April 6, 2026 - 6:00 PM - Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Rezoning)

10 260 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners April 6 , 2026 6 00 pm The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday , April 6 , 2026 at 6 00 pm in the Commissioners Meeting Room , Johnston County Courthouse Annex , Smithfield , North Carolina The following members were present Present Chairman Patrick E Harris , Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr , Ted G Godwin , April Stephens , Bill Stovall , Michelle Pace Davis and Mike Rose Absent None Also Present County Manager Rick J Hester , County Attorney Jennifer J Slusser , Clerk to the Board Dana G Cuddington , and Executive Assistant Deputy Clerk Susie Reeves Chairman Patrick E Harris called the meeting to order at 6 00 pm and the following business was transacted Chairman Harris noted there will be a closed session following Board Reports and Comments 1 Appointments Announcement Chairman Patrick E Harris reported the Board utilized written ballots at the 10 00 am meeting for appointments to the Airport Authority , the Board of Health , the Economic Development Advisory Board , and the Johnston - Lee - Harnett Community Action Board Chairman Harris stated the votes have been tallied and he announced the following Airport Authority - Edwin Aldridge , Jr , Tim Stevens , Ken Starling , and John H Bullock , Jr were reappointed for four year terms to expire on April 30 , 2030 via the following vote Board of Health - Jordan Troxel was appointed representing General Public for a three year term to expire on April 30 , 2029 via the following vote Economic Development Advisory Board - Carolyn Dobbin representing Wilson's Mills was reappointed for a two year term to expire on April 30 , 2028 via the following vote Chairman Patrick E Harris announced that there was not a majority vote for the at - large position at the 10 00 am meeting on the Economic Development Advisory Board He stated new ballots have been placed at the Commissioners seats Chairman Harris instructed Commissioners to complete their ballots and submit themPage261 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued to the Deputy Clerk to tally with results to be announced at the end of this meeting County Attorney Jennifer Slusser advised that the ballot from the morning has been revised to reflect the two top vote candidates and Commissioner Bill Stovall may now vote as there is no conflict of interest with the new ballot Upon a motion by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , seconded by Commissioner Mike Rose , and carried unanimously , the Board reappointed Donnie Lassiter to represent Micro and Dale Moore to represent Kenly for two year terms to expire on April 30 , 2028 Johnston - Lee - Harnett Community Action Board - Alexia Walker was appointed for a two year term to expire on April 30 , 2028 via the following vote 2 Approval Discussion of Agenda Upon a motion by Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis , seconded by Commissioner April Stephens , and carried by unanimous vote , the Board approved the agenda as presented 3 Visit from 2026 Miss Johnston County , Miss Johnston County's Teen , Miss Cleveland and Miss Cleveland's Teen Miss Johnston County Kate White addressed the Board and stated she will be representing Johnston County at the upcoming Miss North Carolina Pageant in June Miss White paused and asked everyone to observe a Moment of Silence for the former Miss Johnston County and Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett who passed away over the weekend Following the Moment of Silence , Miss White continued her remarks stating her community service initiative is an arts organization called Camp Create where she provides free art experiences to children across North Carolina through camps and other programs She stated the program has been going strong for five years and through this work she has developed a new sense of wisdom and determination to bring the Miss North Carolina crown back to Johnston County Miss White stated Johnston County is a community that produces winners and one of those winners was Carrie Everett Miss White stated Ms Everett attended school in North Carolina and strategically chose to represent Johnston County in the pageants Miss White stated she is honored to walk in the footsteps of the many great young women before her and she is excited to see what happens in June She thanked the Board for allowing her to speak at the meeting Miss Johnston County's Teen Brie Rouse addressed the Board and stated she is currently an eighth - grade student at Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston , North Carolina and she will also be competing for the title of Miss North Carolinas Teen in June Miss Rouse shared that her community service initiative is called Lifting Legends which focuses on providing support , advocating , and building awareness around veterans , active duty military members , first responders , and the families that stand behind them She stated these people are the backbones of the communities and so often their sacrifices go unseen or are overlooked Miss Rouse stated through Lifting Legends , she has reached over 500 students She explained that when she visits classrooms , she is educating students on the importance of celebrating these heroes all year round and not just on dedicated holidays She stated her goal is to help create a generation of students that support these individuals Miss Rouse stated with Lifting Legends , she plans to expand her outreach across Johnston County and North