County pledges $2 million for Smithfield's facility

The Smithfield Town Council voted 6-1 Tuesday night to authorize staff to negotiate a "design-build" contract for construction of a 1,500-seat stadium at Community Park to lure the Wilson Tobs baseball franchise to town.

That action followed Monday's decision by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to commit $2 million for the stadium's construction.

The Wilson Tobs are a former professional-baseball franchise that today operates a team that competes in an NCAA-sanctioned summer collegiate league. Greg Suire, the ball club's president, appeared before Johnston's Board of Commissioners this week to declare the organization's intent in moving to Smithfield is "to make Johnston County a mecca for amateur sports."

Besides the summer collegiate team, the franchise operates numerous youth events throughout the year, including a high-school baseball league this fall and games in other sports such as football and lacrosse, Mr. Suire said.

Since 1908 the Tobs have played their games at the City of Wilson's Fleming Stadium, he noted, but now the city is putting its baseball investment in a much larger stadium under construction for professional baseball's Carolina Mudcats.

County Commissioners vote 5-2 to approve funding

Smithfield's Town Manager Mike Scott asked commissioners Monday morning to appropriate $2 million over two budget years to help pay for construction of a Smithfield stadium, which the town will own and maintain. He said a "conservative" assessment forecasts $4,850,000 in "direct" economic benefits and $7,323,500 "overall" for Johnston County each year.

During their Monday evening session, commissioners voted 5-2 to grant Smithfield's request for funding. "Johnston County is in need of more activities for families," said Commissioner Mike Rose of Princeton. The Tobs, he continued, will produce "a stream of revenue we don't have now."

Mr. Rose said Finance Director Chad McLamb estimates the county will recoup its $2-million investment in 10-16 years from additional tax revenues generated by the Tobs' presence here.

Commissioner Bill Stovall voiced opposition on grounds the county's appropriation would be "subsidizing a business that's coming here." He said private investors ought to be paying for the ball park.

Commissioner Patrick Harris of Smithfield called the county's support of the project a "quality of life" investment – "an opportunity for our citizens to have things to do with their families."

Commissioners' Chairman Butch Lawter sided with Mr. Stovall in voting against the appropriation, citing numerous high-dollar capital needs facing the county just now including construction of a new Clayton High School on its present campus.

Mr. Stovall said "it's a bad time" to fund a baseball stadium in light of the past year's real-estate revaluation that has raised county taxes for most property owners.

Joining Mr. Rose and Mr. Harris in approving Smithfield's request were Michelle Davis, Ted Godwin, and April Stephens.

Town Council votes 6-1 to negotiate stadium contract

Meanwhile, Town Councilman Travis Scott cast the only vote Tuesday night against the town's moving forward with the stadium's design-build contract. He suggested the town explore other options for the stadium's location, including vacant land owned by Johnston Community College. He also expressed concerns about the stadium's replacing a Community Park soccer field as well as the old house presently used by Johnston's chapter of Disabled Veterans of America.

Town Manager Scott said the soccer field's fate will depend on the stadium's layout yet to be drawn. In the meantime, the town is already looking for more suitable quarters for the DAV chapter, he said.

The council awarded negotiation of the design-build contract to Muter Construction of Zebulon – one of 12 firms that submitted proposals and the one chosen unanimously by a staff committee, said Parks & Recreation Director Gary Johnson.

In a follow-up e-mail to the Weekly Sun, Town Manager Scott said a timeline for construction of the stadium won't be known until the contract is signed with Muter. "The Tobs will not be on the Coastal Plains League schedule for 2026," he said. "We were unable to move the project ahead quickly enough to get them on the schedule."

Regarding the project's total cost, the manager said it's presently estimated at $6 million. In addition to the county's commitment, "the town is anticipating using a mixture of funds, including restricted fund balance set aside for parks and money allocated to the town in the form of occupancy tax that comes through Tourism," he said, referring to the Johnston County Tourism Authority which determines distribution of taxes collected from overnight stays in local hotels.
 

