ISCPA Award
Winning Newspaper
86 NO. 1
Inst
the
master
Itration file.
Ird three citizens residing
|e Gaston County area of
Is Mountain are reminded
Imust register with the
|on County Board of
jtions, Gastonia, or with
Istrar Gordon Lutz at his
I® in the Crowders
Intain community. His
I)® is 739-3701.
register in East Kii^s
plain at the registrar’s
. contact Ruth Hord, 527
lerine Ave. In West Kings
Ptain, contact Geraldine
|s, 317 Scotland Dr. Call
Pt 739-9188 after 12:30 p.
jMar. 18 Kings Mountians
po to the polls to vote the
|tion of establishing an
package store and
pze sales of beer and wine
I 'Premises consumption.
KJNQ&JWOUMTAIN
MIMOB-HEIALD
15
Cleveland County's Modern Newsweekly"
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 28086 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13,1975
Monday Is
teadline
\o Register
legistration for the Mar. 18
1 referendum closes Mon.,
17.
Ihese final registration
L will be observed at the
Ls of the two registrars
Kings Mountain, according
jLuther Bennett, KM
Itions board chairman,
loday and Friday new
Vrs or current voters who
fe changed their city ad-
|ss since their last
tstration may register at
registrar’s homes;
laldine Myers in West KM
J Ruth Hord in East KM.
It., Feb. 15 from 9 a. m.
15 p. m. the registration
Is will be open at the city’s
I polling places. The Ar-
^ on Hiifer Rd. (West
and at City Hall on
Imont Ave. (East KM),
fters may also register at
Cleveland County Board of
Itions office in Shelby,
j^st week’s registration
led a considerable spurt, ”
i Bennett, “especially in
t Kings Mountain. During
Ibast week there were 227
registrations and 23
Ifers. Mrs. Myers said 110
le new registrations were
|e during her hours at The
|ory last Saturday.”
East Kings Mountain,
lett said, “there was a
j of 70 new registrations,
I them last Saturday at
iHall, and six transfers.”
vote in the Mar. 18
|al city election, citizeis
F be 18-years old "and a
ent of the city no less
30 days.
Pewant to remind citizens
jif they plan to vote in the
rendum on March 18 they
Bd play it safe and double
pk to see they are
Itered p-operly,” Bennett
I “If you were registered
Ite in the last election, but
fe since changed your
[ess within the city, then
[must re-register to be
fcle to vote. Your current
less must correspond with
lone on the registration
Is.”
|nnett suggests any citizen
is unsure about his
Itration status to call
I Mercier at 739-2192 to
her check your status
Photo By Tom McIntyre
VISIONS OF WINTER-Following the recent were heavy with crystal-coated limbs. Sun-
ice and snow storm the sun returned, but shine through the ice-covered limbs gave
before its warmth restored order naked trees passersby beautiful visions of winter.
Tuesday's Decision
Solicitors Must Be
Approved By Chamber
Attention: solicitors.
If you want cooperation and
sanction for legitimate
solicitations in Kings
Mountain you must visit the
Chamber of Commerce office.
In Tuesday’s meeting at the
Kings Mountain Country Club
directors of the chamber and
merchants association voted
to institute a clearing house
service on solicitations as a
means of protecting
businessmen and residents
possible fraud.
It was pointed out that
several times in past years
both businessmen and citizens
have been taken for money
that ended up in some con-
man’s pocket.
Bob Smith, who chaired the
committee investigating the
clearing house service, told
the gathering the committee
recommends printed signs be
prominently displayed in
industrial and business offices
in Kings Mountain stating that
all solicitors must be ap
proved by the chamber of
commerce.
“There should be at least a
three-man committee set up to
approve or disapprove the
solicitor’s application,” Smith
said.
jater Rate Committee
orks On Recommendations
r Mayor’s Utility Rate
f ^eramittee is winding
and plan a
peeting Tues., Feb.25 to
lit! ‘■®™™.mendations to
I ^ e^nimissioners.
|e mam recommendations
include an
tl schedule, a
tmerl outside
the surcharge, a
Int "nf" ‘P°®"»bly 50
Inated ^e
late t year,
f eonsumers affectif by
the fee schedule change July
1, 1974, a permanent com
mittee of commissioners be
formed to keep tabs on
competitive utility rates, and
a standard policy be adopted
to first give notice and hold a
public hearing before changes
are made in utility rates.
The only recommendation
that Chairman Sincox voiced
any misgivings about at
'Tuesday’s meeting was the
recompensation to the large
water consumers by the city.
“I’m all for re compensation
to these industries,” Sincox
said. “I think, and we ha'"-
proven, they were injustly
charged higher fees when the
new rates were put into effect
last July, because the figures
on. which commissioners
based the new rate were
erroneous, or at least this
committee has not been able
to duplicate them.”
