Kings
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30,2013 ¢ T5¢
First National will remain a
Kings Mountain's First National
Bank will soon sport a new logo —
Bank of the Ozarks.
Local branch manager Brenda
Lovelace said she and her staff are
excited about the upcoming partner-
ship with the large community bank
from Arkansas with a lot to offer
Kings Mountain.
Lovelace said she is impressed
with Ozark officials and the bank’s’
reputation for being community-ori-
ented. “This is a very sound ‘and
profitable institution that will offer
new services to our customers and
Bessemer City
to re-launch
police dept.
BETH BROCK
. beth.kmherald@gmail.com
BESSEMER CITY —Mayor Becky
Smith broke the tie vote (3 — 3) Mon-
day night to re-launch after 14 years
the Bessemer City Police Department.
The mayor first wanted to make it
clear that Bessemer City never took
advantage of Gaston County. Smith
said “Bessemer City paid every cent
we were charged. How did we know
we were being subsidized by Gaston
County?”
The county had quoted $430,000 a
year to Bessemer City with a 5% an-
nual increase. Smith stressed that the
charges for some years were a 7 — 8%
increase, and Bessemer City never
complained or questioned the
charges.
In 2013, the cost to Bessemer City
from the county for police patrolling
would be $640,000 dollars with in-
creases for the next three years bring-
ing the total cost by 2016 to $1.2
million dollars.
Smith said that the citizens of
Bessemer City had no idea how many
hours were spent in decision-making.
Council had mixed opinions on
whether to stay with the county po-
lice. Twenty minutes into the called
meeting, Councilman Dan Boling
made the motion to have the town re-
sponsible for its police force, He had
backing from councilmen Donnie
Griffin and Alfred Crawford. Coun-
cilmen Howard Jones, Joe Will and
Kay McCathen voted against.
Said Jones, “I never had any prob-
lems with the county. If there was a
lawsuit, the county would handle it.
And what would the city do with
drunk drivers. I would like to stay
with the county at least one more
year. We don’t want any part-time of-
ficers. We need a full-time force.”
Carpenter said that he would like
to-stay with the county if it wasn’t for
the increase in coverage. He stressed
that Bessemer City never knew if
hours reported for coverage in Besse-
mer City were correct.
Wills called for council to renego-
tiate its contract with Gaston County.
He said that $1.2 was way out of the
ballpark. “Make a counter offer to
Gaston County,” he said. He stressed
that Gaston County was charging the
city for services such as the bomb
squad and the SWAT team which
should have been provided to them
whether or not the city is covered by
county police.
Councilwoman Kay McCutcheon
said that she just hopes that they don’t
do anything prematurely.
Responding to Jones’ question
about jailing, Boling said the county
would have to provide jail for Besse-
mer City regardless of which way
See BESSEMER CITY, 7A
8193525002001
we will continue to be a hometown
bank with a name change,” she
added. :
First National Bank, Cleveland
County’s “Hometown Bank” for
139 years, has been sold and the
$67.8 million deal is expected to
close during the second or third
quarter of this year.
First National has grown from its
original location in downtown
Shelby, currently employing 200
people at 14 locations in Cleveland,
Gaston, Lincoln and Rutherford
counties and the surrounding areas.
“Bank of the Ozarks is one of the
strongest banks in the U.S. with
over $4 billion in assets,” said
Helen Jeffords, president and CEO
of First National. Jeffords said in a
press release, “It was of great im-
portance to us to join a company
with a strong sense of community,
outstanding financial strength and
progressive leadership. Our cus-
tomers, employees, communities
and stockholders will all benefit
from our partnership with Bank of
the Ozarks.”
Bank of the Ozarks has been op-
BEEEEE
WARLICK sno HAMRICK
mr
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INSURANCE
704.739.3611
106 East Mountain Street
Kings Mountain, NC
www.KMinsure.com
| We can save you money !
: Li
‘hometown’ bank
erating in Charlotte for over a
decade.
Kings Mountain Mayor Rick
Murphrey said, “The city has al-
ways had an excellent relationship
with First National, a community
involved bank and important leader
in the quality of life for our commu-
nity, We look forward to working
with the new Bank of the Ozarks.”
“Community-oriented is what
sets First National Bank apart and at
the top in our community, an out-
standing corporate citizen support-
ing Cleveland County,” said Ronnie
Hawkins, chairman of the Cleve-
land County board of commission-
ers. He said the bank leadership and
its many employees are active in the
community and the bank has long
been a corporate sponsor of Life En-
richment Center, the YMCA,
LeGrand Center, Heart Ball Gala
and other events. Hawkins said that
he has seen during 16 years on the
county board how First National left
its fingerprints on all the happenings
in Cleveland County. Hawkins said
he looks forward to the same spirit
of community from the new bank.
