Commissioners to hear budget proposal on Monday
When Johnston County Commissioners meet at 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the Courthouse in Smithfield, they are scheduled to:
- Hear County Manager Rick Hester’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27. After hearing Hester’s proposal on Monday, Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the budget at 10 a.m. Monday, June 1. They’re scheduled to discuss the budget when they meet at 6 p.m. June 1 before adopting the 2026-27 spending plan during the 6 p.m. meeting on June 15.
- Consider accepting the donation of 308 acres from the Triangle Land Conservancy. While remaining a working farm, the land near Four Oaks will offer the public walking trails, fishing ponds, picnic areas, wildlife viewing areas and educational opportunities. Also, it will become home to the County’s Parks and Open Space Department.
- Hear the Health Department’s request to adopt its schedule of fees for fiscal year 2026-27. The proposal lowers fees for some behavioral health services, including some psychiatric evaluations. It raises fees slightly for a host of preventive health services, including post-delivery care, while lowering others, including office visits and routine physicals. In Environmental Health, a handful of fees would climb, including permits for wells.
- Hear staff’s request to move property tax foreclosures in-house. Traditionally, the County has hired a private law firm to conduct foreclosure proceedings when Johnston property owners fail to pay their taxes. Staff is confident it can perform that task for less than it pays an outside law firm. Historically, the County hasn’t been aggressive about foreclosures, and some delinquent taxpayers are now years delinquent. Staff proposes to start with those cases.
- Consider Public Utilities’ request to move forward with three capital projects, including improvements that would bring more water to Clayton and the Cleveland community. Also on the work schedule are a booster pump station and associated pipeline improvements on King Road and a gravity outfall line that would replace a sewer pump station near Duchess Downs subdivision.
- Proclaim July 6-11 as Summer Learning Week in Johnston County and May 17-23 as Emergency Medical Services Week.
- Add $6,482.21 in revenues to the Sheriff’s Office budget. The money includes insurance proceeds and collections from the state’s Controlled Substance Tax.
Citizens who would like to address the Board for public comment but have concerns with physically attending the meeting may email their comments to Clerk to the Board Dana Cuddington at dana.cuddington@johnstonnc.gov.
Monday’s meeting will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/jocogovnc.
To view the meeting agenda in detail, visit: https://www.johnstonnc.com/content.cfm?id=200.
Page last updated on: May 15, 2026