ted
lad $150
car and
damaged
reported
Thirsty?
Think Of Georfre Moss
When You Drink That Water
I
ByGAKYSTKWART
Mirnir Staff Writer
George Moss, chief operator
for Kings Mountain’s two
water plants, never dreamed
32 years ago that Kings
Mountain would someday
pump four million gallons of
water a day.
The Kings Mountain native,
who’ll complete his 32nd year
with the city on May 15, says
when he first joined the water
department the city was
pumping about 3,000 to 4,000
gallons a day!
“A lot of people in Kings
Mountain never thought we’d
need even a million gallons a
day, which was our capacity
back then,” Moss pointed out.
“If we pumped as much as a
half-million in any one day, it
was highly unusual.”
Moss, of course, began his
duties as chief operator at the
old Deal Street plant, which is
still in operation. That plant is
now used for nighttime
operation.
’’Back then,” Moss con
tinued, “it was a 365 day a
year job. It was a one-man
department and he worked
every day. Still, the water
plant takes no holidays but we
have three employees now.”
fJther water plant operators
are Kenneth Broome and
OeVoil Butcher.
“One thing about this job,”
Moss pointed out, “you have to
be a chemist, janitor, elec
trician and about everything
else. And this in unusual for
most water plants. Most cities
have a maintenance crew and
a chemist that does the lab
work. I’m the only certified
chemist in our department.”
Kings Mountain’s new water
treatment facility, located at
the John H. Moss Reservoir,
has a pumping capacity of
four million gallons per day.
The old Deal Street facility
was increased from a one
million to two million gallon a
day operation in 1954.
“Our new plant is called a
high rate filtration plant,”
explained Moss, “and the old
plant is known as a con
ventional plant. The only
difference is that a con
ventional plant provides two
gallons per minute through
each square foot of filter area
and the high filtration plant
provides four gallons per
minute.”
Moss said that's the only
major change made in water
treatment since he's been on
the job.
Moss predicted the city
water use is about 3.7 million
gallons per day.
“A rule of thumb figures
water consumption to be 150
gallons per capita per day,”
noted Moss. “And we have
about 10,000 people using our
water.
“The thing that’s caused the
biggest jump,” he went on,
(See GEORGE p.SB)
■“V-
THE BIG CHIEF - George Moss, Kings Mountain’s chief
operator at the city’s water works, has spent 32 years on the
Photo by Gary Stewart
ytb. He has worked under seven mayors
nianagersand hasseena great many changes
and three city
in his job.
3ans
and
Dver^
con-
IN
ItENT
tst
imp
ti’s!
^THOvun
VOL. 3 N<». 20
KINGS MOUNTAIN. NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THURSDAY, JANUARY FT. 1974
l(
:/.
M
To Consider Proposals
Lake Authority
Saturday
Tour
AWARD WINNER - Mirror staff writer Jay
Ashley poses with Lt. Gov. Jim Hunt and NC
^ Press Association President Sam Ragan at the
presentation of awards for outstanding
reportage for 1973
Ashley won second place in news or feature
series.
in Chapel Hill last week.
Jay Ashley
Mirror Writer Takes
1973 NC Press Award
We have a winner!
Jay Ashley, staff writer-photographer for
The Mirror, was named second place winner in
the News or Feature Series catagory when the
fiC Press Association met at Chapel Hill last
week.
Ashley, a native of Burlington and a member
of the Mirror news team since 1972, won his
award on a series entitled “Dogs In Kings
Mountain.” The series was an all-round and
informative probe into a very real and
disturbing siluabon concerning “man’s best
friend-turned-adversary.”
In judging the catagory, Neal Britton Sims,
managing editor of the Virginia Beach (Va.)
Sun, commented, “The many questions and
various viewpoints to the problem of vicious
and dangerous dogs in Kings Mountain were
best treated in a series.
“The Mirror’s approach to the situation
pointing out the disorder and damage done by
the dogs, then explaining the legal issues in
volved, gave readers a better perspective on a
complicated matter.
“Sections of the city’s dog-control ordinance
were used as outlines for pictures showing the
results of violations of the law. In addition. The
Mirror also gathered a summary of dog laws in
other NC cities. After reading the series, one
was better able to make an individual decision
as to what actions should be taken.”
Through Ashley’s series the board of com
missioners were moved to action and strict
enforcement of the dog ordinance was main
tained until the problem became less severe.
