Here's the proposed layout of a stadium to be built by the Town of Smithfield for the former Wilson Tobs collegiate-level baseball franchise, along with a cost estimate that falls within a $6-million limit imposed by the Town Council.

Councilman Scott raises questions about project

A divided Smithfield Town Council Tuesday evening stopped just short of pausing plans for a baseball stadium at Community Park after Councilman Travis Scott raised a number of concerns about unfunded amenities. He also urged the council to reconsider the town's choice of a site for the stadium.

His motion failed by a 3-3 vote by council members present which led to Mayor Andy Moore's breaking the tie when he voted against Mr. Scott's motion. Siding with Mr. Scott were Councilors Gettys Cohen and Doris Wallace. Councilors John Dunn, Sloan Stevens, and Roger Wood voted against the motion. Councilor Steve Rabil was absent from Tuesday's meeting.

Speaking of the stadium's proposed layout, Mr. Scott said "there's a lot of stuff that's not included and we're already at our budget." Specifically, he pointed to a shortage of parking, no public restrooms, no concession stand, no scoreboard, and no sound system left out of the $5,996,937 estimate presented to the council Tuesday.

Interim Town Manager Kim Pickett said more parking could be provided with graveled instead of paved lots, port-a-johns used for rest rooms, and food trucks for concessions. For permanent improvements, she said a request is in for state aid while local fund-raising is another option. She assured the council those extra costs "will not come out of our (General Fund) budget."

Ms. Pickett also said talks are going on with school officials about using the parking lots at Smithfield Middle School. That would likely require the Tobs organization to hire off-duty police officers to protect pedestrians crossing Buffalo Road, she noted.

Councilor Scott also asked if the town will "protect the integrity" of nearby neighborhoods, especially Bradford Park. Ms. Pickett said no-parking zones could be enforced by police along neighborhood streets during ball games.

Councilor Scott wondered what costs beyond stadium construction face the town for relocating a soccer field and a fitness trail overtaken by the stadium's footprint. Mr. Johnson said a soccer field could cost up to $250,000 yet an existing practice field at Community Park could take the place of the displaced soccer field.

Councilor Scott said the cost of building the stadium as proposed plus other expenses related to the project might be better spent "to buy a premium piece of property" elsewhere. He also wondered if unused land elsewhere within the bounds of Community Park would be better suited for the project.

P&R Director Johnson said undeveloped woods "on the back side" of the park includes wetlands and would require a second access drive from Buffalo Road.

Summing up his case, Mr. Scott said the plan is it now stands has "an extremely overrun budget... and we haven't even moved the first shovel of dirt."

The Town of Smithfield signed contracts with the Tobs organization last November to provide a stadium for the ball club by the spring of next year that will cost no more than $6 million to build. The Smithfield Tobs, as they're to be known, will skip the 2026 season in the NCAA-sanctioned Coastal Plain League after the City of Wilson didn't renew its long-time lease with the Tobs to use the city's old Fleming Stadium. Instead, the city has a new downtown stadium that lured the Carolina Mudcats.

Preliminary plat advanced for 1,326 houses east of I-95
The council voted 5-1 to approve a preliminary plat for Mallard Crossing, a subdivision planned for 469.9 acres on both sides of Mallard Road north of Brogden Road. The plan calls for 1,326 residential units: 872 single-family dwellings, 454 townhouses. Councilor Scott voted against the plat plan, citing concerns about traffic management. Conditional-use rezoning for the project was previously approved.

Business zone removed from part of Firetower Road tract
Also by a 5-1 vote, the council approved Timothy Peedin's request to remove B-3 business zoning from part of his family's 1.75-acre tract on Firetower Road near US 70 Business. As a result, the entire tract is now zoned R-20 residential. Councilor Scott cast the only vote against the change.

Preliminary plat OK'd for industrial park on 70-B West
Without dissent, the council approved the preliminary plat for Clarius Park on 75.6 acres across US 70 Business from Saint Ann Catholic Church. Four "developable lots" in the plan are restricted to "light industrial standards." Conditional-use rezoning for the project was previously approved by the council.

Special-use permit OK'd for foster home on Chestnut
Without dissent, the council approved a special-use permit to allow a residence owned by Kisha Mae Davis at 1115 Chestnut Drive to be used as a foster home. Both she and her husband are trained foster parents who operate under Seven Homes, a foster-care agency based in North Carolina.

