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PAY HIKE
From 1A
and we will try not to make in-
creases to take care of capital
needs in the next year,” he told
_ the full board.
Maney said the raises puts
the city in a range to build on
- for the future.
“I make it clear that I have
never nor. will I ever give my-
self a raise ‘said "Maney who
said he would never recom-
mend pay. raises unti ere was
After-analyzing the available
funds, Maney said the city was
in solid financial shape. He said
the city budgeted several trans-
fers from utilities for the new
police building but that when
police enter the new building
“we won't owe a dime on it.”
The new pay plan clearly dis-
tinguishes between officers, for
instance, in the police depart-
ment, clearly recognizing salary
ranges while rewarding em-
ployees for longevity.
Since last council meeting the
personnel committee composed
of Chairman Phil Hager, Norma
Bridges and Bob Hayes have
met with Maney to review
salaries, comparing each posi-
tion with salaries of employees
in comparable positions with 28
cities the size of Kings
Mountain.
Maney said the surveys re-
veal that Kings Mountain ranks
at the bottom of pay by other
cities with 10,000 population.
Kings Mountain, unlike a num-
ber of cities, operates four utili-
ties.
Councilman Gene White, after
last Thursday's personnel com-
mittee meeting.
“The bottom line is that we
have to remain competitive
with the private sector and
municipalities,” said White.
White also called for a reex-
amination of the number of em-
ployees and said he would call
for another look at some ser-
vices which could be contracted -
out to save costs. ee
The salary hike came to the
forefront of discussion at last
month’s council meeting when
Maney told council that key
qualified certified employees
had left the city for higher pay.
The March 7 pay raises will
be the biggest substantial hike
in recent years. In 1997-98 those
employees who were paid un-
der $20,000 got a 10 percent
raise; those in the $20,000-
$25,000 category got a 5 percent
raise; and those employees with
salaries over $25,000 got a 3
percent raise.
In 1995-96 and in 1996-97 em-
ployees got a 3 percent cost of
living raise.
“It’s time we retain the good
employees we have,” said
Mayor Scott Neisler who called
for council to develop a plan for
capital expenditures in the next
budget. “We may need to do a
rate increase later on for capital
needs because we want to make
sure our infrastructure is in
good shape.”
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Herald/Times
Margrace Mill got a reprieve
from the chopping block
Tuesday night, City Council
voting 6-1 to revoke its order to
demolish several buildings in
the landmark.
A substitute motion by
Councilman Jerry Mullinax to
place a two year time period on
complete demolition and
cleanup of the Pauline Mill
* properties failed 5-2.
Mullinax said Pauline Mill is
in his district and said the Kelly
Bunch family had taken too
long to clean up the property.
Joining him in his motion was
Bob Hayes. Council members
supporting the revocation of the
order to demolish were Phil
$6,000 clock
donated
for cupola
A 36 inch wide illuminated
clock which chimes the hour
will grace the cupola of the
gazebo when it goes up down-
town.
The $6,000 clock is a gift from
Caswell Taylor, a descendant of
the Plonk and Patterson fami-
lies of Kings Mountain.
Taylor read an article in The
Charlotte Observer about the
downtown project of the Kings
Mountain Business and
Professional Association and
called the mayor.
“The cupola was taken from
the top of the old police station
and the clock will be installed
on it and rise about 30 feet in
the air,” Neisler said, respond-
ing to question of Councilman
Bob Hayes who asked about
possibility of vandalism to the
clock.
Neisler said appropriate
plaques will be installed to hon-
or the Taylor descen-
dants.
KM police
to investigate
ry
citizen complaint .
A y p A
Mary Addison, 76, of S.
Battleground Ave., who says
police grabbed her by the arms
while they were taking custody
of her four-year-old grandson,
filed a formal complaint
February 17.
Chief of Police Richard
Reynolds said his office will
conduct an administrative in-
vestigation of the incident.
Cpl. Chris Moore and
Deputy Shane Ledbetter of the
Cleveland County Sheriff's
Office went to the Addison
home February 14 because Mrs.
Addison’s daughter, Mary
Wolfe, did not appear for a cus-
tody hearing in South Dakota
Feb. 11.
Mrs. Addison was arrested
for resisting, delaying and ob-
structing an officer after she al-
legedly refused to let police
take the child from her home.
Moore and Ledbetter remain
on active duty.
Hager, Norma Bridges, Clavon
Kelly, Rick Murphrey and Gene
White.
Johnny Bunch said his family -
has spent “hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars so far” to clean
up the properties they bought
in 1985 and asked council to
give them a chance to complete
the work.
No one spoke during the
hearing but Bunch who said the
Margrace poses no threat to the
public because the property en-
closed by barbed wire fence is
off limits to the public.
