Stories and photos by WINGATE LASSITER unless credited otherwise
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Proposed town budget would raise utility rates
Consultants recommend +2% for electricity, +4% for water

Town Manager Mike Scott this week released his proposed 2023-24 spending plan for the Town of Smithfield following a series of Town Council budget work sessions. It includes utility-rate increases of 2% for electricity and 4% for water – both recommended by Utility Financial Services, a consulting firm employed by the town to determine what rates are appropriate to cover projected expenditures.

In addition, Mr. Scott's proposal includes a small increase – about 11 cents a month for residential customers – in what the town charges for garbage and trash pickup because of a $1-per-ton increase in landfill fees charged by the County of Johnston.

All those rate changes would take effect July 1, the start of a new fiscal year.

In his budget message to the council, Mr. Scott also forecasts a 4-5% increase in sewer fees based on anticipated hikes in wholesale charges by the county for accepting and treating the town's wastewater, effective in September.

The town's property-tax rate of 57 cents per $100 valuation would not be changed.

The manager proposes a 2% salary adjustment for all full-time town employees in July and merit-pay increases up to 2% in January.

The town's General Fund budget would increase from $15,877,035 this past year to $16,984,858 in the year ahead, the Electric Fund budget from $16,705,650 to $16,702,000, while the Water and Sewer budget would be reduced from $10,862,530 to $10,021,700.

Besides inflation, which is pushing up costs of supplies and contracted services for all departments, the state's legislature has raised the town's contribution rate to the Local Government Employees Retirement System from 12.15% to 12.85% for most employees and from 13.04% to 14.10% for police officers, Mr. Scott notes. Employee health-insurance costs are up about 6% for the year ahead.

The recommended budget includes no new full-time positions but does increase minimum wages for part-time Recreation & Aquatics Center employees by $3.07 an hour "to keep up with competitive salaries in other organizations," Mr. Scott notes. Also added is an extra $10,000 for part-time summer help in Parks & Recreation.

The manager's budget includes a $15,000 increase in the town's annual contribution to the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield – to $285,000 – and a $5,000 increase for the Ava Gardner Museum – to $27,000. It also adds grants of $1,000 for the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce, the Partnership for Children of Johnston County, and Recovery Alive Inc. and restores a $3,600 contribution to the Smithfield Fire Fighters Association that was left out of recent town budgets.

VIEW the complete spending plan along with the manager's budget message>
 

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Downtown farmers market v.2

Here's a sample of produce offered at last Saturday's second test of a revived farmers market Downtown.
Round 3 is set for Saturday, May 27.
After that, the Smithfield Town Council will decide where and when the market may continue through the summer growing season. (Downtown Smithfield Facebook photo)
VIEW more photos of Saturday's vendors>
 

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County adopts plan for Cleveland Township park

After several public forums and surveys in recent months, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners Monday evening adopted a Master Plan for the county's first "regional park." It would be a combination of enhanced athletic facilities at the site of the old high school on Cleveland Road and a completely new park not far away on 77 acres at the intersection of Matthews and Polenta roads that was purchased by the county two years ago.

Adoption of the plan does not commit the county to build all the proposed facilities at once. "It's a visionary plan," said Commissioners' Chairman Butch Lawter. "We've got some options in there" with "a little something for every person out there."

Whatever is carried out from the plan would be a first for the County of Johnston, which up to now has boosted recreation outside municipalities mostly with modest grants to community organizations that operate athletic leagues for youngsters.


Here's one option in the plan for expanded park facilities off Cleveland Road adjacent to the old Cleveland High School building (shown on the right). Centerpiece of this option is a large recreation center in place of the old school gym.

VIEW the complete Master Plan for Johnston County's first "Regional Park">
 

We're ranked 19th in nation for potential farmland loss

Johnston's County Commissioners got that news Monday evening in a report from the Triangle Land Conservancy. Leigh Ann Hammerbacher, TLC's director of land protection and stewardship for our region, said Johnston's ranking of 19th among the nation's counties comes from the American Farmland Trust.

She said Johnston ranks first in the state for farmland threatened by sprawling development while North Carolina ranks second in the nation. Union County near Charlotte ranks 23rd nationally while neighboring Wake County ranks 32nd, according to the Farmland Trust's report entitled Farms Under Threat 2040>

Ms. Hammerbacher told commissioners TLC is currently working on eight projects in Johnston to add to its list of purchases and easements already in place. Those include the purchase in 2019 of 1,120 acres in the Neuse River lowgrounds below Smithfield and several easements along the Little River in northeastern Johnston.

The County of Johnston contributed $650,000 to TLC this past year which Ms. Hammerbacher said "will leverage about $4.4 million" in grants and "protect about 500 acres" from development.

Meanwhile, the commissioners are nearing adoption of a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Johnston that includes farmland preservation as one of its goals. Board Chairman Butch Lawter said Monday that commissioners will discuss what may be final revisions to the plan at their next meeting on June 5.

