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Smithfield Town Councilman Marlon Lee died Sunday evening at Duke University Medical Center after suffering a heart episode earlier in the day. He was 51.

He had been in attendance at a recent series of Town Council sessions, the latest on Tuesday of last week.

Mr. Lee was first elected to the Town Council in 2013 as the representative from District 1 (East Smithfield). He won re-election in 2017 and 2021. He ran for mayor two years ago.

His seat is up for election this November. The present council is authorized by state statute to appoint an interim district representative in his place.

Mayor Andy Moore issued the following statement upon receiving news of Mr. Lee's passing Sunday evening:

Councilman Lee’s unwavering commitment to justice and the well-being of our town, especially District 1, has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Councilman Lee’s passion for public service was evident in every endeavor he undertook. His advocacy for community engagement and his steadfast dedication to representing the voices of his constituents have set a standard for all public officials.

A graduate of Smithfield-Selma High School who at 6' 11'' tall played collegiate basketball at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, Coach Lee for two decades guided the Clayton High School girls' basketball team to a number of conference championships. This past season he notched his 300th career win as head coach of the Comet girls.

He started out as a teacher and held several administrative posts at Clayton High, including dean of students and assistant director of athletics.

Here's the remaining schedule of events paying tribute to Mr. Lee:
• Thursday – celebration in the Clayton High School gymnasium from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Sunday – viewing at St. Peter Church of Christ on Massey Street in Smithfield from 2 to 5 p.m. with "open remarks" from 4 to 5.
• Monday – funeral services at noon in the Clayton High School gymnasium.

READ the editor's comments below about Councilman Lee's rise to civic leadership.
 

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Superintendent Bracy going to Cumberland County

The Cumberland County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday morning to hire Johnston County's Superintendent of Schools Eric Bracy, who had recently been interviewed as a finalist for a similar position in South Carolina.

Dr. Bracy began work as Johnston's superintendent in July 2020, moving up from neighboring Sampson County. He had previously served as superintendent in Northampton County where he grew up.

Cumberland County (Fayetteville/Fort Bragg) enrolls more than 49,000 students in 86 schools. It's the state's fifth-largest public-school system. Johnston's schools rank seventh in N.C. with an enrollment of more than 37,000 on 48 campuses.

Johnston's Board of Education met behind closed doors during a special personnel session Tuesday afternoon but took no action related to Dr. Bracy's departure. Cumberland's board, meanwhile, announced he will move into his new job July 1 or shortly thereafter.

READ the full announcement of his hiring on the Cumberland schools' website>
 

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Smithfield-Selma High School graduates 382

That's a slight increase from last year's 371, continuing an increase in the number of SSS graduates over the past several years. The number in 2022 was just 247. The school's 56th commencement ceremony was held on the football field last Friday morning.
VIEW the printed program for the ceremony including the names of the graduates>
 

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Summer enrollment at JCC another record-setter

Johnston Community College has once again broken enrollment records, marking its fifth straight semester of growth with a 27% increase to 2,755 students enrolled on the first day of the summer term.

"The college attributes this surge to its ongoing student-centered strategies, which include expanding targeted outreach, building strategic partnerships, and investing in cutting-edge learning technologies," reads the announcement from JCC.

"The support of the Johnston County Commissioners’ Promise Program – which offers last-dollar funding to recent high-school graduates – has also played a critical role in making college more accessible for Johnston County residents."

Spring Semester Academic Honors
VIEW names of Smithfield students on JCC President's List and Dean's List>
 

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A MEMORIAL DAY SITE TO BEHOLD

These younger folks were checking out the "Flags for Heroes" at Johnston Community College Memorial Day afternoon. This is the first year the display has been set up by Rotarians beside East Market Street rather than the usual site beside Hospital Road. Each is flag is sponsored in memory or honor of a loved one in military service or some other walk of life devoted to helping others. The flags will remain up through the Fourth of July so there's still time to fund a sponsorship to honor not only veterans but also first responders, health-care workers, and anyone else of your choosing. VISIT this Central Johnston Rotary web page to sign up>
 

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Register of Deeds restores military discharge files

Johnston County Register of Deeds Craig Olive this week announced completion of another phase in the office’s ongoing document restoration project, this one preserving thousands of veterans’ Certificates of Discharge, commonly known as DD-214s.