Bunch said D. R. G. Services
expects to complete the cleanup
of the Pauline complex in six
months and is currently remov-
ing brick and scrap metal. He
said 90 percent of the burned
area has been hauled off for
scrap.
“We can’t do this Margrace
project over night but we have
intentions to rebuild,” said
Bunch.
Mullinax questioned why it
took two to three years after the
city issued its first order to com-
ply with the schedule for
cleanup at the Pauline site .
“We're not asking for.sympa-
thy, just cooperation,” said
Bunch, who said the Margrace
property is the prime project
but his family intends to pursue
the cleanup project of. the
Pauline.
February 25, 1999
er Clty extends mills’ cleanup order
“The Margrace is four blocks
from my home and it’s as good
a faith project I've seen in 25
years,” said Gene White, who
said he had seen no mainte-
nance underway at the plant
since the early 1960s until the
Bunches bought the mills in
1985.
By its action to revoke, the
city retains its right to keep a
constant inspection on the pro-
jects and to “start again” on
complaints of citizens, said City
Attorney Mickey Corry.
Mullinax said the order
should be modified, not
quashed, to give a time limit for
adherence of the cleanup pro-
ject.
Raeford White (center) admires the paint job that Don Welch Jr. (left) applied to his 1940 Ford
pickup. Don Welch Sr. (right) handled the wiring on the restoration project.
Outside it’s a ‘40 Ford pickup,
inside it’s a hot-running Ranger
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
; ras White of Kings
* Mountain has the best of both”
worlds with his hybrid pickup
truck. A combination 1940 Ford
body and 1988 Ford Ranger
running gear, the red creation is
a labor of love.
"This project started about a
year and a half ago," said
White. "I've always loved old
cars and the idea to make a cus-
tom like this came to me one af-
ternoon when I was just sitting
around."
From the outside, White's
truck looks like a restored 1940
model. Raise the hood, and the
aluminum engine, automatic
transmission, and power steer-
ing show another automotive
CHAMBER
From 1A
Another Kings Mountain
businees that was. represented
at the banquet was
EdenGardens total living center.
Kings Mountain Weather Report
Feb. 17-23 Year Ago
Total precip. 1.46 94
Max. 1 day 81 (19th). 66 (22nd)
Year to date 8.38 14.64
Min. temp. 21 (21st) 35 (20th)
Max. temp. 63 (17th, 18th) 66 (17th, 19th)
Avg. temp. 43.1 50.7
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age. A complicated project to
pull off, White has had plenty
of help with the truck.
“Quay Howell helped me
‘with the measuring and fitting
of the body and frame," White
said. "The wheelbase on a '40
model and a 1988 Ranger are
the same."
When it came time to paint
his toy, White turned to his
friend Don Welch, Jr. An expert
with sandpaper and a spray
gun, Welch has been an auto
body man for 27 years.
"It was a real challenge get-
ting the body and paint just
right on the truck," Welch said.
"Putting in the oak and stainless
steel bedliner was a job too.
When it all comes together, it's
like a creative process."
The color that White and
"EdenGardens is proud to be
a part of the Kings Mountain
Chamber," said Denise Leonard.
"The banquet was very nice as
well as productive. We're ready
for the next one."
Pleased by the turnout and
enthusiasm, Jay Rhodes of the
Kings Mountain Chamber and
his administrative assistant
Shirley Brutko were eager to
Welch chose for the truck is a
deep, classic red with just a hint
of blue. 27
Welch's father, Don Welch Sr;
also put his skill in auto wiring
into the project.
Now that the truck is nearly
completion, White had a good
idea what he was going to do
with it.
"I'm going to show it some
and drive it around town,"
White said. "I told the mayor he
could turn out the lights down-
town when I come along, be-
cause this truck is going to
shine so much they won't need
them."
When spring finally gets here
and you see Raeford White tool-
ing around in his little red wag-
on, give a toot to a man who
made his dream a reality.
get local businesses involved in
even more events.
"We were just so happy with
the way the banquet went," said
Brutko "It was everything we
wanted and more."
"It was an outstanding
event,” Rhodes added. "It sets
the tone for us to move the city
and county forward with the
business community.”
LIMITS
From 1A
“We did vote to insert the
term limits, are we going to
change our minds? We took in-
appropriate action when we
added two more board mem-
bers,” said Gene White.
Councilman Rick Murphrey
said strong consideration
should be given to reappointing
chairman Neisler. “There’s
nothing wrong with a man who
is doing a good job staying in
an appointment 11 years. The
board is doing an excellent job
running the ABC Store and I
will not be intimidated if I vote
to change my vote on term lim-
its and revisit this situation.”
In a related matter, White
asked ABC officials to enforce
its policy to prohibit anyone un-
der the age of 21 from the
premises of ‘the local building.
A resolution effective October 1,
1998 prohibits. anyone under
age 21 from entering the ABC
Store unless accompanied by a
parent.
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