Two real-estate transactions were recorded back-to-back last Friday morning that transferred ownership of the Howell Theatre building in Downtown Smithfield to a newly formed organization that will work to "re-purpose" the landmark as the new home of the Neuse Little Theatre and a place for a variety of performing arts.

Smithfield Arts Collaborative, LLC has been registered with the N.C. Secretary of State by the Historic Smithfield Foundation, which negotiated a pair of real-estate deals that keep the Howell intact as a theater rather than conversion into a church sanctuary.

Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church, a congregation established at Clayton in 2015, purchased the Howell in mid-May to accommodate its services, presently held in a leased church house on Little Creek Road. Led by Heritage Center Director Todd Johnson, the Historic Smithfield Foundation offered to buy the Howell from Grace Church after making arrangements for Grace Church to purchase the former West Smithfield home of Whitley Memorial United Methodist Church (shown on the right), which closed last fall.

Last Friday the foundation bought the Howell for $920,000 (with bank financing), and that was immediately followed by Grace Church's purchase of the Whitley Memorial property for $1,175,000. Because the Whitley congregation had disbanded, that sale's proceeds will be shared by Smithfield's Centenary United Methodist Church and the denomination's North Carolina Conference.

Mr. Johnson explained that Smithfield Arts Collaborative, LLC was "set up for ownership of the real estate as a layer of protection" for the foundation. He said "next steps include finding an architect and planning a capital campaign" for paying off the real-estate loan and renovating the Howell to its original configuration with a single auditorium seating 450 (it's now divided into four movie-screening rooms).

Mr. Johnson told the Town Council earlier this month that fund-raising has already begun toward a goal of $1.8 million to cover the building's purchase and renovation. The council responded by approving a $150,000 contribution from Smithfield's share of local hotel room-tax revenues. Along with that donation, council members asked that the town have a representative on whatever board or committee is set up to manage the Howell campaign.

Council members also insisted that priority use of the Howell be granted to the Neuse Little Theatre, presently housed in the former Legion Hut by the river that's leased from the town. Mr. Johnson stated that NLT is already a key partner in carrying out the Howell's re-purposing.

All incumbents in Smithfield face challengers
That sets up contests for mayor and four council seats

Two more filings before last Friday's deadline produced races for mayor as well as all four Town Council seats to be elected by districts in November. (Three other council members, elected at large, are presently at the midpoint of four-year terms.)

Incumbent Mayor Andy Moore is being challenged by Stuart Ashby Lee, a resident of South Second Street who's employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Raleigh. Mr. Moore is seeking a sixth two-year term as mayor. A resident of Cypress Point at Holt Lake, he's employed by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in Rocky Mount.

For Town Council, Gettys Cohen Jr. and Felicia C. Baxter have filed for election to the District 1 (East Smithfield) seat that's presently vacant. Dr. Cohen, who resides on Aspen Drive, is a retired dentist. Ms. Baxter, who resides on Massey Street, lists her occupation as "unit growth executive" with Scouting America in Raleigh.

Challenging incumbent Sloan Stevens in District 2 (South Smithfield) are two candidates: Elilzabeth Anne Temple and Erin Keller. Ms. Temple, who resides on Chestnut Drive, is licensed as a certified public-school teacher. Ms. Keller, who resides on Beechwood Drive, is owner of Fit 24, a fitness gym in West Smithfield. Mr. Stevens, a Chestnut Drive resident, is sales manager for his family's business, Stevens Sausage Company. He's seeking a second four-year term on the council.

Challenging incumbent Travis Scott in District 3 (North Smithfield) is
Abrilla O. Robinson, an insurance broker who resides on North Fourth Street. Mr. Scott, who's seeking a third four-year term in office, is a paramedic who serves as a battalion chief with Johnston County EMS. He resides on Parkway Drive.

Challenging incumbent David Barbour in District 4 (West Smithfield) is
Doris Wallace, a retired teacher who's a substitute with Johnston County Public Schools. She resides on Roderick Drive. Dr. Barbour, seeking his third four-year term on the council, is a career and technical education consultant with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh. He resides on Whitley Drive.

The candidates are competing without political party affiliation. Four of this year's challengers – Felicia Baxter, Stuart Lee, Anne Temple, and Doris Wallace – have previously sought election to the Town Council. Municipal Election Day this year falls on November 4.

