Nick Picerno will succeed Cindy Morgan as the Moore County Board of Commissioners' representative on the Board of Social Services.

Morgan, who presently chairs the social services panel, is completing her three-year term but will not be returning to the board of commissioners after this year.

At a Monday meeting, Commissioner Larry Caddell nominated Morgan for a second term. Morgan thanked him for the nomination but "respectfully declined" to serve another term.

Chairman Tim Lea then asked for a volunteer. After several seconds of silence, Picerno agreed to fill the void. Commissioner Jimmy Melton then made the motion nominating Picerno. Morgan made the second, and approval was unanimous.

Although there is no requirement that a commissioner serve on the social services board, the Moore County commissioners have been appointing one of their own to serve on the board in recent years.

The other four commissioners took time to thank Morgan for her service, which Melton called "an outstanding job."

"She's done a great job," added Caddell.

THANKS - The commissioners are not accustomed to receiving accolades from the public, so comments by Mary Jo Morris came as a pleasant surprise at their Monday night meeting.

Morris, a Pinehurst resident, praised the commissioners for their hard work and the thoughtful study that goes into their decisions. She spoke during the public-comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

She was the only speaker during the public comment period.

GOP - The Moore County Republican Executive Committee will hold its regular meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, in the first floor courtroom of the Courts Facility in downtown Carthage.

COBLE - Congressman Howard Coble has received the International Foodservice Distributors Association's 2010 Thomas Jefferson Award.

The recognition honors his "work to strengthen our nation's free enterprise system and support economic prosperity."

Recipients support the association's position "at least 70 percent of the time on nine House votes deemed critical to the food service distribution system and the Jeffersonian ideals of free enterprise." Among the bills were the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, and the 2010 budget resolution.

Coble, the Greensboro Republican who represents Moore County, was back in the 6th District this past weekend. Among his activities was participation in a flag retirement ceremony at Guilford College United Methodist Church Saturday night.

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