Johnston County
Board
of Commissioners report from Sept. 8 sessions |
 |
For a second month, the board met in the auditorium
space inside the Johnston County Agricultural
Center, allowing more citizens to attend.
Commissioners present:
Chairman Ted Godwin, Tony Braswell, Jeff Carver,
Patrick Harris,
Butch Lawter (by telephone), Chad Stewart, and Larry Wood
Commissioners authorize
continuation
of "teleworking" by county employees
Since the coronavirus pandemic prompted a shutdown of
many work places back in March, numerous County of
Johnston employees have been working from home by means
of online Internet access --- a widespread practice
across the land these days that's known as
"teleworking."
The County Commissioners this week made it official ---
and likely permanent --- by adopting a Johnston County
Telework Policy.
Human Resources Director Lu Hickey told the board that
county employees whose jobs enable them to perform at
least some of their duties at home have readily accepted
the practice. Furthermore, teleworking has relieved some
county agencies of cramped quarters, she said.
What about Worker's Compensation claims from workers who
may be injured at home? asked Commissioner Jeff Carver.
"We'll take pictures of their work environment," Ms.
Hickey said. "They must keep it clear" of hazards, she
added.
What about online security? Mr. Carver continued. Ms.
Hickey said the county is putting new software in place
to address that concern.
How many are teleworking now? Mr. Carver asked. Ms.
Hickey said the Department of Social Services, for
instance, has its staff of more than 300 working two and
a half days in the office and two and a half days at
home each week.
It's up to each county department to determine how
teleworking is handled for its particular staff, Ms.
Hickey said. "Every position has some kind of paperwork
to be done" that can be accomplished at home, she noted.
Finance Director Chad McLamb reported that about
$936,000 of federal CARES money granted the county has
been spent so far on software and computers necessary
for teleworking. County employees are responsible for
maintaining Internet access required for working at
home.
COUNTY MAY EMPLOY A BROADBAND CONSULTANT
Acting
on a suggestion from Commissioner Chad
Stewart, the board instructed County Manager
Rick Hester to draw up specifications for
hiring an "expert" to help the county with
expansion of high-speed Internet Broadband
service into rural areas of Johnston that
lack such service. Mr. Hester said it "would
be great to have somebody to advise us,"
especially in making sure Johnston gets its
share of state and federal Broadband funding
expected to come in the near future. In
response to a question about cost, Mr.
Hester said the consultant would work
"limited hours... on an as-needed basis."
A
SECOND MONTHLY
MEETING FOR
THE COUNTY
BOARD?
Responding
to a
suggestion
from
Commissioner
Butch Lawter,
the board
instructed
staff to
explore the
administrative
pros and cons
of adding a
second meeting
day to the
commissioners'
monthly
schedule,
which
currently sets
meetings on
the first
Monday of each
month. Mr.
Lawter said a
second monthly
meeting would
give
commissioners
more time to
discuss
complex issues
like the
pending
re-write of
the county's
comprehensive
land-use plan.
Also, with
regular
meetings four
and sometimes
five weeks
apart under
the present
plan, "things
get pushed off
and kicked
down the
road," Mr.
Lawter said.
To give staff
ample time to
evaluate the
mechanics of
twice-monthly
meetings,
Commissioner
Tony Braswell
suggested
making the
change, if
it's agreed
upon,
effective in
January. (Mr.
Lawter, by the
way, attended
Tuesday's
sessions by
telephone
because he's
in
self-quarantine
after recent
exposure to a
person
infected with
the COVID-19
virus.)
SIX
APPLICANTS FOR
ONE PLANNING
BOARD VACANCY
By a show
of hands, four
of the seven
commissioners
chose Michelle
Pace Davis of
Buffalo Road,
Clayton to
fill an
unexpired term
on the
Johnston
County
Planning Board
through
February 2022.
Five other
persons had
applied for
the vacancy. (EDITOR'S
NOTE: Ms.
Davis lost a
close race to
former County
Commissioner
Fred Smith in
the Republican
Primary
Election held
in March for
the seat
currently held
by
Commissioner
Jeff Carver,
who chose not
to seek
re-election
this year.)
