I »
If Interested, Be There
The
Centennial Plans Explained
At Public Meeting Tuesday
, Kings Mountain Centennial
Commission, Inc., plans a community
wide meeting Tues., Mar. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
in The Mountaineer Room of the Com
munity Center to inform citizens about
plans for the October 1-6 celebration.
Also at this meeting the audience will
meet the members of the executive
committee of the centennial commission.
“We want to stress how important it is
to the success of our celebration that
interested citizens, businessmen, in
dustrialists and retailers, or their
company representatives, attend next
Tuesday’s meeting," said Charles
Mauney, commission co-chairman.
“We want to explain to everyone that
this celebration will be a little different
from previous civic promotions which
normally costs the businesses arxi in
dustrial plants money " Mauney con
tinued. “This particular celebration is
geared to make money for most of the
downtown businesses and will give all of
our businesses an opportunity to par-
bcipate in the celebration”
Another purpose of the meeting is to
sell all citizens on the fact that this is
“their celebration and that their help and
advice is wanted and needed in planning
it,” Mauney said.
The five-point goal of this centennial
celebration is to (1) create a new civic
awareness among all Kings Mountain
citizens: (2) uncover new dvic leaders;
(3) stimulate local economy; (4) to honor
our heritage; and (5) to focus attention
on tomorrow.
The centennial commission executive
committee is made up of 16 offices and
members include:
Active General Co-chairman - Mrs.
W.T. Weir and Charles Mauney;
Secretary - Marvin L. Teer;
Headquarters Chairman - Mrs. George
R Houser; Revenue Division - Charles
D. Blanton; Participation Division -
(Ladies) Mrs. Raymond Holmes and
(Men) Charles E. Dixon; Spectacle
Division - Bill G. Bates; Special Events
Division - Lyn Cheshire; Special Days
Sub-Division - Mrs. Aubrey Mauney;
Operating Capital Division - J.C.
Bridges; Treasurer - Tom Tate; Student
Activities Coordinator - Scott Moss;
Special Advisory Members - Mayor John
Henry Moss, Mrs. Lynne W. Mauney and
Mrs. Hazel Fryer; Spectacle Ticket
Division - Shuford K. Peeler and Rev.
M.L. Campbell; Publicity Division - Mrs.
James E. Herndon Jr.; Decorations
Division - Bill H. Brown; and Insurance
Division - John D. Warlick.
/O/
VOL. 3 NO. 2H
THURSDAY. MARCH 21, 1971
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 280S6
'TKOvun
CeV.t Vi.l kU'.,-. .
Redevelopment Project
Okay For Now, But
s
By JAY ASHLI-IY
■Mirror Staff Writer
“The money for our two
projects in Kings Mountain is
reserved for us, but the
situation of other neigh-
borhocxl renewal projects is
uncertain”, said Gene White,
executive director of the KM
Redevelopment Commission.
White made the statement
following a trip he and Mayor
John Moss made to
. Washington, D.C. to meet with
'tl:^' North Carolina
c..parp'isi:jral de'. -tii'i' *fi
discuss problems in the
housing and community
flevelopment programs.
White and Moss represented
the Tenth Congressional
District at the “Legislative
Day” meeting held in
Washington Mar. 14.
The purpose of the meeting,
.sponsored by the Carolinas
Council of Housing,
Redevelopment and Codes
Officials, was to bring to the
attention of every
Congressman the various
qiroblems on the local level in
hissing and community
development brought about by
die lack of funds for com
munity development, the
uncertain status of pending
legislation and other in
decision on the Federal level.
The entire North Carolina
Congressional delegation was
in attendance with the ex
ception of Cong. Wilmer
Mizell.
The Mayor, or other of
ficials representing each
Congressional distrirt, was
asked to relate how his area
would be affected by con
tinued indecision and
inadequate legislation at the
.Federal level.
hjayor Moss outlined
housing and community
development problems in
Gastonia. Shelby, Morganton,
Hickory. Forest City and
Kings Mountain.
Each spokesman outlined a
long list of serious problems in
housing and community
development in their
respective cities.
In citing the problems of the
Tenth District, Mayor Moss
asked the delegation to “join
us in putting our shoulders to
the Wheel in obtaining
satisfactory legislation in the
housing and community
.development fields.”
Cong. L.H. Fountain of the
Second District, sponsored the
meeting in Washington. In
speaking on behalf of the state
delegation. Fountain ex
pressed great concern for the
problems discussed and urged
that his colleagues push for
adequate housing and com-
munity development
legislation.
Gene White said Kings
Mountain is “not in bad shape
in relation toother cities in the
Tenth District.” White said
cities such as Shelby and
Hickory, who have Nei^-
borhood Development
Programs that are funded
annually, are “having lots of
problems.”
The local director of
redevelopment stated one
thing that hurts the Tenth
District is that applications
for building public housing are
no longer being taken. "Kings
Mountain is lucky that our
application was approved
before the cutoff date”
The status of low-rent
housing in the Tenth District is
critical according to the
figures White offered. “We
have 1319 units of low-rent
housing in the Tenth with
another 250 under or just
before, construction. 100 of the
250 will be in Kings Mountain,
bringing our total to 300 units.
