June 2, 2025 - 10:00 AM - Board of Commissioners Highlights

10 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING JUNE 2 , 2025 - 10 00 AM Videos of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners meetings may be viewed at the following https wwwyoutubecom jocogovnc American Legion Post 132 Smithfield led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag 1 Approval Discussion of Agenda - Agenda approved removing Item No 8 , North Side Fire and Rescue – Request to Purchase Land 2 Consent Agenda Items - Consent Agenda approved A Approval of Minutes – May 5 , 2025 10 00 am & 6 00 pm B Department of Transportation – Additions to System NC DOT is requesting the Board to concur with their recommendation to add the following roads to the State Maintained System Avery Meadows – Avery Meadows Drive , Shinning Pearl Court , Little Sunshine Brook , Two Daughters Stream , and Daffodil Garden Court – Smithfield Township C Town of Selma – Appointment to Selma Planning Board The Town of Selma is requesting the Board to make the following appointment to the Selma Planning Board representing the ETJ area of the Town Linda Bailey , 214 Old Beaulah Road , Selma term expiring 6 2 2028 D Celebrate Cleveland Committee – Request for Temporary Road Closure The Celebrate Cleveland Committee is requesting the Board’s approval to temporarily close Cleveland Road on July 4 , 2025 from 4 00 pm until approximately 4 45 pm for the annual Cleveland July 4th Parade route The Celebrate Cleveland Committee is working with the NC Department of Transportation , the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office , and the North Carolina Highway Patrol concerning the temporary closure and will be obtaining all required permits and a liability insurance policy for the event The NC Department of Transportation requires the approval by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners as part of the permit process E Minutes Transcription Services Contract Extension In October 2021 , the Board approved a contract for minutes transcription services Staff requests the Board to approve an extension of the contract through June 30 , 2026 There are no changes to the terms of the contract as approved in October 2021 F Johnston County Finance Department – Capital Assets The Finance Department respectfully requests approval to increase the capitalization threshold for capital assets from 5,000 to 10,000 , effective July 1 , 2025 The Public Utilities Department requests to amend the useful lives of the capital assets for its department PageG Budget Revisions • Sheriff - 32,90465 – To move revenues Insurance Recovery and Miscellaneous Revenue into appropriate expenditure line items 50,10443 – To move revenues Controlled Substance Tax into appropriate expenditure line items H Appointments Eastern Regional Housing Board - 1 position ; 5 year term Sandra H Norris has applied for reappointment Firefighters Relief Fund Board of Trustees - 2 year term Advertised in April Bentonville – Porter Jones has applied for reappointment Nursing Home Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board - 17 positions ; 1 year term for new appointees or 3 year term for reappointed members LaNarda N Williamson has applied for reappointment Donna Hinnant has applied for appointment Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board - 3 positions ; 3 year terms Jonathan Hardee has applied for reappointment I Tax Releases & Refunds – 4 16 2025 – 05 15 2025 3 Public Comments The following individuals addressed the Board during Public Comment • Human Resources Director Paulette Williams recognized retiring Johnston County Employees Jeff Lancaster Tech Services , Janet Peszko Tax and Penny Evans Health • Emergency Services Director Ryan Parker introduced new Fire Marshal Travis Johnson Note Full comments can be viewed in the video from the meeting at the following link https wwwyoutubecom watch v AX6iwGABIAc & t 9546s 4 Public Hearing – Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 Johnston County Proposed Budget The County Manager requested the Budget Message to be included in the minutes for the record The following individuals groups addressed the Board for the public hearing District Attorney , Johnston County Public Schools , Harbor , Inc , Triangle Land Conservancy , Johnston Community College and Citizen Tess Schulman The Chairman acknowledged emails received from the following citizens Debbie Wells , Gustav Falkenmeyer , Kristopher Bernard , James Michael Suggs and Pat LePageFollowing the public hearing , the Chairman announced the meetings to discuss and consider adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 County Budget as follows ? Monday , June 9 , 2025 at 6 00 pm Special Meeting for budget discussions ? Monday , June 16 , 2025 at 6 00 pm Regular mid - month meeting to include anticipated budget adoption as part of the agenda Meetings to be held in the Commissioners Meeting Room at the Johnston County Courthouse in Smithfield Pursuant to NCGS § 159 - 12 , the Johnston County Board of Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed 2025 - 2026 County Budget The purpose of the Public Hearing is for the County Manager to present the proposed budget and solicit public comment A copy of the proposed budget has been submitted to the Board and is available in the Office of the Clerk to the Board for public inspection The Office of the Clerk to the Board is located at the Johnston County Courthouse , 207 E Johnston Street , Smithfield , North Carolina 27577 , Room B - 206 The proposed budget can also be downloaded at the following link https wwwjohnstonnccom files board FY25 - 26_completeproposedbudgetpdf 5 Department of Social Services – Proclamation for Elder Abuse Awareness Day Proclamation Adopted The Department of Social Services requests the Board to adopt a proclamation for Elder Abuse Awareness Day as June 15 , 2025 6 Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District - Proclamation for 60th Anniversary Proclamation Adopted Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District requests the Board to adopt a proclamation for their 60th Anniversary 7 Hope Center Ministries – Update to the Board Informational Item Mark Hall with Hope Center Ministries will update the Board on a women’s campus opening in Wilson’s Mills and a men’s campus coming to the Eastfield Crossings Development in Selma 8 Emergency Services – North Side Fire and Rescue – Request to Purchase Land Item No 8 removed from the Agenda North Side Fire & Rescue requests an opportunity to address the Board in reference to purchasing land for a future fire station The Parcel Identified as 16K05050Z