NEW WILSON'S MILLS HIGH SCHOOL SHAPING UP
Here's the latest aerial view posted on the Johnston County Public Schools Facebook page of the school that's under construction beside Talton Farm Road on the east side of Wilson's Mills. Several alumni of the former Wilson's Mills High were taken on a tour of the facility this week. The new school is scheduled for completion in time for the 2026-27 academic year.
 

Two principal objections led to a 5-2 vote by the Smithfield Town Council late in the evening on Tuesday to reject plans for "Bellamy," a large residential subdivision envisioned for 498 acres west of Wilson's Mills Road north of town:

(1) Density of housing  – Council members made it clear they view the proposed 2.4 dwelling units per acre as too much. "You're not close to where we need to be," Councilman Roger Wood told developers during Tuesday's public hearing that drew an overflow crowd in attendance to show their opposition to the plan.

(2) Threat to farming – Councilman Sloan Stevens made an impassioned plea to protect Youngblood Farms and its hog-producing operation from residences that could be as close as 205 feet away. If Bellamy were to be approved, home-buyers should be required to sign a waiver of nuisance complaints, he suggested. "You can't move a hog farm and go away," he said.

Attorney Andrew Petesch, a land-use specialist based in Cary, spoke on behalf of the Youngblood family. Besides incompatibility with hog operations, the subdivision would require a reconfiguration of Lee-Youngblood Road that would impede access by 18-wheelers to the Youngbloods' facilities, Mr. Petesch said.

The attorney pointed out that state law requires new hog farms to be positioned at least 1,500 feet away from existing residences and 2,500 feet away from outdoor recreation facilities. Both would be much closer than that to the Youngbloods' operation if Bellamy were built as proposed.

After hearing those objections among others from numerous citizens, David Bergman asked the council to delay a decision on the Bellamy plan to give his team of developers time to make revisions "for closer alignment with what you want."

At that point, Councilman Stevens made a motion to deny both the requested rezoning for the project and a companion request for voluntary annexation of the Bellamy site to the town. His motion was supported by Gettys Cohen, Steve Rabil, Travis Scott, and Roger Wood.

Councilman David Barbour and John Dunn voted against outright denial, apparently preferring to give developers a chance to revise their plans.

The Bellamy site is located on the edge of Smithfield's ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction for zoning purposes), which generally extends two miles beyond the town's corporate limits.

It was pointed out during Tuesday's hearing that 64.5 acres of the Bellamy tract beyond the 498 acres within Smithfield's ETJ lies within the jurisdiction of the Town of Wilson's Mills. Wendy Oldham, that town's planning director, told Smithfield's council near the close of Tuesday's hearing she would not favor approval by Wilson's Mills of the Bellamy plan.

Appointments to Appearance Commission, Recreation Committee

As part of Tuesday's Consent Agenda requiring no discussion, the Smithfield Town Council approved the following appointments:
• Appearance Commission – Radley Donovan.
• Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee – Jason Evans and Finley Carroll.
According to a memo attached to the meeting's agenda, vacancies remain on the Recreation Committee as well as the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Board, and the Board of Adjustment.

Proclamations for Fire Prevention, Public Power, Family Literacy

Mayor Andy Moore read proclamations for the following observances:
 • Fire Prevention Week October 5-11 – with an emphasis on safe handling of lithium-ion batteries under the tag line "Charge Into Fire Safety."
• Public Power Week October 5-11 – Mayor Moore noted that Smithfield got its first electric lights in 1913 and since then has operated its own electrical system.
• National Family Literacy Day November 1 – part of a nationwide observance established by Congress in 1993.
 

Town honors SROs
stationed at SSS

Officer Jacob Gibbons (left) and Sergeant Matthew Parrish received thank-you plaques for their service as SROs at Smithfield-Selma High School during Tuesday's Town Council meeting. Officer Gibbons got a special pat-on-the-back for his handling of a gun-on-campus episode shortly after the school year's start in August. The SROs are School Resource Officers employed by the town. Johnston's school system covers most of the cost of their service. (Smithfield Police Department Facebook photo)
 

County OKs budgets for first greenway, first park
Projects in the works for Wilson's Mills, Cleveland townships

Johnston's County Commissioners on Monday approved capital budgets for two recreation projects that are firsts for the county.

