The Moore County Democratic Party is mailing invitations to the Saturday, Oct. 24, fundraiser luncheon featuring Secretary of State Elaine Marshall as guest speaker.

The event, carrying out the theme "Celebrating Community Leadership," honors civic leader Felton Capel and the late Voit Gilmore.

The luncheon will be held at Little River Resort and Golf Club at Carthage, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for the luncheon are $35 apiece, but it's a fundraiser, and Democrats are urging supporters to give more than that. A donor designated as a "Friend" gets one ticket for a $100 gift. "Patrons" can give $250 and receive two tickets. "Sponsors" give $500 and receive three tickets, and "Hosts" give $1,000 and receive four tickets.

Checks must be made payable to the Moore County Democratic Party and mailed to Juanita Harbour, 213 Red Hill Road, Cameron 28326. The RSVP deadline is Oct. 14.

LIBRARY -- Supporters of the Moore County Public Library have been quietly working toward securing larger quarters for the central facility in Carthage.

Carol Walters, director of the Sandhill Regional Library System, of which Moore County is a member, said the State Library awarded the local library a $20,000 planning grant to examine space alternatives. The grant is being used to hire a consultant, who is in the process of examining existing county buildings that may be vacated in a few years when new facilities are completed for county departments and public safety agencies.

Walters said expanded library facilities would work best by remaining in downtown Carthage.

Members of the regional board approached the county manager about possible library expansion last year when plans were being initiated to build a new office building, to expand the jail and provide new facilities for such agencies as EMS, 911 emergency communications and the sheriff.

PERSONNEL -- The recently reappointed Human Resources Appeals Committee will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday in the commissioners' conference room in the historic courthouse in Carthage.

The committee has been asked to review personnel compensation policy and to make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners. Because of the recessionary economy, county employees did not receive cost-of-living raises and other benefits were reduced this year.

STATE BUDGET -- In news releases being circulated this season, state Republicans argue that the Democrats controlling the state legislature exaggerated the budget deficit and unnecessarily raised taxes.

State Rep. Jamie Boles, a Moore County Republican, issued one of the reports charging that the gap between expenditures last year and expected revenues for this year, without tax increases, was $338 million, not the $4.5 billion shortfall predicted by Democrats.

"Clearly, we could have balanced the budget without any tax rate increases simply by continuing the level of spending that had been in effect since approximately January 2009," said House Republican Leader Paul Stam of Wake County in the news release.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 693-2479 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.