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Here's a recap of County Commissioners' May 4 meetings

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners on May 4:

  • Heard an update on progress toward a new Unified Development Ordinance. With help from a committee made up of farmers, developers, County leaders and others, planning staff and a consulting firm are tackling the draft UDO line by line. Already, they have abandoned proposed curbs on farm animals in subdivisions, and they’re likely to endorse increased setbacks for houses in subdivisions. But the committee is still debating the widths of buffers that developers will have to plant between their lots and neighboring farms. Planning Director Braston Newton told Commissioners that the working group hoped to complete revisions by June and then make them available to the public. Under a proposed schedule, the County would hold a drop-in session on the revised UDO on July 16, and the Planning Board would hold a public hearing on August 18. Commissioners would then hold two public hearings — on September 9 and September 21 — before adopting a new UDO on October 5.

  • Heard a plan to bring behavioral health urgent care to Johnston County. Under the plan by provider Willow Health, the urgent care will be virtual, by phone, computer tablet or other connected device. County leaders say that’s preferable to long waits in emergency rooms for Johnstonians experiencing a mental health crisis. Willow Health will begin offering care in June. 

  • Proclaimed May 25 as Memorial Day in Johnston County.  Commissioner Ted Godwin, a veteran, read a proclamation saluting the 248 Johnstonians who died in action in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The proclamation calls on Johnstonians to remember their bravery and sacrifice in defense of freedom.

  • Asked the N.C. Department of Transportation to add the following streets to its maintenance roster: North Goodling Park Drive and South Goodling Park Drive in Goodling Road subdivision, Micro Township; Abingdon Farm Drive in Abingdon subdivision, O’Neals Township; Jackson Pond Drive in Jackson subdivision, Boon Hill Township; Stickleback Drive and Kingfish Trail in Wyncliffe Pond subdivision, Pleasant Grove Township; and Painted Horse Drive in Percy Place subdivision, Elevation Township.

  • Called for a public hearing on the County’s 2026-27 budget. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, June 1, in the Commissioners’ meeting room in the Courthouse in Smithfield. Commissioners will hold additional budget talks at 6 p.m. May 18, 6 p.m. June 1, and 6 p.m. June 15, also in their meeting room.

  • Endorsed the 2026-27 operating plan of Johnston’s Housing Assistance Payments Program. HAPP allocates federal dollars to underwrite housing vouchers. The 2026-27 plan envisions $5.2 million for 619 vouchers.

  • Received the 2026-27 budget request from the County’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, which is seeking $112,000 to fund alternatives to incarceration for juvenile offenders. The Council expects the state to contribute another $393,380 toward its next budget.

  • Agreed to lease the former Tucker Furniture building at 501 E. Market St. in downtown Smithfield. A portion of the County’s Public Utilities Department and all of Technology Services would move to that space. The County would pay $214,836 a year to lease the nearly 18,000-square-foot building.

  • OK’d budget revisions for the Public Health Department and Department of Social Services. The Health Department has received $53,821 in additional revenue, while Social Services has received $24,091.70.

  • Appointed Art Watkins to the Firefighters Relief Fund Board of Trustees. The board provides financial assistance to firefighters facing hardships. Watkins would represent the McLemore Fire District.

  • Allowed six fire departments to purchase tanker trucks. Together, the trucks will cost $579,227 and take 700 to 750 days to build. They would go to the 50-210, Antioch, Bethany, Four Oaks, Micro, and Princeton fire departments.

  • Took no action after a closed session on a legal matter.



Page last updated on:  May 14, 2026