The architects' proposal calls for four large buildings – a home for the Department of Social Services connected to the Health Department (on the left), various county administrative offices (recessed on the right), and a separate building for land-use departments (right). Behind Social Services and Health is an optional parking deck.

Plan unveiled for County Government campus

Social Services, Health Department, and more in the works

Johnston's County Commissioners this week received the architects' Master Plan for a completely new complex of buildings to house most departments of County Government. They liked what they saw.

"Fantastic!" exclaimed Patrick Harris, the commissioners' vice chairman. "It's not over the top but something I think our citizens will be proud of for years to come."

How many years it will take to carry out the plan remains to be seen. If all the facilities were constructed and equipped immediately, the estimated total cost would exceed $347 million. The first priority – a new home for the county's Department of Social Services – would cost $97.3 million at today's prices, the architects estimate.

Second on the list of priorities is a new home for the Johnston County Health Department. That would cost $65.7 million. An administration building mostly for departments presently housed in the Courthouse would cost more than $51 million. New offices in a separate building for Inspections, Planning, and Utilities would run close to $50 million at today's prices. The architects estimate construction bids could rise 3.5% annually over the next decade.

The proposed campus would be built on acreage the county has purchased on the south side of US 70 Business east of Smithfield – across from the new Public Safety and Detention centers on the north side of that highway.

How the project will be financed is yet to be worked out with concurrence from the state's Local Government Commission and the county's financial advisors with Richmond-based Davenport & Company.

Meanwhile, Moseley Architects – contracted to develop the plan brought to commissioners Tuesday evening – will come back next month with proposals for site and infrastructure work (required before any construction can begin) and a contract for designing the Social Services building.

VIEW details of Moseley's master plan presented to commissioners this week>

County moves toward buying more water from Raleigh

It's part of a plan to postpone construction of a $770-million project for a second Johnston County water-treatment plant on the Neuse River below Princeton. The county and the Town of Clayton are negotiating with the City of Raleigh, which has indicated it's willing to share more of its water supply.

The county presently has an agreement with Raleigh for buying up to 2-million gallons per day and is looking to increase that amount to 6 MGD. Both the county and Clayton are experiencing increasing demands for water from their treatment plants as Johnston County sustains unprecedented residential growth.

J.D. Solomon has been employed by the county as an engineering consultant to help plan for the county's future water needs. Besides the City of Raleigh scenario, he presented several other "intermediate" supply options to the County Commissioners on Monday:

• Purchasing more water from the County of Harnett and/or the City of Dunn. The county presently has an agreement in place to draw up to 2 MGD from those sources on the Cape Fear River.

• Increasing water provided by the City of Wilson's Buckhorn Reservoir from 1.5 MGD currently authorized to as much as 6 MGD.

• Connecting to the City of Goldsboro's water supply as a longer-term option.

Meanwhile, the county has an agreement to get up to 3 MGD from the Town of Smithfield's recently expanded water-treatment plant. The county's water plant on the Neuse at Wilson's Mills is authorized by the state to produce 18 MGD.

Commissioners made no decisions on any of the options outlined this week. Mr. Solomon will update the board on the Clayton-Raleigh negotiations next month.

He did say the expensive Lower Neuse plan is still on the table as a long-term need. The out-of-county purchase options should enable the county to delay pursuit of that plan for another decade, thereby easing pressures to raise the county's retail water rates precipitously to finance the Lower Neuse project.

Construction and operation of the county's water system is dependent on revenues from its water customers, not the county's taxpayers. Part of that financial equation are System Development Fees the county assesses on new residential subdivisions. Those fees are currently under review, likely to be adjusted soon.

Johnston's annual opioid-treatment budget: $1,382,248

Commissioners on Monday approved the annual plan for spending Johnston County's share of funds coming from the National Opioids Settlement of lawsuits filed by the Federal Government against major manufacturers and sellers of addictive drugs.

Deputy Director Steve Strickland of Johnston's Health Department presented the proposed 2025-26 opioid campaign budget, of which $606,650 is allocated for a Post Overdose Response Team made up of four full-time paramedics who provide antidotes including Naloxone to victims of drug abuse. "This has been very effective over the last year," Mr. Strickland said.

In response to a question about the longevity of Johnston's effort, the deputy director said "we've got enough funds to carry us 18 years plus," referring to scheduled annual payouts from settlement of the national lawsuits.

