Johnston County Commissioners have agreed to solicit bids for a new Public Safety Center off Highway 70 East in Smithfield.
Monday night, commissioners agreed to accept bids for the new two-story Public Safety Center, which will house the sheriff’s office, emergency services, and 911 communications center. The first floor would house the entire Sheriff’s Office, including administrative offices, investigations, narcotics division and a training area. The second floor would house Emergency Services, the Emergency Operation Center, 911 Communications and related offices. There would also be a separate freestanding Evidence Storage building for the sheriff’s office.
The Public Safety Center will be located on the same site as the new detention center which is now under construction, at the intersection of Highway 70 and Yelverton Grove Road, next to the John Deere dealership.
County Manager Rick Hester said construction bids should be received by the summer for the board to review. At that time, commissioners could accept the lowest responsible bid or reject all the bids.
In December 2020, commissioners voted 7-to-0 to move forward with plans for the Public Safety Center to help eliminate overcrowding at the Johnston County Courthouse.
If a bid is awarded this summer, construction could be completed by mid-2022. Preliminary costs for the facility are just shy of $18 million.
