A CAROLINA SCOOP EXCLUSIVE

Reaction to Gates Retirement Announcement:
"He'll be missed."

Photo By Jon Mayhew

Lincolnton Fire Chief Harvey Gates checks out a truck Monday.
Chief Gates is retiring July 1 after 30 years of service to the City of Lincolnton.

By Jon Mayhew

June 29, 2008

Publisher's note: This story first ran in April after The Carolina Scoop broke the story announcing Chief Gates' retirement

LINCOLNTON -- Everyone knows word travels fast around Lincolnton. It's a town where everyone knows everyone and sometimes, the least little rumor comes up in conversation on a constant basis.

Take the word, for example, that Lincolnton Fire Chief Harvey Gates is retiring July 1 after 30 years of work with the Lincolnton Fire Department.

For example, Lincolnton Police Chief Dean Abernathy confirmed the news Monday morning before The Carolina Scoop sat down with Gates at the fire station.

Abernathy worked with Gates for more than 20 years. In fact, Abernathy said when he came to Lincolnton Police, Gates was already a fixture in the fire department.

"I've known Harvey for a long time," said Abernathy. "I really hate to see him go."

Abernathy said he remembers one of the first major fires Gates had to handle as chief: it was the day the Carolina Motel on Generals Boulevard caught fire.

The Police Chief said he went down to check and see how things were going. Abernathy said he knew Gates had things under control.

"He said it was his baptism by fire," said Abernathy. "That was literally and figuratively."

The fire department's administrative support staff specialist, Debbie Raby, shook her head when asked if Gates was going to retire.

"He'll be missed," she said.

Lincolnton City Manager Jeff Emory agreed with Raby's sentiment. Filling Chief Gates' shoes is going to be a difficult task. And it's a task that, in earnest, is beginning very soon.

"We're going to advertise his position in different trade publications in a few days," said Emory, adding Gates talked with Emory several days ago after the city's planning retreat.

"Anytime you lose a department head, there's going to be a challenge to find a person to fill the role," said Emory. "Harvey had years of eperience with the city and has done a good job."

Emory added he expects to have a new fire chief in place by mid-to-late summer.