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Thursday
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Volume 94, Number 44
Thursday, June 4, 1981
Kings Mountain, North Carolina
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City Is Considering
$12 Million Budget
The City Commissioners are
considering a 1981-82 budget of
$12,320^00, an increase of over
$3 million over the current year.
Mayor John Henry Moss
presented his annual budget
statement to the board in a brief
meeting Monday night at the
Governmental Services Facilities
Center. The proposed budget
will be open for public viewing in
the city clerk’s office for 20 days.
It is expected to be approved at
the June 22 board meeting.
The city will maintain its cur
rent tax rate, SO cents per $100
valuation, and permanent city
employees will receive a seven
percent pay increase, Moss
pointed out.
A breakdown of the budgets
of individual departments in
cludes:
Administrative, S2I8J)69, of
which $153,769 will go to
salaries of nine employees and
commissioners. Current year’s
budget was $202,942.
Development Office, $30,460,
of which $25,260 will go to
salaries of two employees. Cur
rent year’s budget is $28,989.
Police Department, $353,136,
with $313,786 paying the
salaries of 24 employees. Cur
rent budget is $315,678. The
Police Department will also
receive $64,000 in Revenue
Sharing funds to purchase four
ptatrol cars, two car radios, three
rotary beacons, leather equi|>
ment for 24 regular officers and
six reserves, and renovation of
the old city hall building.
Fire Department, $119,941,
including $95,241 for salaries for
seven employees. The budget is
up from $109,222. The fire
department will also receive
$32,000 in Revenue Sharing
funds to purchase a mini fire
truck, fence for the Fire
Museum and a sign to place over
the door.
Codes-lnspection Depart
ment, $26,568, including
$25318 for salaries for two
employees. The budget is down
from the current budget of
$27,020.
Public Works Administration,
$76,749, including $64,429 for
Grover Okays
'81-'82 Budget
BY ELIZABETH STEWART
Co-Editor
Grover Town Board Monday
night unanimously adopted a
$101325.00 budget for 1981-82
w 9 while appropriating over one-
fourth of the amount, $9,622.60,
for operation of the police
department.
The budget action was taken
near the close of a three-hour
meeting which included a
lengthy executive session in
which commissioners talked
with Chief of Police Mike
Brown. After the session, the
% 9 board announced it would begin
accepting applications for a se
cond police officer who is to be
paid $8400 annually.
The new budget calls for eight
percent cost-of-living raises for
Chief Horton and Town Clerk
Gloria Horton. Mrs. Horton will
receive $8,712.39 annually and
based on a 35 and one half hour
A A work week. The board stipulated
^ ^ that the town office will close a
noon on Wednesday.
The police budget also in
cludes expenses for school cross
ing guards, uniforms for the two
policemen, gasoline and
maintenance expenses for the
town police car, automobile in
surance, and $800 for a new
walkie-talkie.
A A The board said it would take
under consideration request
from Philip Wright for addi
tional monies for the town
recreation program. Wright said
that a backstop and additional
repairs at Brice Harry Park
would enhance the safety of
youngsters playing little league
ball. The board had approved ex
penditure of $800 in the budget
for lighting of the park and $294
for liability insurance.
“We need to get more Grover
people concerned with the
recreation program in town,”
said Wright who pointed out
that most coaches for the soft-
ball program come from the
Kings Mounttun area.
The new budget calls for
$16,000 expenditure for streets
with $10,000 targeted for resur
facing. The Grover Fire Depart
ment is expected to receive
$5,520.02 which includes
maintenance and repairs, travel,
and insurance. Maintenance and
repair of sidewalks are exptected
to cost $2300 and 55 street
lights are expected to cost
$3,150. The Sanitation Depart
ment’s budget is $11,770.00 and
Grover’s upcoming election ex
pense is estimated to be $600.
Town Hall and office expenses
are estimated to be $4,810.05
'Turn To Pog* 7-A
salaries of four employees, up
from $59,091.
Properties and Maintenance,
$77,853, including $69,073 for
salaries of six employees. The
198081 budget was $70,931.
The department will also receive
the following Revenue Sharing
funds; $2300 for surface water
drain pipe, $1300 for a trowling
matchine, $3,000 for curb form
and $250 for a chain saw.
Garage, $51,527, including
$48,067 to pay the salaries of
four employees. The budget in
creases from $36,300. The
department will also receive
$800 in Revenue Sharing funds
for tools.
Street Department, $227,818,
including $78,668 in salaries for
eight employees, $75,000 for
street maintenance, $25,000 for
truck and equipment repairs and
$40,000 for supplies and
materials. The budget increases
from $215330.
Sanitary Department,
$164,354, including $144,054
for salaries for 16 employees.
The 1980-81 budget was
$119,900.
Aging Program, $36,774, in
cluding $24,774 for salaries of
three employees. Current budget
is $28 363.
Recreation Department,
$87,799, including $52,699 for
salaries of five employees. The
current budget is $151,571.
Lake Authority, $12343, in
cluding $7,643 for s^aries for
two part-time seasonal
employees. The department was
included in the General Depart
ment in past years.