Unfortunately applications for
an additional 830 units in the
Tenth District were rejected
because they were received
after funds had been frozen
and applications were not
being accepted.”
White reportixl a major
concern is the number of units
needed in the Tenth District
according to the official
waiting list. "The official
• •••
list”. White said, “contains
2875 names but that’s not
counting the many people who
say to themselves ‘it’s no use
trying’”.
A recent piece of legislation
designed on breaking up the
log jam was recently passed
by the Senate. It was spon
sored by John Sparkman of
(See REDEVELOPMENT 3A)
BY-PASS PLANS - Mayor John Moss displays
the by-pass plans recently received through
Ken Mauney, District Highway Engineers.
Moss said he is hopeful the plans will be
Photo by Jay Ashley
finalized by July 1. The plans will be on display
in the Council Chambers at City Hall beginning
today at 10 a.m. and thereafter from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m.
City Receives Plans
tor The 74 By-Pass
Chamber Getting Response
On Membership Opinion PoU
ByJAY ASHIJ;V
.Mirror Staff Writer
The Kings Mountain
Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors lield its meeting
Tuesday afternoon and
reviewed the first set of
replies received from a recent
opinion poll.
.Although initial response
was low. Chamber president
Frank Sincox said "many
items listed on tbe poll should
Ix’ taken under consideration
for projects next year.”
Lucille Williams, Chamber
secretary, said 290 copies of
the poll had been mailed and
although response was low,
others should be in the mail to
the chamber.
Taking the first 14 replies,
Sincox prepared a summary
of answers and suggestions for
the members present. Parts of
Bloodni o bile Visit
Here Fri,^ Mar. 29
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will visit Kings
Mountain Fri., Mar. 29 from 11 a.m. until 4:30
p.m. in the Mountaineer Room at the Com
munity Center.
Bill Grissom, local chairman of the
Bl(X)dmobile, said the goal for this visit is 125
pints and urges citizens and businessmen to
stress the importance of donating to the
Bloodmobile.
the opinion poll were:
(1) Do you lavor an airport
for Kings Mountain? Six
answered “yes” and four
voted “no” Comments were
“doubt if it could be justified”,
“that’s a good questions. How
could it be financed ” and one
stating finance would be a
problem but added, "federal
funds have supplied over 100
per cent in South Carolina.”
Sincox said the issue would
be a good question for the
chamber to probe in the
coming year.
(2) What new projects would
you like to see the chamber
undertake? Some answers
were: Urge city and citizens to
clean our city. Downtown is
very dirty. Attracting new
retail outlets Concentrated
effort to build a shopping
district worthy of the name.
Support an airport Streets
leading into downtown need
paving.
As far as attracting new
retail outlets, realtor Larry
Immunization Clinic
SHOTS KOR SII/WKS • As
GiU‘ vvtHiUi have* il. (wo young
Sham* \isiled the
«(Hiiiiv’K ('hiUlhtmd Disease
Iiiiimiiii/aiioii ('link' Mmiday
ami were a hil less (liaii happy
o\er (he pi*(»s|N‘('l of getting
sliois. Theii- feats however
were allayed when State
Koaid of IleaKh lepresen-
(ulive Ghai'les PhilbtK’k im*
iiiiiiii/<*d (hem with a •Jet
injccliir". Tin- injector works
on pi'cssui'e and lliei'e is no
nl■(■<llc. The mobile clinic was
ill llie Kings MnuiUaiii area
Moiiilay Ihrougli Thursday
and will return after the
Easier linlidays. Verna
Bi adlev and Beth Clark of the
Counij Board uf Health
leMiinds residents a general
rlinie is held in Kings
Mnuniain every Friday from
9-11 a.III. at (he Cunimunity
( eniei . Al left is Shane Adams
and nil (he right is Shane
Brings.
I’lmliis h\ Ja.\ Ashley
Hamrick said the city has a
“rental space problem for
many retailers.” Hamrick
said some space is tex) ex
pensive or perhaps inadequate
for some retail purposes and it
was often difficult to find
exactly what a potential
retailer wanted. Frank Sincox
said even though rental space
might be a problem, “we still
have more retail outlets and
places for retail outlets than
we did four years ago.”
(3) Do we do enough for
local merchants?
Two answered “yes” and
one “no”. Other comments
included “enlarge in
volvement”, “should merge
with Merchants Association”
and "no...but not exactly sure
what Chamber’s role should
be. Perhaps old idea of
merging Chamber and
Merchants Association should
be revised, with Merchants
Association being a major
(See CHAMBER p. 5A)
Thompson,
Burleson
Featured
WBTV Channel Three will
air a 30-minute sports special
on N.C. State basketball All-
Americans David Thompson
and Tommy Bur'.ccon Friday
night beginning at 10:30.
Jim Thacker, WBTV sports
director, will be narrator of
the program which will
feature in-depth interviews
with the two players’ families,
teammates and coaches.
Title of the special is
"Native Sons of the Wolf-
pack.”
Tliompson, of course, is a
native of Shelby and a former
basketball great at Crest High
School. Burleson is a native of
Newland, where he was an All-
American at Avery County
High School, and has relatives
living in Kings Mountain.