Boys & Girls Club will share use of Sarah Yard Center
Without dissent, the council approved an agreement with Boys & Girls Club of Johnston County to share use of the town's Sarah Yard Center at Smith-Collins Park. The club intends to move its after-school and summer programs from South Smithfield Elementary school, yet the town's Parks & Recreation Department will continue to use the Yard Center for its activities there. Manager Pickett said the town will cover all utility and janitorial expenses the first year, with the Boys & Girls Club paying half of monthly utility costs as well as its share of janitorial services after that.

Council votes on several advisory board appointments
The council approved the following appointments, some of them by ballots where more applicants than positions were available:
• Board of Adjustment – Thomas Bell reappointed without opposition.
• Appearance Commission – Monica Price newly appointed without opposition.
• Historic Preservation Commission – Emery Ashley reappointed and Brian (Scott) Royster newly appointed from a pool of four applicants.
• Planning Board – John Keeley newly appointed from a pool of five applicants.
 

County Manager Rick Hester Monday evening gave Johnston's County Commissioners a report on his staff's crafting of the 2026-27 county budget.

A key question to be answered is what's the property-tax rate going to be for bills to be paid in the year ahead. After last year's higher bills following real-estate revaluation, commissioners may be able to cut the rate, although they're not promising anything this early in the game.

Noting that property taxes produce about 60% of County Government's revenues, Mr. Hester said expects to have an estimate of anticipated revenue by late April.

Following revaluation in 1919, commissioners cut the property-tax rate three times – from 78 cents per $100 valuation down to 67 cents. They were able to do that as Johnston saw unprecedented real-estate development producing rising property-tax revenue.

The rate was cut from 67 to 52 cents this past year after revaluation increased total property values in Johnston by more than 70%. Even so, revaluation's impact produced higher tax bills for most Johnstonians.

While property-tax revenue jumped considerably this year, sales-tax revenue "generally goes (up) in the 5-6% range" annually, Mr. Hester added. Commissioners wondered if a large increase might be in the works for the coming year because of the addition of several big-box retailers in Selma's Eastfield development.

"When you have Hobby Lobby the top store in the country, that's got be a really good impact on our sales-tax revenue," said Commissioner Butch Lawter, referring to a report that the Selma store has been cited as one of the chain's sales leaders.

On the expenditure side of the county-budget equation, Mr. Hester said his proposal is likely include a number of new positions, primarily in Public Safety and Public Utilities, to keep up with Johnston's status as one of the fastest-growing counties in the state and the nation.

Mr. Hester noted that another new wrinkle in the budget will be disbursements of county aid to Johnston's 23 fire departments under a new countywide formula rather than proceeds from separate tax districts with varying property-tax rates.

In regards to debt service, the manager expects $11 million to be added to that expenditure in the coming year as a result of bonds to be sold this spring for the rebuilding of Clayton High School plus other school projects included in bond issues approved by voters in 2022 and 2024 but not yet begun.

Commissioner Bill Stovall asked if the conflict in the Middle East would affect the upcoming bond sales. County Finance Director Chad McLamb said postponing those sales "is not something our financial advisors have advised us to do."

Both he and Mr. Hester pointed to the county's AAA bond rating, which has made bonds sold by the County of Johnston an attractive investment likely to keep interest rates below the 5% mark the county is budgeting for those loans.

Commissioners must adopt the 2026-27 county budget, along with this year's tax rate, by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

County advances request for Clayton High rebuilding loan
Also during Monday's session, commissioners adopted a resolution requesting approval by the N.C. Local Government Commission of a loan up to $134.5 million to finance rebuilding of Clayton High School. As required by state statute, the board set a public hearing on the request during its next scheduled meeting at 10 a.m. April 6. This method of large-scale financing can be authorized by the state without a voter-approved bond issue.

Controversial rezoning in Cleveland Township approved
The commissioners unanimously approved conditional industrial zoning for 28.38 acres at the intersection of Cleveland and Pierce roads after the petitioner – Prologis, a national real-estate investment firm – agreed to new conditions that include enlarging evergreen buffers around the site and prohibiting "heavy industrial" uses. The case drew considerable opposition during a public hearing earlier this month, prompting commissioners to postpone their decision till this week's meeting.
 

The Town of Smithfield began a multi-week street resurfacing project this week, with work scheduled across several neighborhoods throughout town. The project will be completed in phases over the coming weeks as crews move from street to street.