The first DD-214 was recorded in Johnston County on January 30, 1922, documenting the service of a World War I veteran, Mr. Olive noted.

"These forms provide critical details about a veteran’s military service, including dates of service, rank, last duty assignment, military specialty, battles and campaigns, wounds received, and medals or awards," Mr. Olive noted. "The Register of Deeds office is responsible for protecting these vital records, which are often required to obtain veterans’ benefits and services."

The restoration work was completed by HF Group at its conservation lab in Greensboro. The project was funded through the Register of Deeds Automation and Preservation Fund. During the preservation process, the documents were professionally de-acidified, surface-cleaned, mended, and treated for stain and adhesive removal to ensure their longevity, Mr. Olive explained.

"Military discharge records on file for 80 years or less are not considered public record and are only accessible by the veteran or their widow or widower," noted the Register of Deeds. "Once a document has been on file for more than 80 years, those access restrictions no longer apply."
 

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 WHAT'S COMING UP 

"Music for the Lunch Bunch" series returns next week

Hosted by the Johnston County Arts Council since 1985, the first of eight weekly performances begins at 12:15 p.m. next Wednesday at Smithfield's First Presbyterian Church, where all but one of the half-hour, free-admission concerts will be staged. Here's the lineup: June 4 – Kwan Ye & Ritchie Bul, piano; June 11 – Todd Johnson & Dr. Daniel Hester, piano and organ at St. Paul's Episcopal Church; June 18 – Dexter Ruffin, piano; June 25 – John Arthur Green, vocals; July 9 – Kelly Garris, organ; July 16 – Jonathan Levin, piano; July 23 – Angelique Alexander, vocals; July 30 – Dara Edwards, piano.
 

County Commissioners' hearing on budget proposal Monday

Heading the agenda for the 10 a.m. session at the Courthouse is the required public hearing on the county manager's proposed budget for fiscal 2025-26.
VIEW the proposed budget in detail>
VIEW complete agendas for the 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. sessions once posted>

Town Council will hold hearing on proposed budget Tuesday

The required public hearing on the town manager's proposed tax and spending plan for fiscal 2025-26 is the first item on the agenda for Tuesday's regular session of the Smithfield Town Council, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Also on the agenda is awarding of a contract for resurfacing South Third Street from Johnston Street Downtown to US 301 South. VIEW the complete agenda>
VIEW the manager's proposed 2025-26 town budget in detail>

 

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 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

When Marlon Lee emerged as a respected leader...

What irony that Councilman Marlon Lee left this world on Sunday's fifth anniversary of the killing by police in Minneapolis of George Floyd – the event that sparked a nationwide outburst of protests under the banner of "Black Lives Matter."

Marlon Lee used that movement to organize something different here. His "100 Men In Suits" rally on a hot Saturday morning in late June 2020 brought forth both influential black men and white men to stand up against racism.

There were no rallying cries of "Defund the Police" here. Instead, "100 Men In Suits" in effect kicked off efforts among Smithfield's leaders to bring police and community together – the town's African-American community, in particular.

From that point on, Marlon Lee had elevated his standing in the community as a champion for the needs of his oft-forgotten constituents. Better relations with police, yes, but it went beyond that to include organizing food drives for needy folks and stepped-up wholesome activities for youth.

And while he didn't make it all happen by himself, recent major improvements to East Smithfield's Smith-Collins Park resulted in large measure from his pushing – the splash pad, new playground devices, the Jackie Bryant Walking Trail, paved parking lots, more staffing at the Sarah Yard Community Center.

Those speed bumps on Lee Street in front of the Sarah Yard Center are there because of Marlon's insistence on making the place safer for youngsters. Recently he has been pushing for speed bumps on Martin Luther King Drive at the Splash Park. Perhaps that will now come to pass as well.

Below is a scene from Marlon's "100 Men In Suits" rally which started at the amphitheater and moved to other noteworthy places in the heart of town including the Courthouse, the Police Station, and the site of Smithfield's infamous Klan sign.
(In the photo, Marlon Lee is the extra-tall gentleman in the front row. The wearing of masks was standard procedure in those early days of the coronavirus pandemic.)

To review the Weekly Sun's coverage of that remarkable event, here's the link>


 

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