A divided Smithfield Town Council has approved new membership rates for Town of Smithfield and Johnston County Public School employees who use the Smithfield Recreation & Aquatics Center (SRAC).
In June, the town council adopted updated 2018-19 fee members rates at the SRAC. In July, town staff received some questions about the tax responsibilities if employees received free SRAC memberships as an employee benefit of the Town.
To clarify their decision, the council voted 5-to-2 this month allowing all Town employees to receive free membership at the SRAC during the 2018-19 fiscal year and Johnston County School employees a 25% discount on the rates.
Council members Emery Ashley and David Stevens voted against the rates, which will cost the Town and additional $6,000 this fiscal year.
Ashley told WTSB News it was something that should have been included in the new fiscal year budget that began July 1st and felt it was too soon in the current fiscal year to be making changes that will have a financial impact on the Town.
