The Local Government Commission has approved Moore County’s application for financing of the detention center-public safety complex.

In a special teleconference session this morning, the commission voted unanimously to approve the county’s plan to issue up to $50 million in limited obligation bonds to pay for the new facility and to cover utility improvements in Pinehurst. The board of commissioners on Monday voted 3-2 to award the contract to low bidder D.H. Griffin Construction for $27.2 million.

County Manager Cary McSwain said the commission’s vote upholds a Sept. 7 executive committee decision that prompted John Marcum to appeal to the full commission. Marcum is a Pinehurst resident who formed the Right2Vote group lobbying for a referendum on the issue.

Marcum called the this morning’s action “inappropriate,” hastily taken and in violation of the statute. He said there was no need for urgency and the commission could have waited until its next regular meeting in December.

His Right2Vote group opposed the county’s method of financing, which does not require a vote of the people. Opponents also criticized the building plan as too large and too expensive.

Marcum briefed the commission’s executive committee on Sept. 7, when no action was taken to slow the county’s financing plan. At that time he gave notice of appeal to the full commission.

“They never formally responded to the appeal,” Marcum said in a telephone interview this afternoon.

Marcum said he was not notified about the special teleconference session until Wednesday morning.

For more on this story, see Friday's edition of The Pilot.