As part of
Tuesday's
consent
agenda,
commissioners
reappointed
Marvin H. Dodd
and Benjamin
Parrish Jr. as
extraterritorial
representatives
on the Town of
Wilson's Mills
Planning
Board.
David Johnson addressed the board on behalf of himself and three other owners of commercial properties on Smithfield's South Bright Leaf Boulevard (US 301) that were flooded by the heavy rainfall that occurred here early last week. Mr. Johnson said it's the second major flash flood causing significant damages to the businesses in the past four years, amplified by less destructive flooding on several other occasions. He said the chief cause appears to be an undersized culvert beneath the nearby CSX railroad. "It's not an act of God" as CSX officials have claimed, he said, "but an act of inadequate drainage." Complaining that neither the Town of Smithfield nor other government officials have been able to get the situation addressed, he asked the county to help him and his neighbors get some relief. Board Chairman Ted Godwin said he would be willing to write a letter of complaint to CSX, and County Manager Hester said he would ask the county's Emergency Services staff to look into federal or state relief for the damaged businesses.
SCHOOL-BOARD CANDIDATE PRESENTS HIS PITCH
Rick Mercier appeared before the board to plug his candidacy for one of four seats up for election on the Johnston County Board of Education this fall. Pointing out his keen interest as a father of two daughters in Johnston's public schools, he said "our children deserve better" than "a trailer with 38 other kids," rundown school buildings, and a system where one-third of Johnston's schools are "low performing." He said he was confident that newly installed Superintendent Eric Bracy alongside a "new team" and new school-board members "will put us on a brighter path."
PROCLAMATION SALUTES JOHNSTON'S FIREFIGHTERS
As requested by the county's Emergency Services department, the board proclaimed September 20-26 as Firefighters Week in Johnston County. "I was there last Monday night," said Commissioner Stewart --- when first responders "didn't hesitate to put their lives on the line" in their attempt to rescue a mother and two small children from a vehicle swept downstream off Galilee Road. "We have a tremendous team," added Commissioner Patrick Harris, a former fire and rescue chief. "They are truly the cream of the crop."
ANIMAL-CRUELTY OFFICERS REAPPOINTED
The board reappointed Roger Davis and Chad Massengill as Johnston County Animal Cruelty Officers for another year. Mr. Massengill is the county's Animal Services Director.
A NEW HYDRAULIC EXCAVATOR FOR THE LANDFILL
The board approved purchase of an hydraulic excavator for the Johnston County Landfill from Ascendum Machinery of Greenville for $214,355. Solid Waste Director Rick Proctor said the expenditure falls within the department's budget for replacing an older machine.
CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK PROCLAIMED
As requested by the Partnership for Children of Johnston County, the board proclaimed September 20-26 Child Passenger Safety Week, highlighted by National Seat Check Week Saturday on the 26th.
FIVE REZONING REQUESTS OK'd WITHOUT DISSENT
During its Tuesday evening session, the board approved five rezoning requests, all recommended for approval by the Johnston County Planning Board:
• From Agricultural-Residential to Industrial 2 Special Use District, 0.394 of an acre at 1479 Gordon Road in Clayton Township for a diesel-truck repair shop.
• From General Business Special Use District to Agricultural-Residential, 1.02 acres at 50 Wayne's Lane in O'Neals Township.
• From Agricultural-Residential to Community Business, 0.504 of an acre at 10778 Cleveland Road in Cleveland Township.
• From General Business to Industrial 1, 9.217 acres at 31 Sadisco Road in Clayton Township.
• From Agricultural-Residential to A-R Special Use District, 1.11 acres in the 100 block of NC 242 in Banner Township for an electrical substation.
Two rezoning cases --- to consider special uses for properties in Pleasant Grove and Cleveland townships --- were postponed till the board's October meeting.
BELATED GROUNDBREAKING AT NEW JAIL SITE
Commissioners gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday afternoon at the site of the county's new Detention Center off US 70 Business east of Smithfield where grading has been ongoing since July (the groundbreaking event was postponed a month ago because of threatening weather). The facility's completion is scheduled for February 2022. (Photo from County of Johnston's Facebook page)