School
board calls for
$253.5-million bond
issue
The
Johnston County Board of
Education this week
adopted a resolution
asking the County
Commissioners to add a
bond issue totaling $253.5
million to November's
General Election ballots.
The resolution identifies
projects that would be
funded if voters approve
the proposed borrowing to
be repaid over time by the
county's property
taxpayers:
• One additional high
school – $102 million.
• Two additional
elementary schools – $96
million.
• "Build-outs" at Benson
Elementary, Cleveland
High, Cleveland Middle,
and Cooper Elementary in
Clayton – $55.5 million.
"These facilities would
provide capacity for 5,429
students and allow the
removal of 146 mobile
classroom trailers,"
states the resolution,
which begins with an
opening statement citing
$720 million of "total
needs" to keep pace with
Johnston County's
projected growth.
The resolution notes that
this should be the first
in a series of referendums
on school-bond issues
between now and the end of
the decade.
Reporting to the Board of
Education during its
monthly meeting Tuesday,
Kay Carroll said county
commissioners appear ready
to put a school-bond issue
on this year's ballot, but
"we don't have a number
yet" on the amount of
money commissioners will
endorse. (He and fellow
school-board members Lyn
Andrews and Mike Wooten
have been meeting with
three of the commissioners
about the upcoming
referendum.)
The school board's
resolution doesn't specify
where the new schools
would be built, but a
recent report from the
school system's staff
recommended a new high
school in the Wilson's
Mills-Powhatan area and
new elementary schools
near Swift Creek Middle
School in Cleveland
Township, between
Clayton's Cooper and
Riverwood schools, in the
Reedy Creek area, and the
East Clayton-Archer Lodge
area.
A decision on the size of
the proposed bond issue
must come from the County
Commissioners by the end
of this month to be
approved by the N.C. Local
Government Commission
before a deadline to get
it added to the November
ballot.
REPORT
ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION
NEEDS POSTED ONLINE
On the Johnston County
Public Schools website
is a recent staff report
to the Board of
Education laying out
needs for construction
of new schools and
expansion of existing
campuses to meet
Johnston's projected
population growth during
the decade ahead. VIEW
the report here>
2022-23's
first semester extended
into January
The
Board of Education at
Tuesday's session voted
5-2 to accept a
recommendation from the
schools' Calendar
Committee to extend the
fall semester beyond the
Christmas holidays because
of a state rule that
delays the start of the
2022-23 term to August 29.
In recent years,
Johnston's schools have
been operating with a
shortened first semester
that ended before the
holidays, but the 2022-23
term's later start would
have cut it to just 72
days (last fall's semester
had 77). The calendar
adopted this week has 90
days of classroom
instruction in the first
semester, 86 in the
second.
Board Chairman Todd
Sutton, who said extending
the fall semester beyond
December's holidays would
harm high-school students
especially, was joined by
Mike Wooten in voting
against the new calendar.
Voting in favor were Lyn
Andrews, Al Byrd, Kay
Carroll, Ronald Johnson,
and Terri Sessoms.
The N.C. General Assembly
enacted the requirement
some years ago that public
schools could not begin
the fall semester before
the Monday closest to the
26th of August. That was
done in response to
lobbying by coastal
tourism interests.
The
recent paucity of
rainfall here hasn't
stopped the annual
bursting forth of
azaleas and dogwoods as
seen here beside Hancock
Street.
Another
month with
less-than-normal
rainfall
March
gave us a second
consecutive month without
significant rainfall as
Cornell Cox recorded just
2.12 inches at his
Backyard Weather Station
in South Smithfield.
February produced just
1.79 inches following 4.87
inches in January, putting
our total for the first
quarter at 8.78 – just
half of the 17.55 inches
we had at this point last
year. (Average rainfall
for the first three months
of the year here is 11.25
inches.) "Of all the
forecast of storms and
100%-rainfall days the
past couple weeks, we
only received 0.16
inches to add to amount
that fell in early
March," Mr. Cox noted.
