Former Gov. Jim Hunt will be the keynote speaker for the Saturday, April 21, fundraiser sponsored by the Moore County Democratic Party.

The event celebrating educational leadership will honor Evelyn Bruton "Ebbie" Monroe and the memory of T. Clyde Auman. The 11:30 a.m. luncheon will be held at Little River Golf Resort.

Hunt served four terms as governor and is the first governor to achieve this landmark service.

Monroe is a member of the State Board of Education and is a longtime supporter of public education. Auman, a well-known peach grower and farm leader, served several terms as Moore County's state representative.

Funds raised at the luncheon will go to the Democratic Party and will also be used to support a Moore County public school activity.

GOP PRECINCTS -- Moore County Republicans have announced two more precinct meetings and a date change for another precinct.

All three precinct meetings will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Carthage Precinct will meet at 7 p.m. at the McDonald Building. Ronnie Fields is chairman (947-1801).

Pinehurst B1 Precinct will meet at 7 p.m. at the home of the chairwoman, Sharon Summers, 23 Scioto Lane (295-0169).

The date change affects Westmoore Precinct, which has moved its meeting to Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Westmoore Elementary School cafeteria. Noah Key is chairman (464-3422).

Other precinct meetings previously announced will be held as scheduled.

Dolores Shaver, county GOP secretary, said Republicans are urged to attend precinct meetings for election of precinct officers and delegates and alternates to the county convention.

Also, the March 24 county convention has been moved from the courthouse in downtown Carthage to Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Southern Pines. The convention begins at 2 p.m., but registration is at 1 p.m.

IRAQ -- Congressman Howard Coble is expected to vote for a resolution opposing sending additional military personnel to Iraq.

Coble, who represents Moore County, has previously expressed his view that the United States should take steps to withdraw from Iraq and turn security over to the Iraqi government.

Congress began debate on the resolution Tuesday. Although the resolution was initiated by Democrats, it has Republican support. Another North Carolina Republican, Congressman Walter Jones of the 3rd District, is one of the co-sponsors.

If approved by Congress, the resolution would not have any legal standing. It simply represents a statement on behalf of supporters. The resolution recognizes the bravery of American troops serving in Iraq but expresses opposition to further military build-up by American forces in Iraq.

PLANNING The Moore County Planning Board will meet jointly with the Subdivision Review Board prior to the Planning Board's regular meeting Thursday.

Both meetings will be held in the historic courthouse in downtown Carthage.

During the 4:30 p.m. meeting, the two boards will discuss determination of soil suitability for subdivisions, an issue raised during consideration of proposed text amendments to subdivision regulations. The boards will also discuss stormwater management.

The Planning Board will reconvene at 6 p.m. for its regular February meeting.

Three conditional-use permit requests are on the agenda. They are a request by Shining Star Development Center to operate a child care facility at 7613 N.C. 211 in West End; continuation of a request by Linn Owen to allow a manufactured home as an accessory dwelling unit on 7.47 acres on Talbert Road east of Murdocksville Road; and modification of a permit for Neighborhood Youth Leadership Board acting for STARS Charter School, 140 Southern Dunes Drive, Southern Pines.

Planning Director Andrea Surratt will also present an update on gift lot subdivision regulations.

BUDGET -- The Moore County Board of Commissioners has adopted a schedule for preparation of the 2007-2008 budget.

The schedule calls for a budget kickoff meeting with appropriate department personnel Thursday, Feb. 15, with departmental requests to be submitted to the Financial Services office by Feb. 23. The budget team will review requests on Feb. 27. Meetings within the county administration and departments will continue into March.

Sandhills Community College will make a presentation to the commissioners at an April 2 meeting, and the budget will be presented to the interim county manager for review on April 9. The Moore County school system and Sandhills Center for Mental Health will make presentations on April 16.

The budget goes to the commissioners at their 6 p.m. meeting on May 21, and the budget public hearing will be held May 24. The board is scheduled to hold a budget work session on Tuesday, May 29, and to adopt the budget at the June 4 meeting.

The new fiscal year begins July 1.

OBAMA -- Sen. Barack Obama has a North Carolina following that launched the North Carolina DraftObama.org chapter on the same day that the Illinois Democrat officially announced that he is a candidate for the presidency.

Obama, who is serving his first term in the Senate, has tough competition before the National Democratic Convention next year.

He faces strong opposition from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who grew up in Robbins.

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