Part 3: Cleveland County Gossip Report!! Cleveland County Manager Brian Epley has RESIGNED!! Going to Burke County!! Many More Resignations Expected!! Gossip Reports and commentary provided by Robert A
There are a lot of “Crazy Stuff” going on in Cleveland County Government right now. Besides the various lawsuits and sex scandals that seem to be ubiquitous (everywhere) in Cleveland County. Throw in the Kings Mountain Casino payoffs to Former Commissioner Eddie Holbrook, County Manager David Dear and God only knows who else. The $10 $million$ over the years to Commissioner Eddie Holbrook through the American Legion World Series, Baseball, Inc. The half $million$ the County spent on the “Glock“ 2-day event at the Foothills Shooting Range that nobody is talking about. The Commissioner’s Chairman Kevin “Mad Dog” Gordon’s failure to pass a referendum to raise sales taxes for a third time in a row. Mad Dog Gordon trying to raise property taxes on everybody else while he has managed to keep his home property tax valuation at $180,000 while he has put his house on the market for $435,000. And, who is in the middle of all this apparent corruption? None other than Super-Doper Cleveland County Manager Brian Epley.
And, word is that County Manager Brian Epley, has submitted his RESIGNATION!!!! Despite a salary of around $185,000 per year plus (maybe) all the ill-gotten cash payoffs that seem to float around amongst all the Commissioners and other former County Managers. Supposedly Brian Epley has accepted a job as County Manager in Burke County. A smaller County than Cleveland County. A County with about 13% less population than Cleveland County, where one would expect the County Manager’s job in Burke County would pay about 13% less than Cleveland County. About $25,000 less. Or, about $160,000 per year.
Since voluntarily taking a lesser position at $25,000 lesser pay is NOT a career path for advancement that most career advisors would advise; most folks, just like Robert A, would probably say, I smell a rat!
This time Robert A says, “I think there is more going on here than meets the eye.” I think that there are things that most of us here in Cleveland County will never know. I think there are things going on that many in Cleveland County could NOT even imagine.
First, Brian Epley is Eddie Holbrook’s man. Epley was appointed County Manager during the time Holbrook was the County Commissioner’s Chairman in 2017. Then Commissioner Holbrook was defeated in the 2018 Elections after spending more than $68,000 on his reelection campaign. All the while the scandals regarding the American Legion World Series, Baseball, Inc. as well as the Kings Mountain Casino, folks were busy-slowly but surely cooking their books. And paying off politicians and others. Left and right. Inside, outside and upside-down
Next, Kevin Gordon was appointed by the Rogue Cleveland County GOP Republican Executive Committee (a split vote) to take the place for Candidate Tommy McNeilly, who has resigned. Allegedly because he had just taken a high job with the CC EMS. Looking back, to make a place for Kevin Gordon to shoo-in (along with Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine as county commissioner in the General Election where only one poorly qualified Democrat was running for one of the three open seats. Note that such officials appointed by the CCGOP seem to always bring trouble with them that back-door into office.
But Commissioner Kevin Gordon turned out to be nothing but trouble for County Manager Brian Epley and other county administration employees. Besides being hot-headed and ill-tempered, Commissioner Kevin Gordon was over-bearing, ill mannered, and a self-centered schemer who was personally power-hungry and greedy. And a LIAR with no bounds or self-control. Kevin Gordon likes to yell and scream at those who he considers lesser than himself. Which is almost everybody. Plus, Commissioner Kevin Gordon has a personal agenda. To set himself up to take control of the County Fire Departments, EMS and to get rid of the County Risqué Squads. All for the purpose of setting himself up retire from the Commissioners and create a job for himself as the head honcho of all of these named agencies.
Kevin Gordon even registered himself as an LLC Corporation with the NC Secretary of State’s Office, named “Innovative Solutions for Emergency Services, LLC.” Kevin Gordon was the Registering Agent, chief cook and bottle washer. A one-man show. The LLC was located in Kevin Gordon’s House at 1310 Stoney Point Road, Shelby NC. The Registration File Number is 1799980.
Kevin Gordon, as a Commissioner, has managed to keep his home at 1310 Stoney Point Road on the tax roles as having a value of around $180,000. While, at the same time has that property for sale asking for $435,000. Much more that double the value. And certainly, against his MO regarding everybody else’s property. Which is revaluate almost every year and place the tax value as high as possible.
All the while Kevin Gordon is having the County administration do one thing for him and other things for everybody else. Especially leaning on County Manager Brian Epley and his staff to keep the lid on all of the above.
Robert A has many times picked-up on the fear and anxiety of many county officials as they give reports to Kevin Gordon and his staff during presentations to the Commissioners during Commissioner’s Meetings. Robert A always sits up front so he can see and hear everything that is going on as best as possible. Robert A has seen County Manager Brian Epley turn ashen faced and almost comatose (and abused) during Commissioners Meetings when Chairman Gordon goes on one of his many harangues, diatribes and criticisms. Often all at the same time.
Robert A has seen “Mad Dog” Gordon do the same to others that work for Epley. Displays of facial expressions that are somewhere in the middle of fear and despair when Gordon goes off on them. Almost the same expressions on others who are glad that it is not them that is the target of Gordon’s wrath and sure retaliation. They will do almost anything Gordon demands if he will just stay off of them.
Robert A believes that this is most likely the reason that County Manager Brian Epley is leaving Cleveland County for a similar job in Morganton. Getting out as best as he can from under Mad Dog Gordon. And Every person is on their own to do the same thing. Get out from under “Mad Dog” Gordon and minimize your own exposure to any criminal charges that might come out from the apparently illegal stuff associated with the Kings Mountain Casino, land speculating and under the table payoffs.
Also, The FBI folks that came here to help the Sheriff’s Office with “new evidence” regarding the disappearance of Asha Degree seem to still be hanging around here for some reason. Hopefully a good reason. Like cleaning up the home-grown corruption right here in Cleveland County. Perhaps they will help do what the Cleveland County District Attorney’s office keeps refusing to do. Prosecute the crooks and run out all the pus and corruption that has accumulated over these years.
Until something like that happens. Only when someone is led off to prison in handcuffs will the population in Cleveland County feel free to be Americans again. Free to speak up without fear of having your head bitten off by the likes of Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon or School Board Chairman Robert “Luke” Queen. Or any of the Rogue Republicans. Like Kevin “Mad Dog” Gordon, School Board Chairman Robert “Luke” Queen, Dennis “Has-Been” Bailey, David “Do Nothing” Allen, Kevin “Gopher” Whisnant and others of their ilk.
So, the RESIGNATION of County Manager Brian Epley is no surprise to Robert A. More resignations are predicted for exactly the same reasons noted in this report. Resignations over time and as an escape route can be found.
Hey folks, while I was drafting up this article, another report came in. The Director of Cleveland County’s Animal Control has been reported to have RESIGNED. And Former Commissioner Jason Falls has allegedly been tapped as the Interim Director of Animal Control. It will be interesting to see if this speed of resigning is just an aberration or the front-end of an avalanche.
Also note that there is a Special Called-Meeting of the Commissioners on Monday Morning at 8:00 AM December 5th An Organizational Meeting at 10:00 AM and a regular Commissioner’s Meeting Tuesday, December 6th, 2022. Tuesdays Meeting at 6:00 PM W is supposed to include swearing in of the Commissioners. The fact that the Commissioners had to call a special meeting for Monday when a regular meeting was happening on Tuesday is a very good example of what will likely become normal for Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon. Screw up on top of Screw Up.
Stay Tuned!!