CORONAVIRUS REPORT
Second
COVID booster shots are
now available
The
Johnston County Public
Health Department has
begun offering second
boosters of COVID-19
vaccines after the U.S.
Food and Drug
Administration and the
Centers for Disease
Control authorized the
extra doses for "certain
immuno-compromised
individuals" and all
persons over age 50. The
shots are offered free of
charge weekdays at the
Health Department's
headquarters beside the
hospital. The second
booster is available to
persons who got their
first booster at least
four months ago.
Both
county and state cut
back on COVID
statistical reports
Dr.
Marilyn Pearson,
Johnston's director of
public health, gave what
may turn out to be her
last monthly report to the
County Commissioners this
week, and the Health
Department has ceased
issuing twice-weekly
statistical reports to the
public (that's the
reason for the N/A – Not
Available – entries in
the table below).
"We are now, at least,
able to take a breath,"
Dr. Pearson told
commissioners on Monday.
"I hope this is the last
time we come before you."
Of course, that could
change if COVID infections
flare up once more. That
would put Dr. Pearson
"back on stage" and the
periodic statistical
reports back in the news.
Meanwhile, the N.C.
Department of Health and
Human Services announced
Wednesday that its
statewide reports from now
on will be issued just
once each week rather than
daily (those reports
include statistics for
Johnston County, shown
in the table below).
This
morning's report from
Johnston County Public
Schools showed just
5 active cases among
students and just one
case among school
staffs, down from a
total of 15 last week.
No cases were reported
at any of the schools in
the Smithfield area.
Meanwhile, Johnston's
Board of Education voted
unanimously this week to
continue its
mask-optional policy for
students and staff in
schools and on buses
(state law requires
school boards to vote on
masking rules each
month).
VIEW the
school system's COVID
dashboard with data for
all schools>
CORONAVIRUS
weekly
measurements |
Case total
since 3-20
(last week) |
Deaths
since 3-20
(last week) |
Hospital
patients
(last week) |
Fully vaccinated *
[got boosters] |
| JOHNSTON COUNTY |
59,202
( 56,662) |
N/A
(441) |
N/A
(8) |
112,999: 54%**
[52,151] |
| NORTH CAROLINA |
2,634,007
(2,628,287) |
23,257
(23,130) |
381
(465) |
6,470,445: 62%**
[3,292,953] |
| UNITED STATES |
80,249,038
(80,057,322) |
983,817
(979,872) |
|
218,043,500: 66%** |
| WORLDWIDE |
495,207,407
(486,991,558) |
6,167,296
(6,139,477) |
|
11,077,081,036
total doses |
* 2 doses
Moderna or Pfizer
vaccines or 1 dose
Johnson &
Johnson vaccine
** Percentage of
total population
(all ages)
Data from N.C.
Department of
Health &
Human Services
at 12:00 p.m.
April 6
and Johns
Hopkins
University at
8:20 a.m. April 7 |
County
Commissioners fill
temporary vacancy
Johnston's
County Board of
Commissioners voted 5-1
Monday morning to appoint
April Stephens, a
Benson-area realtor, to
fill a vacancy left by the
recent resignation of
Commissioner Larry Wood of
Benson.
(County of Johnston
Facebook photo)
Recommended for the
appointment by a
three-member committee of
commissioners as well as
the Executive Committee of
the Johnston County
Republican Party, she will
hold the seat till
December and may continue
to serve for two years
after that if she wins
election this November.
(The Republicans'
committee is asking the
county's Board of
Elections to put her name
on the ballot as the
party's nominee;
Johnston's Democratic
Party Executive Committee
will also nominate a
candidate).
Commissioner Ted Godwin
cast the only dissenting
vote, explaining he had
committed his support to
Adam Caldwell, one of 12
applicants for the
vacancy. Commissioners
Butch Lawter, Patrick
Harris, and Dickie
Braswell made up the
committee that interviewed
five finalists and
recommended Mrs. Stephens.
