Johnston Commissioners Hear Fire Staffing, Renovation, Rezoning Requests
By The Smithfield Weekly Sun
County eyes more full-time staffing of fire departments
JOHNSTON COUNTY, NC – Commissioners received a proposed Fire Service Minimum Staffing Strategic Staffing that would fund at least two full-time positions at all of Johnston’s 23 fire departments. The cost of putting the plan in place was not announced at Monday’s meeting, nor was a scheduled for implementing the plan.
“Volunteers are not there like they used to be,” said Chris Ellington, chief of the Cleveland department who’s chairman of the Johnston County Fire Commission. He said Johnston has seen a 50% increase in call volume over the past five years.
“Objective 1” is to increase the minimum level of staffing from two part-time personnel Monday through Friday by hiring one full-time supervisor for each department, starting July 1 of this year.
The next goal is staff all fire stations with three employees Monday through Saturday starting July 1, 2027. Following that, in 2028, all stations would have two personnel on duty during daytime hours Saturday and Sunday.
The plan calls for three personnel on duty seven days a week starting July 1, 2029.
Salary minimums would be $18 hourly for firefighters, with higher minimum rates of pay for personnel with advanced certifications.
DA Office renovation, Veterans Services grant projects
Commissioners awarded a $524,900 to low-bidder Talon Construction, Inc. of Smithfield and subcontractors to renovate offices of the District Attorney on the third floor of the Courthouse. The work is to be finished by July.
Commissioners accepted a $20,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for technology and digital access, training and education, office furnishings, and “outreach and community engagement.”
Cleveland Township rezonings: one approved, one denied
At the board’s evening session, commissioners approved without dissent conditional rezoning for 25 acres in the 400 block of Angie Road from Mobile Home Park District to the broader category of Agricultural Residental to permit Duke Energy Progress to construct electrical substations, transmission lines, and related facilities there.
Following a lengthy public hearing that drew opposition from nearby landowners and residents, the board voted 4-2 to deny a request for rezoning of 28 acres at the intersection of Cleveland and Pierce roads to Industrial 2 to allow Prologis, Inc. of San Francisco – a real-estate investment trust – to pursue mixed-use development ranging from “multiple heavy industrial uses” to residences. Voting against the request: Patrick Harris, Butch Lawter, Mike Rose, Bill Stovall. Voting in favor: Michelle Davis and Ted Godwin. April Stephens was absent.
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The final paragraph is not clear as to the actual events of the heavy industrial rezoning. Godwin & Davis proposed the denial but it was not supported (2-4 vote). However most commissioners realized there were valid concerns, so the application was “tabled” for a follow up discussion/vote on Monday 16Mar for further considerations regarding permitted uses, traffic, etc. The proposal to table was voted 6-0. I was present at this meeting and the rezoning directly affects our home and living.
Shocker! More housing requires more fire protection needs. Up go the taxes….. again.
Over half a million to renovate the DA’s office. Lord knows they haven’t been able to work because the office isn’t pretty.
Thanks, Commissioners for denying the rezoning request.
Not sure if my first attempt went through as I don’t see it. Unfortunately this report is not accurate (see my above comment). The motion to deny was not supported but the motion to “table” for the next meeting on March 16 passed. This is to allow time to review permitted uses, community concerns including traffic, manufacturing, truck access/safety etc.
The current plan proposed is for a 78 truck loading bay, 24 hr warehouse annoying directly next to a community and a stones throw from another. The developer is a global company which has publicly stated investment in automated truck loading and data centers. Automated loading increases efficiency, also increasing traffic to a congested area with numerous safety concerns and decreasing jobs for the local community. Data centers are a large drain on community resources, also with poor job opportunities.
The largest issue is Prologis is too vague on who or what will occupy this space and conveniently keep lowering their internal traffic estimations in order to sound more appealing. They have a horrible track record both in the US and abroad for negative impacts on local communities.
We need to make it clear to the commissioners that while growth is inevitable & necessary (especially business to balance residential needs/costs), THIS is not the solution at this location. Not with 2 other light industrial/flex building already approved at the same intersection on a residential road.