County making plans for celebrating USA's 250th birthday

Allison Elsee, who chairs a committee working on plans for Johnston County's participation in next year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, gave commissioners a report on what's taking shape. The big day here will be Saturday, June 28, 2026 with a variety of activities to be staged at Johnston Community College, Ms. Elsee said.

Other activities around the Fourth of July include walking and driving guided tours of historical sites, a "Heritage Day" for school students, and a locally produced performance of the hit Broadway musical "1776," she noted. Historical markers are envisioned for Revolutionary Era sites, and a mural honoring Tuscarora Indian heritage will go up in Downtown Smithfield, she added.

Ms. Elsee said 32 Johnstonians are serving on the planning committee.

Jennifer Slusser named N.C. “County Attorney of the Year”

She received the honor at last weekend's summer conference of the N.C. Association of County Attorneys held in Wilmington. She served as president of the association in 2024.

Ms. Slusser was employed in November 2014 as the County of Johnston's first full-time attorney.

(County of Johnston photo from the award presentation)

Gregory Evans of North Lakeside Drive, Smithfield was appointed by the County Commissioners Monday to the Town of Smithfield's Board of Adjustment as an extraterritorial representative. He fills a term that expires in May 2028.

"Popsicles at the Pad" (where kids splash) this Friday
Smithfield's Parks & Recreation Department will be handing out popsicles to youngsters from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Eva Ennis Splash Pad across Martin Luther King Boulevard from Smith-Collins Park.

Salvation Army to "Stuff the Bus" for children on Friday
It's the annual school-supply collection drive to help needy families prepare for sending their children back to school next month. The collection site is the Walmart parking lot off North Bright Leaf Boulevard – from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. this Friday.

River Rat Regatta returning to Smithfield on August 9
That's just two weeks away from this weekend, so it's time to get those homemade cardboard boats ready for the short race on the Neuse River. Organized by the Town of Smithfield's Parks & Recreation Department, this annual event begins with registration at 8 a.m. that Saturday, followed by boat judging at 9:30 and racing at 10 a.m. (previously done in the afternoon). VIEW more details on the town's website>

DEATHS AND FUNERALS
Click on the name to read an obituary, usually posted by the funeral home:

A terrific opportunity for boosting downtown

It's the saving of the venerable Howell Theatre building for conversion into a performing arts center for plays and musicals of the Neuse Little Theatre, all kinds of amateur and professional concerts, young people's dance recitals, historical movie screenings featuring our own Ava Gardner, and other possibilities.

It could provide a suitable place for lectures by experts on a variety of subjects of public interest, panel discussions on pressing political and social issues of the day, and other public gatherings beyond our imagination at this point.

All those things would bring people, perhaps lots of people, to Downtown Smithfield, mostly for events after dark when "sidewalks are rolled up" in most towns our size.

One of the best things about the 90-year-old theater building is its location: a block away from the menacing traffic of Market Street, with several off-street parking lots close by that are available after daytime business hours.

The Town of Smithfield's initial contribution of $150,000 to help the Historic Smithfield Foundation purchase the building may turn out to be the financial breakthrough that will make this venture successful. For that, the town tapped into the Johnston County Tourism Authority's room-tax revenues from Smithfield's growing list of major hotels.

It's a logical next step to use that source of funding to carry out the theater building's renovation and help underwrite its ongoing operation and maintenance.

Now on with the show!

All incumbents in Smithfield face challengers
That sets up contests for mayor and four council seats

FOR SALE AT 806 SOUTH FIRST STREET, SMITHFIELD

SUSAN LASSITER • Long & Foster Real Estate • 919-669-9235

Social Services, Health Department, and more in the works

ELECTIONS BOARD HAS NEW MEMBERS, NEW CHAIRMAN

A terrific opportunity for boosting downtown

All incumbents in Smithfield face challengers That sets up contests for mayor and four council seats

FOR SALE AT 806 SOUTH FIRST STREET, SMITHFIELD

SUSAN LASSITER • Long & Foster Real Estate • 919-669-9235

Social Services, Health Department, and more in the works

ELECTIONS BOARD HAS NEW MEMBERS, NEW CHAIRMAN

A terrific opportunity for boosting downtown

Subscribe to the Smithfield Weekly Sun (electronic online edition free of charge)

All incumbents in Smithfield face challengers
That sets up contests for mayor and four council seats

Subscribe to the Smithfield Weekly Sun
(electronic online edition free of charge)