Options as high as $1 million OK'd for naming rights

Apparently responding to recent split votes by the Smithfield Town Council to keep alive the baseball stadium being built for the former Wilson Tobs franchise, a delegation of townspeople attended Tuesday's council session to voice their support for the project. Several of them spoke during the meeting's usual segment inviting "Citizens Comments," and their remarks drew repeated applause.

Mary Nell Lee Ferguson was first to speak, recalling the joy of "going to a real baseball game with my father" when she was a little girl (apparently back in the late 1940s when Smithfield hosted a Minor League baseball team). "We need both sports and theater arts for the entertainment of all age groups," she declared.

"We want families to have something to do here," added Janice Wagstaff.

Emphasizing the potential economic impact of a summer-league baseball season here, Downtown Smithfield's director Heidi Gilmond and Triangle East Chamber of Commerce CEO Kelly Wallace added their organizations' endorsements.

Ms. Gilmond said a $10-million investment in a facility like a baseball stadium would yield $30-to-$40 million in investments by private enterprise. Ms. Wallace said "strong communities must make thoughtful investments."

Meanwhile, citizens like John Bell, who also spoke Tuesday, have decried the latest estimate of more than $16 million to complete the stadium. "Some of us aren't convinced" it's worth that price, he said.

Initially, the project's cost was capped at $6 million by the council, but that changed after the stadium's proposed site was moved from a strip of Community Park property beside Buffalo Road to a larger tract of woodland recently donated to the town behind Smithfield-Selma High School.

How that $16-million-plus cost will be underwritten rests on approval of additional grants from the state's Legislature and the Johnston County Visitors Bureau as well as additional drawdowns from the town's General Fund reserves. So far, the County of Johnston has pledged $2 million, the state $1 million, and the Visitors Bureau $500,000. Those commitments came when the project's cost was to be $6 million.

Another source of funds could come from naming rights for the stadium and its amenities. A proposed schedule of "fees" for getting that done was adopted by the council Tuesday by unanimous vote:
• For the stadium's basic structure – $1 million, good for 15 years.
• For the baseball field – $500,000 for 10 years.
• For a new roadway from Buffalo Road to the stadium – $250,000.
• For a locker room and "team facility" – $100,000.
• For the press box – $100,000.
• For a concession building with box office – $25,000.
• For a restroom and merchandise facility – $25,000.

No prospects for naming rights were disclosed during Tuesday' s discussion. Each transaction will require individual contracts, each to be approved by the council.

Interim Town Manager Kim Pickett presented a financial report to the Town Council Tuesday itemizing $502,125 spent so far on the stadium's construction:
• $374,805 during the town's fiscal year that ended June 30 – including $239,980 for design fees, $49,800 for bonds, $37,325 for field engineering and surveys, $27,000 for pre-construction services, and $20,700 for permits.
• $127,320 this fiscal year (since July 1) – including another $100,820 for design fees, $15,000 for pre-construction services, and $11,500 for permits.

Muter Construction of Zebulon is the general contractor.

Council votes down employment of an IT director

Interim Manager Pickett recommended employment of a professional technician to supervise and troubleshoot IT (Internet Technology) in all town departments. "We're having a lot of drops in the Internet," she told the council.

But when she recommended a salary as high as $134,811 for the position, Councilor Travis Scott objected over concerns about its impact on morale of present-day town employees. "It seems a bit excessive," he said of the proposed salary.

Ms. Pickett recommended employment of an IT "director" instead of the current budget's allowance for a lesser paid IT "specialist."

The town currently has a $127,000 contract with VC3, a national consulting company, that's in effect through next June 30. That contract would not be renewed with an IT director added to the town's payroll, Ms. Pickett pointed out.

Mr. Scott was joined by councilors Doris Wallace, Gettys Cohen, and Steve Rabil in voting to deny the new position. Councilors John Dunn and Sloan Stevens voted in favor (Councilor Roger Wood remains on medical leave.)

South Third Street alleyway to get a new look

The council granted a request from the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation to allow $30,000 in unspent funds in the past year's DSDC budget to be used for beautification of a narrow alleyway along the north side of the Austin Manor building as an inviting connection between Third Street and off-street parking.

DSDC Director Heidi Gilmond said the project will include overhead "bistro" lighting and colorful lanterns, umbrellas, and sails. "Low-maintenace landscaping" will be emphasized, she said.

Digital billboards added to town's rules on signage

The council without dissent approved an amendment to the town's Unified Development Ordinance to allow digital billboards in B-3 Highway Business districts, especially on properties along US 70 Business (West Market Street). Planning Director Brent Reck said the change, requested by Michael Johnson, was to extend what's presently allowed along the I-95 corridor.

No one objected to the change during a public hearing. The amendment got a unanimous recommendation for approval from the town's Planning Board.

Mr. Reck told the Weekly Sun following Tuesday's meeting that the N.C. Department of Transportation's regulations apply to permits issued by the town for billboards erected along NCDOT roadways (like Market Street). Those regulations limit billboard sizes and heights and minimum spacing between the signs.

Street resurfacing project almost finished

Earlier this week, the contractor finished repaving North Fourth and North Fifth streets, bringing the town's extensive project closer to completion. Public Works Director Lawrence Davis said only a couple of more streets are to be done under the current $1.4-million contract with Coastline Contracting of Wilmington. Then the town will turn its attention to planning for another batch of resurfacing work to be done with additional drawdowns from town reserve funds, Mr. Lawrence noted.
 

