The Moore County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday shuffled the makeup and responsibilities of the committee tasked with development of a land-use plan updating the initial one adopted in 1999.

The board added eight new members to the land-use plan steering committee and gave ex-officio, or nonvoting, status to seven members.

“I’d like to keep this a county process,” said Commissioner Tim Lea, who recommended that the county employees and elected officials become ex-officio members. “I can’t remember a time when a county person was asked to serve on a municipal committee.”

Board Chairman Larry Caddell noted that residents of the county’s municipalities pay almost 62 percent of county taxes.

“I think it would be wrong to eliminate municipal representation,” Caddell said.

The county employees are Debra Ensminger, director of planning and community development; Randy Gould, public works director; Linda Gore, of the Moore County Cooperative Extension Service; and Ron Maness, director of the Moore County Airport.

The elected officials are Betsy Mofield, David McNeill and Nancy Fiorillo, the mayors of Aberdeen, Southern Pines and Pinehurst, respectively.

The new members with voting rights are John Blue, Sandy Stewart, Carolyn Mealing, Terry Bryant, Lewin Blue, David Allred and Archie Kelly. Ensminger is the other new member.

“This process is going to take 18 months,” Lea said. “It’s a pretty intense process. We only have one shot to do it right. This committee’s work will impact future generations of Moore Countians.”

The 24-member committee will be chaired by Robert Hayter, owner of The Hayter Firm in Pinehurst and current chairman of the Moore County Planning Board.

Ensminger and the county planning staff have been urging the commissioners to appoint the committee so work can begin on the update. The new plan will take into consideration changes in population and other demographics since 1999 and will add such issues as utilities and related infrastructure needs.

In other business Tuesday, the board:

• Approved a reorganization of the Planning Department and an amendment to the pay and classification plan.

• Approved a change order with Terry’s Plumbing for the Little River regional lift station project for an amount not to exceed $49,990.

• Approved local water supply plans for Moore County.

• Approved contract amendment with U.S. Foodservice Inc. for the Moore County Detention Center, increasing the sum from $136,000 to $192,000.

• Adopted a resolution opposing U.S. Department of Agriculture consolidation of the Moore County Farm Service Agency.
  

• Tabled grant project ordinances for the Moore County Airport to its Feb. 21 meeting.

Contact Ted M. Natt Jr. at tnatt@thepilot.com.