Neighborhood Facilities,
$34,340, including $21,760 for
salaries of two employees. The
department wjts included in the
Recreation budget in past years.
Cemetery Department,
$49321, including $42,621 for
salaries for four employees. The
budget is up from $46,406.
General Department,
$661,023. Major items include
$102,000 for FICA lax expense,
$110,000 for gasoline and oil,
and $90,000 for general in
surance. The budget is up from
$608,825.
Moss praised city department
heads for “providing the best ser
vices at the lowest of costs” and
added that “the 198182 fiscal
year will be one that will require
diligent effort and
management.”
Moss also said the city is in
good position in regards to debts.
The city owes $2,435,000, in
outstanding notes and will pay
$180,000 principal and
$60,942.50 in interest. The city
owes $142,000 in water bond an
ticipate 1 notes and will pay
$19,000 principal and $8,647.80
interest.
PENNIES FOR KELLI-Nine-year old Kelli
Harry was honored by her classmates at
Grover School Wednesday and presented
Photo by Lib Stewart
with a jar holding thousands oi pennies. With
Kelli are Principal Jim Scruggs, left, and her
father, Phil Horry.
Last Day Of School
Day Of Love For Kelli
The last day of school was
Kelli Harry Day at Grover
School and nine-year-old Kelli
was the most excited of all the
youngsters.
“1 miss you all and I love you
all,” Kelly told her classmates
assembled in Grover School
Auditorium for an Awards Day
program.
Kelli, who is recovering from
injuries sustained in an
automobile accident on Dec.18,
was pushed in her wheelchair to
the front of the auditorium
where she received a large jar
full of pennies collected during
the past several months as “Pen
nies for Kelli” to give the
Actors Gearing
For KM Drama
Opening night is less than a
month away but 57 actors and
23 technicians are gearing up for
a second successful season of the
outdoor drama, “Then Conquer
We Must.”
Limestone College, in col
laboration with the Kings Moun
tain National Military Park,will
produce the show Thursdays
through Saturdays beginning Ju
ly 2nd and continuing through
August 8th in the Amphitheatre
of Kings Mountain National
Military Park.
Performances are at 8;30
p.m. each evening and tickets at
the gate are $4.50 for orchestra
seats and $3.50 for bleachers.
Group rates for 10 or more are
available at $4 and $3 by contac
ting Publicity Director Beth Tal
ly, PO Box 1388, Gaffney,S.C.
29340.
Returning in the lead female
role of the show is Suzanne
Amos Grabus of Kings Moun
tain and Gastonia as Virginia
Salter. Mrs. Grabus is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim
Amos of Kings Mountain and
delighted drama-goers in the role
of the redheaded mistress of
Col.Patrick Ferguson.
A new “Major Ferguson” this
season will Charlie John Smith, a
ten year veteran of the outdoor
drama. Smith has many movie
and television commercial
credits and performed for five
years in an important supporting
role with ‘The Lost Colony.” A
professor at a Junior College in
Henderson,N. C., he is married
and has has three children.
Returning in the role as
“Clayborn Andrews” is Gregory
Madera. Andrews is also linked
romantically with Miss Salter.
Madera is a theatre major at
Turn To Page 4-A
youngster something to occupy
her time this summer.
“1 think it will probably take a
week or two to count all these
pennies,” the happy youngster
exclaimed. Principal Jim Scruggs
and Kelli'S father, Phil Harry,
think it will take much longer to
count the thousands of pennies
which Grover classmates gave
Kelli as expressions of love.
And there were tears flow ing
at Wednesday morning’s pro
gram but Principal Scruggs
noted that it was because a
“tragedy had turned into
triumph simply because of the
many prayers of Kelli’s friends
everywhere. The kids wanted to
do something for Kelli and give
her something to do when she
came home from the hospital.
We never gave up hope that she
w ould come back to us.”
The children greeted Kelli
with smiles and hugs and several
asked her what she was doing at
home this summer. Kelli said
that she is reading and learning
her multiplication tables and has
learned to say “1 love you” in
German, thanks to her
mother,Maria, and to her fourth
grade tutor, Steve Wells. Mr.
Wells visits Kelli on a regular
basis and Kelli said she is looking
forward to returning to the
classroom. “1 really do love
school.”
And there was no question
that the kids love Kelli and
shared the excitement of the
special day in all their young
lives.
GIRL OF YEAR - Kim Dixon. Uit, is con-
gratulatod by Jackio Lavondsr, assistant prin
cipal at Kings Mountain High School, ior b«-
ing namsd ths Outstanding Sonior Girl at
KMHS during Awards Day coromoniss Thurs
day at B.N. Barnos Auditorium.
BOY OF YEAR - Ssnior Jeii Linoborgor, Uit.
accopts tho Amsrican Lsgion Outstanding
Ssnior Boy Award horn Vics-Commandsr .
Photos by Gary Sts wart
Elgin during Kings Mountain High Awards
Day Thursday at B.N. Bornss Auditorium.