The 49th annual awards presentation were
sponsored jointly the NCPA, UNC-Chapel Hill
and Duke University, Durham.
The Kings Mountain Lake
Authority plans a special
meeting at 9a.m. Saturday for
a tour of John Henry Moss
Reservoir.
The tour will be to consider
iroposals for lake use mde by
Meeco Marinas, Inc. of
McAlester, Okla. and recently
presented to the authority
members.
The study results suggested
no less than 3,800 boats would
use JHM Reservoir and that
750 of them would be “active
boating customers” at
marine, docking and dry
docking facilities there.
Commenting on the study.
Mayor John Henry Moss, the
man for whom the lake is
named, said the study reflects
the belief of a commercial
supplier and it does not
tx?cessarily follow that the
lake’s governing authority
will accept these projections.
The study projections were
based on total population in
five counties (Cleveland,
Lincoln, Gaston, York and
Cherokee) and a national
average on one boat per 52
persons in densely populated
areas, one boat per 93 persons
in rural areas. The study
indicates there are 355,000
Pic ’N Pay
Stores Set
In KM Plaza
persons residing in the five
counties.
In the 1968 master plan for
recreational use of the lake,
one marina was designated as
being sufficient.. The Meeco
study suggests at least three
marinas are justified.
The study further recom
mends the marinas be built
near the dam on the northwest
branch, and on the east side of
the lake center. The marinas
should offer, according to the
new study, slip storage,. fuel
facilites, dockside electricity,
fresh water, public phones,
restrooms, ice, food, drinks,
garbage disposal, marine
equipment and spare boat
parts.
The study gives a projected
breakdown of costs and
revenue for lake facilites. 72
boat slips of varying size and
quality would cost $96,000 and
produce an annual gross in-
. come of $28,331; a 30 by 40 foot
dry dock, cost. $16,400, annua!
gross income. $9,216: a 60 by
42 fool fishing barge, cost,
$18,539, annual gross income,
$8,100; a 48-foot service dock,
cost, $7,377, annual gross
income from gasoline sales,
$10,140.
Total projected costs of
the.se facilities is $138,723.
Total projected gross revenue,
$59,870 or 43.15 percent of the
cost.
The Meero study further
lirojecLs additional income of
$32,600 from boat accessories,
(See lake: p.7A)
Tonight At 7:30
Centennial Group
To Hear Planner
An irnportant meeting of Kings Mountain
Centennial Commissiai members has been set
for tonight at city hall at 7:30, according to
Marvin Teer, secretary.
A representative of a celebration
management firm will be on hand to present
his company’s proposal for the centennial,
which begins Sun., Feb. 10.
TTie historical committe is now asking that
citizens “search their attics for old pictures,
maps or other items of general interest that
would show the establishment and growth of
Kings Mountain during its first years,” said
Mrs. Milton Fryer.
Some of the items will be used in a brochure
and some of them in a downtown display.
“The committe is especially searching for
Bell Military Academy catalog or pictures,”
Mrs. Fryer said.
The items may be deposited at either
Mauney Memorial Library or at city hall
(Mayor’s office). Each item submitted should
be clearly marked with the owner’s name so
that it may be properly retu. .led.
For furttier inffK-mation call Mrs. Fryer at
739-2371.
Lease Rate Set
By RC Tuesday
FUNBank Opening
KM Plaza Branch
/'Vi., Feb. I At 5
p.ni.
Tax Listing Deadline
Area citizens have slightly
more than a week to list their
1974 personal and real estate
taxes before having to pay a
penalty,
J. Edwin Moore, tax lister
for number four township,
said taxes will be listed at city
hall in Kings Mountain from
8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. each
weekday through Friday, Feb,
1. Taxes will also be listed in
Grover this Saturday from
8*f0 until 1 p.m. and at city
hall on Saturday, Feb. 2, from
8:30 until 1.
“Listing is going as good or
better than we expected,”
noted Moore. “You never
know if there are any late
listers until it’s over since
many people are now listing
tlirough the mail. But there
seems to be a better preentage
of people listing in person than
throu^ the mail.”
Moore said the 10 percent
late listing penalty applies to
personal items only. The
minimum penalty is one
dollar.
He pointed out that churches
must apply for exemption
before the deadline or will
have to pay taxes.
“Churches were supposed to
receive a form in the mail,”
Moore pointed out, “but in
case some didn’t, we have the
forms available through us.
We urge the churches to apply
before the deadline.”
