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: ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald @gmail.com
City leaders are eyeing ways to improve the en-
tire block of S. Battleground Ave at the railroad
side.
"We've been talking with sateen and Depart-
ment of Transportation officials along with the Keep
Kings Mountain Beautiful committee about an 'en-
hancement program'," said Mayor Rick Murphrey.
The mayor said one interest of the committee is
to make the area "more walkable." The beautifica-
tion efforts will include a lighted fence, extended
sidewalk, hanging baskets of flowers on posts which
create a balustrade effect, and a safety wall where
town proj ect is in collaboration with Main Street of-
ficials.
The city is advertising for an employee in the
newly-created Main Street Administration depart-
ment with a salary of $50,846 plus $11,154 for op-
eration expenses. This employee, t6 be hired by July
1, would be involved in the beautification project.
Murphrey said city leaders are also discussing
with railroad representatives and Department of
Transportation officials the Safety of all railroad
crossings.
A public hearing is set by city pointe] for June
26 at 6 p.m., to decide whether or not to close for
good a dangerous railroad crossing with a history of
crashes by truck drivers ignoring posted signs.
Ag
how oy ELLIS NOELL
This is a scene hand-drawn by Holly Black of the city's Codes Department
showing a proposed enhancement of the railroad side of S. Battleground Av-
enue in downtown Kings Mountain:
Library sets
sight on new
The city has barricaded the Oak Street crossing
where a driver barely escaped his 18-wheeler May
4 when a 7,400 ton freight train smashed into it.
See BATTLEGROUND, 7A
City employees to see hump
you press a button to cross in the one block area on
. Battleground from Mountain to Gold streets. The
project will be funded with Main Street money re-
maining in the current year budget and the down-
$7-8M home
ps ELIZABETH STEWART
lib,kmherald@gmail.com
A Jacob S. Mauney Memorial Library site study com-
mittee ranks the corner of Cherokee and Mountain streets
as the No. 1 site choice for a proposed new $7-$8 million
library, exclusive of land cost.
Dr. Jeff Mauney, library board chairman, told city
council last Wednesday at a budget work session that *
property owners had not been approached about selling
properties. The site committee likes the entire block that
runs from the former Sagespdrt (old Fulton's Department
Store) and including properties belonging to the Cleve-
land County Red Cross (the old Herald building), Plonk
Tire (the old Winn-Dixie building) and Smith properties
(the old Western Auto building).
No property tax increase
in proposed county budget
w= ELIZABETH STEWART
fib.kmherald@gmail.com
Good news for Kings
Mountain property owners
and their Cleveland County
neighbors: no increase in
property tax is proposed in
the 2012-2013 budget pre-
pared by new county Man-
ager Eddie Bailes.
Bailes, 45, comes to the
job with 23 years experience
in management. He heads a.
staff of 800 full time and 200
part time employees in 25
departments of Cleveland
County government.
He was assistant county
manager for seven years and
before that human resource
director for the county for
eight years. County commis-
sioners hired Bailes for the
top job May 1 after four
8 JI 00200
See LisAARY 7A
EDDIE BAILES
months on the job as interim
manager.
County commissioners,
during the interview process,
found Bailes' resume tops of
all those reviewed.
"] am impressed with all
aspects of the community,
the great partnership with
other municipalities and the
strong leadership, teamwork,
and vision of county com-
missioners as we work to-
gether for our citizens," said
Bailes.
He said that the current
.since 1971. Commissioners
in pay in 2012-13 budget
: ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald @gmail.com
The city's 180-plus full time em-
ployees will get a little extra pocket
change if the city council, after a public
hearing on June 14, approves a 2%
across-the-board cost of living (COLA)
increase in the $34.4 million dollar
budget proposed by City Manager Mar-
ityn Sellers.
Sellers is not proposing a merit in-
crease for employees. The last COLA
increase was in 2008-2009.
During a marathon budget presenta-
tion before city council last Wednesday
night, both Sellers and Mayor Rick
Murphrey praised the staff for their dili-
gence during the downturn in the econ-
omy. Although most new jobs had been
frozen until this new year budget, the
property tax is 57 cents per
$100 valuation, the lowest
are eyeing a property reeval-"
uation in 2014.
Bailes presented the
budget proposals at the re-
cent meeting of county com-
missioners. A public hearing
and vote on the budget is
slated for June 5 at 6 p.m.
The proposed budget an-
ticipates approximately $60
million for the general fund
and a total approximate
budget of $100 million dol-
lars, depending on flow of
federal and state monies.
city of Kings Mountain had no layoffs and adds
and several departments were reorgan- a = new
ized and working well and one depart- insur-
“ment, Codes, had relocated to the an ce
Puhlic Works building. provider.
Utilities Director Nick Hendricks Mur-
heads up the Electric and Natural Gas phrey
departments and Public Works Supt. said the
Jackie Barnette also heads up the ceme- p r o -
tery department. The city is advertising posed
for one employee in the newly-created $ 3 4 M
Main Street Administration department budgets
for which $62,000 is budgeted, in- one . of
cluded $50,846 for salary. the best
Sellers said the big obstacle in bal- budgets
ancing the $34,498,279 budget (less he's seen
$211,000 from last year) was the cost
to the city for health insurance. Last
year the city's tab for claims for health
insurance was $30,000 a week and the
proposed budget allots $40,000 a week
Firemen from the Bethlehem Fire Department put out a fire in a tractor trailer on High-
way 74 near Ingles Tuesday night, May 15, about 10 p.m. The N.C. Highway Patrol was
at the scene in addition to the Kings Mountain Fire Department which stood by.
Truck catches fire on Hwy. 74 Crete
MARILYN SELLERS
in his 19 years at city hall. "I'm very
proud of the city's general fund balance,
which is 27% of the city's expenditures
See RAISES, 7A
KYRA TURNER / HERALD
"It's been a difficult budget
due low unemployment in
the county and the downturn
in the economy, no new pro-
grams are funded, but the
good service will continue
for our citizens," said Bailes.
He said county employ-
ees haven't had a cost of liv-
ing raise in four years but he
is projecting bonuses for
county employees and
See COUNTY, 7A
City leaders are introduc-
ing three pilot programs in
the proposed 2012-2013
budget which city council
will consider in June.
A "Smart Meter" pro-
gram, the city purchasing
initially 1500 utility meters,
is expected to expedite util-
City budget earmarks
funds for 3 new programs
w= ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald @gmail.com
ity savings for the city and
its customers; fiber optics to
connect all government
buildings and save commu-
nication dollars; and a man-
See CITY, 7A
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