Carolina and she is currently working on getting shift baskets into first responder departments throughout North Carolina which are filled with " pick - me - up " items to help first responders get through their long shifts She stated her goal is to ensure that no hero feels forgotten and that every individual who has served knows they are valued , supported , and uplifted She thanked the Board for allowing her to share this initiative and stated she is excited to represent Johnston County Miss Cleveland Halle Powell stated she has had a wonderful experience representing the Cleveland Community Miss Powell stated she will be graduating from Lenoir County Early College and High School as a dual - enrolled student next month with plans to attend UNC - Chapel Hill in the fall majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Business of Health Miss Powell shared that her community service initiative is aPage262 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued project called The Senior Shuffle She explained that as a dancer with a heart to serve , she founded The Senior Shuffle Project , a 501c3 nonprofit , to bring joy through movement to seniors in elder care Miss Powell stated she provides seated dance classes for seniors which are safe and exciting ways to keep their bodies moving and encourage community within their spaces She stated it also promotes a healthy heart , encourages mobility , flexibility , and reduces fall risk Miss Powell shared that during one of the sessions with the seniors , a stroke survivor who had not moved his feet or legs in a long time was able to tap one of his feet which was very exciting She explained that she is actively seeking grants to continue this work and she appreciates everyone that has partnered with her on this initiative Miss Powell stated she looks forward to representing the Cleveland Community in June Miss Cleveland's Teen Raiah Dona addressed the Board and shared her excitement to be representing the Cleveland Community and Johnston County Miss Dona shared that her community service initiative focuses on supporting military families and deployed service members She stated this is more than just a platform for her in that her father is currently deployed so she knows what it is like for families to love someone serving far away from home Miss Dona stated she recently learned that her father's camp in the Middle East , is currently over capacity by 1,300 people and because of that , their small supply store is running out of basic necessities such as hygiene products , snacks , and everyday essentials Miss Dona stated over the past week , she launched a donation drive to collect essential items for deployed service members and in just one week , over 1,000 items have been donated She stated these items are more than just donations , as they represent encouragement , support , and the message that even from miles away , service members are not forgotten Miss Dona stated as a title holder in the Miss America Organization , she wears a crown and sash , but what matters most to her is the responsibility that comes with this role She stated the role as Miss Clevelands Teen has given her the opportunity to turn her personal story into a purpose and her purpose into action She stated the goal is not only to raise awareness , but to inspire others to understand that supporting the military does not always require something on a large scale and something as simple as donating an everyday item is equally important She stated her hope is that this initiative continues to grow , not just in donations , but in awareness , compassion , and action She asked everyone to continue to remember those that protect our freedom Miss Dona introduced her friend accompanying her to the meeting , Miss Hampton Roads Teen Natalie Hammond that is currently visiting from Virginia The Board thanked all the pageant participants for attending the meeting and sharing their community service initiatives Chairman Patrick E Harris stated the Board is very proud of the work being done and is honored to have them representing Johnston County 4 Public Comment A Citizen Comments - Sandra Watson Sandra Watson , Kenly , addressed the Board stating she is a US Master Swimmer Coach and Instructor , a lifeguard and a former water safety survival instructor for the Marine Corps Ms Watson stated over the summer , she started a new swim team in the Town of Princeton and the participants were so enthusiastic that they wanted to continue through the winter and spring months ; however , they were denied access to the Smithfield Recreation and Aquatic Center due to all the high schools and other programs that practice at that facility Ms Watson stated she feels this is unfair and there are not enough recreational opportunities for those living on the eastern side of Johnston County Ms Watson also shared that members of the Smithfield Recreation and Aquatic Center have limited access to the pool due to the high school practices She stated because of the growth of the County there needs to be more recreational options for people and she would like for the Board to consider something for the eastern residents of Johnston County The Board thanked Ms Watson for her comments 5 Finance - Resolution for Financing the Clayton High School Project The Chairman introduced the following resolution , a summary of which had been provided to each Commissioner , a copy of which was available with the Clerk to the Board and which was read by title RESOLUTION APPROVING INSTALLMENT CONTRACT FINANCING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PROJECTS IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT UP TO 134,500,000 ; THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY BY THE JOHNSTON COUNTY FINANCE CORPORATION OF LIMITED OBLIGATION BONDS RELATED THERETO ; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF RELATED DOCUMENTS INPage263 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued CONNECTION THEREWITH ; AND PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN OTHER RELATED MATTERS WHEREAS , the Board of Commissioners desires to approve a proposed plan of financing in an aggregate principal amount of up to 134,500,000 , which plan would involve the entry by the County into a one or more long - term installment financing contract s with the Johnston County Finance Corporation the " Corporation " or one or more other third parties pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes § 160A - 20 , as amended , the proceeds of which would be used to pay all or a portion of the costs of i design , acquisition , construction , installation , renovation and equipping of one or more new or used buildings to be used as public school facilities in Johnston County including , without limitation , the design , acquisition , construction , installation and equipping of a new replacement public high school for the existing Clayton High School facility , including acquisition of necessary land , easements and rights - of - way , ii site development including , without limitation , demolition of any existing structures , iii any and all related utilities relocation and iv any other real and or personal property improvements related to any of the foregoing and v any " preliminary expenditures " related to the foregoing architectural , engineering , surveying , soil testing , reimbursement bond issuance and similar costs that are incurred prior to commencement of acquisition or construction , but excluding land acquisition , site preparation and similar costs incident to commencement of construction collectively , the " 2026 Projects " , and under said one or more long - term installment financing contract s the County would secure the repayment by the County of the moneys advanced pursuant to such one or more long - term installment financing contract s by granting a security interest in and lien on all or some portion of the 2026 Projects and or all or some portion of the real property upon which the 2026 Projects are located and or b into one or more short - term installment financing contract s with one or more third parties pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes § 160A - 20 , as amended , the proceeds of which would be used to provide interim financing for all or some portion of the 2026 Projects pending execution and delivery of said one or more long - term financing contract s , and under said one or more short - term installment financing contract s the County would secure the repayment by the County of the moneys advanced pursuant to such short - term installment financing contract s by granting a security interest in and lien on all or some portion of the 2026 Projects and or all or some portion of the real property upon which the 2026 Projects are located ; WHEREAS , as part of said proposed plan of financing , the Corporation may also execute and deliver one or more series of Limited Obligation Bonds in said one or more long - term installment financing contract s in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding 134,500,000 to finance the advancement of moneys to the County pursuant to said one or more long - term installment financing contract s between the County and the Corporation or one or more other third parties ; WHEREAS , as part of the proposed plan of financing for the 2026 Projects , the Board of Commissioners further desires to authorize interim financing for all or some portion of the 2026 Projects in an aggregate principal amount of up to 134,500,000 , which would involve the entry by the County into one or more short - term installment financing contract s with one or more third parties pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes § 160A - 20 , as amended , the proceeds of which would be used to provide interim financing for all or some portion of the 2026 Projects pending execution and delivery of said one or more long - term financing contract s and the related Limited Obligation Bonds , if any , and under said one or more short - term installment financing contract s the County would secure the repayment by the County of the moneys advanced pursuant to such short - term installment financing contract s by granting a security interest in and lien on all or some portion of the 2026 Projects and or all or some portion of the real property upon which the 2026 Projects are located ; and WHEREAS , as part of said proposed plan of financing , the Corporation may also execute and deliver one or more series of Limited Obligation Bonds in said one or more short - term installment financing contract s in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding 134,500,000 to finance the advancement of moneys to the County pursuant to said one or more short - term installment financing contract s between the County and the Corporation or one or more other third parties ; WHEREAS , there have been submitted to this meeting draft forms of the following documents the " Financing Documents " with respect to the proposed plan of financing for the 2026 Projects 1 an Installment Financing Contract , proposed to be dated on or about June 1 , 2026 , between the County and the Corporation as counterparty the " Contract " , pursuant to which the Corporation will advance moneys to the County for the costs of the 2026 Projects , and the County agrees to make periodic installment payments the " Installment Payments " to repay the moneys so advanced , with or without interest , as applicable ; 2 a Deed of Trust , Security Agreement and Fixture Filing the " Deed of Trust " , proposed to be dated on or about June 1 , 2026 , among the County as Grantor , the Corporation or such one or more third parties PagePage pageNumber5264 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued as Beneficiary and the trustee named therein , by which the County would secure its obligations to the Corporation under the Contract ; 3 an Indenture of Trust , proposed to be dated on or about June 1 , 2026 the " Trust Indenture " , between the Corporation and the trustee named therein , as trustee the " Trustee " , pursuant to which there may be executed and delivered from time to time Limited Obligation Bonds , including , without limitation , the Limited Obligation Bonds County of Johnston , North Carolina , Series 2026 the " 2026 LOBs " , the proceeds of which will be used to advance the moneys to the County under the Contract ; WHEREAS , the obligations of the County to make Installment Payments and other payments pursuant to the Contract shall constitute limited obligations of the County payable solely from currently budgeted appropriations of the County and shall not constitute a pledge of the faith and credit of the County within the meaning of any constitutional debt limitation ; WHEREAS , no deficiency judgment may be rendered against the County in any action for breach of a contractual obligation under the Contract , and the taxing power of the County is not and may not be pledged in any way directly or indirectly or contingently to secure any moneys due under the Contract ; and WHEREAS , the Board of Commissioners desires to approve the Financing Documents and to authorize other actions in connection therewith ; NOW , THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners , as follows Section 1 All actions taken by or on behalf of the County to date to effectuate the proposed plan of financing , including the selection of Maynard Nexsen PC , as special counsel or bond counsel , are hereby ratified , approved and authorized pursuant to and in accordance with the transactions contemplated by the Financing Documents Section 2 The Board of Commissioners hereby finds and confirms that i the 2026 Projects and the financing thereof by one or more installment financing contracts is necessary and expedient for the County ; ii financing of the 2026 Projects by one or more installment financing contracts , under the circumstances , is preferable to a bond issue by the County ; iii the sums to fall due under said one or more installment financing contracts are adequate and not excessive for their proposed purpose ; iv the County's debt management procedures and policies are good and its debt will continue to be managed in strict compliance with law ; v the increase in taxes , if any , necessary to meet the sums to fall due under said one or more installment financing contracts will not be excessive ; and vi the County is not in default regarding any of its debt service obligations Section 3 The acquisition , construction and equipping of the 2026 Projects , the financing thereof and the granting of security interests therein , all as provided in the Financing Documents referenced in this Resolution , are hereby ratified and approved Section 4 Each of the Contract and the Deed of Trust is hereby approved in substantially the form submitted to this meeting , and each of the Chairman or Vice - Chairman of the Board or the County Manager is hereby authorized to execute and deliver each of those documents in the name and on behalf of the County , with such changes , insertions or omissions as the persons executing such documents may approve , including but not limited to changes , insertions or omissions related to obtaining a policy of municipal bond insurance with respect to the 2026 LOBs , their execution and delivery thereof to constitute conclusive evidence of such approval The County Clerk is hereby authorized to affix the seal of the County to each of said documents as may be appropriate and to attest to the same Section 5 The Trust Indenture including the form of the 2026 LOBs therein is hereby approved in substantially the form submitted to this meeting , with such changes , insertions or omissions as appropriate , including but not limited to changes , insertions or omissions related to obtaining a policy of municipal bond insurance with respect to the 2026 LOBs , as the representative s of the County executing the Contract may approve , the execution and delivery of the Contract to constitute conclusive evidence of such approval The Board hereby approves the sale of the 2026 LOBs by the Corporation in an aggregate principal amount not in excess of the amount of moneys to be advanced to the County pursuant to the Contract Section 6 Each of the Chairman or Vice - Chairman of the Board of Commissioners , the County Manager and the Director of Finance are authorized to approve all details of the financing of the 2026 Projects , including , without limitation , the amount advanced under the Contract and the aggregate principal amount of the 2026 LOBs which shall not exceed 134,500,000 , the maturities , the principal payments amounts and the interest amounts of the Installment Payments and the 2026 LOBs , which interest amounts calculated with respect to the 2026 LOBs