August 4, 2025 - 10:00 AM - Board of Commissioners Highlights

10 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING AUGUST 4 , 2025 - 10 00 AM Videos of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners meetings may be viewed at the following https wwwyoutubecom jocogovnc Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 990 led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag 1 Approval Discussion of Agenda - Agenda approved moving Item No 5 , Public Utilities – Buffalo Road Parallel Force Main to the August 18th meeting 2 Consent Agenda Items - Consent Agenda approved removing Item G iv Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board to readvertise to receive additional applications A 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 Dundalk Drive SR 3568 ext , Big View Court , Split Rock Way , and Pedestal Court – Woodmont – O’Neals Township Lassiter Ridge Drive and Hampshire Court – Lassiter Ridge – Elevation Township Snowball Street , Vibernum View , Tupelo Trail , Chingquapin Court and Devilwood Drive – Homestead Farm – Elevation Township B Johnston County Government Facilities Master Plan and Design for DSS Building and Onsite Offsite Improvements On July 21 , 2025 Moseley presented to the Board a proposal for design services for the Department of Social Services building and onsite offsite improvements A reimbursement resolution was previously approved by the Board on October 16 , 2023 relating to County facility projects Staff request the Board to approve the design proposals with the understanding contracts will come back to the Board for consideration There will also be updates to the Board at the conclusion of each design phase C Approval of Johnston County ABC Board Travel Policy On July 21 , 2025 the Johnston County ABC Board presented the ABC Board Travel Policy to the Board of Commissioners The local Alcoholic Beverage Control ABC Board is governed by Chapter 18B , Article 7 of the North Carolina General Statutes This statute allows local boards to adopt a travel policy that conforms with the travel policy of Johnston County The Johnston County ABC Board approved a travel policy on February 25 , 2025 and respectfully request the Board of Commissioners to approve said policy PageD Emergency Services - Request to Surplus Vehicles Emergency Services requests the Board to declare the following vehicles surplus and approve for them to be sold at the next public auction scheduled by the Sheriff’s Office on September 13 , 2025 1 Fleet # 128 VIN 1GB6G5CL0D1173983 2013 Chevrolet 4500 Ambulance Mileage 188,994 This vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 2 Fleet # 142 VIN 1GB6G5CL7F1143561 2015 Chevrolet 4500 Ambulance Mileage 180,970 This vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 3 Fleet # 225 VIN 1FMJK1GT2GEF15532 2016 Ford Expedition Mileage 174,838 This vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 4 Fleet # 226 VIN 1FMJK1GT4GEF15533 2016 Ford Expedition Mileage 178,638 This vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 5 Fleet # 245 VIN JALE5B141Y7902209 2000 Isuzu Fuel Tanker Mileage 25,416 This vehicle was purchased from the JC Airport in 2021 It has not been used in several years and requires regular maintenance and annual inspections It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 6 Fleet # 155 VIN 1FDXE4FS1KDC09559 2019 Ford E450 Ambulance Mileage 217,640PageThis vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus 7 Fleet # 152 VIN 1FDXE4FS7JDC13159 2018 Ford E450 Ambulance Mileage 181,631 This vehicle has high mileage and is in need of mechanical repairs to remain in use This vehicle also does not meet current standards of our fleet and has been taken out of service We have purchased a replacement for this vehicle It is recommended that this unit be declared for surplus E Authorization to Proceed with Bidding for DA Renovation Project Buildings and Grounds requests the Board’s approval to proceed with the bidding process for the “ DA Renovation ” project After reviewing the project proposal and associated documentation , submitting a bid for this project aligns with strategic objectives and offers a valuable opportunity Staff will prepare and finalize the bid proposal , ensuring adherence to all specifications and requirements outlined in the Invitation to Bid , represent Johnston County throughout the bidding and negotiation process and ensure all necessary resources and support are provided to facilitate a successful bidding process This project was planned FY 24 25 F Budget Revisions • Library – 7,50000 - to reduce 2025 2026 proposed budget based on allotments from the County and Town • Sheriff – 3,47658 - to move revenues Miscellaneous Revenue and Federal Equitable Sharing into appropriate expenditure line items 1,133,04936 – to budget the annual transfer of special funds from the FY 24 - 25 fund balance into expenditure line items in the FY 25 - 26 budget as required and per standard yearly procedure G Appointments i Johnston County Board of Health – 2 positions ; 3 year term Applicants must be a Dentist or Optometrist James Matthew Oldham representing Dentist has applied for appointment ii Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority – 1 position ; 6 year term Jesse “ Skip ” W Green , Jr has applied for reappointment and would require a waiver in the length of service policy iii Livestock Arena Management Board – 5 positions ; 2 year terms Chad E Holloman , Paul H “ Sonny ” Howard , Jr , Eric W Honeycutt and Connor Edwin Peacock have applied for reappointment Mr Howard and Mr Honeycutt would require a waiver in the length of service policy iv Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board – 2 positions ; 3 year terms Removed from consent agenda Seth H Lee and Paul H “ Sonny ” Howard , Jr have applied for appointment PageH Tax Releases & Refunds – 6 16 2025 – 07 15 2025 3 Public Comments The following individuals addressed the Board during Public Comment • Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller • Jordan Forrest Streuli Note Full comments can be viewed in the video from the meeting at the following link https wwwyoutubecom watch v inEzixUqTVU 4 Public Hearing – Stormwater Ordinance Proposed Revisions Following the public hearing the Stormwater Ordinance Proposed Revisions will be placed on the September 2nd agenda for consideration approval The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public comment on the proposed modifications to Article VII – Stormwater Management of the “ Johnston County Land Development Code ” The proposed modifications are available for public review on the Johnston County Public Utilities website 5 Public Utilities – Buffalo Road Parallel Force Main – Award & Revised Project Budget This item was requested to be tabled to the August 18th 6pm agenda The County received eight 8 bids on June 26 , 2025 for the Buffalo Road Parallel Force Main project Please refer to the attached summary tabulation of bids Sanford Contractors , Inc of Sanford , NC submitted the lowest responsive bid in the amount of 3,270,77805 Sanford Contractors is properly licensed and experienced in the type of construction involved and appears to have the financial , labor and equipment resources required to complete the construction within the stipulated contract completion time Staff proposes a revised project budget , as follows Existing Revised Technical Services 542,00000 516,10000 Construction 000 3,270,77805 Contingency 000 380,00095 Easements 210,90000 156,60000 Cost of Revenue Bond Issuance 51,00000 39,72585 Total Project Cost 803,90000 4,363,20485 Sewer SDF Reserve Funds 84,00000 000 Water Sewer Revenue Bonds 719,90000 416,90675 Session Law 2023 - 134 Direct Appropriation 000 3,946,29810 Total Project Funds 803,90000 4,363,20485 The County previously accepted October 2024 an offer from the State for direct appropriation funding for the project Staff recommends award of the Buffalo Road Parallel Force Main project to Sanford Contractors , Inc in the amount of 3,270,77805 , approval of the resolution to award , approval of the revised project budget and approval of the capital project ordinance 6 Public Utilities – Request for Approval of “ Water and Sewer System Development Fee Study for Fiscal Year 2026 – Request approved PagePage pageNumber5Staff posted the “ Water and Wastewater System Development Fee Study for Fiscal Year 2026 ” on the County’s website on May 13 , 2025 Furthermore , the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on July 21 , 2025 Staff recommends adoption of the “ Water and Wastewater System Development Fee Study for Fiscal Year 2026 , ” including the updated Water and Sewer Capital Improvements Plan , as attached and presented at the July 21 , 2025 public hearing 7 Public Utilities – Proposed Water and Sewer System Development Fees for FY 25 26 and Water and Sewer Bulk Capacity Fees for FY 25 26 – It was the consensus of the Board to place this item on the August 18th 6pm agenda for consideration approval Staff recommends adoption of the following water system development fees and water bulk capacity fees effective October 1 , 2025 Water System Development Fees Use Type Meter Size Existing FY 24 25 Proposed FY 25 26 Max Allowable Existing Residential well disconnect 1,650 2,375 N A Residential new construction 4,750 6,000 8,980 Non - Residential ¾ ” 4,750 6,000 8,980 1 ” 11,875 15,655 22,450 15 ” 23,750 31,310 44,900 2 ” 38,000 50,100 71,840 3 ” and larger Per Gallon Per Gallon N A In situations where the application of the meter - based fees will result in the collection of fees significantly different than the potential demand requirement , the Director of Utilities has the discretion to apply unit capacity cost per GPD Proposed FY 25 26 2565 GPD , Max Allowable 3907 GPD Sewer System Development Fees Use Type Meter Size Existing FY 24 25 Proposed FY 25 26 Max Allowable Residential 4,020 3 , 080 3 , 080 Non - Residential ¾ ” 4,020 3 , 0 80 3 , 080 1 ” 10,050 9,725 9,725 15 ” 20,100 19,450 19,450 2 ” 32,160 31 , 1 2 0 3 1 , 120 3 ” and larger 64,320 and up Per Gallon N APagePage pageNumber6 In situations where the application of the meter - based fees will result in the collection of fees significantly different than the potential demand requirement , the Director of Utilities has the discretion to apply unit capacity cost per GPD Proposed FY 25 26 1484 GPD After completion of an updated water and sewer bulk capacity fee analysis , staff recommends the following water and sewer capacity fees for FY 25 26 with an effective date of November 1 , 2025 Water Bulk Capacity Fees Proposed Rate gpd 492 ’ 385 ’ 323 ’ Existing 1350 1350 1350 Transmission FY 25 26 311 176 063 Treatment FY 25 26 1861 1861 1861 Total FY 25 26 2172 2037 1924 Additional Notes 1 The proposed transmission capacity costs are based on hydraulic gradient and projects necessary to serve each hydraulic zone 323 ’ Zone Princeton , Pine Level , Kenly , Micro and Selma 385 ’ Zone Smithfield , Four Oaks and Benson 492 ’ Zone Clayton , Aqua - Flowers Plantation and CWS - Winston Pointe 2 The County currently has limited excess water capacity Therefore , for FY 25 26 and FY 26 27 , the County will limit sales to bulk customers utilizing over 80 of their existing available capacity Bulk customers will be allowed to purchase sufficient capacity to have no more than 20 excess capacity In addition , bulk customers with existing user specific interlocal agreements can purchase capacity in accordance with the executed agreement s 3 The County will work with Towns to plan for