The Moore County Board of Commissioners has appointed Thomas L. McGinnis, of Seven Lakes West, to the Planning Board.

At the Monday night meeting the board also tapped Carl Munro, of Foxfire Village, as an alternate member of the planning body.

However, the vote to appoint McGinnis, a real estate broker, was not unanimous with Commissioners Tim Lea and Cindy Morgan voting against the motion by Commissioner Larry Caddell. Board Chairman Colin McKenzie and Vice Chairman Jimmy Melton joined Caddell in supporting McGinnis.

The vote for Munro was unanimous.

The 3-2 vote on the McGinnis nomination followed a series of split votes and a discussion in which Lea took issue with the geographical makeup of the Planning Board.

RESEARCH -- Lea complained that the Planning Board suffers an imbalance when it comes to community representation.

He cited research showing that the present board consists of three representatives from District 1, three from District 2, one from District 3 and one from District 4 with no one representing District 5.

Roger Bone, of Aberdeen, was the lone District 5 appointee, but he submitted his resignation in June, and McGinnis is his successor. Commissioners elected from the districts are Caddell for District 1, McKenzie for the second district, Morgan for third, Lea for fourth, and Melton for fifth.

Lea called it "a grave injustice to pack the board" with members from one particular district, especially when one district goes without representation. He was also critical of multiple appointments from the homebuilding segment of the population.

Melton said he had been looking for qualified people from his district but it has been difficult to persuade such people to serve. "And we need to fill these positions," Melton said.

SPLIT VOTE -- The discussion began with a split vote.

Lea initially nominated Munro for the seat being vacated by Roger Bone, but the vote against his motion was 3-2, following the usually line of McKenzie, Caddell and Melton voting one way and Lea and Morgan the other way.

Caddell then nominated McGinnis, but no second immediately followed. Then Lea made a motion to amend the motion to appoint Richard Blessing, of Whispering Pines. Morgan made the second to Lea's motion, which fell to another 3-2 vote.

Back to the McGinnis nomination, the commissioners voted 3-2, this time in favor of the appointment. The unanimous vote for Munro as an alternate came quickly thereafter, and the board moved on.

In addition to the names advanced during the meeting, the clerk to the board had applications on file for appointment from Giles Hopkins of Whispering Pines, a retired planning director, and Bernard Capstick of Pinehurst.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.