The John R. McAdams Company of Raleigh was awarded a $287,204 contract to draw plans for a 1.5-mile paved greenway trail on acreage that was acquired by Johnston County Public Schools for the new Wilson's Mills High School. It will be the first portion built by the county as part of the Neuse River Trail which currently runs from Raleigh to Clayton and is envisioned to reach Smithfield in the future.

Commissioners approved a total budget of $4.2 million for completion of the Wilson's Mills trail. Much of the expense will be covered by federal and state grants.

Turning to another project, the board agreed to put up $850,000 to secure previously awarded grants for construction of the first phase of what's billed as a "regional park" on acreage in Cleveland Township. Along with that, the board approved a capital budget of $4,159,412 for Phase 1, which includes four pickleball courts, two basketball courts, a fishing pond with pier, and parking areas.

The site for the park, the county's first, lies southwest of the intersection of Matthews and Polenta roads. Commissioners approved the additional county appropriation for the project on condition that the General Fund will be reimbursed over 10 years with proceeds from Open Space payments required of real-estate developers within the Cleveland High School attendance district.

VIEW the site plan for the Cleveland park posted on the county's website>

County authorizes "Cost of Community Services" study 

Commissioners approved a contract with Creative Economic Development Consulting of Elkin to undertake the study and develop "a local fiscal-impact model" for County Government.

"This is something a lot of citizens have requested," remarked Commissioner Michelle Davis. The study's concept was brought before the board during its annual planning retreat last spring. The intent is to weigh the economic pros and cons of land-use decisions to be made by commissioners.

The firm will be paid up to $73,905 plus travel expenses. Completion is expected by February of 2026 – in time for next year's county budget deliberations.

Two assistant medical directors added to EMS

Commissioners employed two assistant medical directors for the county's Emergency Management Services: Dr. Andrew Mealin and Dr. John Wooten. They will join Dr. Rodney McCaskill, the department's current medical director who was previously the only assistant director before he succeeded Dr. Ed Hartman, who retired as EMS medical director this past year.

Board chooses new members for advisory boards

Commissioners appointed several new members to various boards, most of these as a result of written ballots for positions with more applicants than openings:
• Alcoholic Beverage Control Board – Callie Collins Rynes of Clayton.
• Child Fatality Prevention Team – County Fire Marshal Travis C. Johnson.
• Heritage Commission – Dr. Shiquita Blue of Clayton.
• Nursing Home/Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board – Keisha Godwin of O'Neals Township.
• Planning Board – Robinson W. Williams of Clayton.
• Tourism Authority – Alicia Whitehurst, general manager of two Smithfield hotels.
VIEW complete rosters of advisory boards and committees on county's website>

301 sewage-pump station at Neuse to be moved

Commissioners approved a $4,581,444 contract with Sanford Contracting to relocate a sewage pump station in the way of the Highway 301 bridge-replacement project  under way at the Neuse River. Chandra Farmer, the county's utilities director, said the new facility will be located out of the river's floodplain.

Proclamations issued for several observances

Commissioners adopted proclamations for the following:
• Operation Green Light for Veterans – urging citizens to display green lights November 4-11 "to salute and honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform transitioning from active service."
• Employee Appreciation Week October 20-24 – a salute to the County of Johnston's more than 1,000 employees in 31 service departments and agencies.
• National 4-H Week October 5-11 – a salute to more than 4,000 youth and 200 volunteers participating in Johnston County's 4-H programs.
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month – an October observance requested by Harbor Incorporated, Johnston's non-profit agency that serves more than 3,000 "direct victims and survivors" each year. Harbor has been in operation since 1984.
 