shall not exceed 60 per annum on an effective interest cost basis , the prepayment terms and prices which shall not exceed 103 of the principal amount being prepaid and , if applicable , the amount of any underwriters ' discount exclusive of any original issue discount which shall not exceed 20 of the principal amount of the 2026 LOBs Execution of the Contract by the Chairman or Vice - Chairman of thePagePage pageNumber6265 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Board of Commissioners or the County Manager shall conclusively evidence such approval of all such details of said financing Section 7 The Chairman or Vice - Chairman of the Board of Commissioners , the County Manager , the Director of Finance and the County Attorney are hereby authorized to take any and all such further action , including approval of modifications to the Financing Documents , and to execute and deliver for and on behalf of the County such other documents and certificates including , without limitation , agreements with securities depositories , financing statements , one or more contracts of purchase or purchase agreements , one or more placement agreements , one or more private placement agreements or other offering documents or memoranda , tax certificates and agreements and other documents and agreements including repurchase agreements relating to the investment of the proceeds from the execution and delivery of the Contract as they may deem necessary or advisable to carry out the intent of this resolution and to effect the financing pursuant to the Contract and the other Financing Documents The County Clerk is hereby authorized to affix the seal of the County to such documents and certificates as may be appropriate and to attest to the same and to execute and deliver the same as may be needed Section 8 The Director of Finance shall prepare and file a sworn statement of debt with the LGC and the Clerk to the Board in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes Section 159 - 150 Section 9 The County covenants that , to the extent permitted by the Constitution and laws of the State of North Carolina , it will do and perform all acts and things to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended the " Code " , in order to assure that interest paid with respect to the 2026 LOBs will not be includable in the gross income of the owners thereof for purposes of federal income taxation , except to the extent that the County obtains an opinion of bond counsel to the effect that noncompliance would not result in interest with respect to the 2026 LOBs being includable in the gross income of the owners of the 2026 LOBs for purposes of federal income taxation Section 10 This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption Thereupon , upon motion of Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr , seconded by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , the foregoing resolution entitled " RESOLUTION APPROVING INSTALLMENT CONTRACT FINANCING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PROJECTS IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT UP TO 134,500,000 ; THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY BY THE JOHNSTON COUNTY FINANCE CORPORATION OF LIMITED OBLIGATION BONDS RELATED THERETO ; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF RELATED DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ; AND PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN OTHER RELATED MATTERS " was passed by the following vote along with the following capital project ordinance Ayes Chairman Patrick E Harris , Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr , Commissioners Ted G Godwin , April Stephens , Bill Stovall , Michelle Pace Davis and Michael Rose Noes None CAPITAL PROJECT ORDINANCE FOR THE CLAYTON HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners the " Board " of the County of Johnston , North Carolina the " County " , that pursuant to Section 132 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina , the following capital project ordinance is hereby amended Section 1 The project authorized is the planning , design , and construction of a new , consolidated , state - of - the - art high school to replace Clayton High School on the existing site , including subsequent demolition of multiple existing , outdated buildings structures and related utilities relocation the " Project " The Project will be conducted and managed by the Johnston County Public Schools and is to be financed with proceeds of the proposed Johnston County Finance Corporation Limited Obligation Bonds , Series 2026 the " Series 2026 LOBs " Section 2 The officers of the County are hereby directed to proceed with the capital Project within the terms of the budget contained herein and within the terms of the Indenture of Trust and the Installment Financing Contract related to the Series 2026 LOBs Section 3 The following amounts are appropriated for the Project Design Build Project Costs 134,381,316 Costs of Issuance 700,000 Total 135,081,316PagePage pageNumber7266 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Section 4 The following revenues are anticipated to be available to complete the Project Series 2026 LOBs 130,081,316 General Fund Appropriation 5,000,000 Total 135,081,316 Section 5 The Deputy County Manager Director of Finance is hereby directed to maintain within the Capital Project Fund sufficient specific detailed accounting records to satisfy state and federal regulations and the terms of the Indenture of Trust and the Installment Financing Contract related to the Series 2026 LOBs Section 