The race for two seats on the Pinehurst Village Council is shaping up to be a crowded one.

Three candidates - all nonincumbents - have filed to run for council after the first week of the two-week filing period.

The filing period ends at noon July 15

Scott Lincicome entered the race Thursday morning, joining John Strickland and John Cashion, who filed July 1 - the first day of the period.

Lincicome is a broker-owner of HSP Realty. He also helped start the downtown event Pinehurst Live After 5.

"I don't think Pinehurst needs to be changed, but I think it has to be rethought out," he said. "I think we need to bring it up to speed, and we can do that in an elegant and gracious way that will still keep the integrity of the village intact."

Strickland worked in Chicago and New York before retiring to Pinehurst. He worked in the banking and finance industry for more than 30 years.

Since retiring, he has been active in the community, serving on various boards. He currently is a member of the Pinehurst Historic Preservation Committee.

Strickland said he believes that work has given him valuable information and experience to serve on the Village Council.

"I think it is a very critical time, and I have both the commitment and time to serve," Strickland said.

Cashion joined the race minutes after the filing period opened and made history in the process. He is the first Pinewild resident to file for the council.

Incumbents Mark Parson and Joan Thurman have so far not filed. Parson was appointed to the council to fill the seat of Ginsey Fallon, who was named mayor in March 2010 after the death of George Lane. He said last week that he was considering the possibility of running for council.

Thurman, the current mayor pro tem, has not said whether she will seek re-election

Fallon said she will not run for mayor and will instead seek election to council. Councilwoman Nancy Roy Fiorillo has filed for mayor.

Late Thursday, Jim Simeon filed for one of the two open seats on the Southern Pines Town Council. He is a member of the town Planning Board.

Elsewhere, David Butler has filed for mayor of Aberdeen. The incumbent is Betsy Mofield, who has yet to file for re-election.

Herb Conway filed for Whispering Pines Village Council, joining incumbent Skip Gebhardt.

Other candidates to file include incumbent Carthage Town Commissioner Jean Riley, incumbent Robbins Town Commissioner Hal Davis, Vass Mayor Eddie Callahan and Pinebluff Town Council member Jerry Williams.

At the end of the day Thursday, no candidates had filed in Cameron, Foxfire or Taylortown.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.