The Town Council awarded a $1,384,572 contract to Coastline Contracting of Wilmington last November to resurface portions of 23 streets. Much of the work was delayed till now because asphalt paving is ill advised during cold weather.

Here's the schedule for portions of streets listed, weather permitting:
This week – E. Underwood Avenue, E. Caroline Avenue.
Weeks 2-3 – Vermont St., S. First St., W. Sanders St., Wellons St.
Weeks 4-5 – Blount St., Midway St., Third Avenue, West St.
Week 6 – Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Week 7 – S. Fifth St., E. Lee St./Blount St.
Week 8 – S. Fourth St.
Week 9 – N. Fourth St., N. Fifth St.
Weeks 10-11 – N. Roderick Drive., Milton Drive, N. Rodgers Drive, Afton Lane. 

"During this time, residents and motorists may notice temporary lane closures, equipment in the roadway, and occasional parking restrictions while work is underway," the town advises. "Drivers are encouraged to slow down in work zones and use caution around crews and equipment."

This year's street resurfacing program was expanded when the Town Council agreed to tap into the town's healthy General Fund balance to supplement the state's annual Powell Bill appropriation, which this year amounted to $437,730. Smithfield has 62.83 miles of paved streets maintained by the town. Primary thoroughfares like Market Street are maintained by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Downtown parking forum postponed till Monday

Because of warnings about inclement weather earlier this week, the Town of Smithfield’s public meeting regarding proposed roadway and traffic changes affecting the central business district was postponed till this coming Monday at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. "Officials will share project plans, provide updates on traffic and safety improvements, and answer questions from business owners and community members," the town announced.
 

 WHAT'S COMING UP 

Spring (astronomically speaking) arrives Friday morning 
At 10:46 a.m. March 20, when Earth's tilting lines up with the Equator as we move from winter toward summer in the Northern Hemisphere. As a result, hours of daylight will have lengthened to 12 hours, 8 minutes this Friday after 11 hours, 59 minutes on Monday and 12 hours, 1 minute Tuesday, says The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Centenary Church's Holy Week re-enactment this Sunday
Centenary United Methodist Church's re-enactment of the events of Holy Week is returning to Downtown Smithfield this Sunday afternoon. Spectators are invited to come free of admission charge to take a guided tour to several scenes, both outdoors and indoors. Here's the schedule for the first tour, to be immediately followed by subsequent tours as required by the turnout of spectators:
4:00-4:15 Scene 1: Entry into Jerusalem
South Second & Johnston streets
4:20-5:00 Scene 2: The Last Supper/The Marketplace
Centenary UMC Courtyard & Sanctuary
5:00-5:20 Scene 3: The Trial
Johnston County Courthouse Superior Courtroom
5:25-5:40 Scene 4: The Crucifixion
Centenary UMC Parking Lot
5:40-6:00 Scene 5: The Empty Tomb
Centenary UMC Parking Lot

VIEW photos from Centenary's re-enactment staged two years ago>

Public forum on county UDO proposal Monday evening

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners will host a "town hall" meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Agricultural Center off NC 210 west of Smithfield to present revisions to the county's proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and address community questions and concerns. The board does not plan to vote on the revised proposal at Monday's meeting.

"The meeting will start with a presentation on the UDO from county planning staff," reads an announcement from the county. "We'll also take some time to clear up rumors regarding the UDO." Following that, "attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a floating informational session. Information stations will be set up around the room, giving residents the opportunity to review detailed materials, ask questions directly to county staff, and provide feedback."

The meeting will be live-streamed on the county's YouTube channel and archived for viewing later. The latest draft of the ordinance and a summary of recent revisions are now available on the Planning Department’s website>
 

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

 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

County Government filling the newspaper void?

It appears to be helping with its new online newsletter, Thriving Together, which highlights "current happenings" involving Johnston County Government.

And it's more like a newspaper with full-blown stories rather than the quick-read conventional newsletter.

That's no surprise since the county recently added former Smithfield Herald and Johnstonian News editor Scott Bolejack to the staff of its Public Information Office.

The current edition goes into some depth on topics addressed by the County Commissioners at last month's annual planning retreat last month – with "Agriculture, Farmland, and the Johnston County Unified Development Ordinance" at the top of the list.

You can access the current edition with this link, then you can sign up to receive subsequent editions by e-mail.
 

MISS A PREVIOUS EDITION?
You'll find it in the Weekly Sun archives>