6 Funds may be advanced from the County's General Fund for the purpose of making payments for Project expenses Reimbursements from the Series 2026 LOBs invested proceeds will be requested from the Trustee in an orderly and timely manner Section 7 The Deputy County Manager Director of Finance is hereby directed to report annually on the financial status of each Project element in Section 3 and the total revenue received Section 8 Copies of this capital project ordinance shall be furnished to the Clerk to the Board , the Budget Officer and the Deputy County Manager Director of Finance for direction in carrying out this Project Amended this 6th day of April , 2026 6 North Carolina Department of Transportation Update North Carolina Department of Transportation DOT Division 4 Engineer Matt Clarke addressed the Board to provide an update Mr Clarke noted that Division Project Development Engineer Addison Gainey would also be sharing information with the Board during the update Mr Clarke stated Division 4 covers Johnston , Wayne , Wilson , Nash , Edgecombe , and Halifax Counties He stated Mr Gainey will be sharing information regarding multi - use facilities which will require a partnership with Johnston County Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr noted that Mr Clarke attended the last Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization CAMPO meeting and provided an update on what is happening in Division 4 Vice Chairman Lawter spoke on the usefulness of this information stating there are many projects that most people are not aware are currently ongoing Mr Clarke stated the DOT is currently working on a new tool that involves a website called " Projects Near Me " which is a Geographic Information System website where the public can learn about projects that impact their specific communities He stated more information will be coming on that website soon Mr Clarke shared the following information with the Board PagePage pageNumber8267 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm ContinuedPagePage pageNumber9268 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Mr Gainey continued the presentation by sharing the following information with the Board Page0269 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm ContinuedPage1270 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued At the inquiry of Chairman Patrick E Harris , Mr Gainey noted that improvements to the underpass at the railroad bridge over Market Street in Smithfield has been submitted for project scoring due to it frequently flooding during weather events He assured the Chairman that the DOT is aware of this problem area and is looking at options Mr Gainey shared information with the Board as it relates to multi - use paths , greenways , and trails as they relate to the County's greenways and trails plan He stated for these types of projects , the DOT requires a commitment from the appropriate county or municipality to maintain the multi - use paths and or sidewalks He stated without that commitment , these improvements cannot be constructed by the DOT He stated a formal maintenance agreement with the DOT would be required before these projects can be advertised for bidding Page2271 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Mr Gainey discussed the following two projects with the Board that would require multi - use path agreements Mr Gainey stated the DOT needs an upfront agreement from the County on the partnership for the multi - use paths in order to begin design on these projects and advertise for bidding He offered to answer any questions by the Board He clarified that the estimated construction cost on the Cleveland Road Upgrades is 101,000,000 and not 101,000 stating this is a typo in the slide At the inquiry of Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr , Mr Gainey stated the connector project between Cleveland Road and Veterans Parkway is still on the STIP list , but he noted review is ongoing Vice Chairman Lawter spoke on the Board's timeliness of adopting the County's updated Comprehensive Transportation Plan as well as the Greenways and Trails Plan as they are contributing significantly to the discussions with the DOT Johnston County Parks and Open Space Director Adrian O'Neal thanked the DOT representatives for the update and agreed with Vice Chairman Lawter on the usefulness of the County's adopted plans and how they help the County during DOT project scoring He thanked the Board for their support and asked the Commissioners to consider entering into an agreement with the DOT for the multi - use paths at a future meeting Page3272 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued th The Board took the request from the DOT under advisement to be added to the April 20 agenda for further discussion and consideration 7 Planning & Zoning - Unified Development Ordinance UDO Update Planning Director Braston Newton stated he along with Consultant Anna Willis would like to share information with the Board based on all the feedback and comments received from the March 23 , 2026 town - hall style meeting held at the Agriculture Center on the draft Unified Development Ordinance UDO He stated staff and the consultant have reviewed all written comments received at the meeting and a list of those comments have been provided to the Board He noted alternative language and options for possible revisions are being provided to the Board to consider as the UDO process continues Mr Newton stated after tonight's presentation , staff hopes to receive some direction from the Board He noted that additional stakeholder meetings