Thursday, December 14, 2000
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Vol. 112 No. 50
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50 Cents
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KM Schools to ask county
for $1.9 million for school
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Kings Mountain Schools
Supt. Bob McRae will go before
the Cleveland County
Commissioners Tuesday night
to request $1.9 million to assist
in construction of a new grade
5-6 school on Kings Mountain
Blvd.
The KM School Board's archi-
tect Roger Holland opened bids
on the proposed school last
Thursday, and they came in
much lower than originally pre-
dicted. School officials first
thought the new school would
run around $11.5 million, but
the combined bids were
$10,856,831.
By the time the school is oc-
cupied in the fall of 2002,
KMDS would have $8,942,211
in reserve from its share of state
sales tax revenues.
McRae and Holland were
elated by the huge number of
bids that were received, and
that bids came in much lower
than expected. The facility was
bid in such a way that one or
more classroom wings could
have been deleted and added
on later if funds were not im-
mediately available.’
“Six months ago we were
thinking we might be $2.7 mil-
lion short, but the bids were
very strong in today’s econo-
my,” McRae said. “There was a
lot of interest. Any time you get
Dr. Allen reelected
KM board chairman
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
Dr. Larry Allen was re-elect-
ed chairman and Melony Bolin
was re-elected vice-chairman of
the Kings Mountain Board of
Education at Monday nights or-
ganizational meeting at the
; Central Office.
Allen,
of the two out-
side city seats,
recently com-
pleted his first
year as chair-
man of the
board. Bolin,
who holds the
at-large seat,
completed her first year as vice-
chairman.
Bolin said she nominated Dr.
Allen because of his experience
as board chairman and also his
expertise in many fields of edu-
cation.
“He brings a lot to the table
as far as his experience in build-
ing, budgeting and all areas of
expertise from being with the
school system for 30 years,”
Bolin said. “Dr. Allen is very
level-headed and always puts
the children first.”
The Board also swore in a
new member. Terry McClain
‘was appointed last week to fill
the unexpired term of new
DR. ALLEN
<who holds one |
County Commissioner Ronnie
Hawkins. McClain took the
oath of office from Kings
Mountain Mayor Rick
Murphrey.
Hawkins, who recently com-
pleted 11 years including six as
chairman, was given a plaque
of appreciation. McClain’s term,
as well as those of Allen and
Bolin, expire next year, Filing
_ for the November election will
begin in June.
The School Board faces a
number of challenges during
the coming year, including
merger and the hiring of a new
superintendent. There has been
some indication that the Board
may choose an interim superin-
tendent if the merger issue is
not settled by the time Supt.
Bob McRae leaves his post on
April 1. He was recently named
superintendent of Randolph
County Schools.
“We do face a lot of chal-
lenges in the near future,” Bolin
said. “Dr. Allen is a good
spokesman and presents our
system well. I believe that he
will carry us through getting
our new school built, and I just
believe that I have total support
in his ability.”
Bolin praised the community
for the support it has shown the
school system over the years,
See Allen, 3A
more bids you have a tendency
to get better prices.” :
Holland said he received bids
from 10 general contractors,
seven plumbing contractors, six
mechanical contractors, and
five electrical contractors.
“The bids were much better
than we were even hoping for,”
he said.
Low bids were from Beam
Construction (general), Dallas
Electric (electrical), Triangle
Contractors of Morganton (me-
chanical) and K-Ham of
Greensboro (plumbing).
McRae presented the Board
of Education four scenarios
from which to pick one to take
before County Commissioners.
The first scenario (base bids
with no alternates) came in at
$9,964,386 or $1,022,175 more
than available funds.
The second bid included a
Loadmaster roof alternate at a
bid price of $10,739,493; and the
third option included the base
bid with Pella window alternate
at a combined bid of
$10,038,284.
The package the Board decid-
ed to go with was the base bid
with both the Loadmaster roof
and Pella windows at a cost of
$10,856,831. The Board agreed
that if the Commissioners do
not supply or back the addition-
al funding that they could look
See School, 3A
ALAN HODGE/THE HERALD
Kings Mountain fire chief Frank Burns gets set to add another
ornament to the Relay For Life tree in City Hall. So far, the
tree has raised nearly $600 for cancer research. The tree will
be up until Christmas, and balls in memory of or honor of
loved ones are still available at $5 each.
