Johnston County
Board
of Commissioners report from June 3 sessions |
 |
Commissioners present: Chairman
Ted Godwin, Tony Braswell, Jeff Carver,
Patrick Harris, Butch Lawter, Chad Stewart,
Larry Wood
Absent: None
County Commissioners urged
to step up funding for public schools, JCCollege
During Monday's public hearing on the proposed county budget for 2019-20, commissioners heard from Superintendent of Schools Ross Renfrow and Johnston Community College's President David Johnson regarding their requests for increased funding from the county.
Dr. Johnson said the college needs $490,000 more than the $198,761 increase in county funding recommended by the county manager. He said $427,000 is needed to pave the parking lot at the college's Child Development Center --- the last lot on campus not yet paved --- and to construct a storage building "we desperately need." Storage demands in the Britt Building, especially, is "inhibiting our ability to teach students," Dr. Johnson said. "Our enrollment (for the summer) is up around 10%," he noted, and "employers are screaming at us" to produce more trained workers in maintenance trades as well as truck drivers and teachers.
An additional $63,000 is needed for operations, especially for a "safety range master" at the college's Howell Woods training grounds in Bentonville Township.
Superintendent Renfrow said Johnston County Public Schools need more funding for higher pay supplements as well as "instructional resources" to attract and retain teachers. He said a "large percentage" of Johnston's teachers have fewer than five years' experience because Wake County is able to lure veteran teachers to better-paying positions there.
Dr. Renfrow said Johnston County Schools throughout the year has 30 to 40 teacher vacancies to fill at any one time, often with substitute teachers temporarily employed. "There is no substitute for a highly qualified teacher," he declared.
Two situations that are burdening Johnston County's funding of public schools are a shortfall in state aid for educating "exceptional children" and an outflow of state funding allotted to Johnston that goes to educate students at charter schools. He pointed out that charter schools keep that money even if students change their minds and transfer back into the public schools after the first 20 days of class.
Last year, Dr. Renfrow noted, $3.5 million was removed from the state's allocation to Johnston County Public Schools to pay for 691 students in charter schools at Smithfield and Clayton.
The state's funding for "exceptional children" is based on 12.6% of local school enrollment. But in Johnston, those children make up about 16% of all students. That means the county has to make up for a funding shortfall of about $7 million annually, Dr. Renfrow noted.
During the "public comment" segment of the commissioners' Monday evening session, Johnston's NCAE president April Lee of McGee's Crossroads blasted the N.C. General Assembly "for not fully funding our public schools" in recent years. "I'm a parent, a teacher, a life-long resident (of Johnston), and a Republican," she said. (The NCAE is the North Carolina Association of Educators, which has held teacher protest rallies during the General Assembly's sessions in Raleigh last year and again this year.)
"Where do we fall short the most?" asked Commissioner Larry Wood.
"My No. 1 goal is to reduce class size," Ms. Lee replied. When she started teaching middle schoolers almost 20 years ago, she noted, classes had 23 to 24 students; but now those classes have 28 to 30.
Furthermore, "the state drastically cut our teacher assistant positions five years ago," Ms. Lee said. Now, in some situations, schools have one teacher assistant working in two and sometimes three different classrooms.
Concluded Commissioner Patrick Harris: "The state makes the cuts and we're left with the challenges."
The county manager's proposed budget is posted on the county's website>
AIRPORT AUTHORITY SEEKS LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS
Ken Starling, manager of the Johnston County Airport, asked commissioners to add at least $175,000, preferably $300,000, to the new year's county budget as matching funds for $5.8 million in state and federal grants in sight for "an aggressive capital-investment program." Mr. Starling said at present there's "no other room for aircraft storage or (additional) businesses at the airport."
COUNTY URGED TO JOIN COMMUTER-RAIL STUDY
Scott Saylor, president of the state-owned North Carolina Railroad Company, asked commissioners for $75,000 to join a regional study of commuter rail service. As things now stand, the study includes Wake, Durham, and Orange counties, which have levied half-cent sales taxes to fund public-transportation projects. Johnston County's participation would enable the study to look eastward to Clayton, Wilson's Mills, and Selma and perhaps on to Goldsboro, Mr. Saylor said. "I would recommend it, but it's not in the budget at this point," County Manager Rick Hester noted. "This board is very interested," Chairman Ted Godwin told Mr. Saylor.
DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE AGENCY ASKS FOR FUNDING
Dot Ehlers of ReEntry, a Smithfield-based non-profit service focused on prevention of domestic violence, asked the board for a contribution of $20,000 to replace a state grant that is expiring. "Each week we reach 60 to 75 families" with services that include substance-abuse treatment, parenting, and behavior control, Ms. Ehlers noted. "If you come in our doors, we will serve you," she said. The commissioners made no commitment to fund ReEntry at Monday's meeting.
SCHOOLS SEEK $1.5 MILLION MORE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR
On a matter unrelated to the proposed budget, Superintendent Renfrow asked commissioners for $1.5 million immediately to enable Johnston County Public Schools to meet its fiscal obligations through the end of this month, which is the end of Fiscal Year 2018-19. "We'll bring whatever we don't spend back to you August, 1," he pledged.
Once again, the superintendent cited expenses for "exceptional children" and diverted revenues to charter schools as reasons for the year-end shortfall.
Commissioner Chad Stewart asked if the schools had a "fund balance" available to pay this month's bills. "When we start July 1 we will have zero fund balance," Dr. Renfrow replied.
