All five incumbents Mayor Rick Murphrey, Ward I councilman Howard Shipp, Ward 4 councilman Rodney Gordon, Ward 5 councilman Rick Moore and At-large councilman Keith Miller filed for re-election to city council this week. They all say they are running on their record of service to the city. Filing deadline is July 17 at noon.
Contests developed early in the mayor and at-large seat races. Eugene T. (Sherlock) Holmes, 205 W. Mountain St. 5, filed for mayor and Bobby Lafayette Pearson Jr., 312 Landy Drive, filed for at-large city councilman.
In his filing statement Murphrey said,I believe in the future of Kings Mountain, the most important resource its people. Our city has the personnel to drive technology and create the services to sustain a competitive edge. We have a strong team of visionaries who will continue to work together to build and promote a great quality of life for all citizens. I am grateful to the citizens of Kings Mountain who gave me the privilege to serve our city for 21 years, six years as city councilman ( 4 years as mayor pro tem) and 15 years as mayor. We have continued to move progressively forward and it is my fervent desire to continue to devote my time and energy to the city as mayor and will appreciate your vote of confidence on Nov. 3.
The mayor listed financial stability and internal cost savings as two of the high points of the Murphrey-led administration. He pointed to the city’s perfect audit for the last 17 years, a A1 credit rating for the city, and a general fund that closed at 24% over last years expenses. The Local Government Commission, the financial watch dog of cities, requires 8%.
Internal cost savings came from programs such as Smart Meter which is expected to bring in a half million dollars yearly, a Transco rate settlement which reduced what the city pays for natural gas – from 28% to 11% – after the city joined Transco Municipal Group, sent a representative to the FERC hearings in Washington, DC and won the appeal, saving the city $33,000 with no increase to citizens. The ‘big’ event of the current administration was the new electric wholesale signing with a new wholesale electric provider NTE Energy which is expected to bring savings in the millions annually in the near future. The fiber optic project could pay for itself in seven years and is projected to save the city tens of thousands yearly. Expansion of the Patrick Senior Center is currently underway and the city’s partnership with the YMCA brings more benefits to area people.
Murphrey, as mayor, signed for the city’s biggest loan ever – $34 million at zero p ercent interest Murphrey said his administration will continue to work with the county EDC and state Department of Commerce in bringing jobs and a productive workforce to the area. Industrial and business investments during his 15-year leadership of city government is estimated to be over $2 billion dollars and 2,000 new jobs.
Rick and Sandra Murphrey have been married 48 years and have a daughter, Tracy. He graduated from Atlantic Christian College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is retired after 42 years in the textile industry where he was vice-president of sales and marketing. He was twice honored by Region C as Mayor of the Year. The Murphreys are members of First Baptist Church.
Rodney Gordon, Ward 4 candidate, has served on city council since 2005. He served as mayor pro tem four years.
Rick Moore, Ward 5 candidate, is asking voter support so that he can see the completion of a number of city projects, including the construction of the new Kings Mountain Energy Center, the big water line and treatment plant projects and completion of the senior center expansion. He pledged and wants the board to continue to work with economic development leaders to bring jobs to Kings Mountain. Moore has served on city council since 1976 and is chairman of the Travel Tourism committee. He and his wife, Jean Falls Moore, have two children: Karla Drennan of Kings Mountain and Speaker of the House Tim Moore of Raleigh and Kings Mountain; and four grandchildren: Wilson and McRae Moore and Sarah and Lily Drennan. The Moores are members of First Baptist Church.
Howard Shipp, Ward I candidate, has also served on city council since 1976. I feel like the city is now reaching a high point in prosperity for the first time and I would like to be re-elected and see the completion of many projects that I have worked on.” After many years as an active pastor, he has returned to his home church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, to serve where needed until a pastor is called. He and his wife, Kay, have five children, two sons are deceased.
Keith Miller, At-large candidate, is running for his third term on city council and has chaired the city finance committee and served on the youth activities committee and city manager compensation study committee. He has also served several terms on the planning and zoning board and board of adjustments and has been vice-chairman of both boards. He and his wife, Julie, have three daughters. Miller is an investment advisor to institutional individual clients. As a municipal advisor he has been involved in more than $2 billion of municipal bond issues and currently manages approximately $100 million for a number of cities, municipal utilities, hospitals and non-profit corporations.
Miller lists some accomplishments of the Murphrey administration and his part in achieving them:
Helped to analyze and approve the wholesale electric power supply contract with NTE which could save the city $2 million every year for the next 40 years. Contract includes another gas line tap for the city which creates back-up redundancy to our gas supply lines into the city and sets the stage for expansion of the gas system south of I-85.
Analyzed and helped pass the contract with the YMCA which could save the city over $100,000 per year for the next 15 years.
Passed 5 balanced budgets without tax or rate increases other than a water rate increase which was necessary in order to receive LGC approval for the upgrades to the water lines and water plant.
Helped analyze and pass smart meter program which could save the city several million dollars over the $2.5 million implementation costs.
Helped secure and approve $36 million 0% interest financing for Water line and Water Plant projects.
Approved the $365,000 fiber optic project which could pay for itself in about 7 years and save the city tens of thousands per year thereafter.
Approved funding dredging and an engineering study for methods to mitigate silt infiltration into Moss Lake. We lose approximately 1 million gallons of impoundment capacity to silt infiltration every year.
Approved the Patrick Center Expansion, an asset on the city balance sheet which impacts our credit rating and borrowing costs, and is being funded approximately 50% by grants and donations.
Chaired Finance Committee to be the first NC city to pass Energy Savings Performance Contracting. Spent about $2.3 million to save about $3.5 million. Did cost benefit analysis of each proposed project. Eliminated projects that would not generate sufficient savings. Got NC State Treasurers Office Local Government Commission to change the rules to eliminate the need to purchase performance insurance, saved another $400,000. Helped City Attorney and City Risk Manager renegotiate contract to shift costs and liabilities from city to contractor. Replaced water plant pump motors with slow start motors and created night shift to run plant at off peak hours.
Approved $265,000 upgrades to diesel fuel powered electric generation peak generation turbines to comply with EPA emissions regulations, retain our peak generation capacity which has been saving the city $1 million per year, keeps the generators in salable condition, and included a provision in the NTE contract which protects our capacity to use the generators.
Approved funds for compensation study and manager recruitment costs as many of our department managers are approaching retirement age and we need the city stay competitively positioned to recruit and retain excellent staffing.
Helped create a Solar Farm Overlay District to control the proliferation of Solar Farms which could tie up developable land and limit the number of jobs we can recruit to the city.
Analyze Industrial Incentive Grants to limit grants to a maximum of 75% of taxes collected.
Lobbied against taxpayer funded infrastructure development incentive payments to developers.
Helped develop new form of legislative conditional rezoning.
Helped develop zoning ordinances to control proliferation of internet sweepstakes parlors.
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