City tables sale of lakes
to get more
By GARY STEWART
information
DeVane suggested, and Maner said the Council
GARY STEWART / THE HERALD
Terry B. McClain, left, with his wife Sheila looking on, is
sworn in as a member of the Kings Mountain Board of
Education by Kings Mountain Mayor Rick Murphrey at Monday
night's meeting at Central School. McClain will fill the unex-
pired term of Ronnie Hawkins, which ends next November.
KM gym named
for Coach Parker
By GARY STEWART
Editor of The Herald
The Kings Mountain District
Board of Education Monday
night unanimously named the
Kings Mountain High School
gymnasium the Donald L.
Parker
Gymnasium
in honor of
retired teach-
er/ coach
Don Parker.
Parker, 86,
served
KMDS for 30
years, includ- §
ing 23 as
head men’s
basketball coach. During his
coaching era (1943-67), he won
more basketball games (249)
than any other Mountaineer
coach, and was later the first
Director of the System's Title I
Special Education Program.
Contacted at his home in
Tennessee, Parker said the news
was “wonderful...and makes
my day. I really appreciate what
everyone has done.”
The gym will be dedicated on
April 17, 2001 as part of the an-
nual Sports Hall of Fame induc-
tion ceremony.
School Board Chairman Larry
Allen noted that he and other
board members had received
numerous calls and letters from
former students and players in
Editor of The Herald
Kings Mountain City Council Tuesday night
tabled the proposed sale of the old City and
Davidson water lakes until it can find out more
information about the potential buyer’s intent in
using the property.
Councilman Carl DeVane, who has opposed
the sale of the property all through the lengthy
process of Utility Committee and Council meet-
ings and bidding, made a substitute motion to
table the matter until the January meeting after
Councilman Jim Guyton offered a motion to sell
the lakes to Sea Island Corp. for $630,000.
Councilmen Bob Hayes, Howard Shipp and
Clavon Kelly voted with DeVane; with Guyton,
Gene White and Dean Spears opposing.
“To me this is a waste of city assets,” said
DeVane, who at previous meetings has said he
would rather the city retain the property for
scenic and recreational purposes. ;
Citizens Mike Smith and Bobby Maner ap-
peared before the Council. Smith challenged the
board to retain the property for the same uses
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Celebrating 126 Years
should at least table the matter until it determines
the intent of Sea Island Corp.
“Sea Island in November purchased a large
tract of land on York Road owned by the Mauney
family,” Maner tol! Council, “and the same day
they took possession they deeded it over to an-
other group. I ask you out of respect to property
owners in the area to table this and find out the
intentions of the potential owners.”
Maner said adjoining property owners are con-
cerned if they will have access to the lake for fish-
ing, walking and other purposes if it changes
hands; and how it would affect their property
value.
“This is city property,” he said. “I don’t think a
delay of six weeks is too much to ask. We don’t
want to get saddled with something we eventual-
ly won't be too proud of.” :
Smith suggested that the purchase offer is too
low, because the area is one of the top scenic
views in the state. “The scenic area of Kings
Mountain is one of our greatest assets,” he said.
“I would like to see it developed bv the city for
See Lakes, 3A hs
Kings Mountain
300 W. Mountain St.
739-4782
529 New Hope Road
Superintendent of Schools Bob McRae, left, presents a plaque
support of the proposal, which
was brought to the Board last
month by the Hall of Fame
committee.
“Don Parker is one outstand-
ing man,” said Dr. Allen, who
worked with Parker in KM
Schools. “He has influenced
many people over the years.”
Jim Kimmell, one of Parker's
former student athletes, came
all the way from Myrtle Beach, |
SC to the Board meeting.
“1 met Coach Parker in 1948, ~
he recalled. “He influenced me
more than any man in my life,
including my father.”
Kimmell said he imitated
Coach Parker in his teaching
and coaching philosophy.
Kimmell is a retired football
coach in South Carolina public
schools.
“Coach Parker was an out-
standing educator,” Kimmell
said. “In order to be a great ed-
ucator a child has to know you
love and care for them and
Coach Parker loved and cared
for all of them.”
Vice-chairman Melony Bolin -
made the motion to name the
gym for Parker, and it was
seconded by Stella Putnam,
who said her father played for
Coach Parker in the 1940s.
Board member Shearra
Miller, who moved to Kings
Mountain after Coach Parker
retired. said she has always
See Gym, 3A
GARY STEWART / THE HERALD
of appreciation to Ronnie
Hawkins, right, for his 11 years of service to the Board at Monday night's meeting at Central
School. Looking on is Hawkins’ wife, Libby. Hawkins resigned from the Board after being elect-
ed to the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners.
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