The Moore County Board of Commissioners has joined the local ABC board in opposing proposed legislation that could wrest control of the county ABC system from the local board.

Responding to a request from John C. Garner, chairman of the ABC Board, the commissioners on Monday adopted a resolution opposing any state mandate to merge ABC boards, close ABC stores or establish agency stores.

The bill is titled Modernization of the ABC System. The Senate bill is currently in the Commerce Committee, and the House version has been referred to the Committee on Alcoholic Beverage Control.

According to the resolution, both bills, if passed, "would require all ABC boards in a county to merge, allow the state ABC Commission to merge countywide boards into regional boards, require the ABC Commission to develop performance standards, allow the ABC Commission to close or merge ABC boards, close ABC stores with low profitability, contract directly with agency stores for the sale of spirits where ABC stores are authorized but not in operation, and require an ABC board to contract with an agency store."

CONTROL -- The resolution adopted by the commissioners notes that Moore County voters, in a referendum, did not authorize the sale of alcoholic beverages in agency stores, which are defined as "private off-premises retail establishments."

Sales in such private businesses might not be as well regulated as ABC stores and might reduce profits that go to the county, according to the resolution. It also says that neither of the bills would affect the state's financial interests.

EFFICIENCY -- The County Government Efficiency Advisory Board has called a special meeting for Wednesday, April 29, to receive a financial analysis update from Davenport & Co., a financial consulting firm.

The update is sought in connection with the board's study of the 2009-10 budget situation. Board members presented their preliminary conclusions to the Board of Commissioners at a Monday night meeting.

The panel will convene at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the commissioners' conference room in the historic courthouse in Carthage.

GOP -- The Moore County Republican Party Executive Committee will meet at 7 p.m. May 5.

The committee will meet in Room 105, the civil courtroom, in the Courts Facility in downtown Carthage, according Joe Garrison, party secretary .

CONTRACTS -- At their Monday meeting, the county commissioners approved an amendment to the contract between Moore County and Utility Service Company Inc. for work on the Seven Lakes North tank, a 150,000-gallon pedisphere tank. Fees are changed to $23,463 for the fourth year of the contract. The total is not to exceed $75,920 for the entire project.

The commissioners also agreed to award a contract to Sandhills Transportation for secondary provider services to Department of Social Services Medicaid clients. Moore County Transportation Services (MCTS) meets this need on weekdays but is not in operation on weekends, holidays and after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The secondary provider is available to transport Medicaid clients during non-MCTS hours.

Finance Officer Lisa Hughes said her office received two bids for the contract, but the other bid did not meet county insurance requirements.

HAGAN -- U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has moved into her permanent office space in Washington, D.C.

She and her staff are now settled in Suite 521 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The telephone number there is (202) 224-6342.

Prior to the move Hagan and other new senators were operating from temporary quarters in the basement.

Hagan has also opened her second North Carolina office in her hometown of Greensboro. This office at 701 Green Valley Road, Suite 201, serves as her state headquarters. The telephone number there is (336) 333-5311 and the fax number, (336) 333-5331. The Greensboro zip code is 27408.

The address of her Raleigh office is 310 New Bern Ave., Raleigh 27601, and the telephone number is (919) 856-4630.

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