additional future water capacity , including Town specific interlocal agreements Updated agreements would ensure State criteria for securing future water supply are met , including Local Water Supply requirements Sewer Bulk Capacity Fees Proposed Rate gpd Existing FY 25 26 Rate gpd 1068 1101 Additional Note The proposed bulk capacity fee applies to the existing interlocal agreements with Smithfield , Selma , Pine Level and Four Oaks only 8 Child Support Proclamation – Child Support Awareness Month – August 2025 Proclamation adopted Child Support Awareness Month is an annual time to raise awareness and educate the public about the child support program that helps millions of children and families Further , it is a time to recognize the effort , hard work , and dedication of the child support professionals , as well as their community partners PagePage pageNumber7Staff respectfully requests the Board to consider adoption of a proclamation for August 2025 as “ Child Support Awareness Month ” in Johnston County 9 Johnston County Rail Network Update – Informational Item Scott Saylor will provide an update to the Board on the rail network in Johnston County 10 Kenly Volunteer Fire Department , Inc – Approval of Tax Exempt Loan Status Request approved Kenly Volunteer Fire Department , Inc is requesting the Board to adopt a resolution approving tax exempt loan status so they can borrow up to 877,17100 from KS Bank to finance a 2025 E - One Fire Engine at an interest rate of 645 with a 15 year term The engine was ordered in 2023 prior to the fire matrix Financing proposals were requested with three received by the fire department Finance Director Chad McLamb has reviewed the proposals and recommends financing with KS Bank 11 Appointments A Johnston County Board of Adjustments – 3 position ; 3 year terms Ernest Allsbrook and Flint M Benson have applied for reappointment and would require a waiver in the length of service policy Robert Richie , Jon McConnell and Alan Piepenburg have applied for appointment Flint M Benson was reappointed for a 3 year term Jon McConnell and Alan Pipenburg were appointed for 3 year terms B Board of Equalization and Review – 1 position to fill an unexpired term ending June 30 , 2028 Lara Nicole Johnson , Robert Richie and Alan Piepenburg have applied for appointment Robert Richie was appointed to fill an unexpired term ending June 30 , 2028 C Johnston - Lee - Harnett Community Action Board – 1 position ; 2 year term Dawn Winn - Burdo has applied for reappointment and would require a waiver in the length of service policy Gracie Wells Chamblee , James Gathers , Jr and Dr Teresa McDonald have applied for appointment James Gathers , Jr was appointed for a 2 year term D Johnston Community College Board of Trustees – 1 position to fill an unexpired term ending June 30 , 2028 Wade Corbett , Laura Link , Pamela C Price and Benjamin Joel Smith have applied for appointment Laura Link was appointed to fill an unexpired term ending June 30 , 2028 12 Delinquent Tax Collection Report - Informational Item PagePage pageNumber813 Annual Tax Settlement and Charge to Collect Taxes for 2025 The Board accepted the annual settlement and adopted the order to collect for 2025 Tax Administrator Jocelyn Andrews will present the annual tax settlement for 2024 and request the Board to formally adopt an order to collect taxes for 2025 14 Manager Reports and Comments - None 15 Board Reports and Comments Commissioner Bill Stovall referenced the comments made by Jordan Forrest Streuli during public comment regarding system development fees and development should be reasonable and affordable Commissioner Stovall stated he believes the Board is pursuing that agenda , but how they get there may be a difference of opinion Commissioner Stovall said he believes a responsible development policy is using what is available to pay for the demands that development puts on county government and its citizens He also said if we do not do that then we are passing it back to the long term residents that are here Commissioner Stovall stated we are not in the business of building houses and we are not in the business of insuring that people who profit from this can maximize their profit He said we are charged with looking out for the interests of all citizens of this county and we need to keep that on the forefront of any decisions that we make Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis reported that family members and friends praised Emergency Services , 911 and the local hospital over the past couple of weeks Commissioner Davis said we value our county employees and public safety as they do their job Commissioner Mike Rose reported that his mother also had a great experience with Emergency Services technicians and how patient they were , and their professionalism was unbelievable Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris stated a lot has been said about county departments and employees and one that really stood out this week was County Manager Rick Hester Vice Chairman Harris said he is amazed at how Mr Hester handles situations and problems and is proud of the fact that his office is one of the few places you can still call and not get a machine Vice Chairman Harris thanked Mr Hester for a great job serving the county Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr mentioned the four words that describe county employees , empowering , compassionate , responsive and visionary Chairman Lawter said it is not limited to the ones just in the boardroom but to all county employees that do their job everyday interacting with the public 16 Closed Session – NCGS 14331811 a 3 – Attorney - Client Privilege , NCGS 14331811 a 4 – Economic Development and NCGS 14331811 a 5 – Acquisition of Real Property No action was taken Page