Editor’s Note:
The title of this article is all based on truthful observations and logical analysis but was limited to a single line, as it included the highlights of the political situation here in Cleveland County. Any more such derogatory terms, although justified, would just be overkill in the title. However, additional terms will be provided, where appropriate, and as necessary to prove the many truthful and accurate points and accounts noted in this article.
Also, this article and this topic are very important because they directly apply to two individuals: CC Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon as well as CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen. These individuals are so closely associated with bad acts, bad planning, and NO real Leadership skills. Either of these two are bad acts all by themselves, but together they form a coming together like two pieces of highly enriched Uranium or Plutonium to form a “critical mass” nuclear explosion that will likely destroy Cleveland County financially and politically for many, many years or decades to come. Only a clean sweep in the 2024 Elections can SAVE Cleveland County from dire circumstances in 2025 and thereafter.
- Kevin Gordon:
We will start with Commissioner Chairman Kevin S. Gordon because there are no others on the Board of Cleveland County Commissioner that dare challenge the Hot-Headed and way too often loudly screaming Chairman and his foolish and dangerous political notions and financial shenanigans. They have also been browbeaten and “conditioned” by Chairman Kevin Gordon to falsely believe they ALL have to vote to form a unanimous 5-0 favorable vote on every vote to show the “dim-witted” and “kept in the dark” citizens of Cleveland County that the Commissioners are all happily working together for the good of all of Cleveland County. Often none of the Commissioners have a clue about what they are voting on. A recent example of that was Project Sunrise. The commissioners voted to sell a Communist China company over 100 acres of land adjoining the Clearwater Paper site for around $2.5 Million$, then turned around and gave the Commies over $3.95 Million$ to clear the land. When Robert A called them out on such a stupid deal, the Commissioners falsely claimed that the Project would bring good-paying jobs, although the facts before them proved the project would only pay an average wage. Maybe even a below-average wage for most of the workers. Certainly nothing to brag about for the almost $1.5 Million$ in tax dollar$ Commissioner Kevin Gordon and his Waterboys and Watergirl were giving away as incentives. - Then, there was the equally stupid takeover of the Cleveland County Rescue Squad by the CC EMS. The whole thing was touted as a $3 Million$ savings by the HNIC-Kevin Gordon that ended up costing CC taxpayers $9 Million$ the first year and probably every year thereafter. Gordon falsely but furiously bragged about all his Emergency Services training, experience, and leadership skills and how lucky Cleveland County citizens were to have him on their side. All the while keeping it secret why the Gaston County Commissioners saw fit to get rid of him as the Director of Emergency Services under some sort of cloud that rumors say was because of falsified documents, harassment of a black woman employee, or causing a hostile work environment. Or, all three put together.
Kevin Gordon’s proven uncontrollable bad temper, a propensity to lie and deceive profusely, recklessly, willingly, and wantonly. And cause and demand all others around him and under him to do the same. Is it any wonder that County Manager Brian Epley, the long-time County Economic Development Director Kristin Reese, and a slew of other County employees have recently cut a trail for other options elsewhere with less hostile work environments and no wild and crazy Kevin Gordon and his open retaliation laced MO and open hostility based and in-you-face nature to contend with???
There is more!! Much more!!!
- Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon has announced he is running for re-election to the CC Board of Commissioners in 2024. Mr. Gordon has put out much material stating that since he has a 30+ year career as a fireman he is capable of doing ANYTHING in a high-level leadership position. Of course, Mr. Gordon has completely left a number of things out of his campaign materials.
- Trust and competency!!! If Kevin Gordon was so good at his job as the Director of the Gaston County Department of Emergency Services, why did the Gaston County Commissioners see such a need to get rid of Kevin Gordon??? First, by putting Kevin Gordon on Administrative Leave and then gladly accepting his resignation. It appeared that everybody in the Gaston County and Cleveland County Fire Departments seemed to know that Kevin Gordon was being forced out of his job before full retirement benefits kicked in, but nobody in the “know,” including Kevin Gordon himself, would go on record to speak the truth of the matter. This is a sure sign that something was wrong, that Kevin Gordon was caught Gaston County was caught and the typical “Pass the Trash” maneuver was being implemented. Cleveland County has often done that very same thing. Especially Cleveland County Schools. Remember that PRO Football team whose bus driver, a former top echelon official at CCS was charged with DWI??
- The Trust issue also kicks in with Kevin Gordon’s forced exit from gainful employment and with a high salary in Gaston County Government. Gordon has recently sold his $400,000+ home in Cleveland County and moved into an even more expensive brand-new custom-built home; most likely with a sizable Mortgage Payment each month. On top of that, Gordon sports around Cleveland County in a very shiny new super-sized, extended-cab, gas-guzzling, decked-out fancy pickup truck. Also, most likely with a sizable payment due every month. So, with no visible means/source of enough income to pay all these bills, the cas$h has to come from somewhere. Unless Kevin Gordon has struck oil or found the motherlode in gold on his property, his Commissioner’s pay is not likely near enough to pay his bills. A perfect situation for an elected public official to be tempted to take a bribe, kickback, or something of similar unethical behavior in order to maintain the standard of living that Kevin Gordon has become used to. There is clearly a demand that Kevin Gordon come clean about his secret(s) from Gaston County during his remaining term as a County Commissioner. And certainly prior to his being re-elected to another term in the 2024 Elections. Especially with that $250 Million$+ in County construction contracts ahead with the new and super-secret Justice Center Project, moving the Board of Elections to the old Shelby Rescue Squad building, and miscellaneous other construction and maintenance projects. This large and complicated cash flow provides the perfect environment for accepting bribes and kickbacks involving insider wheeling and dealing from the Commissioner Chairman who has his Waterboys and Watergirl totally under his thumb. Perhaps they are ALL involved with sweeping up the loose cash and change from such an obvious leaderless project team as our Commissioners have assembled. And, we citizens will never know because they also control the books and how the books are kept. Recent revelations regarding the corruption involving the Catawba Casino Commissioner Eddie Holbrook and County Manager David Dear have not been forgotten. Neither will their lack of criminal prosecutions, much less convictions and prison. It seems such crime and corruption pay off big in Cleveland County. To the “right” (wrong) county officials.
Folks, this article is getting a bit long and we’re not yet even through with Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon and his seemingly never-ending shenanigans and unnecessary foolishness. But the information is complex and the disaster is eminent. Therefore, please re-read this article and get yourself ready for Kevin Gordon, Part II. We will finish up with Commissioner Kevin Gordon and then start the discussions on CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen, et. al. The second disaster in leadership is in the process of ruining Cleveland County.
Stay tuned for the remaining parts of this very serious article. The future of Cleveland County is going to be in YOUR hands in the 2024 Elections. And remember, Robert A is working on plans and programs that he will disclose in sufficient detail on how to finally set Cleveland County aright amidst all this confusion, chaos, and corruption. Also remember, you always have to identify the problem before the problem can be fixed. Right now, we are in the “identifying” process.