Wednesday, October 25, 2013
i ELIZABETH STEWART
lib.kmherald @gmail.com
Four of the six candi-
dates running for three seats
open on Kings Mountain
City Council Nov. 5 said,
Tuesday night at a forum,
they are qualified and see
themselves working well
with the mayor, seven-mem-
ber board and city staff.
Three incumbent coun-
cilmen — Mike Butler, Ward
2, Tommy Hawkins, Ward 3,
Dean Spears, At large, and
Curtis Pressley, challenger
for the at large position,
greeted 60 people at Bynum
Chapel AME Zion Church
and responded to a half
dozen questions fielded by
the Cleveland County Chap-
ter NAACP.
Jerry Mullinax, who is
challenging Hawkins in
Ward 3, and Patty Hall, who
is challenging Butler in
Ward 2, did not attend.
Brenda Lipscomb, chairman
of the Political Action Com-
mittee sponsoring the event,
said both candidates sent re-
grets.
Doris Williams, parlia-
mentarian for the NAACP
chapter, was moderator and
Rontonette Franklin was
timekeeper.
Butler, Hawkins and
Spears said they are running
on their records. Pressley
has served on the city’s
planning and zoning board,
on the KM YMCA board
and county Y board of direc-
tors, as president of the Op-
timist Club and as a team
coach.
All four candidates urged
people to come out and vote
during this off-year election
and to vote early at the
county board of elections of-
fice Oct. 17-Nov. 2, week-
days from 8 am.-5 p.m.
Nov. 2 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
The questions and re-
sponses from the candidates:
1) What have you done
in the past that qualifies
you for this office?
SPEARS - 16 years on
Council and we’ve done a
lot. Currently the big project
is the water line rehab and
the new line into town from
the lake. Remember it takes
four members on our board
of seven to pass on our rec-
ommendations.
PRESSLEY — Tough
and sound decisions that af-
fected many people on
boards I have served on in-
cluding the Planning Board,
YMCA boards, Optimist
Club and working with kids.
BUTLER -— Eight years
on council and a business-
man for 20 years. I get back
to our citizens when they
have questions and not only
those in my Ward 2. I am
proud of what our current
board and staff have done.
HAWKINS — I have
lived in Kings Mountain all
my life and served on the
planning board five years
before I ran for office four
years ago in Ward 3. I am
proactive, want to market
Kings Mountain. And our
current board has done a lot.
2) What do you see as
Kings Mountain’s most
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.net
Candidates weigh in on issues, goals, qualifications
concern and how would
you respond to this con-
cern?
PRESSLEY — I see lots
of limbs, debris and garbage
in some areas of the city and
I feel this is a real problem.
I will address any issues in
air quality and environment
and will work with all
elected officials and city
staff.
BUTLER - Our city em-
ployees are working to clean
up any unsightly areas but
there’s always a process to
get the job done. For 6-8
months the staff is working
on wastewater cleanup.
HAWKINS - Waste-
water is a big issue now and
we’ll get it done. Our city
has some of the best em-
ployees dedicated to get the
job done.
SPEARS — We are man-
dated to complete a storm
water program and are in the
process. It will cost a nickel
but it will keep our streams
clean.
3) The news media has
reported a casino could
begin operation in this area
in two years. What type of
impact do you feel this
would have on the city of
Kings Mountain?
BUTLER - If it comes
the impact would result in
more restaurants, hotels and
.be ready with water, sewer,
police, fire, etc.
PRESSLEY — The im-
pact of a casino would be
tremendous and in a positive
way. 3,000 jobs speaks for
itself. I support it. As Mr.
Butler says we’ll have to
prepare with police, fire,
services, etc. A good impact.
HAWKINS — It will have
a huge impact on Kings
Mountain and Cleveland
County economy if it
comes.
SPEARS — A great thing
economically for the city, a
big plus. I probably won’t
participate in it myself, if it
comes, but it will be a big
boon for jobs and our local
economy.
4) What are your goals
and priorities for the city of
Kings Mountain for the
next two. years and how do
you plan to achieve them?
HAWKINS — More
quality of life for our citi-
zens, running the major
water line from Moss Lake
to Kings Mountain, and in
the future more water to
serve prospective customers
and industry.
BUTLER — In the next
years water will be a priority
and repair of water lines and
running the new line from
Moss Lake to town is cur-
rent priority. We are already
Three incumbent councilmen — Mike Butler (back right),
Page 3A
Ward 2, Tommy Hawkins (front right) , Ward 3, Dean Spears
(front letft) , At large, and Curtis Pressley (back left), chal-
lenger for the at large position, greeted 60 people at Bynum
Chapel AME Zion Church and responded to a half dozen
questions fielded by the Cleveland County Chapter NAACP.
PRESSLEY — I agree
that water is a priority for
the future but we need to
prioritize youth needs and
more recreation for our
youth now. Ride the streets
and you will see that our
young people need to be off
the streets. The YMCA does
a good job but they can’t
handle all the needs of our
kids. There are things the
city can do and more recre-
ation for kids is my goal.
status quo, our fund balance
is 28% and we’re doing
something right, working to-
gether to maintain programs.’
The YMCA does a great job
and they even have 3 year
olds playing soccer. It takes
four votes — a majority on
the board — to get our goals
in place. °
5) In these tough eco-
nomic times what budget
categories would you like to
pressing environmental jobs. The city would have to beginning rehab of lines. SPEARS — Maintain the See CANDIDATES. 6A
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