She has
worked as a realtor for
more than 15 years in
Johnston County and
presently serves as
associate vice president
of the Johnston County
Building Industry
Association, secretary
of the Johnston County
Building Industry
Association, and
president of the
Johnston County
Association of Realtors.
Mrs. Stephens was sworn
into office Monday
afternoon and took her
seat on the board for
the commissioners'
Monday evening session.
ONE COST OF GROWTH:
Commissioners get plan to spend $688 million
for water and sewer
projects over next 20
years
The
county's Public Utilities
Department this week
presented cost estimates
for water and sewer
infrastructure projects to
be done over the next 20
years to keep up with
Johnston County's
projected growth. Total
cost: $688,360,400.
Who will pay for that?
Mostly, customers of the
county's water and sewer
systems based on rates
charged monthly for those
services. Whatever federal
and state grants the
county can win for
projects will reduce what
customers will have to
pay.
"It's important that we
set our rates to match our
needs," said Kim Rineer,
engineering manager for
Public Utilities who
presented the 20-year
Capital Improvements Plan
to commissioners Monday
morning. She asked them to
adopt the plan in time for
the Spring round of state
grant applications coming
up in early May.
Commissioner Fred Smith
made it clear that the
county's taxpayers will
have no obligation to
finance the proposed water
and sewer projects. That
includes all who pay
property taxes as well as
sales taxes here, he
noted.
Commissioner Dickie
Braswell urged staff to
look into long-term
alternatives for
increasing the county's
water supply. "The Neuse
River is not an endless
source of water," he said.
Presently, the county
draws most of the water
for its system from its
treatment plant on the
Neuse at Wilson's Mills
and from the Town of
Smithfield's plant, also
on the river. In addition,
it has agreements in place
to purchase water, if
needed, from Harnett
County, the City of
Raleigh, and the City of
Wilson, plus smaller
amounts from systems in
Sampson and Wayne
counties.
Board reappoints three, adds new member to
Airport Authority
Voting
by hand-written ballots,
commissioners reappointed
John H. Bullock Jr., Ken
Starling, and Tim Stevens
and filled a fourth seat
with a new appointee:
Edwin L. Aldridge Jr. of
Bellini Drive, Clayton.
During the Public Comments
segment of Monday's
morning session, Charles
Walters of Blue Line
Aviation (based at
Johnston Regional Airport)
said "my team and I"
object to reappointing
members who may be using
the position "for personal
gain." He asked that a new
slate of members be chosen
from among the 17 citizens
who had applied for the
four positions. Other
Airport Authority members
are Bruce Johnson, Freddie
Stancil, and Bentley
Powell.
Among a number of other
appointments made Monday,
Eddie Nelson Jones was
appointed to the
Smithfield Fire District
Commission.
Commissioners
adopt proclamations for
several observances
Six
were approved at Monday's
morning session, drawing
attention to:
• Child Abuse Prevention
Month – April.
• The Week of the Young
Child – April 2-8.
• Public Health Week –
April 4-10.
• National Public Safety
Telecommunicator's Week –
April 10-16.
• NCDOT Spring Litter
Sweep – April 16-30.
• Older Americans Month –
May.
Summaries of
all matters considered
by the Board of
Commissioners at
Monday's two sessions
are posted on the
county's website>
Town
Council rejects
apartment project for
seniors
By
a vote of 4-3, the
Smithfield Town Council
Tuesday night turned down
a developer's rezoning
request to allow a 50-unit
apartment building on
vacant property near the
intersection of South
Bright Leaf Boulevard and
Holt Street.
"Great project. Wrong
location," said Councilman
John Dunn, who was joined
in opposition by David
Barbour, Steve Rabil, and
Roger Wood. Dissenting
votes were cast by Marlon
Lee, Travis Scott, and
David Stevens.
