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Volume 135 • Issue 27
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
City of KM pivots on Project South By Loretta Cozart City Manager Jim Palenick announced that the City of Kings Mountain needs to pivot on Project South, now known as the Southwest Sanitary Sewer Regionalization Project, due to project estimates that are double the $39 M grant amount provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). “We have waited for a very long time to have 60 percent of the actual designs completed, and at that point the construction manager at risk was able to come forward and give us that guaranteed maximum price. We had been holding our breath and worried to see what that number would be. Unfortunately, that number on our $39 million dollar project came in at $84 million, so
we have had to pivot and make a substantial change to the project,” Palenick said. Typically, a design, bid, build process would have been used for a project such as this. However, the city opted for the construction manager at risk option. “It is quite unusual, but allowed,” Palenick said. Originally the city contemplated building a 4 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant and then connecting it to
the Town of Grover, because the primary reason for the grant was to get Grover off their failing system. The new facility was to be managed by City of Kings Mountain. Pivoting, the city now plans to build a large-scale pump station, pumping from Grover and some of the primary areas that are going to develop quickly in the next several years, primarily at Exit 5, like the Dixon Ridge and Catawba Ridge developments, and anything in the entertainment district near the casino. As a result of the high quote, the city will not be able to build the new water treatment plant and some of the additional forced main areas that might not See PROJECT, Page 2A
kmherald.com • 704-484-1047
SCOTT NEISLER Mayor
ANNIE THOMBS Ward 1
JIMMY WEST Ward 4
JAY RHODES Ward 5
75¢
KEITH MILLER At - Large
Candidate filing gets underway Friday
5 City Council seats up for grabs Four-year terms of four City Council members and the mayor are expiring November 7, 2023, and their seats are among 47 seats up for grabs in 13 municipalities in Cleveland County and the Cleveland County Water Board. Candidate filing begins Friday, July 7 at 9 a.m. at the Cleveland County Board of Elections, 215 Patton Drive, Shelby, and ends at noon Friday, July 21. Kings Mountain incum-
bents are Scott Neisler, Mayor and Council members Annie Thombs, Ward I; Jimmy West, Ward 4; Jay Rhodes, Ward 5; and Keith Miller, At-Large. In Grover, the mayor and two town commissioners are incumbents. They are Roy Dyer, Mayor, and town commissioners Bill Willis and Richard Smith. Filing fee for Kings Mountain candidates is $60 for mayor and $35 for commissioners.
Filing fee for Grover’s candidates is $5. The Kings Mountain Council is a seven-member board and includes three members with unexpired terms. They are Mike Butler, Ward 2, Tommy Hawkins, Ward 3; and At-Large councilman David Allen. The 2023 off-year election includes gubernatorial and legislative elections in a few states as well as mayoral races and other local offices.
City council approves contract with Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. Coffee & Conversation By Loretta Cozart
During the June 27 City Council meeting for the City of Kings Mountain, members voted unanimously to enter a one-year contract with Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. for ongoing services in support of the Municipal Service District; the Downtown; and small business corridors within the City
Miller named to NC LOM committee
of Kings Mountain. The contract can be cancelled by either party with 120 days-notice. In addition, Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. would be granted alcohol sales for promotions after this season. The plan is for Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. to work closely with the city. Prior to the vote, City Manager Jim Palenick explained to council that once the contract was finalized, MSD funds of $42,000 would be transferred to Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. for use only in the Municipal Service
District. Additional funds of $75,000 would also be made available to the nonprofit, with some additional funds set as matching, contingent upon Kings Mountain Forward, Inc. raising $25,000 on its own. Because Kings Mountain Forward, Inc.’s contract was approved, city council unanimously voted to repeal both the Amending the Downtown Development Incentive Grants Policy and Resolution 12-46, which establishes the Kings Mountain Main Street Advisory Board and dissolve the board.
with new city manager By Loretta Cozart City of Kings Mountain invites citizens to coffee and conversation with City Manager JIM PALENICK Jim Palenick from 8:30
a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 14, at Big Red’s Café at 830 E King St. in Kings Mountain. If you are interested in what’s going on in Kings Mountain or just have questions you would like to ask, meet the new city manager, and start a conversation. The schedule for the next three month includes
the following Kings Mountain locations: • Friday, July 14 - Big Red’s Café, 830 E King St. • Friday, August 18 -Chat-n-Nibble Restaurant, 415 N Piedmont Ave. • Friday, September 15 - Kings Mountain Family YMCA, 211 Cleveland Ave.
By Loretta Cozart At the June City Council meeting, Mayor Scott Neisler congratulated Councilmember Keith Miller on his appointment to NC League of Municipalities’ Legislative Policy Committee. The League’s Legislative Policy Committee considers ideas submitted by members and recommend the top consensus positions to the Board of Directors. The Board refines the positions further before sending them to the full League membership for a final vote. At that point, the League membership will have a focused advocacy agenda to pursue.
BAND OF OZ
NC BeachBlast Festival lineup announced By Loretta Cozart On Wednesday, June 28, Officer Cullen Pitman was issued his Oath of Office by Mayor Scott Neisler and sworn in as Kings Mountain Police Department's newest Police Officer. Please welcome Officer Pitman to Kings Mountain and congratulate him on his appointment. Photo by KMPD
City of Kings Mountain Special Events announced their lineup for the NC BeachBlast Festival on August 18 and 19 at Patriots Park, 220 South Railroad Avenue in Kings Moun-
tain, NC. On Friday, August 18, Too Much Sylvia performs at 6 p.m. On Saturday, August 19, the musical lineup includes Jim Quick & Coastline at 10 a.m., Cat5 Band at 1 p.m., Swingin Medallions at 4 p.m., and
Band of Oz at 7 p.m. This event has become a fan favorite over the years, with guests traveling from all over the east coast to attend, being awarded as "Event of the Year" by Carolina Beach Music Awards, See BEACHBLAST, Page 5A
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