Johnston County commissioners spent Monday working through a hefty to-do list, headlined by County Manager Rick Hester’s proposed $421.9 million spending plan and capped by a tense land-use fight on Raleigh Road. Along the way, they weighed fire station coverage, staffing requests and a stack of smaller budget tweaks, with a final budget vote likely in mid-June.
Big Budget Keeps Tax Rate Flat, Leans On Reserves
Hester’s proposal would keep the county property tax rate at 52 cents per $100 of assessed value and hold the countywide fire tax at 11.5 cents while funding a $421.9 million General Fund for fiscal year 2026-27, according to Johnston County Government. The plan steers about $113 million to Johnston County Public Schools operations and $3.5 million to school capital, and sets aside just over $10 million for Johnston Community College operations with $1.2 million for college capital. County staff say the proposal is roughly 2.2% larger than the current year and recommends a potential $8.7 million transfer from reserves to balance the books.
New Hires On Ice, Utilities Jobs Advance
The draft budget would pause roughly 28 tax-funded position requests across several departments while recommending four new Public Utilities positions that would be paid for by water and sewer customers rather than the General Fund, JoCo Report noted. Hester also signaled possible increases in landfill tipping fees and water and sewer rates, and included money for compensation adjustments tied to a county pay study.
Raleigh Road Rezoning Runs Into Neighborhood Wall
At the evening session, commissioners voted to deny a business-zoning request for part of the parcel at 6232 Raleigh Road after neighbors argued the planned use, described by speakers as similar to indoor RV or contractor equipment storage on a rural road, did not fit an area dominated by homes and farms, according to the county’s meeting recap on Facebook. Residents flagged traffic and sight-line issues near the nearby high school and urged the board to keep the land in its current agricultural and residential designation. For the county’s meeting summary and speakers’ comments, see Johnston County Government on Facebook.
Fire Station Study Maps Future Hot Spots Along Growth Corridors
Consultants from Moseley and Matrix Consulting presented a countywide fire-station location study that charts where additional coverage will be needed as growth spreads. The county hired Moseley to lead the project with Matrix support, according to earlier reporting by Citizen Portal. Meeting materials and the presentation highlight candidate areas, including corridors around Browns Pond Road in Selma, N.C. 42 East and several Clayton routes, along with potential sites near Four Oaks and Angier that could rise to the top for future stations or EMS coverage.
Small Dollar Moves, Big Stack Of Appointments
On the consent agenda, the board signed off on several smaller but immediate budget revisions, including moving $92,000 from savings to cover state-mandated compensation for early-retiring law-enforcement officers, shifting $39,759.68 into Sheriff’s Office revenue lines from federal equitable sharing and asset sales, and adding $1,283.42 in miscellaneous jail revenue. Commissioners also extended the minutes-transcription contract through June 30, 2027, and made multiple appointments to advisory boards and the Firefighters Relief Fund. The full packet breaks down the line items and appointment list in detail; see the complete figures and roster in the Johnston County agenda packet.
What Comes Next
Commissioners will continue budget deliberations at upcoming meetings and could adopt the fiscal plan as soon as June 15. If approved, the budget will guide school funding and capital planning for the coming year. County staff say the fire-station study, along with planned capital needs for a new social-services facility, additional courthouse space and EMS stations, will help determine whether and when the county borrows to pay for those projects.