Moore noted that most
countries are enforcing the
new state law concerning
listing of church property.
Pic ’N Pay btores, Inc. is
the fifth concern to establish a
business site at Kings
Mountain Plaza Shopping
Center.
The Charlotte-based
operation currently operates
219 outlets and the Kii*s
Mountain location, tentatively
scheduled to open in March,
will be one of approximately
50 new sites to be created in
1974.
Eleven yearsagoPic ’N Pay
Stores, Inc. had 29 units in
operation. Today there are
219. In the intervening years
the company has had to close
only 12 units because they
didn’t measure up to ex
pectations.
With its rapid growth, the
operation is known to be the
largest self-service shoe chain
in the southeast.
TheKM Plaza unit will have
a grand opening, which will be
announced in The Mirror
along with fuU details in the
near future.
KM Plaza now has three
concerns in operation - Smith
Drugs, Macks and Winn-
Dixie. The food store
relocated in the Plaza last
Thursday.
First Union National Bank
opens its brawh operation in
Kings Mountain Plaza
Shopping Center Mon., Jan.
28.
Management of the branch
will be handled at the main
bank downtown, but two
employes, Mary Perkins and
Juanita Van Dyke, will be on
duty in the Plaza unit.
“This facility is mainly a
drive-in branch," said L. E,
(Josh) Hinnant, city executive
for E'UNBank. "However,
there is walk-in service also.
Our braiKh in the Plaza will
also feature night depository-
service.
“Our customers will be able
to transact any type of
banking business they wish,
except loans, at the branch
office,” he said. "Loan
Ixisiness will still be tran-
sactedat the main bank only.”
Hinnant said FUNBank
constructed the branch in KM
Plaza “for better, more
convenient customer service
and to help eliviate the traffic
congestion in the downtown
area at the main bank.”
The branch will be open
from 9-5 Mondays through
Thursdays and from 9-6 on
Fridays. The facility will be
closed Saturdays.
With next Monday’s
opening, FUNBank will be the
only local banking concern
with a branch office in the
Kings Mountain area.
ByJAYASHLEY
Mirror StaffWriter
In a meeting Tuesday
morning, the Kings Mountain
Redevelopment Commission
established a Uniform Lease
Rate schedule for tenants in
the central business district
and the Cansler Street project.
Executive director of the
KMRC, Gene White, told the
members according to
Housing and Urban
Development regulations, the
local redevelopment com
mission is required to set up a
"fair and equitable lease
rate” for tenants.
After the redevelopment
commissionacquires property
under the two renewal
projects, it is necessary to set
up some rent for the tenant
until such time the tenant
moves.
White explained that so far
in the Cansler Street project,
the rent rate is $5 per week,
across the board, for home
dwellers and $30 per month for
the tenants of Sam and Tims
-JffTi I I
KI*I» t
i Ti O
■Vs.
I fSli
OPENING MONDAY - The branch office of
First Union National Bank will open Monday in
the Kings Mountain Plaza. .Mary Perkins (left)
t-niHu oy Jay Asiiiry
and Juanita Van Dyke w ill work in the branch
office located just off US 74.
Grocery Store on Parker St.
He noted the rent sums were
comparable to those being
paid before the acquisition.
In the central business
district project, White said,
“each tenants’ circumstances
will be different so the rent
schedule will be varied.”
White added that HUD has a
regulation which permits the
occupant of an acquired
structure to remain in that
structure for a period of sixty
days before starting rent
payments. The director said in
many cases, the tenants of
such acquired buildings will
be moved before the sixty
days and no rent money would
be collected by the
redevelopment commission.
Commission members
studied various rent-lease
schedules as provided by
White and voted to institute
the Uniform Lease schedule.
Paul McGinnis noted the rent
on the buildings were “pretty
low” but added the com
mission should work with
those tenants who are co-
opeaating “so well with the
commission”.
The matter of moving the
redevelopment commission
offices from city hall into the
Western Auto building
basement was also discussed
by the members.
White brought a proposal to
move before the commission
in its December meeting and
was instructed by board vote
to make a counter-offer to
Odus Smith, owner of the
newly constructed business
who made space available.
White stated he had talked
with Smith but Smith said
considering building costs and
other factors, he could not
lease the building for the
commission’s $150 per month
offer.
Gene White then told the
members of the board he had
been in contact with local
attorney Jack White
discussing the possibility of
renting office space in the
»See RC |x7A)