The string committeeman
BufordDeFore asked for; that
the recompensation to in
dustry by the city be done at
the rate the city decides but
not to exceed 18 months - was
the misgiving Sincox voiced.
(Please Turn To Page 2A)
Max Mayhew was named
chairman and Ron Plummer
and Bob Smith as vice
chairman. This committee
will be a permanent activity.
Unlike the Gaffney, S. C.
Chamber of Commerce, which
requires all solicitation ap
plicants to wait three days
before a decision is made, the
Kings Mountain clearing
house will give approval as
soon as certification of the
solicitor’s credentials comes
through.
Solicitors gaining chamber
approval will be given a letter
which can be presented when
the solicitor approaches
business, industry or citizen.
Chamber President Carl
DeVane suggests that any
citizen approached by
solicitation agents to contact
the Chamber office, 739-5051,
if the citizen has any doubts
concerning the agent’s
credentials.
In other business Bill Bates
discussed with directors of
both chamber and merchants
association m^hods of setting
up officer and director
positions within the merged
organizations.
A decision is promised when
the new merger bylaws are
completed, presented and
voted on at a general mem
bership meeting in Ajx-il.
DeVane told the gathering
the ward equalization study
committee has still not
received requested in
formation concerning
residents and addresses from
the Mayor’s office.
Land Use Update
Is Highlighted
By TOM McINTYRE
Editor, Mirror-Herald
Kings Mountain has
received an update on its land
development plan and in
Monday’s commissioners
meeting Mayor John H. Moss
hit the plan highlights.
The plan, developed through
the North Carolina Natural
and Economic Resources
Department, gives a straight
portrait of the city, it’s
boundaries and landuse
within. But the plan does
more; it is designed to provide
general and flexible
guidelines for the future
growth and development of
the city for the next 20 years.
In his highlighting. Mayor
Moss said, “Our 1965 study
shows the city containing 2,100
acres. In 1975 that acreage has
increased to 3,200.”
The update indicates land
uses in acres and shows that
residential acres through 1974
totals 1,562 or 48 percent of
total city acreage of 3,235. The
second largest land mass is
1,022 acres, most of which is
vacant, is used for agriculture
and highway rights of way.
“As you can see we still
have quite a bit of un
developed land Within the city
limits,” the mayor said.
Drys Urge
Registration
Dr. D. T. McFarland,
executive secretary of
Christian Action League of N.
C., urged those opposed to
establishing an ABC package
store in Kings Mountain to
work toward getting citizens
registered.
Addressing a crowd of
approximately 200 persons
attending a Dry meeting at
First Wesleyan Church
Tuesday night. Dr. Mc
Farland reminded that the
special election is scheduled
T^es., Mar. 18.
Dr. Charles Edwards, local
leader opposing package
stores and beer and wine sales
for off-premises consumptiai,
said the main question on the
floor at 'Tuesday’s meeting
was the matter of registration
of ward three citizens living in
the Gaston County area of the
city.
“That small group of people
living in Kings Mountain, but
within the boundaries of
Gaston County, must either
register to vote in this special
election at Gaston County
Board of Elections or with
Gordon Lutz of Crowders
Mountain,” Dr. Edwards said.
Anyone desiring tran
sportation for registration,
call First Baptist Church 739-
3651 or Rev. S. W. Avery 739-
3772.
The final Dry meeting prior
to the election is scheduled for
Mon., Mar. 3 at 7:30 p. m. at,
Boyce Memorial ARP Church.
Right Zip,
Wrong City
The mail goes throu^.
Even when the city it is
mailed to does not exist.
Randy Sims is going to
receive a letter mailed in
Greenville, S. C., but only
because the zip code is
correct. The l^ter was
addressed to Sims, P. 0.
Box 977, Foote Mineral, N.
C. 28086.
KMers will be surprised
to learn the name of the
city has been quietly
changed, according to
Postmaster Charles
Alexander.
Commercial business exists
on 135 or four percent of the
city’s acreage; and industrial
use accounts for 256 acres, or
seven percent. The remaining
260 acres is used as public and
semi-public acreage.
Development guidelines for
the future will essentially
follow the existing pattern as
far as how the land is used
presently, but with an eye on
more organization to promote
compatable patterns.
The study delves into the
city’s responsibility in zoning
actions on which will allow a
smoother implementation of
the proposed land use plan. It
is also pointed out the city has
the responsibility for the one-
mile perimeter outside the
existing boundaries.
