Johnston County
Board
of Commissioners report from April 6 session |
 |
Commissioners present:
Chairman Ted Godwin, Tony Braswell, Jeff Carver,
Patrick Harris, Butch Lawter, Chad Stewart, and Larry Wood
Absent: none
33
recreation grants totaling $808,742
approved from county's Open Space Fund
The money comes from the county's Open Space Fund, which has grown to more than $1.3 million from fees paid by real-estate developers. After Monday's grant awards, that fund has $751,910 remaining for additional community requests and projects Mr. O'Neal said he expects to receive in the near future.
Normally, the county requires recreation grant recipients to put up matching funds, but commissioners voted Monday to forego that requirement this time in light of the coronavirus crisis.
Among the 33 recipients is the Smithfield Parks and Recreation Department, which is getting $13,300 for replacement of one of the wooden bridges on the town's Buffalo Creek Greenway. (Replacement of the deteriorating structure was recently completed.)
Here's the link to documents related to Monday's meeting that includes the complete list of recreation grant recipients (scroll down to view it)>
COUNTY COMMITS TO COMMUTER-RAIL STUDY
Commissioners committed $250,000 to ensure the County of Johnston's participation in the next phase of a commuter-rail study by the Research Triangle Public Transportation Authority --- better known as GoTriangle --- that has tentatively identified a regional commuter-rail extension as far east as Clayton as "viable" for federal funding. County Manager Rick Hester recommended the county's continuation in the study, which he said "will be very helpful for future generations" even if Johnston withdraws from the project in the near term. He noted that Wake County's share of the study's next phase is $6 million. Johnston contributed $76,000 this past year to the study's first phase.
READ more on GoTriangle's website about its commuter-rail study>
$5 MILLION APPROVED FOR LANDFILL'S NEXT PHASE
Commissioners awarded a contract to expand capacity at the county's solid-waste landfill to Shamrock Environmental Corporation of Brown's Summit for $4,993,817 after adding 5% for construction contingencies. Shamrock's base bid was lowest of five submitted for the project. The county's current budget earmarks $5 million for the work, designated as Phase 6A of the landfill, which the county opened off Highway 210 west of Smithfield in late 1973.
ANOTHER STEP TOWARD THE NEW SEWAGE PLANT
Next door to the landfill is the site of a new county sewage-treatment plant that will replace the current plant on the Neuse River below Smithfield that was inundated by flood waters following Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Commissioners on Monday awarded a contract to CITI-LLC Systems Integration of Charlotte for $1,184,385 to provide control-system hardware and software, a fiber-optic cable network, and other related equipment in the new plant.
FLOOD-RELATED SEWER PROJECT AT SELMA APPROVED
Commissioners awarded a contract to Moffat Pipe, Inc. of Wake Forest for $1,289,150 for a Facilities Flood Resiliency Improvements project at the county's wastewater pump station at Selma that includes relocation of its electrical building, a new 4,088-foot 16-inch force main, and other improvements. Funding is coming from a federal Community Development Block Grant through the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, supplemented by an appropriation from the county's sewer-service enterprise fund.
WILSON'S MILLS SEWER UPGRADE OK'd BY SPLIT VOTE
After considerable discussion, the board voted 5-2 to fund upgrades to a residential developer's sewer project to provide capacity for future growth in an area near the interchange of US 70 Bypass and US 70 Business east of Clayton. Actually, the Olive Branch Subdivision being constructed by Stancil Builders, Inc. lies within the jurisdiction of the Town of Wilson's Mills, which commissioners learned Monday had satellite-annexed the property in 2008 even though it's several miles outside the core of the town. That's what concerned commissioners Jeff Carver and Butch Lawter, who voted against the county's spending of $610,597 for the sewer project's upgrade --- especially after hearing that Wilson's Mills is satellite-annexing other residential subdivisions outside its normal borders. Mr. Carver expressed concern that deals like the one approved Monday will restrict the county's capacity to provide sewer service to industrial prospects, especially in the area near Clayton. To address some of those concerns, Monday's approval of the Olive Branch upgrade requires the county to re-visit its "interlocal agreement" with the Town of Wilson's Mills regarding the county's future handling of water and sewer service within the town's jurisdiction.
$500,000 FROM NCDOT FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Commissioners agreed to accept $500,000 from the N.C. Department of Transportation as part of a lawsuit settlement to mitigate potential environmental effects of the I-540 Outer Loop project that will bring the new highway into Johnston County near the interchange of I-40 and the US 70 Clayton Bypass. The county is required to use the money for undesignated aspects of its Stormwater Management Program.
N.C. MUTUAL-AID PACT FOR WATER & SEWER JOINED
The board approved a Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement with a consortium known as NCWaterWARN, made up of more than 100 operators of county, municipal, and privately owned water and sewer systems across North Carolina. The agreement enables members to contract with one another to restore those services in the event of natural disasters or other emergencies.
APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS & COMMUNITY BOARDS
The board approved the following to serve on various boards and commissions:
• Local Emergency Planning Commission --- Joshua B. Holloman, Zak Lokken, Steve Strickland, Gregory Percy, John Phillips, and Dennis Barletta reappointed; Adam Stanley newly appointed.
• Economic Development Commission --- Dale Moore reappointed to represent the Kenly area; Jonathan Breeden newly appointed to an at-large position in place of Perry Harris.
• Bentonville Community Building Board of Trustees --- Phillip Andy Lee and Barbara Shaw reappointed.
• Pleasant Grove Community Building Board of Trustees --- Gwen Pope reappointed.
FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS REAPPOINTED
• Archer Lodge --- Kirby Donald Turner, Eddy H. Green, and David T. Pace.
• Blackman's Crossroads --- Jerry Lynwood Lee, Michael D. Adams, and Willis Bruce Lee.
• Beulah --- Thomas L. Turnage.
• Boon Hill --- Billy Radford.
• Elevation --- Charles Julius Mims, Thomas Smith Jr., and Jerry T. Allen.
• McLemore --- Linwood J. Jones and Denton F. Lee.
• Micro --- Joey Creech.
• Strickland's Crossroads --- James Massey and Travis C. Johnson.
• Wilson's Mills --- David Turnage and Ben Youngblood.
• Wynn --- Terry Allen Parker Sr. and Willis Ray Johnson.