L. Lamar Armstrong Jr.	Marcia Armstrong	L. Lamar Armstrong III	Eason Armstrong Keeney

Retail sales up 10.55% in year's 2nd quarter

 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL REPORT 

Last Friday's results for Johnston County's teams:
(season's records in parenthesis)
GARNER 71, SMITHFIELD-SELMA 0 (1-6)
BUNN 41, AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 15 (4-3)
SOUTHEAST RALEIGH 22, CLAYTON 19 (5-2)
CLEVELAND 43 (6-0), FUQUAY-VARINA 0
CORINTH HOLDERS 36 (3-3), WAKEFIELD 0
NORTH JOHNSTON 28 (4-3), WASHINGTON 14
WALLACE-ROSE HILL 49, PRINCETON 16 (3-3)
SOUTH JOHNSTON 45 (3-3), SOUTHERN LEE 7
WEST JOHNSTON 16 (2-4), TRITON 7

 WHAT'S COMING UP 

Downtown hosts Oktoberfest & Harvest Market Saturday
Scheduled for noon till 5 p.m. Saturday along the 100 block of South Third Street, the 200 block of Johnston Street, and the adjacent county parking lot, the event will feature German-inspired food, German tunes and "party favorites," BierStein games, a Kids Zone, and the season's final Smithfield Signature Fresh Market showcasing local farmers and artisans. The annual Ava Gardner Festival will be sharing the spotlight as its celebrates its 25th anniversary this weekend.
MORE details about the Ava Gardner festival on the Visitors Bureau website>

Clayton Piano Festival at the amphitheater this Friday
Yes, that's correct: Smithfield (not Clayton) is hosting "classics by the river" at the amphitheater below Front Street beside the Neuse. It's part of an ongoing series featuring classical pianists supported by the Johnston County Arts Council and other donors. Performances begin at 7 p.m. Friday. Admission is free of charge.

Salvation Army hosting "Cozy Fall Family Movie Night"
"Halloweentown" is the movie to be shown at 6 p.m. this Friday at the Smithfield Salvation Army's headquarters at 310 North Bright Leaf Boulevard. "Bring your pillows and blankets as we cozy up with a movie and popcorn... followed by smores afterwards," reads the invitation to the public.

Board of Education's monthly meeting next Tuesday
The Johnston County Board of Education will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the school system's headquarters on US 70 Business east of Smithfield.
VIEW the agenda once it's posted (usually on Friday afternoon)>

Early voting in municipal election starts next Thursday
The only polling place for early voting will be the Board of Elections office at 205 South Second Street in Smithfield rather than the First Baptist Ministry Center. Voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The office will be open just one Saturday for early voting – Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Municipal Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.

Small park in the heart of Downtown needs a name

It will replace the present-day courtyard outside the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield at Market and North Third streets. Designed by landscape architect Clayton Narron, the new park will retain Frank Creech's statue – "The Reader" – while creating separate recreation spots. The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation is accepting nominations for the name through October 30. The top 10 will be announced in November and put out for a community vote, with the winning name revealed at the park's dedication ceremony (groundbreaking took place this week). To submit a name for the park, visit downtownsmithfield.com>
 

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

 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

How can folks not stay out of the way of a train?

"It's hard to stop a train" goes the TV commercial for an AC brand with a sound-alike name. I wish more folks would take that warning to heart, especially those who choose to walk across or beside our railroad tracks.

We had not one, but two pedestrians killed by freight trains close to home over the past week: one early last Sunday afternoon in the Belmont neighborhood between the Market Street underpass and the Lee Street grade crossing, the other in the dark after midnight Tuesday near the Smithfield-Selma boundary.

The question is why? Were those victims hearing impaired? Walking under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Distracted by their cell phones? Perhaps suicidal?

It's an awful thing for pedestrians to be run over by a train – some of today's are two miles long, and none can stop quickly enough to avoid a collision. And what about the train crews who are helpless by the time they spot folks trespassing on the right of way: they have to live with the trauma that goes with witnessing such horror.

What can we do to put an end to this carnage? Erect prison-like fences alongside all railroad tracks? Install thousands of surveillance cameras to detect trespassers before the trains get too close to slow down or stop? How about urging folks to avoid the tracks altogether except at protected road crossings.

Looking at the bigger picture: I've never seen such carelessness on our streets and highways as what we see today. Too many motorists are flaunting the speed limits and simply not paying attention to their driving as they can't take their eyes off their cell phones – not to mention aggressive driving habits that are bound to be contributing to the crashes around Raleigh we see on the morning TV newscasts. And lately we've seen an almost daily string of school-bus collisions.

How do we deal with it? Please be more vigilant when you're driving or cycling or walking, and stay away from the recklessness whenever and however you can.
 

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