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County budget adopted with 52-cent tax rate
Manager had proposed 64¢; past year's rate was 67¢

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners approved the 2025-26 budget by unanimous vote, having worked out the details behind the scenes prior to Monday's meeting of the board.

Even through it cuts County Manager Rick Hester's proposed tax rate by 12 cents, the adopted budget increases several major appropriations beyond his recommended levels:

• For Johnston County Public Schools – $110 million for operations instead of his $107 million. The schools got $104 million this past year; the Board of Education had requested more than $114 million for the year ahead. For capital outlay, commissioners approved the manager's proposed $3.5 million; the school board had requested $10.9 million.

• For Johnston Community College – almost $9.3 million for operations as requested by JCC's Board of Trustees instead of Mr. Hester's proposed $7.7 million. JCC got just over $6.9 million this past year. For capital outlay, commissioners approved almost $4.6 million as requested by the JCC trustees. Mr. Hester had proposed $1.2 million – same as the past year's appropriation. 

Other major appropriations added to the manager's proposed budget:
• Triangle Land Conservancy – $1,395,000 for preservation of farmland and other undeveloped parcels. Last year commissioners allocated $500,000 to TLC.
• Behavioral Health – "up to $500,000" for a new urgent-care facility "to expand local access to mental-health services."
• Johnston-Lee-Harnett Community Action – $100,000 for the area's anti-poverty agency, which wasn't funded in the current county budget.
• Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield – $100,000 to help pay for a site-improvement project. That's in addition to the county's annual support of the library's operations. The new budget earmarks $722,000 for that.
• Transit-Oriented Development Study – $100,000 to "explore the possibility of another rail station in Johnston County between Selma and Wake County," Mr. Hester told the Weekly Sun following Monday's board meeting.

Additional "special appropriations" in the new budget for non-profits outside the purview of County Government include $325,000 to Harbor, Inc. (shelter for victims of domestic violence), $100,000 to My Kid's Club (Boys & Girls Club of Johnston County), and $50,000 to the Partnership for Children of Johnston County. Those amounts are the same as the past year's gifts.

A new entry on the county's non-profit list is Isaiah 117 House, which will get $20,000 from the county for its transitional foster-care program. Smithfield Rescue Mission will receive $23,000 (down from $24,000). The Johnston County Arts Council will get $10,000 (down from $19,000).

Regarding the large additions to his proposed budget alongside the commissioners' larger cut in the tax rate, Mr. Hester offered this explanation to the Weekly Sun: "At the 64 cents tax rate that I proposed, there was a surplus" (which he stated in his earlier budget message was to help pay for the new Clayton High School, new court facilities, and new administrative buildings for County Government). "There was also a slight revenue change upward related to property-value appeal decisions."

The budget adopted Monday includes a 3% pay raise for county employees July 1, "with the potential" for an additional 2% performance-based increase in October.

It reduces the countywide fire-tax rate from 14 cents to 11.5 cents per $100 of assessed property values – a supplemental levy that helps pay for fire-protection services outside the bounds of Johnston's municipalities (only landowners in those rural territories pay that additional tax).

The new budget includes increases in the county's monthly fees for water and sewer service provided outside Johnston's towns.

MORE budget details are posted on the county's website>
 

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David Pearce is accompanied by his wife Jaime and daughters Emma and Eva Claire at the signing of his contract following Tuesday's Board of Education session. (Photo from Johnston County Public Schools)





School board names David Pearce superintendent

A united Johnston County Board of Education, meeting in special session Tuesday, promoted Assistant Superintendent David Pearce to succeed Eric Bracy. Dr. Pearce will take office July 1 after Dr. Bracy moves on to Fayetteville and Cumberland County as superintendent of schools there.

The board's vote on Dr. Pearce's appointment was 6-1. April Lee voted no yet explained that her vote "was about a process" lacking a widespread search for candidates. "I am confident you will do a good job," she said to Dr. Pearce. "I just want you to know you have my support as a board member."

Michelle Antoine, who frequently votes in the negative on matters before the board, acknowledged that the group "has struggled to be unified... but I can honestly say that Dr. Pearce is the one person that has unified this board more than anyone else in this district.... I have 100% confidence he's fully prepared to take this on."

Board Chair Lyn Andrews presented the case for Dr. Pearce's selection: "He's a product of Johnston County Public Schools. He has lived here his entire life. More recently he has displayed strong leadership skills and exceptional problem-solving skills." She listed his hands-on involvement as an assistant superintendent with safety initiatives, human resources, policy development, student discipline, transportation, child nutrition, reassignments, construction projects, facilities, maintenance, athletics, and staff development. "In other words, Dr. Pearce is knowledgeable in all aspects of our school district," Ms. Andrews said.

Over the past 23 years Dr. Pearce has worked for Johnston County Public Schools as a teacher, coach, and school principal before moving to the Central Office as a member of the superintendent's "cabinet" of top administrators.
 