Proclamations for Year of the Trail, EMS Week, Summer Learning

Commissioners boosted three observances with proclamations adopted Monday:
• 2023 as the Year of the Trail in North Carolina – promoted by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
• May 21-27 as Emergency Medical Services Week in appreciation of the work done by the county's EMS first responders.
• July 10-15 as Summer Learning Week in support of a literacy campaign spearheaded by the Partnership for Children of Johnston County.

READ the board clerk's summary of all matters considered at Monday's meeting>
 

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Love the Space You're In!

And to make sure that's
the way it is in your home...
Call Pernell today.
or visit callpernell.com

 

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Neuse Charter soccer girls open playoffs with 10-1 win

The Neuse Charter girls soccer team began the state 1-A playoffs at home with a 10-1 thrashing of Northside-Pinetown on Monday. Next up for the Cougars, now 13-5  for the season, is a second-round match at North Moore High School at 7 p.m. today (Thursday).

Smithfield-Selma soccer girls eliminated from playoffs

The SSS girls soccer team were eliminated from the state 3-A playoffs on Monday at Union Pines High by a score of 6-1. Sophomore Ava Cummings scored the Spartans' goal. The loss ends the season for SSS, which finished with a record of 10 wins and 11 losses.
 

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(Image from Smithfield-Selma High School's Facebook page)
 

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WHAT'S COMING UP?

Third StrEATery coming back to Downtown this Friday

The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation's outdoor dining event on Third Street returns for another season this Friday with entertainment by Country Music singer Cooper Greer. Folks are encouraged to bring take-out meals from any of several nearby eateries and sit at tables set up along the 100 block of South Third Street. (There's no charge for admission.) Three more StrEATery events are scheduled this year – on the third Friday in June, September, and October.

Neuse Little Theatre's season finale: Liberty Valance

The final show of NLT's 48th season – The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – will be presented this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 26-27 in The Hut at the corner of Front and Market streets beside the river. To reserve a seat at any of those performances, call 919-934-1873. More information, including the cast list, is posted on the NLT website>

Shriners parade is not today, it's on May 18, 2024!

An announcement in this space in last week's edition reported incorrectly that the Sudan Shriners Parade would be held today (May 18). The Town Council approved a permit for the event at its monthly meeting on April 3 but the correct date is May 18, 2024. Normally, such permits are not issued by the town that far in advance.

COVID vaccines still free, but appointments now required

Beginning Monday (May 22), COVID-19 vaccines will be available by appointment only at the Johnston County Public Health Department. Vaccines will continue to be free regardless of health insurance or immigration status while supplies last. To schedule an appointment, call 919-989-5200. For more information visit www.JohnstonNC.com/health.
 

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  VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO DELIVER MEALS TO HOMEBOUND  
Community & Senior Services of Johnston County is in need of volunteers to deliver meals to homebound residents around Smithfield, Selma, Princeton, and Kenly.
Contact Barbara Barbour at 919-934-6066 or e-mail barbara@cssjohnston.org.
 

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DEATHS & FUNERALS

Click on the name to read an obituary, usually posted by the funeral home

STEPHEN MICHAEL CRUMPLER, 76 – died May 16

ERIC GORDON PRESTON THOMPSON, 48 – died May 16

LOU LEE PENNY, 94 – died May 15

DORIS ANN SMITH BUNCH, 91 – died May 15

SHIRLEY IRENE FOYE FAISON, 79 – died May 10

LAVERNE JOHNSON McLAMB, 72 – died May 10
 

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A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR

"Good business" requires higher pay for employees

The State of North Carolina is having great difficulty attracting and recruiting school teachers and other essential employees in this post-pandemic era made even worse by inflation. Business enterprises are up against the same scenario.

So what do you do to get out of this rut? Enlightened employers in the private sector have taken on the challenge first and foremost by raising wages – long overdue after several decades of stagnant gains for rank-and-file workers.

Local governing boards in Johnston County and Smithfield likewise have adopted hefty pay raises over the past couple of years to recruit and retain the work forces we depend on to keep us safe, pick up the garbage, and educate our children.

And what about the North Carolina General Assembly? Not so much. The N.C. Senate is embracing a budget plan that would increase pay for most state workers by 5% and school teachers as a whole by 4.5% – OVER TWO YEARS.

On top of that, the Senate majority's proposal would accelerate already approved cuts in the state's income-tax rate, dropping it to 4.5% next year and eventually all the way down to 2.49% in 2030. One of the Senate's leaders had the gall to say that speeding up those cuts would "ease inflationary pains."

Perhaps for taxpayers. But what about state employees' struggles with inflation?

Contrast the Senate's plan to the budget proposal supported by most members of the N.C. House Representatives that would offer teachers an average raise of 10.2% over two years and other state employees raises of more than 7.5%.

Governor Roy Cooper, meanwhile, has called for raises of 18% over the next two years for school teachers and 8% for other state employees. But his plan has no chance of winning approval because he's a Democrat and the General Assembly is controlled by Republicans.

So, we'll likely get a budget compromise somewhere between the plans put forth by the House and the Senate. Will it be enough to meet the growing shortage of school teachers and other state workers? And if things get worse rather than better, will the state's voters put the blame where it belongs?
 

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