Councilman Barbour voiced
concerns about "converting
commercial properties into
residential properties."
Earlier during a public
hearing on the case, Brian
Rabil of Capital Auto
located next to the site
under consideration expressed
fears about the project's
impact on storm-water
flooding and traffic as
well as nearby property
values. "It's just the
wrong location," he said.
Making the request for
rezoning was a national
company that specializes
in affordable rental
housing for seniors. Denis
Blackburne of Woda Cooper
Companies (based in
Columbus, Ohio) said the
Smithfield project was
being planned for
residents 55 and older.
The proposed $10-million
investment called for a
three-story building for
residents of limited
incomes – a stipulation
that would qualify the
project for federal tax
credits, he noted.
Stephen Wensman, the
town's planning director
who voiced support for the
project, told the council
the apartments, even if
built, likely couldn't be
occupied for several years
because of current
restrictions on sewage
capacity by the County of
Johnston, which accepts
and treats Smithfield's
wastewater.
A
couple of "shout-outs"
for town's Electric
Department
Mayor
Andy Moore read a
resolution proclaiming
April 18 as Electrical
Lineman Appreciation Day
(a nationwide observance)
and then accepted a 2021
Safety Award of Excellence
from the American Public
Power Association.
Utilities Director Ted
Credle said the town won
first place in the nation
for the department's
employee-safety record in
a category of communities
with less than 15,000
worker-hours of exposure.
Concrete
cheaper than asphalt in
repaving at fire station
The
council approved Fire
Chief Michael Brown's
recommendation to award a
$31,349 contract to James
Paul Edwards, Inc. to
repave the parking area
outside Fire Station No. 1
on Fourth Street following
the removal of underground
fuel tanks. The chief said
concrete is presently
cheaper than asphalt and
therefore will be used for
the repaving.
Contracts
awarded for pool grates,
sewer videos, meter
reads
The
council approved several
contracts for repairs and
services:
• SportsEdge and Thomas
Pool Care will replace
deck grates around the
perimeter of pools inside
the Recreation and
Aquatics Center at a cost
of $7,903 to the town and
$8,403 to Johnston County
Public Schools, which
shares the cost of
maintaining the jointly
owned facility adjacent to
Smithfield-Selma High
School.
• Vision NC will video
sections of sewer lines,
mostly in West Smithfield,
"to investigate for
potential blockages,
collapses, or other
issues" at a cost of
$22,400, which will be
covered by a grant from
the N.C. Department of
Environmental Quality.
• Grid One Solutions will
continue to read
electrical and water
meters until such readings
are fully automated – a
project Utilities Director
Ted Credle anticipates
will be finished by the
end of 2022. The firm will
be paid per-meter rates of
$1.57 if total reads
exceed 9,500 monthly and
$1.65 if a month's total
is below 9,500. Those
rates are 5 cents higher
than what the town has
been paying for the
contracted service.
Permits
approved for Wine Walk,
Cycle Fest, and a
carnival
The
council approved permits
for three special events
coming up this Spring:
• Harbor, Inc.'s Wine Walk
in Downtown Smithfield on
April 29 from 5 to 9 p.m.
• A Cycle Fest hosted by
the Smithfield Alumni
Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi
starting at 600 Durwood
Stephenson Parkway on
April 30 from 8:30 a.m.
till 2 p.m.
• A carnival operated by
Inners Shows (based in
Franklinton) at Carolina
Premium Outlets May 12-29:
5-11 p.m. weekdays, 1-11
p.m. on weekends.
WHAT'S
COMING UP?
Neuse
Little Theatre's "Til
Beth Do Us Part" opens
Friday
It's
the 170th production in
the 47th season for this
Smithfield-based
all-volunteer theatrical
troupe. The comedy opens
this weekend at The Hut on
Front Street with shows at
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
and 3 p.m. Sunday, then
wraps up with shows at 8
p.m. the following Friday
and Saturday (April
15-16). To reserve seats,
call 919-934-1873.
