Johnston County Launches "County Close-Up" Series Giving Residents a New Way to Learn and Connect

First event will help the County explore a new way to inform residents and hear their questions and concerns.

 Johnston County is launching a new community engagement series designed to give residents an opportunity to learn more about County services and connect directly with County staff.

The new County Close-Up series will bring County departments together with residents for public forums focused on topics of community interest. Each event will feature a presentation from County staff, followed by a question-and-answer session, and an opportunity for residents to speak one-on-one with staff members.

The series begins with a Social Services County Close-Up at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23 at the Johnston County Social Services campus, Building A, located in Smithfield. The first event will focus on recent changes to federal law that impact both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.

“Our Social Services team works with residents every day on programs and services that can have a significant impact on families,” said Christine Dowdell, Director of Johnston County Social Services. “Being part of the County Close-Up meeting series gives us an opportunity to step outside of our day-to-day work and have a conversation with the community. We will be available to answer questions and help residents better understand the resources available to them.”  

The Social Services team will provide an overview of the changes to SNAP and Medicaid, which include expanded work requirements for certain adults and changes to eligibility based on immigration status. Next, staff will host a question-and-answer session, and they'll be available to meet individually with residents and answer questions about their specific circumstances.

Can't make it to the first County Close-Up? No worries, the full presentation and question-and-answer session will be available on the Johnston County YouTube channel following the event. 

The first County Close-Up will also help the County determine what residents want from future events and how the format can be improved. Additional Close-Ups may be held on topics including economic development, public safety, and planning and zoning. More information about this series and future events can be found at Johnstonnc.gov/publicinformation.