Pilot Light: GOP Expecting Candidates
At least two GOP candidates for governor are expected to show up Saturday for the Moore County Republican County Convention.
Bob Orr and Fred Smith have confirmed their plans to attend, according to Do Shaver, county GOP secretary. She said candidates for the judiciary, as well as state and local offices, are also expected to attend although confirmations have not been received from all of them. Each candidate, or spokesperson, will be allotted three minutes to make a campaign pitch.
The convention will open at 2 p.m. in Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College. The doors will open at 1 p.m.
One of the first items on the agenda will be selection of a Plan of Organization.
NEW VICE CHAIR
-- This is not the year when county Republicans will elect their chairman, but they will get a new vice chair.
The county party's executive committee will convene at 1:30 p.m. Saturday to receive a report from the nominating committee on a successor to Lane Toomey, who stepped down as a vice chairman when he announced plans to run for state House of Representatives.
Toomey's successor will be chosen by the executive committee, and the new vice chair will be announced during the county convention. Toomey is one of three Republicans running for the District 52 seat held by incumbent Joe Boylan. In addition to Boylan and Toomey, Jamie Boles has filed for this state office.
NATIONAL -- In addition to hearing from candidates, the convention will also be the time to choose delegates to the 6th District Convention, scheduled Thursday, April 17, in the Randolph County Courthouse in Asheboro.
Moore County Republicans are entitled to elect three delegates and three alternates to the district convention.
At the district convention, delegates to the state convention will be elected, and there will also be an opportunity to nominate a delegate to the national convention, to be held Sept. 1-4 in St. Paul, Minn.
It is expected that at least one Moore County name will be advanced for that designation during the district convention. However, a person must be present at the district convention to be nominated as a national convention delegate.
BOLES -- State House candidate Jamie Boles, of Southern Pines, has opened his campaign office at 229 W. Pennsylvania Ave. in Southern Pines.
Beginning in April, the office will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Supporters can come by and pick up signs and other materials.
Among those joining Boles for the opening were David Byers, Donna Kimball, Linda Boles, Barbara Freemal, Jim Williford, Peggy Jones, Vicki Auman, Shirley Ward, Sean Jordan, Bill Parke and Chris Auman.
Boles is one of three Republicans running for the seat in House District 52, which encompasses most of Moore County. They will face off in a GOP primary May 6.
OBAMA -- A voter registration training session followed by a voter registration drive will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in the parking of Big Lots in the Town & Country Shopping Center on U.S. 1 in Aberdeen.
It is sponsored by the Moore County for Obama organization. This is an opportunity for Moore County residents to register to vote or change party affiliation in time for the May 6 primary.
FINANCE -- The Moore County Board of Commissioners is being asked to consider a proposed set of financial policies.
Financial Services Director Lisa L. Hughes presented the proposal at the board's March 17 meeting. She said the board does not have a full set of officially adopted policies covering such things as debt service, capital improvement plans and fund balance.
"A fiscal policy that is adopted, adhered to and regularly reviewed is recognized as the cornerstone of sound financial management," she said in an introduction of the proposed policy.
Hughes said the policy should contribute significantly to the county's ability to insulate itself from fiscal crisis. Such a policy would direct attention to the overall financial picture, not just single issue areas.
Other objectives would be enhancing short term and long term financial credit ability by helping to achieve the highest credit and bond ratings, promoting long term financial stability by establishing clear and consistent guidelines, and promoting the view of linking long-run financial planning with day-to-day operations. It would also provide the county staff, the commissioners and the public a framework for measuring the fiscal impact of government services against established fiscal parameters and guidelines.
PLEASED -- Commissioners' Chairman Colin McKenzie responded to the proposal with praise. He expressed surprise that the county did not already have such a policy.
Hughes said she was not asking the board to take action at that meeting. Instead, she asked the commissioners to study the proposal and decide later about adoption.
