Commissioners hire firm to design DSS building

In this rendering, a new home for the Johnston County Department of Social Services
would go in the left portion of the H-shaped building.

 

A new home for the Johnston County Department of Social Services took a big step forward on Jan. 5.

County Commissioners awarded a contract for the building’s design and hired a local contracting company to oversee the project.

Moseley Inc., an architecture firm, will design the building for just under $6.9 million.

“We think that the design of this project will be approximately 12 months,” County Attorney Jennifer Slusser told Commissioners.

Construction would take another two years and cost as much as $103 million.

Slusser said that estimate was on the high side on purpose and included “a very generous contingency” to cover unexpected costs. “It all depends on the cost of labor, current market conditions, all of those things,” she said.

Commissioners were pleased with the design fee, which represents 6.6% of the estimated building cost.

“In my experience, that’s very in line with what you would expect for this type of project,” Commissioner Bill Stovall said.

The building will go on land the County owns on U.S. 70 Business East across Johnston’s Public Safety Center. Stephenson General Contractors will oversee the project for the County for a maximum fee of $250,200.

Commissioner Ted Godwin said that would be money well spent. “That person will probably save us tenfold what it costs us,” he said.

A new home for DSS sits atop the Commissioners’ list of County building priorities.

“They’re in five separate buildings right now, and they’re packed in pretty tight over there,” Slusser said of DSS employees.

Commissioner Butch Lawter said it was good to see the County moving forward on a DSS building. “We’ve got folks who are in DSS now who are in cramped spaces,” he said.

Commissioners Chairman Patrick Harris also welcomed the design contract. “I feel like there should be some angelic music playing because we’re a step closer to a DSS building,” he said.

 

Page last updated on:  January 14, 2026