Turn Clocks Back at 2 am on Sun., Nov. 3
HORD’S CONTAINER SERVICE (704) 466-6008 Volume 131 • Issue 43
kmherald.com • 704-739-7496
October 30, 2019
75¢
Election Day November 5
City Council candidates weigh-in on issues FOR WARD 1
FOR MAYOR
RICK MURPHREY
SCOTT NEISLER
By Loretta Cozart Kings Mountain residents vote on Nov. 5, electing a mayor and five city council members. A countywide referendum to raise the sales tax by .25% is also on the ballot. Candidates for the mayor’s race include Scott Neisler, former Mayor Rick Murphrey, and David Israel Dettloff. Annie Thombs is running in Ward 1 unopposed. The Ward 4 race has Rodney Gordon facing off against Jimmy West. Ward 5 candidates include Jay Rhodes and Ron Humphries. The At-Large Council seat has three candidates, Keith Miller, David Brinkley and Curtis Pressley. The Herald asked a series of 12 questions on a wide
ANNIE THOMBS
DAVID ISRAEL DETTLOFF
variety of topics. Space prevents running complete answers in the Herald, but all the candidate’s responses will be posted in their entirety. To see all the answers, visit KMHerald.com on Wednesday. In the mayoral race, former Mayor Rick Murphrey challenges current Mayor Scott Neisler. Newcomer, David Israel Dettloff is also running for the mayor. Neisler was elected Ward 6 councilman in 1992 and served as mayor from 1991-99 and was elected in 2015 to a four-year term as mayor. Rick Murphrey served the city for 21 years: 6 years on the City Council; 4 years as Mayor Pro-Tem; 15 years as Mayor. Murphrey retired after 42-years from Spectrum Dyed Yarns
Grover voters
GROVER – Voters in Grover will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5 to elect a mayor and two members of town council. Roy Lee Dyer, a former councilman, is unopposed for mayor. Six residents, including the present mayor, are running for the two seats open on the board. They are incumbent councilwoman Angela Early, incumbent mayor Bill Willis, Emily Rountree, Richard Smith, Brandy Greene and Jim Ogle. Grover voters will also vote for four members of the Cleveland County Water Board. The six candidates are
Roger Costner, Bill Cameron, Dewey Cooke, Pete Petersen, Bruce Martin and Tony Brooks. A county-wide sales tax referendum is also on the ballot. If approved, the present tax of 6.75 percent would go up to 7 percent and apply to all persons shopping in the county. County commissioners called for the referendum in a resolution adopted Aug. 4 and said funds raised would benefit educational and community projects Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. at Grover Town Hall.
Early voting site closes Nov. 1.
American Legion Veteran’s breakfast Saturday
The early voting site at the H. Lawrence Patrick Senior Center closes Friday, Nov. 1. It is open Wednesday, Oct. 30, Thursday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Voters who are not registered may register during early voting and cast their ballot. Persons who register during early voting are required to provide proof of residency.
By Loretta Cozart American Legion Post 155 has its Veteran’s Breakfast this Saturday morning, November 2, at the Otis D. Green Post home on East Gold Street. The event is hosted this month by the Sons of the Legion. All veterans are invited to this free breakfast the first Saturday of every month. Others are welcome to attend for a small donation which helps fund future breakfasts. The next breakfast will be on October 5 from 9 am to 11 am.
FOR WARD 4
FOR WARD 5
RODNEY GORDON
JAY RHODES
JIMMY WEST
where is was vice president of sales and marketing. Dettloff works with children, both teaching and coaching. All three candidates have differing opinions on the most important challenge to our city. Neisler responded, “We need to get up to speed with those other communities experiencing big growth that have updated their codes, so we are protecting our quality of life.” Murphrey said, “High utility bills – The City must be a low-cost producer.” Dettloff stated, ”One important challenge facing the city would be the lack of through traffic that stops and visits what Kings Mountain has the potential to offer. Too many people west of Kings Mountain pass by to visit neighboring towns and cities.”
FOR AT-LARGE
RON HUMPHRIES
In response to a question on how the candidates would support small business, Neisler said, “Getting them good qualified workers and keeping utility rates low if, not below normal, helping their bottom line.” Murphrey suggested the city should. “establish a partnership with the community college on requirements to start a new business and how to search for grants.” Dettloff said, “A successful downtown area consists of multiple restaurants, bars, shops, hair salons and barber shops. Not often do you find a business without anybody to compete with. There is a need for healthy competition, which is healthy for small businesses, which is healthy for the city.” All three mayoral can-
KEITH MILLER
DAVID BRINKLEY
didates support the county sales tax referendum increase of .25%, because it supports schools and other community projects. Neisler pointed out, “The only problem I see is the uncertainty of what projects will get funded.” Annie Thombs was appointed Ward 1 councilwoman by city council in 2018 at the death of the late Howard Shipp. A lifelong resident of Kings Mountain, she worked in local government administration for 40years and retired from the City of Gastonia as Community Development Administrator in 2010. Thombs said “One of the most important challenges is Economic Growth and Development.” She cited the need for an increase in
CURTIS PRESSLEY
market rate housing and the need to attract more middle and upper-income families. When asked what she would do to support small business, Thombs replied, “Making Downtown attractive, bringing in retail stores and restaurants that will draw people downtown. Capitalize on the success of the existing businesses and Patriots Park.” When asked if she supported the sales tax referendum, she replied, “Only if there are assurances that the monies would be used as designated and used in addition to existing county funds.” In the Ward 4 race, Rodney Gordon is challenged by Jimmy West. Rodney See CANDIDATES, Page 4A
City of Kings Mountain to host The Wonderful Adventure to Oz Special event to coincide with the 80th Anniversary of the release of the Wizard of Oz Lions! Tigers! Bears! Oh my! In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the release of the Wizard of Oz, on Thursday, October 31 at 6:00 pm, the City of Kings Mountain will transform Patriots Park, in downtown Kings Mountain, to the magical Land of Oz. Journey down the Yellow Brick Road while meeting cast members from Beech Mountain’s Land of Oz and trick or treating along the way. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs or blankets! An outdoor screening of The Wizard of Oz will begin at 6:30 pm. Liberty Falls Amphitheatre will turn into the Emerald City as the Band of Oz takes the stage at 6:30 pm as well.
The Wonderful Adventure to Oz begins at 6:00 p.m. at Patriots Park in downtown Kings Mountain. Photo provided by Land of Oz Admission is free. There is no place like Halloween in Kings Mountain. We hope to see you there!
For more information, call the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department
at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com/adventure-to-oz.
Great Pumpkin Parade this Thursday Parade to begin in front of City Hall at 10:00 a.m. The City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department is
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proud to present The Great Pumpkin Parade scheduled for Thursday, October 31. The parade, intended for little pumpkins ages 0-first grade, will travel from City Hall beginning
at 10 a.m. to the Gazebo at Patriots Park. After the parade, little ones will enjoy activities sponsored by area businesses, singa-longs, music, inflatables and much more! For more informa-
tion, call the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www. kingsmountainevents.com
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