Athletic history was made at Smithfield-Selma High School last week with the playing of the school's first officially sanctioned interscholastic flag football game for girls, who competed on their home field September 9 against Wilson County's Beddingfield High School (SSS is the team in dark blue shown in action below).

Beddingfield won the opener 1-0 in overtime. Later Wednesday evening, the SSS girls played a second game – against the team from brand-new Wilson's Mills High School (shown below warming up). The Green Waves prevailed 12-6.

SSS has flag-football games scheduled most Tuesdays this season including matches versus Johnston County's Cleveland and Clayton high schools.

This is the first season sanctioned by the N.C. High School Athletic Association, and not all high schools in the region have fielded teams at this point.

SSS boys soccer team suffers first loss after 10 wins
Smithfield-Selma's boys soccer team lost its first game this season on Wednesday of this week at Clayton High School. The score was 3-2. SSS was undefeated through the first 10 games of the season.

VIEW the entire fall sports schedule for Smithfield-Selma's athletic teams>
 

Neuse Little Theatre to open
its 52nd season in auditorium

In years just ahead, Smithfield's Neuse Little Theatre may stage its musical productions in a setting more spacious setting than its present home in the former Legion Hut at the river – if plans are carried out to convert the former Howell Theatre into a Performing Arts Center.

For now, NLT has chosen to introduce its 52nd season next week in the auditorium at Johnston Community College with a rousing production surrounding Bluegrass music.

"Bright Star" – a Broadway musical written by Steve Martin (yes, the comedian who also performs Bluegrass on banjo) – will take the JCC stage at the end of next week: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 25-27. The play has a North Carolina setting in the 1920s and 1940s. 

Tickets are reasonably priced at $20-$24. You may purchase them on NLT's website where you'll find more details about the 2026-27 season.
 

 WHAT'S COMING UP 

County to consider stadium-grant agreement Monday
The Johnston County Board of Commissioners, during its 6 p.m. meeting on Monday, will be asked to finalize a proposed agreement with the Town of Smithfield to provide $2 million over two budget years for the baseball stadium the town is building for the relocated Wilson Tobs. The board will also consider a request from Emergency Services to purchase A.I.-powered software to help its staff "make faster, better-informed decisions during emergencies." VIEW the complete agenda here>
 

SSS hosts countywide
Band Expo Saturday

All of Johnston County's traditional high schools (except recently opened Wilson's Mills) are scheduled to show off their bands in a non-competitive "expo" this Saturday evening at Smithfield-Selma High's Charles Tucker Stadium.
Gates open at 6 p.m. The first band plays at 6:50 p.m. Admission is $10.

Another UDO "open house" at JCC next Wednesday
The second of two drop-in sessions on Johnston County's proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is scheduled next Wednesday (Sept. 23) in the lobby of the Johnston Community College auditorium. Johnston residents are invited to drop in any time between 6 and 8 p.m. to learn about proposed new rules to govern development in unincorporated areas of Johnston. Planning Department staff and consultants will be on hand to answer questions. The latest draft of the revised UDO is posted online at johnstonnc.gov/planning>
 

The Johnston County Heritage Center is looking for writers to contribute short stories, essays, and poems for its third Literary and Historical Journal, scheduled for publication later this year.

Writers from within and outside the county are encouraged to contribute, but entries should have a connection to Johnston County people, places, and events. There will be both Adult and Junior (high school) divisions. Submissions will be accepted electronically through October 30.

For more information or to receive submission guidelines, prospective writers should send an e-mail to heritagecenter@johnstonnc.gov>
 

 DEATHS AND FUNERALS 
Click on the name to read an obituary, usually posted by the funeral home:

JAMES HOWARD ROWLAND, 86 – died September 15

PEARL MAE TODD COATS, 91 – died September 14

JOYCE KING STRICKLAND UPTON, 89– died September 13

RUTH HAZEL BUNCH, 87 – died September 9
 

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 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

Here are some local stories we may have missed

I know Adam Carroll is in charge of the county's Public Information Office, but I've got to give credit to Scott Bolejack, a former editor of our Smithfield Herald, for his work to push back the "news desert" we're experiencing in Johnston County after the demise of most of our dependable community newspapers.

Scott joined the county's PIO staff last fall and since then has been producing "Thriving Together," a monthly newsletter about significant goings-on in Johnston – much of that related to works of County Government. That has given him an outlet to continue practicing the newspaper style of reporting he has been doing all his professional life (he's a UNC journalism graduate, by the way).

Thank goodness. He's making up for my lack of covering much of what's going on beyond Smithfield these days. Here are several stories worth reading in September's  "Thriving Together" – stories I haven't covered in the Weekly Sun:

• Johnston County builds safeguards into every election>

• Virtual behavioral health urgent care now available in Johnston>

• Johnston County launches task force to pursue defense industry jobs>

I intend to continue providing these recommended links in months to come. Meanwhile, you can sign up for monthly e-mail delivery of Thriving Together 
via the county's website>
 

MISS A PREVIOUS EDITION?
You'll find it in the Weekly Sun archives>