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Page 2B The Kings Mountain Herald Wednesday, November 2, 2011 CITY CANDIDATES: How will they help to move Kings Mountain forward? FROM Page 2B borhoods, but also things for the young people to do out- side the Y and its activities. Q3) Do you think the city should offer incentives for downtown devel- opment and indus- try recruitment, and if so, what in- centives should be offered? BRIAN CLONINGER - be offered to any business that can create jobs in Kings Mountain. I’d like to see some of the undeveloped land on Kings Mountain Boulevard offered at a dis- counted rate to try and attract bigger businesses to our town. RODNEY GORDON - We definitely should con- tinue to offer incentives as we have in the past. Most in- centives are offered through grants from the State and Federal Government and all we have to do is apply, qual- ify, gnd administer thes grants for applicants. As for large industry we negotiate fees, grants to aide downtown de- velopment. Always room for improvement. GILBERT “PEE WEE” HAMRICK - No and yes. Yes, if it is going to bring jobs; no, if it is just to help someone improve his prop- erty on our dime, BOBBY HORNE - If the city can afford to yes I think they should. In order to en- courage prospective busi- nesses downtown, I am currently offering reduced" rental rates for a specified amount of time. Perhaps the city could offer reduced util- ity rates for a designated Yes some incentives should taxes... We offer facade amount of time to new busi- Grover residents to elect mayor, 3 commissioners November § ~~ GROVER - J. D. Ledford is unopposed for his first term as mayor of this town of 707 citizens who will elect three commissioners Tuesday, a possible two of them at the polls through write-ins due to lack of candidates filing. Bill Willis, a former commissioner, filed for the seat vacated by Ledford when he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mayor Robert Sides. Voters go to the polls at Grover Town Hall from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p,m. November 8. Incumbents Jackie Bennett and Cobia Goforth did not file for re-election but indi- cated they would accept the position for an- other term if voters write in their names on the ballot. Those who receive the most write-ins will receive a certified letter in the mail informing them they have won. County Elections Su- pervisor Debra Blanton said the person se- lected by write-in would have to agree to take the position. Non-partisan elections in North Carolina give the voter the ability to write in a name. Write-in winners must be registered voters and living in the town limits of the town/city for which they have been nominated. Mayor unopposed, council members challenged in Bessemer City BESSEMER CITY - Becky Steelman Smith, council member from 1981 to 1985 and from 2008-2011, is unopposed for mayor of Bessemer City as voters go to the polls Tuesday. 7 Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p-m. at three precincts: Bessemer City No. 1 at the new Bessemer City High School gym- nasium, 119 Yellow Jacket Lane; Bessemer City No. 2 at the Bessemer City Community Building, 220 S. 14th Street and Crowders Mountain precinct at Pisgah ARP Church Family Life Outreach Center, 3600 Linwood Road. Unopposed for reelection are incumbent council members Danny Carl Boling, Ward I, and Josiah Jordan Will; Ward 3. In Ward 2, incumbent Kay Camp McCa- then, who has served 16 years on city coun- cil, is being challenged by Michael Meeks, Sr. Incumbent council member Melanie Neal Colvin, who filled an unexpired Ward 4 seat in 2008 and was elected in 2009, is chal- lenged by Howard Lee Jones in Ward 4. In Ward 5, two newcomers to city politics face off. Seeking the position are Alfred R. Carpenter and Jason L. Tate, who seek the seat being vacated by Becky Smith who filed for mayor to succeed the retiring Mayor Bob Hovis. In Ward 6, incumbent council member James “Donnie” Griffin is challenged by for- mer councilmen Jim Long and David A. Lutz. ; Rotarians sporting a new look Kings Mountain Rotary Club President Myra McGinnis displays the new Rotarian At Work tee shirts club members wore Friday night at the Rotary Club’s annual spaghetti supper at Kings Mountain High School. MILLER CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE PAID FOR BY THE COMMITEE TO ELECT KEITH MILLER ness. KEITH MILLER - If the incentive monetizes the tax increment increase, yes." The city re-coups the grant from future taxes paid on the improved property and the lien stays with the property till paid. If the incentive re- distributes taxpayer finds to build equity for property owners, no. Fagade, infra- structure, hiring, training and compliance. JERRY MULLINAX - We have offered industry in- centives to bring jobs. We need to be more aggressive and make sure they are com- mitted to (keeping jobs) long-term for our commu- nity. RICK