Members of crime
i
Six members of an organ-
| ized family retail crime ring
{| that sold and distributed over
$16 million in stolen over-
the-counter products were
sentenced Jan. 24 in US Dis-
trict Court in Charlotte.
i Anne M. Tompkins, US
Attorney for the Western
District of North Carolina,
said the defendants included
| two sisters, their husbands
{ and their mother with Kings
| Mountain and Bessemer
{| City addresses.
Tompkins said that the
| sisters,
Morris and Darlene Bridges
Schoener, participated in the
theft ring with their hus-
bands, their mother, Bonnie
Kimberly Bridges
| ring sentenced
commit interstate transporta-
tion of stolen property.
Bonnie Knight Bridges,
63, and Kimberly Bridges
Morris, 37, are both from
Bessemer City, Michael
David Morris, 40, is from
Charlotte, Darlene Bridges
Schoener, 39, and William
Christopher Schoener, 33,
are of Kings Mountain, and
Darryl Keith Brock, 45, is
from Cowpens, SC.
Bonnie Bridges, Kim-
berly and Michael Morris,
and Darlene and William
Schoener were also charged
with and pleaded guilty to
one count of tax evasion
conspiracy.
US District Court Judge
pinto,
Ren
{i While the i ice storm last week did not cause the predicted wide spread dam-
{ age to our area, it did leave hehind some: delicate beauty as.seen in this
PAOD ony» WAYNE CONNER
Keith Brock.
Knight Bridges and Darryl
The six pleaded guilty to
the charges of conspiracy to
Max O. Cogburn, Jr., sen-
. tenced Kimberly Morris and
Darlene Schoener to serve
See CRIME RING 7A
3 Hamrick, Sr. receives
Circle of Friends Award
Budget a work in progress
A budget calendar, submitted by schools finance
officer David Lee to the school board last week, is
the first step in a process which months from now
will result in a budget which could equal the $150
million figure from the current year.
“I don’t think the budget will be dramatically
different but feedback is always needed from our
board,” Lee said. Preparation work begins this
month and continues in February to determine
goals. By the end of February he said staff may re-
ceive some insight into new legislative “leanings.”
Lee said that local payroll expenditures are $2
million more than last year through December and
loss of federal stimulus funds and increased staffing
levels in the schools will impact the 2013-14
budget. He also pointed out to the board in his pres-
entation that local supplies, materials, services and
equipment expenditures are $900K more than last
year. Lee noted that the $1 million that remained in
stimulus money was spent-this school year and
those funds expire with this year’s budget.
The initial presentation of the superintendent’s pro-
posed budget to the board of education will be
given the last meeting in March. Feedback and di-
rection from the board members and the executive
team will be slated in April, with any revisions
based on feedback received to the superintendents
proposed budget. In May the board of education
will make its budget request to county commission-
ers. :
By June 30, county commissioners and North
Carolina both adopt budgets and provide actual
funding allotments to Cleveland County Schools.
In August the final 2013-14 budget will be pre-
sented to the school board for adoption based on ac-
tual county, state and federal funding provided.
Title IX requirements
Girls’ sports facilities a the process of being
brought up to the standards of boys’ sports facilities
at all four high schools in the county — Kings Moun-
tain, Shelby, Burns and Crest.
Kings Mountain Board of Education members
heard a progress report of upgrades to meet Title IX
requirements at last’ week’s work session. School
officials said other upgrades are still in the works.
During the 2009-2010 school year, Title IX rep-
resentatives visited the four school campuses and
interviewed coaches and players. They then re-
turned to the schools with items that had to be
See BOARD, 7A
Larry Hamrick Sr., Kings Mountain insuranceman, received the Circle of Friends Award, the
Y’s highest award, from Kings:Mountain Family YMCA at the recent annual meeting of Cleve-
land County Family YMCA. Hamrick was instrumental in starting the partnership with the City
of Kings Mountain and YMCA. He also worked with Cleveland County Hospital's partnership
with Dover Foundation YMCA. He is pictured with his wife, Evelyn, and son, Larry Jr., ac-
cepting the award.
Moore to focus on job creation
Kings Mountain
Tim §
Moore, who is be-
fifth
term in the N. C. |
today, |
Jan. 30, is heading
to Raleigh
with high expecta-
tions that the 2013
General Assembly
will approve voter
attorney
ginning his
legislature
back
Tim Moore
ID laws, tax and budget reform, among other
issues.
Moore, a Republican who represents
Cleveland County in the House and is chair
of the important rules committee, said that
his major focus for Cleveland County is
more jobs. He said he will continue to stress
economic recovery and job creation while
maintaining a sense of limited government
and preserving freedom.
In his newsletter; Moore said he and his
staff are ready for the opening session today
and offered congratulations to Governor Pat
See MOORE, 7A
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