“Future planning we
already know includes 15)-
dating zoning ordinances,
construction of a by-pass from
74 West to 1-85 East,” Mayor
Moss said. “Plans also call for
studies on thoroughfares
running north and south We
want to be able to move traffic
efficiently in our city.”
MASTERS TO SPEAK
Bennett Masters will speak
next Monday night at the
Alpha and Omega Bible Class
meeting at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Bill Moss, Grover
Rd Interested persais are
invited to attoid
The mayor said on Fd). 20
the first community
development public hearing is
planned “and we will see the
exciting opportunities in this
program.”
In other action the com
missioners unanimously voted
to adopt a resolution for
building code permit
procedures in flood hazaroud
areas.
The resolution empowers
the codes administrator
(building inspector) to review
all building permit ap
plications for new con
struction or substantial im
provements to determine
whether proposed building
sites will be reasonably safe
from flooding.
The resolution also covers
proposed sites for subdivision
development to make sure
these proposals are consistent
with the need to minimize
flood damage, and that utility
facilities are situated,
elevated and constructed to
minimize or eliminate flood
damage, and to make sure
proper drainage is planned
against flooding.
Commissioners
authorized legal proceedings
for the demolition of 24 con
demned dwellings in the city.
The request for this action wa s
submitted several months ago
by Black Leonard, codes
administrator.
The dwellings and owners
include; 507 and 508 Cherokee
St., H. L. Patrick, 215 Fulton
Dr., Denny heirs, 506 , 217, 207,
114,108, 112, no, 215 Linwood,
11 and 27 Bennett Dr., 405 and
407 Chestnut, 416 Clinton, 804
Fourth, 416 Battleground, 505
Woodside and 302 Piedmait,
all owned by Nan Jean Grant.
Also 801 Gantt, Helen
'Turner Lattimore, 704 Gantt,
Viola White (W. K. White), 212
E. Ridge, W. M. Craft and 820
Fourth, Eula England,
Charles and Melvin Bagwell.
Leonard told the board a 11 of
these dwellings are vacant
and have been for sometime.
- Awarded Durham Life
Ins. Co. the contract for city
employe group insurance for
the coming year, including life
insurance and hospitalization
benefits.
~ Okayed advertising for
bids on a new loader-backhoe
for the water-sewer dq)art-
ment.
- Authorized filing of ap
plication with the Local
Government Commission and
designating authorized
representative (Mayor Moss)
for peak shaving plant for the
city’s natural gas system.
'The mayor will be
authorized to handle
procedures for $110,000 in
bonds, the city’s portion of
costs on the plant con
struction.
- Heard a brief report from
City Attorney Jack White on
annexation.
Broyhill
Speaks At
KM Luncheon
Rep. James Broyhill will address the Kings
Mountain Rotary Club at a luncheon today at
the country club.
Rotarian Kyle Smith arranged the
Congressman’s visit.
The seven-term 10th District Representative
from Lenoir has been an outspoken critic
recently of Congressional recess in the face of
such vital energy and economic legislation
past due for action.
REP. JAMES BROYHILL
Voltage Record Shows
Southwoods Power OK
Low voltage and high power bills brought
demands for some answers from Southwoods
Subdivision residents two weeks ago.
The day after that city commission meeting
Harry Wilson, electrical department
superintendent, had an additional transformer
installed at the Southwoods utility outlet to try
to find those answers.
A 24-hour recording was made of voltage
going to Southwoods residences and showed
the load was within the expected two percent
error factor during that period.
Within this error factor voltage would not be
so weak as to fail to power a color TV to bring
out colors, to cause an oven to malfunction nor
a clothes dryer to generate lukewarm heat.
Yet, these are the complaints of the South-
woods residents, that and the doubled city
electric bills.
Wilson submitted his voltage records to
Southeastern Consulting Engineers, Inc. and in
return received a meter accuracy chart and a
letter from W. H. Little Jr.
The chart is for a 240-volt General Electric
meter, the type used by the city, and indicated
that even operating at only 50 percent of the
rated voltage the meter will read correctly for
resistive loads such as lights and heaters and
less than one percent error for loads such as
motors and heat pumps.
In his letter. Little said, “It is also in
teresting to note that any error would make the
meter run slow. However, for voltage levels
within the plus or minus 10 percent range, 216-
264 volts, you can readily see that the meter
will read accurately. ...”
Little said he would also like to point out that
the state utility commission will allow an error
of plus or minus two percent.
According to voltage recordings from the
additional transformer Southwoods is
receiving adequate power, but according to
that area’s residents they are not receiving
enough power to make a low watt light bulb
glow at certain periods of the day.
Wilson said he is continuing daily voltage
recordings in the Southwoods area and is
making those readings available on a chart
which will be available for viewing by
homeowners.