will be continuing with feedback from those meetings incorporated into the UDO draft Mr Newton introduced Kimley - Horne Consultant Anna Willis to share more information Ms Willis stated the presentation is basically a summary of the town - hall style meeting held on March rd 23 She shared the following information with the Board Page4273 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm ContinuedPage5274 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm ContinuedPage6275 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm ContinuedPage7276 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Upon comments by Commissioner Bill Stovall , Ms Willis confirmed that there was significant concern at the town hall meeting regarding penalties ; however , she clarified that those penalties are related to riparian buffer violations which are enforced under State Law and not the County She stated the riparian buffer penalties are separate from the County's UDO penalties which is important for citizens to realize At the inquiry of Commissioner Ted G Godwin , Ms Willis reported the stakeholders are a group of approximately 20 people with half of those coming from the agriculture community and the remaining coming from commercial real estate , engineers , and others Commissioner Godwin emphasized that every citizen in the County should be considered a stakeholder Mr Newton agreed that all citizens are stakeholders ; however , he stated the difficulty is trying to get a sample size of the community and even though that may be a small group , it needs to be well - represented in order to get through the issues and concerns Mr Newton stated staff has tried to get representation from every sector of the County Commissioner Mike Rose stated he received many questions and concerns regarding older existing structures and how they would be viewed under the new UDO Commissioner Rose asked if there is language in the new UDO draft to protect those older existing structures Ms Willis confirmed that there will be a non - conformity section within the UDO that allows for features of a non - conforming site to include existing buildings and other structures She stated this would be grandfather type language for those structures Mr Newton added that the non - conformity section is very similar to what the County already has in the existing Land Development Code He stated as long as the use is not being expanded , it can continue to be used as it has been He stated if there is new construction or reconstruction of the site , then the new standards would have to be met Upon a question by Commissioner Godwin , Mr Newton stated another public meeting has not been scheduled at this time in that staff would like to complete the revision of the current draft before scheduling another community meeting Commissioner Stovall stated one thing that he heard a lot was that the new UDO was a 600 - page document that was created from scratch ; however , the reality is that it is just a reproduction and or update of what the County currently has in place He added that many concerns he heard related to language that the County already had within the current Land Development Code Commissioner Stovall noted the Land Use Plan was adopted to ensure a harmonious balance between new development and the agriculture community He stated it is designed to protect farming which is still Johnston County's major economic driver and the Board does not want to do anything to hamper those that make their living from farming He stated it is designed to protect farming while allowing development to move forward in a manner to ensure a harmonious relationship between the two Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr stated he thinks that approximately 25 of the new UDO document is made up of tables and figures that the Board wanted added to provide better clarity Vice Chairman Lawter stated this is a process that includes staff , stakeholders , the Planning Board , and the Board of Commissioners He stated his thought is to have the stakeholders look at a chapter and then that section proceed on to the Planning Board and the Board of Commissioners in order to keep a rhythm going with the process , ultimately working towards completion in a more orderly fashion Mr Newton agreed with Vice Chairman Lawter stating staff would like to get the stakeholders review of the remaining chapters and then proceed on to the Planning Board and the Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Lawter spoke on the need to make sure there are continued opportunities for the public to comment He stated he wants to reiterate that this document is still under review and citizens will have plenty of notice as to when the Board gets to a point that a document can be considered for a vote Commissioner Stovall spoke on the need to make sure the UDO document and any revisions are on the website with plenty of time and clarity to allow for citizens to easily review this information Page8277 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Chairman Patrick E Harris reiterated that this is a process with work continuing and nothing is final yet and no votes are scheduled as of yet Chairman Harris stated he feels things are getting closer and his hope is to have a document that everyone can work with in the future 8 Manager Reports and Comments None 9 Board Reports and Comments Commissioner April Stephens stated she appreciated the presentation from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and she hopes that citizens can take this information and learn about what is happening in the