MURPHREY - The city adopted industrial incentives over 10 years ago to compete for new industry and jobs in the global mar- ket. Incentives are based on monetary investment and jobs; can be applied to indus- try expansion. We intro- duced downtown revitalization with down- town incentives to attract new business, improve exist- ing buildings, and encourage investment, while promoting historic preservation. - ROY “BUTCH” PEAR- SON - We must offer incen- tives to entice job creation and increase our tax base but we must assist struggling business owners in ALL AREAS of Kings Mountain, not just distribute money to a select partnership of strictly “downtown” area . business owners who control the allocation of funds and profit from construction and operation. I intend to intro- duce an Economic Develop- ment Council. CURTIS PRESSLEY - Yes, I think incentives are good, if, in the long haul they city and citizens get to reap some benefit from the incentive. I would like to see more new business start-up incentives. 4) With a local unemployment rate hovering around 12 percent and a quarter of the county’s population on “food stamps”, it’s safe to say people are still struggling in this economy. Should the city do any- thing to help those that are strug- gling? If so, what can the city do? BRIAN CLONINGER - As important as jobs are, people who are genuinely struggling don’t want to hear about Wal-Mart coming in five years, they need assis- tance now. I feel that by re- ducing unnecessary spending and making the city more efficient we could offer citizens a credit on their power bill in December or July. : RODNEY GORDON - ...We definitely should be focused on bringing retail businesses and restaurants to Kings Mountain but for - these to be successful we must keep our sights on busi- nesses that require a large workforce to get the unem- ployed working again with the ability to earn and spend money. GILBERT “PEE WEE” HAMRICK - First the city needs to stop wasteful spending, cut the budget, and set aside a fund to help peo- ple on fixed income in the form of food, medicine and power bills. They really need help. BOBBY HORNE - I feel it would be helpful if we could offer an equalized pay- - ment plan for utility bills to t our senior citizens and fami- - lies on fixed incomes. This would allow for customers in these households to budget money and know in advance what to set aside each month for their monthly utility bills. KEITH MILLER - Yes. We offer sliding scale schol- arships at the Community Center (YMCA) and house and fund the Crisis Ministry. We must keep the tax and rate growth at or less than local GDP growth; pursue budget saving and revenue generating projects. Pursue grants for utility bill relief for elderly, disabled, unem-- ployed and under-employed. ¥ JERRY MULLINAX - Not sure what city can offer, except to bring jobs. RICK MURPHREY - The city donates money to the Crisis Ministry, which works ‘with families that qualify and assists with util- ity payments. We have a SSI program to discount electric * bills for our seniors, who meet income requirements; have maintained low utility and tax rates. The billing di- rector can extend a bill’s due date for customers in emer- gency situations, once a year. ROY “BUTCH” PEAR- SON - My number on pri- ority, from my first day in office, until my last, will be to bring JOBS to Kings Mountain. “If a man doesn’t have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty, nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness.” We must do everything in our power to provide our citizens opportunities to be success- ful... CURTIS PRESSLEY - Absolutely, I think that there are maybe some things the city can do to stave off some of our citizens’ misfortune especially during the hot and cold months of the year. 3-Point Market Big E Bojangles Circle P’ Dennis #3 Dollar General Food Lion Grandpa’s Store Greg's Griffin Drug Ingles Kings Store KM Pharmacy Little Dan’s (J Renewal Carolina Crossings Fred Kiser Restaurant Kings Mountain Herald Kings Mountain Post Office Kings Mountain Truck Stop Linwood Produce [J New Subscription [_] Senior ($25 - in Cleveland County) [1 Gift (We'll notify recipient) Clip & mail or bring payment to: Kings MoT rerid The Herald is sold at the following T(E Love’s Fish Box Mac’s Grocery Marathon McDonald’s Mountain Market Mountainview Restaurant Mountain Street Pharmacy My Little Store One Stop Parker’s Service Station Quick Pick Rick’s Ole Country Store - Shell Gas Station Shergill’s Exxon ~ | SUBSCRIPTION FORM Silver Express Tobacco Barn Tom’s Food Mart Waffle House Woodbridge Store RATES In Cleveland & Gaston Counties - One Year $30 Outside Cleveland & Gaston Counties The Kings Mountain Herald 700 E. 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The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Nov. 2, 2011, edition 1
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