’The great duo recently led
the Wolf pack to the ACC and
Eastern Regional titles and
will lead State into NCAA
semi-finals action Saturday
against defending national
champion UCLA.
Preliminary plans for the construction of the
long awaited US 74 by-pass around Kings
M(xintain came to Mayor John Moss Wed
nesday.
Moss said the plaos were iLiivtreC o.
District Engineer for the Department (if
Transportation, Ken Mauney.
After 20 years of petitioning and letter
writing to State officials, the by-pass was
finally approved under the Governor’s Seven-
Year Highway Construction Plan introduced
last October.
The by-pass will begin at 1-85 and end just
west of the Bethware Elementary School, The
seven-plus mile stretch will cost an estimated
$14.1 millionand is expected to be completed in
1978-78. Initial plans set right of way
acquisitions to be purchased at a cost of
$900,000 in 1974-75 with construebon beginning
in '97S .
Mayo- iHi,ss slated "ttie Depai tmeiU of
Tiaiisportation and the citizens of Kings
Mountain should hope for finalization of plans
around July 1.”
The by-pass plans must also gain final ap
proval from The U.S. Dept, of Transportation
and the Federal Highway Administration.
The mayor added a public hearing will be
held in Ki.igs Mountain on the by-pass issue
and the date will be announced by the state
Dept, of Transportation.
In Lake Pier QueHtioii
Would Appreciate
A Variance’ - Young
Buddy Young has sunk
money and pilings into his
John H. Moss Reservoir
property and says he still
doesn’t know how the situation
will be resolved.
Young’s creosote pilings
have become the center of
discussion in recent weeks by
the Lake Authority and the
Kings Mountain Board of
Commissioners.
The matter began when the
Lake Authority voted to ap
prove a report from consulting
engineer for the Reservoir,
Tom Cox. Cox asked the
Authority to approve only
pilings constructed of rein
forced concrete, either of
formed, poured in place
construction of pre-cast pre
stressed units in its March 7
meeting.
At that meeting Buddy
Young told the board he was
forced to go ahead with
sinking creosote poles because
the water was rising fast.
After hearing Young's plea,
the Lake Authority voted
three to one to allow Young to
go ahead with his pier.
In a telephone interview,
Y(xing said he thought the
matter was settled until he
discovered the Board of
Commissioners have the final
say. In their March 11
meeting, the board voted
three to two to require “all
piers built before the
recommendations were
adopted to change to conform
with the rules.” This vote was
then overruled by another
vote which stated members of
the C(xnmission should meet
with Young to “get the matter
straightened out.”
Buddy Young was contacted
this past Friday and said he
had not yet heard anything
from “anyone on the
situation.”
“When plans for tlie lake
were announced”. Young
said, “you couldn't have found
a more enthusiastic person
titan me. My whole family is
water-oriented and we
decided to build on the lake,”
Young said he sold his home
at Lake Norman, as well as his
losidence in Shelby to build
his current house.
He said, "when I decided to
sell the Lake Norman house, I
took John Henry (mayor)
around Norman and showed
him the problems they are
Itaving. He concurred that the
lake In Kings Mountain should
be the best possible.”
Young continued, “I built
the home in '72 on the lake. I
saw John Halloween night
when the drain was being
filled with cement and com
mented that the water would
lx- rising fast. I sunk all my
money into the home and
wanted to start the piers
before the water rose Kx) high.
John kept saying ‘don't worry’
every time I mentioned
huilding a pier but no rules
were established.
"On Jan. 30 of this year I
really began to worry. My
land has a very steep slope
towards the lake and the
water was rising about three
to five feet a day. I wrote
letters to the Lake Authority
outlining my plans for a pier. I
mid them what I had planned
and said I would bear all the
expenses but I had to do
something.
"About two weeks ago I
went to see John Henrv and
sliowed him the plans I had (or
the pier but I couldn’t get
anything definite from him.
Finally I just couldn’t wait
any longer and 1 went ahead
with the creosote poles. I
contacted several members of
the Lake Authority and city
commissioners and some of
tliein came over to the house.
They said they ccxild ap-
(x-eciate my predicament and
expressed concern over the
matter of rules for pier con-
structon, that none had been
made.”
Buddy Young stated “I did
not have any intentions of
violating the law and I care as
much about the lake as
anyone, maybe even more,
liut I was trapped I had to do
something and do it quick.
Because of the slope of my lot
I had to use creosote poles.
Cement pilings would have
been impossible to sink. I'll
admit the first order is the
quality of the water but I don't
think the oil from 31 poles will
affect the water as much as
tile debris lying on the bottom
of the lake right now.”
Young, who is also chair
man of the county Board of
Adjustments said "I think I
should be allowed a variaiKe
m this case. Not long ago we
(board of adjustments) had to
grant variances to people
around the lake. One man had
built his home too close to his
pr(>[XTty line. There have
been other cases. We could
liave been hard-nosed and
gone by the exact letter of the
law. but these were hardship
cases, cases of circumstance,
and we granted variances. I
would appreciate a variatKe
in iny case.