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The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net
CITY: looks to bring Main St in-house
FROM Page 1
Sellers will also recom- '
mend to council the contin-
~ ued use of the Municipal
Service District tax levy as a
means of raising funds for
implementing the Main
Street program and making
capital improvements related
to economic development in
the district. Such funds
would be rerouted as of Jan
1, 2012 because the city does
not have a contract with MPI
after Jan. 1, 2012.
If adopted, the new pol-
icy calls for appointment of
a broad-based advisory
board with staggered terms.
The board would be charged
with advising the city on
economic-related actions for
downtown and assist in im-
plementing the Main Street
program, for example the
Moss Lake committee serves
as advisor to the city's plan-
ning department.
A city staffer would serve
on each of the four commit-
tees along with other ap-
pointees from downtown
business, volunteers and the
Main . Street coordinator.
Sellers suggests four com-
mittees so’ that interested
parties can work closely with
the main resource, city gov-
ernment, to improve and re-
ur Family Serving Your Family for 75 Years.
he Future Is Now!
©CommunityFirstMedia
vitalize downtown through
the Main Street program.
City Council Tuesday
will also be asked to adopt a
resolution in support of the
City of Kings Mountain's
designation as a North Car-
olina Main Street commu-
nity. The city has’ been
recognized as a Main Street
city by the office of Com-
munity Development within
the state's Department of
Commerce, home of Main
Street staff and the N.C.
Main Street program, for
two years.
The resolution on the
agenda assures Main Street
staff that the city will meet
staff resource requirements,
continue Main Street report-
ing and faithfully implement
the four points of the pro-
gram - economic restructur-
ing, organization, design and
promotion.
"I want us to foster a pub- .
lic-private partnership ori-
ented program
emphasizes cooperation, di-
alogue and sharing of re-
sources," said Sellers. "We
look forward to continued
growth downtown with
vested property owners and
businesses as well as estab-
lished downtown groups and
volunteers." :
that"
January 25, 2012
GROVER: board concerned over Sweeps, denies one, approves one
FROM Page 1
businesses continue to operate on Main
Street and similar businesses are oper-
ating in other areas of the county.
Grover residents Cobia Goforth,
Jean Harry Francis, Sheriff's Deputy
Roy Dyer and Bill Willis, both new
councilmen, cited safety and the town's -
image in speaking against the issuing of
conditional use permits to Heath and
Johnson. Willis presented a petition
signed by 122 people opposing the is-
suance of permits for video sweeps.
"Why are these businesses still’op-
erating in Grover when others are shut
down in ‘Cleveland County?" asked
Francis. :
"It's preposterous to give permits to
these applicants," said Dyer.
Meantime, the town board has set a
public hearing for Feb. 6 to. consider a
moratorium on the issuing of condi-
tional use permits for video sweep-
stakes.
Currently, sweepstakes busine$ses
pay an application fee of $200 to the
county and an annual $4,000 privilege
license fee to the Town of Grover.
The rules which govern the condi-
tional use permit specify no criminal .
activity, no alcohol, no marquee signs,
no tinted windows, no "sweepstakes"
signs (only the name of the business),
no banners, one "open" sign only, and,
"We need to see in your business," said
Board of Adjustment Chairman Cindy
O'Brien, mayor pro tem.
O'Brien said a town business license
must be purchased annually and after
the July 15 deadline a 10 percent late
fee is charged. Hours of operation are
Monday-Thursday 9-12 and Friday and
Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Front of en-
trances of businesses must be clean, no
exotic paint allowed, no locked doors
and police must be able to enter at any
time. The permit is valid in the name of
the applicant only, who must reapply
for a permit 30 days before expiration
each year. Violation of the conditions
means revocation of the permit and no
reinstatement.
The addition to the rules that only
one conditional use permit can be is-
sued to one applicant per location pro-
hibits Johnson from receiving a permit
in his name to operate a second internet
sweepstakes on Main Street.
Heath said he would comply with all
the rules.
Board Secretary Kathy Ledford told
business owners at the meeting, "If you
don't follow every letter of the law,
we'll shut you down." :
Since state law is still up in the air
about video sweepstakes the board
questioned and did not accept changes
in the rules suggested by Police Chief
Eric Buff. Buff wanted the board to in-
* clude in "black and white", as part of
the conditional use permit, the names of
illegal games listed by NC General
Statutes. 3
The fees charged to sweepstakes °
businesses came up for discussion led
by former councilman Cobia Goforth
and present councilman Bill Willis.
Chairman O'Brien reminded that the
former city council voted unanimously
to approve the fees as "a deterrent," she
said.
Goforth charged it was a "pay off to
keep from a law suit" and councilman
Willis apologized that his similar com-
ments were not meant to offend.
"I think the old board should have
had a work session before voting on the
matter," he said.
Former councilman Goforth, who
confirmed that he joined the former
board in approving the fees, countered
that the problem settled by negotiations
should have been settled in Superior
Court.
City Clerk Tricia Willis said she
“helped council research license fees
charged by other cities to video sweep-
stakes businesses and reported those
fees to the full board before it took ac-
tion on setting the fee structure. Don
Johnson said that similar businesses
pay higher license fees in other towns.
Other members of the board of ad-
justment are Ron Skibo, Michael Allen,
Eugene Early, vice-chairman, and
Kathy Ledford.
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