Chairman Godwin said the board will take up the superintendent's request when commissioners reconvene next Monday to work on the new year's budget.
BOARD OKAYS BUDGET FOR JUVENILE CRIME COUNCIL
The commissioners gave their approval to a proposed budget for the Johnston County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. District Court Judge Addie Rawls said the new budget adds $10,000 for a Teen Court program. The council is in line to receive $252,231 from the state and $74,000 from the county, she noted. County Manager Hester said the county's share is included in his budget proposal.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Cheryl Oliver, Selma's mayor who also serves as chair of the Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Board, presented a list of recommendations to commissioners regarding the county's business and industry recruitment:
• Use county tax proceeds from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, once constructed, to fund economic-development efforts.
• Promote construction of warehousing facilities sought by prospects.
• Employ a county public-information officer "who can push out information in a lot of areas about Johnston County," Mayor Oliver noted.
• Increase vocational training opportunities.
• Support efforts to bring commuter rail to Johnston.
• Pursue a "Smart County Initiative" to make sure Johnston has the latest in "broadband" Internet access.
• Create a "Triangle East Industrial Collaborative" to make sure local employers are conferring with one another about what businesses Johnston should be "proactively pursing," Mayor Oliver concluded.
PROMOTIONAL LOGO FOR "JoCo GROWS" ENDORSED
Commissioners
authorized the Johnston
County Visitors Bureau to
"trademark" a logo
promoting Johnston County
agriculture. Bryant
Spivey, director of
Johnston's Cooperative
Extension Service, said
his agency's advisory
council as well as the
Farm Bureau Federation
support the concept of a
marketing campaign tied to
the logo. In authorizing
the Visitors Bureau to
trademark the logo,
commissioners also
obligate the county to
take legal action to
protect its use.EMS FEES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS INCREASED
The board approved higher fees for commercial enterprises that employ the county's emergency medical personnel to be on stand-by at public events. That charge has been $35 an hour the past 15 years, noted Emergency Services Director Kevin Hubbard. The new fees are $125 an hour for an ambulance, a paramedic, and an emergency medical technician (EMT); and $75 for a single attendant on duty.
REPLACEMENT LANDFILL TRACTORS PURCHASED
The board approved the purchase of two large tractors for the Johnston County Landfill. A John Deere 250-horsepower cab tractor will be purchased for $156,938 from Quality Equipment of Fuquay-Varina. A Bomag trash compactor will be purchased from James River Equipment of Charlotte for $717,568 including a five-year extended warranty. Both are replacements for older vehicles.
WATER-TREATMENT PLANT'S CAPACITY TO EXPAND
The board approved installation of a ClariCone "solids contact clarifier" at the county's water-treatment plant on the Neuse River at Wilson's Mills. CB&I Contractors of Cumming, Ga. will do the work at a cost of $798,487 --- to be covered as part of a state Clean Water Revolving Loan of $3 million to expand the plant's capacity by 2-million gallons a day. The 20-year loan has an interest rate of 1.86%.
APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS BOARDS APPROVED
The commissioners filled the following positions:
• Johnston Community College Board of Trustees --- Hank Daniels reappointed.
• Johnston County Jury Commission --- Thomas L. Turnage reappointed.
• Juvenile Crime Prevention Council --- Douglas Sorrell and Doris Wallace reappointed; Tony Nazal newly appointed.
• Public Library Board of Trustees --- Jerry Ferguson and Jeff Jennings reappointed.
• Nursing Home/ Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board --- Donald Eason, Joan Jones, and Beverly Withrow reappointed.
• Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board --- Betty O. Woodall reappointed.
• Shoeheel Fire Protection District Commission --- James L. Hodge reappointed.
THREE REZONING REQUESTS APPROVED
The board approved three rezonings at Monday evenings session:
• General Business for 1.9 acres at 3876 NC 50 South in Banner Township.
• Industrial 1 Special Use for 5.6 acres in the 3200 block of Lassiter Road in Elevation Township.
• General Business Special Use for 0.918 acres at 875 Landmark Road in Pleasant Grove Township.
All three rezonings had been recommended by the County Planning Board.
HIGHER WATER AND SEWER TAP-ON FEES JULY 1
The board approved revisions to the county's water and sewer policies that will lead to higher fees for new hook-ups starting July 1. Chandra Farmer, the county's director of public utilities, emphasized that the fees will apply only to new construction, not to existing homeowners who are now served by groundwater wells but may choose to tap onto the county's water system in the future. Basic residential fees will rise from $920 to $2,750 for water taps and from $2,780 to $4,090 for sewerage. "This will allow for growth to pay for growth," Ms. Farmer said, referring to $216 million projected for water-service expansions and $270 million for sewer projects over the next 20 years.
CLASSIC FORD DRIVEWAY CONNECTIONS ALLOWED
The commissioners approved an agreement between the county and Mamco Rock Hill Properties to allow driveway connections from the new home of Classic Ford on North Bright Leaf Boulevard in Smithfield to a county-owned street known as Shelter Way that runs beside the automobile dealership's facility (see photo below). The agreement gives Classic Ford permission to widen Shelter Way five feet on each side at the company's expense. It also requires the business not to interfere with access to the county's Animal Shelter at the end of the street. Apparently, approval of the agreement has been holding up the opening of Classic Ford's new home.