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Town Council puts off budget decisions till next week

The Smithfield Town Council had plenty of time Tuesday evening to delve into the proposed town budget for the year ahead yet recessed the meeting after less than 30 minutes of handling other matters until 6:30 p.m. next Tuesday (June 24). That's when the council will focus on budgetary decisions that will determine the town's property-tax rate in the wake of this year's real-estate revaluation.

Town Manager Mike Scott distributed a list of possible cuts in his proposed budget to get the tax rate down to a "revenue neutral" 42 cents per $100 valuation. His recommended budget is based on a rate of 47 cents – down from the past year's 57 cents. The council did not address the proposed cuts Tuesday.

Council approves application for vacant seat

Town Manager Scott presented a proposed application form for persons interested in filling the District 1 (East Smithfield) seat vacated by the death of Marlon Lee. The council approved the form but deferred a decision on the process for screening candidates until its July 1 meeting.

Mr. Scott said state law requires the council to fill the vacancy without delay rather than leaving the seat open until November's municipal election. The filing period for candidates to be on that ballot is coming up next month: July 7-18.

Used car purchased for police undercover duty

The council approved Police Chief Pete Hedrick's request to spend $5,000 to purchase a used vehicle to replace a worn-out automobile in service as an unmarked surveillance tool. He said the vehicle to be bought is a 2016 model driven 162,000 miles but other details about it "are being held for investigative purposes."
 

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12 get scholarships to pursue health-care careers 

UNC Health Johnston’s hospital volunteers have awarded scholarships of $1,000 apiece to 12 students headed into health-care careers: (left to right) Reagan Howell of Smithfield, Carlie Morris of Benson, Briana Martinez-Revolorio of Clayton, Yvett Rodriguez of Smithfield, Angela Garcia Contreras of Kenly, Shelby Crocker of Smithfield, Stephanie Mendez Reyes of Smithfield, Tanner Bain of Clayton, Jacqueline Vega Trejo of Selma, and Evelyn Lindley of Angier. Absent when the photo was taken: Ayden Gray and Sydney McCain, both of Clayton.
 

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State gives high ranking to JCC's Nurse Aide program

The Nurse Aide program at Johnston Community College was awarded full accreditation for the next two years after a site visit by representatives from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The DHHS accreditors designated JCC's operation as a Best Practices Program, recognizing it as a model for excellence and innovation; and they noted JCC’s exceptionally high pass rates for licensing by the state. The JCC team has been invited to present its success story at upcoming statewide meetings.
 

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 WHAT'S COMING UP 

Season's final River Jam Concert this Friday evening

Liquid Pleasure, an African-American Rhythm & Blues ensemble, will perform for the 7 p.m. concert at the Neuse River Amphitheater. It's the last in this year's series of free concerts hosted by the Smithfield Parks & Recreation Department.

100-mile 301 Endless Yard Sale this Friday and Saturday

The annual event involves residents, merchants, and non-profits who offer their various wares for sale beside the highway from Weldon to Dunn. It's organized by the Johnston County Visitors Bureau and sister organizations in Halifax, Nash, Wilson, and Harnett counties.

Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Smith-Collins Park

This year's celebration will be staged in memory of Marlon Lee, one of the local event's original organizers who died unexpectedly May 25. It begins with a parade starting at 10 a.m. at the Johnston Alumni Center and proceeding to Smith-Collins Park where activities including activities for kids and a cookout continue till 8 p.m.
 

P.S. Saturday is first full day of astronomical Summer

Actually, the Summer Solstice occurs at 10:42 p.m. Friday, but that's after dark around here, so the first full day of the astronomical season is this Saturday. Meteorological summer has already arrived (June-July-August), and we've had sufficient heat and humidity around here in recent days to confirm that fact.

 

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 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

Putting a misleading spin on county's new budget

Here's the opening paragraph of a news release sent to us media folks:

"The Johnston County Board of Commissioners has adopted the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget with a strong focus on reducing the tax burden for residents while continuing to invest in infrastructure, core services, public education, and strategic community needs. As part of the approved budget, the board voted to reduce the county property tax rate to 52 cents per $100 of assessed value, which represents a 15-cent reduction and one of the largest property-tax-rate cuts in County history."

A misleading statement, to say the least, as just about property-owning resident of Johnston will pay higher county taxes this year.

The 15-cent rate cut likely is the largest in Johnston's history, but it doesn't offset an even bigger historical landmark: the largest jump ever in property valuations resulting from countywide revaluation after an unprecedented spike in the market value of real estate throughout Johnston over the past few years.

Even a lower "revenue neutral" tax rate of 48-50 cents likely would have produced higher tax bills for many if not most Johnstonians.

Meanwhile, a couple of Johnston's municipalities did the politically unthinkable:
Their governing boards agreed to keep tax rates unchanged following revaluation – Selma at 60 cents, Benson at 61 cents. That puts theirs significantly above the county's new 52-cent rate!

Residents of Smithfield can be thankful that more prudent fiscal management here in recent years will keep this town's new rate below the county's. Town Manager Mike Scott has recommended a 47-cent rate; members of the Town Council are hoping to get that closer to the estimated revenue-neutral rate of 42 cents. We should get an answer to that math question as early as next Tuesday when the council convenes to resume its work on the budget.
 

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