is near the intersection of Hwy 42 East and Motorcycle Road North Side Fire and Rescue proposes to purchase approximately 22 acres of the indicated parcel and will not be requesting any additional funds from Johnston County to fulfill this purchase 9 Appointments • Board of Equalization and Review – 2 positions ; 1 position for a 4 year term ; and 1 position to fill unexpired term ending 06 30 2028 Dr Shiquita P Blue was appointed for a 4 year term Jeffrey Lee Franks was appointed to fill an unexpired term ending 06 30 2028 Page• Johnston Community College Board of Trustees – 1 position ; 4 year term Lynn Ragsdale was reappointed • Johnston County Jury Commission - 1 position ; 2 year terms Thomas L Turnage was reappointed and granted a waiver in the length of service policy • Johnston - Lee - Harnett Community Action – 1 position to fill an unexpired term ending 04 30 2026 Alexia Walker was appointed • Juvenile Crime Prevention Council - 12 positions ; 2 year terms Applicants must represent one of the following areas Chief of Police , Representative of United Way or other nonprofit agency , Representative of Substance Abuse Professional , Representative of Juvenile Defense Attorney , Representative Member of Faith Community , member of business community , four General Public , and two individuals under the age of 21 Representing General Public Jackie Holloman Lee , James L Spencer and Douglas Wayne Sorrell were reappointed Mr Sorrell was granted a waiver in the length of service policy Vonda Martin Jenkins was appointed Member of faith community Dr Takicey M Dunston was appointed Other nonprofit agency L’Bertrice Solomon was appointed Substance abuse professional Towanda C Garner was appointed • Library Board of Trustees - 2 positions ; 3 year terms Martha Mills and Donna Daughtry were reappointed • Local Emergency Planning Committee – 5 positions ; 2 year terms Applicants must represent one of the following areas Facilities Covered Facility , Private sector and or Public Sector , Health Public , local or state government , Environmental Professional , local or state government or other Environmental Official , Media , Community Groups Citizen Group or Private Community Group Steve Strickland Health , Todd Ramsey Environmental , Beth Stewart Media and Marie Rogers Community Groups were reappointed 10 Delinquent Tax Collection Report - Informational Item 11 Manager Reports and Comments - None 12 Board Reports and Comments Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris asked everyone to keep the family of Marlon Lee in their thoughts and prayers Vice Chairman Harris said Councilman Lee was a strong advocate for people and he never hesitated to speak up for what he believed was right Vice Chairman Harris also reiterated thatPagePage pageNumber5the budget that has been presented by the County Manager is part of the process and he asked everyone to give the Board time to get through the process as there are many moving parts and things to be addressed Vice Chairman Harris said there are a lot of needs and the Board will have to figure out a way to get all that done , keeping it affordable for the citizens Commissioner Mike Rose agreed with Vice Chairman Harris ’ comments Commissioner Rose said the citizens have entrusted the Board to make decisions to provide the services that are needed Commissioner Rose also stated he had the opportunity to attend a ribbon cutting for a portion of the Mountains to Sea Trail in the Bentonville area Commissioner Rose said he enjoyed being out in nature and it was a great event Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis said she attended the Triangle East Chamber’s Legacy Awards last Thursday along with Commissioner Godwin Commissioner Davis said it was great to see all the emerging leaders that were recognized along with the small business and legacy awards Commissioner Daivs recognized Nicole Youngblood for receiving the emerging leader award and said it was great to see the support from the extension staff Commissioner Bill Stovall stated he would like to address emails received from citizens questioning why the Board does not pass on the cost of schools , EMS , law enforcement , and other similar public services to developers in the County Commissioner Stovall explained that what some may not realize is that the North Carolina General Assembly does not allow counties to assess impact fees on developers for these services Commissioner Stovall stated there are a lot of jurisdictions outside of North Carolina that have this authority ; however , counties in North Carolina do not He stated the only type of fee that North Carolina counties are allowed to assess are utility system development fees that are based upon a very narrow engineering calculation and those fees do not cover other types of public services Commissioner Stovall stated the sad reality is that residential construction does not pay for itself and must be balanced out with job producing growth from industry , commercial uses , and farming Commissioner Stovall noted that he recently saw an article where Pender County is experiencing the same issues as Johnston County He spoke on a cost of community services analysis for Pender County which showed that for every 100 housing brought in , it is costing them 105 unlike their businesses that bring in 600 of revenue for every 100 Commissioner Stovall stated he would like to see that business revenue here in Johnston County , but 77 of Johnston County’s workforce commutes out - of - county to work each day Commissioner Stovall stated while he is not a fan of economic incentives for industry , Johnston County must have job producing growth and he noted that incentives are based on what the industries pay rather than being taken from citizens Commissioner Stovall spoke on the need for more growth that pays for itself Commissioner Ted G Godwin said there are many citizens that feel the same way as Ms Schulman that spoke during the budget hearing and hopes everyone knows the Board is looking out for the citizens of Johnston County Commissioner Godwin also thanked Veterans Service Officer Robert Boyette and his staff for the Veterans Ceremony that was held in the courthouse Commissioner Godwin said it was well attended and is happy the county supports our veterans Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr said Commissioner Stovall had the opportunity to meet with several Mayors in Johnston County on regionalization of utilities Chairman Lawter also commented on the passing of Marlon Lee and how he was a mentor and will be missed by many 13 Closed Session – NCGS 14331811 a 4 – Economic Development No action was taken Page