copper cupola lifted
Wednesday from atop the old city hall has special
memories for retired fireman Red Ware, 90.
Ware, who has
been homebound for
several years due to
illness, said he won't
ever forget how he
and the late fireman
Red McKee used to
spot airplanes during
the war from that
high vantage point
overlooking Kings
Mountain.
"We had a spe-
cial call number and
code name and we
called to the : ,
Charlotte Airport and gave the information,”
said Ware, who said the years had diminished
"co. We kept
watch 24
hours a
day."
-Red Ware
A es Ir A n i i
could sit inside after they went up to the top in a
ladder to watch from all four sides any activity in
the skies.
"Firemen volunteered for this duty during the
war years and we kept watch 24 hours a day,"
Red said.
Ware said firemen received no money, enjoying
their contribution to the war effort. He said every
plane that went over Kings Mountain was seen
by firemen.
"At City Hall we called our operation Plane
Spotting Headquarters and John Floyd, Sarah
Simpson's uncle, was in charge," recalled Ware.
“If we could identify the planes we did but if
we could not we would say an unidentified plane
was going over the city," said Red who said the
city took the emergency measures during the war
years and the project was continued for some
years after World War II ended.
After all these years, Red remembers the call
name and number: Juliet Foxtrot three one black.
Ware's son, Bud, who followed in his father's
footsteps with long service to the Kings Mountain
Fire Department, said he was a plane spotter for a
number of years after the war.
~ best interest of local s Be
Kings Mountain, NC «Since 1889 +50¢
New 5-6
school
approved
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Of The Herald Staff
Although it's four to five years away from
opening its doors to students, a new 5-6 School
will be built in Kings Mountain following a 3-2
decision of the board of education Monday.
No site has been chosen and no timetable for
completion has been set. The next step is the hir-
ing of an architect to assist in the planning.
"It doesn't make much sense to look for the
land before you decide what kind of school you
want to build," said Supt. Dr. Bob McRae who
pledged the support of the staff whatever the de-
cision. a=
Chairman Ronnie Hawkins said board mem-
bers had wrestled with the decision for over a
year after public hearings were held inviting in-
put from the community.
"From those public meetings I learned that
Po Mountain parents want a 5-6 school," he
said.
Creating a 5-6 school will also mean the board
won't have to deal with redrawing Kings
Mountain elementary school attendance lines and
Hawkins said that was a big concern of parents.
But Larry Allen, who agreed that redistricting
would not be pleasant for anyone, said a a new k-
5 elementary school would be in the long term
tinuity of attending the same school from kinder-
garten through fifth grade, rather than changing
schools after fourth grade and again after sixth
grade. ;
Melony Bolin agreed with Allen. "Transition is
transition,” she said. "Will we be benefiting the
kids in the long run irregardless of what it means _.
for parents who may have to move their students
out to another school.” :
Shearra Miller said beyond space considera-
tions the fifth through sixth grade school has ad-
vantages. She said sixth graders would do better
socially with fifth graders, than they do currently
with seventh and eighth grade students.
Hawkins agreed, saying that parents had told
him they preferred their students not attend a
middle school with older students.
"I think they can be served well in a school that
is almost like a transition school," said Miller.
Board members recently visited a 5-6 school in
Clover,SC and were pleased with the arrange-
ment.
B.S. Peeler, who made the motion to approve
the 5-6 school, said the 5-6 school would elimi-
nate crowding at the Kings Mountain Middle
School which would then house grades seven
and eight.
Peeler said Kings Mountain Middle School had
SPH Tha Gon
some of his memory of reporting of the activity.
Ware said the late Mayor Glee A. Bridges
closed in the cupola with glass so that firemen
See Ware, 10A
964 students on opening day of the 1998-99
school term Monday.
See School, 11A
KM Schools' ABC Report: Straight A's
Teacher Susan Denton reads to students at West School on first day of
class Monday morning
Kings Mountain
739-4781
300 W. Mountain St. 529 S. New Hope Rd.
Kings Mountain District
Schools led the county in the
state's ABCs with West School
near the top in the state as a
School of Excellence and
Bethware a School of
Distinction.
An overflow crowd of par-
ents and teachers celebrated at
Monday night's August board
meeting which included presen-
tation of banners and plaques to
all seven schools. Eligible per-
sonnel will also get bonuses.
"Results such as these don't
come by accident,” said Supt.
Dr. Bob McRae who cited the
dedication of students and staff
over the past two years of the
ABC program in 119 school sys-
tems in the state.
"We focused on instruction,”
he said.
The state ABC report card
was announced last Thursday
/
Gastonia
865-1111
py the Department of Public
Instruction.
All elementary schools in
Kings Mountain and the Middle
School met expected growth.
Five schools were exemplary
schools, meaning they exceeded
expected growth.
East and North Elementary
Schools and Kings Mountain
Middle School received exem-
plary ratings. iy!
Both Grover Elementary and
Kings Mountain High School
met expected growth. This was
the first year that KMHS was
included in the rankings.
Grover narrowly missed the ex-
pected growth status by a small
percentage.
By having more than 80 per-
cent of students reach proficien-
cy, Bethware was named a
School of Distinction.
See ABC, 2A
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