Almost $1.5 million in contracts for water and sewer improvements are on the agenda for the Monday meeting of the Moore County Board of Commissioners.

The board will be asked to approve contracts for the Pinehurst-Seven Lakes interconnection on N.C. 211, construction of the Seven Lakes tank interconnect water main project, and Phase II of the Lake Pinehurst sewer rehabilitation project. The interconnection on N.C. 211, the most costly of the three, is expected to exceed $974,000.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the historic courthouse in Carthage.

HEARING -- The board will conduct a public hearing to consider changes to the wireless telecommunications facilities portion of the zoning ordinance.

A presentation will focus on the status of the Emergency Medical Services fee for service billing and a proposed strategic plan for future enhancements to the EMS system.

Appointments to the Moore County Transportation Services advisory committee and the Voluntary Agriculture District board will be made.

Also on the agenda is a water tank maintenance contract covering 13 years and expected to cost $672,760.

KINNEY -- Dave Kinney, a member of the Moore County Planning Board, represented the board at the North Carolina Planning Association meeting in Hickory last week.

Kinney reported on the session at the Thursday night meeting of his board.

OPEN HOUSE -- The Com-panion Animal Clinic is holding an open house today (Sunday) to showcase at its new facility on U.S. 1 in Vass and garner support for the clinic.

It will be the first low-cost spay/neuter facility to come to the area. The clinic will begin operations this summer. The open house will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., with a ribbon-ceremony about 2 p.m.

RANDOLPH -- Sparks were flying in the Randolph County Republican Party this past week.

Kristian Allen, a candidate for District Court judge, held a news conference Thursday morning in Asheboro to castigate Alan Pugh, chairman of the Randolph County GOP.

Although judicial contests are now nonpartisan in North Carolina, candidates' party affiliations are public record, a fact used by both parties and candidates.

However, Allen charged that Pugh ordered her campaign signs removed from the windows of the GOP headquarters in Asheboro. In a statement released at the news conference, Allen accused Pugh of "using his big political machine to support his former law partner, my opponent" and of "abusing his power as party chairman and using his big machine to promote a man over a woman."

Both Allen and her opponent, incumbent District Court Judge Scott Etheridge, are Republicans. She is presently serving as an assistant district attorney.

District Court 19B consists of Randolph, Montgomery and Moore counties. It is the only district court office in which the incumbent has opposition in the Nov. 7 general election. This race, along with other judicial races, will be found in the nonpartisan section of the ballot, along with Board of Education and Conservation Board of Supervisors.

PUGH -- In a telephone interview Friday morning, Pugh told Pilot Light that he did indeed order Allen's signs removed from party headquarters because her signs had also been placed in the county Democratic headquarters.

"That's just my policy," he said.

Pugh vigorously denied her sex discrimination charge and cited as an example the display of campaign signs and other materials for a number of female candidates, including Ann Marie Calabria for state Supreme Court, other judicial candidates, along with candidates for Board of Education, clerk of superior court and register of deeds.

"The Republican Party of Randolph County endorses and supports all outstanding women candidates for public office as does the chairman," Pugh said.

However, he said the removal of Allen's signs reflected his policy not to display promotional materials for candidates whose signs are posted in the Democratic headquarters.

Asked about the discrimination charge, Pugh said: "Absolutely not, under any circumstances whatsoever."

Pugh went on to say that Allen has not given any reason why she should replace Etheridge on the district court bench, nor has she cited anything he had done calling for his replacement.

"Her fight's not with me," Pugh continued. "She should explain to voters why they should replace Judge Etheridge with her. She should not make false statements."

John Owen, chairman of the Moore County Republican Party, does not have that problem in this election because his party is not operating a headquarters this year. He says the Moore County party establishes headquarters in years in which voters elect the president, the governor and a United States senator, but not in the other "off" years.

Owen says he knows Pugh and has never known him to act in an "inappropriate manner."

Florence Gilkeson can be reached at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.