Parks
& Rec hosts
Easter-egg hunts and a
Bunny Bash
•
Smithfield Community Park
will be the scene of the
town's Bunny Bash this
Saturday. Time slots of 9
a.m. and 11 a.m. will be
open to children 3-10
years of age (plus one
parent per child) for
breakfast, crafts, story
time, an egg grab, and a
visit with the Easter
Bunny. Admission is $10
for Smithfield residents,
$15 for out-of-towners.
Pre-registration is
required by calling Parks
& Recreation at
919-934-2148.
• An Easter Egg Hunt for
kids 2-7 years of age
takes place at Community
Park this Sunday at 3 p.m.
It's open without
admission charge.
• A second Easter Egg Hunt
takes place at
Smith-Collins Park
Saturday, April 16 from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. It's being
sponsored free of
admission charge by the
Law Office of Antoan
Whidbee, the Sinno Law
Office, Town Councilman
Marlon Lee, the East
Smithfield Improvement
Organization, the
Smithfield Progressive
Men's Club, and MCK's
Mobile Detailing.
Public
schools will be on
Spring Break next week
That's
why the Johnston County
Board of Education held
its monthly meeting this
week rather than next
(it's normally held on the
second Tuesday of each
month). We weren't
reminded about the change
till the agenda was
released last Friday
afternoon (after last
Thursday's Sun had been
published). Students will
be out of school all next
week plus the following
Monday, a "work day" for
teachers.
DEATHS
& FUNERALS
Click
on the name to read an
obituary, usually posted
by the funeral home
RUTH
HOLLOMAN CROCKER, 78
– died April 3
BILLY
FRANKLIN JOHNSON, 80
– died March 30
WILBERT LEE
LANIER, 85 – died
March 30
LISA MARIE
FREEMAN, 39 – died
March 29
A
WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE
EDITOR
This
weekend's Trump rally
won't be "in Selma"
I
point this out not as a
report on politics but as
a geography lesson for
those who care about
precision in the news
media. It's an example of
one of my long-standing
pet peeves about "sense of
place."
Yes, the Farm at 95 where
Saturday's rally will be
held has a Selma postal
address. But it's on
Batten Road beside I-95
outside the incorporated
town, and it's actually a
bit closer to Micro than
to Selma.
The problem with
identifying significant
places in Johnston County
by postal address is
magnified in our
fast-growing suburban
communities that lie well
beyond the boundaries of
our municipalities.
Clayton is the worst
example of that. When
folks now say they live
"in Clayton," you have to
ask them to be more
specific. More likely than
not, they live several
miles from the town – at
Flowers Plantation to the
east, the Cleveland School
community to the south,
even the Whitley Heights
subdivision that's closer
to Smithfield than
Clayton.
Another long-standing
misnomer is to say
residents and businesses
in the congested
commercial area around the
interchange of I-40 and NC
42 are "in Garner" just
because their postal
address says so. (But
that's another story: That
spot on the map should
have been incorporated as
a new town a couple of
decades ago).
Perhaps my favorite
"misdirection" is
publicizing the location
of the Bentonville
Battlefield State Historic
Site "in Four Oaks." I
heard some years ago that
a tourist had driven into
that town asking "Where's
the battlefield?"
What's the solution?
Ideally, the U.S. Postal
Service should have
subdivided its oversized
rural service areas years
ago to reflect our
drastically altered
landscape. Then we could
have had postmarks like
"Cleveland Township,"
"McGee's Crossroads," and
"Bentonville" (which
actually did have a post
office more than a century
ago, as did many rural
crossroads).
That's not likely to
change, so I guess we're
stuck with our place-name
confusion.
P.S. To say this
Saturday's Trump rally
will take place "in Selma"
is a bit of political
irony since a majority of
voters who reside in that
town have traditionally
favored Democrats over
Republicans – unlike
voters in Johnston County
as a whole.
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