Our group has officially changed its name from the Concerned Citizens Focus Group to the Informed Citizens Focus Group.

When our group was originally formed, the name “Concerned Citizens” reflected why many of us came together. We had concerns about issues affecting Moore County and wanted a place where citizens could ask questions, learn more, and become involved in their local government.

As our group has grown and developed, we believe “Informed Citizens” better represents who we are and what we hope to accomplish. Being concerned can lead us to ask questions. Being informed helps us understand the answers, consider the facts, and make better decisions.

The Informed Citizens Focus Group is committed to encouraging:

• Transparency in local government

• Accountability in decisions that affect our community

• Responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and county resources

• Fact-based information so citizens can better understand local issues

• Respectful discussion, even when we disagree

• Citizen involvement in decisions that shape the future of Moore County

Our purpose is not simply to criticize decisions or individuals. We want to understand the issues, ask reasonable questions, research the facts, share reliable information, and encourage citizens to participate in their local government.

The change from Concerned Citizens to Informed Citizens represents the direction we want our organization to continue moving: Our name may have changed, but our commitment to Moore County and its citizens remains the same. Your voice matters.

As we look toward the coming year, we want to make sure our efforts are focused on issues that matter to the citizens of Moore County. In the past, our group has researched local government issues, attended public meetings, shared information with citizens, and encouraged greater transparency and accountability. We believe those efforts are important, but we also recognize that we should not assume we know what citizens want us to focus on. We need to ask — and listen.

That is why our next public meeting will be different from previous meetings. Instead of spending most of the meeting presenting information, we want citizens to do the talking and we want to do the listening.

What concerns you about the future of Moore County? What local government issues would you like to better understand? Are there county expenditures you would like explained? Do you have questions about growth, zoning, utilities, roads, schools, taxes, or other community issues? Is there something positive happening in our county that deserves more attention? Most importantly, if the Informed Citizens Focus Group could concentrate on only three or four issues during the coming year, what would you want those priorities to be?

We do not expect everyone in Moore County to agree. Healthy communities include people with different opinions. Our goal is not to tell citizens what to think. Our goal is to encourage people to become informed, ask questions, examine the facts, listen respectfully to different viewpoints, and participate in decisions affecting our community.

Over the coming months, we also hope to explain local issues in everyday language. We want to help answer questions such as: Where do our county tax dollars go? How does zoning work? What happens at a County Council meeting? What do county audits tell us? How can a citizen obtain public records? How can citizens make their voices heard?

But we need your help deciding where to begin. What would you like to know more about?

We invite you to attend our upcoming Community Listening Session on October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the American Legion Building. Come share your concerns, questions, ideas, and priorities and help us identify the issues that deserve greater attention.

An informed community begins with informed citizens — and sometimes the most important thing we can do is listen. May God bless you always.

— Informed Citizens Focus Group

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