County Commissioner Stephens also spoke on how the plans from the DOT align with the County's adopted Comprehensive Transportation Plan and how this will benefit the County in the future Commissioner Mike Rose stated he would like to remind everyone that counties are not responsible for building roads and therefore , do not budget local funds towards those projects Commissioner Rose acknowledged that the Board receives many complaints from citizens about roads and although counties are not responsible for road construction , the Commissioners always pass those concerns and complaints on to the appropriate DOT officials Commissioner Ted G Godwin indicated that everyone keeps taking about the UDO process and " getting it right " ; however , he has become unsure of what " right " is in this instance Commissioner Godwin stated he is currently in his fourth term on the Board and the main complaint he receives from citizens is that growth must slow down and the County is changing too fast Commissioner Godwin stated in private business , business owners push for growth ; however , in this instance , the County is looking to do the opposite and although he is unsure of what exactly the right thing to do is , all the Board can do is keep working through the process Commissioner Bill Stovall stated he was very appreciative of the update from the Department of Transportation and he thanked Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr for arranging that update Commissioner Stovall stated traffic is a big concern in Johnston County and he is alarmed at the number of fatalities that are occurring on a regular basis due to traffic issues He stated unfortunately , many of these issues are a product of growth Commissioner Stovall stated as far as the Land Use Plan process , growth was recognized as a problem and citizens expressed the need to better manage growth and perhaps slow it down He stated the Land Use Plan is the method to more organized and better growth Commissioner Stovall stated the Board recognizes that farming is a strength and must be continued and the Commissioners need to find a middle ground between farm interests , development interests , and industry He stated he hopes the forthcoming Cost of Community Services Study will guide the Board on these matters Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis echoed previous comments by her fellow Commissioners and noted she also hears the complaints from citizens about roads and traffic congestion Commissioner Davis expressed her excitement for all the projects the Department of Transportation is working on and how she hopes they will provide relief for traffic congestion in the County Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr thanked the Department of Transportation representatives for the information they presented during the meeting stating it is good to know that there are projects planned to increase traffic safety Vice Chairman Lawter agreed that although counties are not responsible for road construction , he does see a future where there will be requests from the DOT for matching funds He stated greenways are important as it relates to the multi - use path partnerships and he looks forward to that discussion at the next meeting Vice Chairman Lawter stated he is proud of the work that went into adopting the Comprehensive Transportation Plan as well as the Greenways and Trails Plan as they are positioning the County for good opportunities in the future Chairman Patrick E Harris announced that the ballot vote taken during this meeting on the Economic Development Advisory Board at - large position has been tallied with the following result Economic Development Advisory Board - Adam Caldwell representing At - Large was appointed for a two year term to expire on April 30 , 2028 via the following vote Page9278 April 6 , 2026 - 6 00 pm Continued Chairman Harris stated in considering all the topics covered during today's Board meetings as well as the priorities of the Board , there are many good things happening within the County with many people putting their heart and soul into serving the people He stated Johnston County is often recognized on a national level and there are many people working 24 hours a day 7 days a week keeping the people safe and serving others Chairman Harris expressed his appreciation to the staff and his fellow Board members for all their work and dedication 10 Closed Session - NCGS 14331811 a 3 - Attorney - Client Privilege and NCGS 14331811 a 5 - Acquisition of Property Upon a motion by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , seconded by Vice Chairman RS " Butch " Lawter , Jr , and carried by unanimous vote , the Board recessed regular session to sit in closed session for the purposes of consulting with an attorney employed by the Board in order to preserve the attorney - client privilege pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143 - 31811 a 3 , and to establish and instruct staff concerning the price and terms of a contract concerning the acquisition of real property pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143 - 31811 a 5 No action was taken by the Board Commissioner Ted G Godwin moved the Board adjourn closed session and resume regular session Commissioner April Stephens seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote There being no further business , Commissioner Mike Rose moved the Board adjourn Commissioner April Stephens seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote The meeting adjourned at 8 12 pm Patrick E Harris , Chairman Dana G Cuddington , Clerk to the BoardPage