The 2025 Johnston County reappraisal process is currently underway. North Carolina General Statute 105-286 requires all counties to reappraise property at least once every eight years. The purpose of the reappraisal is to ensure property values accurately reflect market value and equitably spread the property tax burden among all property owners. The last Johnston County reappraisal was conducted in 2019 and all real property tax values reflect the market values as of January 1, 2019. When complete, property values will reflect the January 1, 2025 market value. This week, Pearson’s Appraisal Service, Inc. will begin field work that will continue through 2024. The revaluation vendor will be traveling around Johnston County in marked cars with signs that display, “Johnston County Revaluation Contractor.” These cars will travel the entire County taking photographs of structures, which will help validate tax department information. Vendor staff will not be entering or requesting to enter any residents’ homes or structures and will provide identification upon request. If there are any questions or concerns regarding the reappraisal process or vendor vehicles, please call the Johnston County Tax Administration Office at 919-989-5130. For more information visit the Tax Administration Office website.

Johnston Flex LLC, a Charlotte-based commercial real estate investment and development firm, will build 42 West Business Park – a 125,000 square-foot Class-A Flex Space Facility in close proximity to the Interstate 40 and Future Interstate 42 interchange in Clayton. The company’s $20 million investment will add to Johnston County’s growing 1.4 million square-feet of Class A industrial space that has been announced or under construction per a recent media reports. At just over 125,000 square-feet, Johnston Flex LLC reports that the 42 West Business Park facility could employ as many as 100 workers after it becomes operational in the 3rd quarter of 2023. From market impact analysis reports, the facility could add nearly $20 million to the County’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). The facility is expected to generate over $150,000 in yearly tax revenue to the County. “We continue to see steady, shared growth throughout Johnston County as we look forward to the development of the 42 West Business Park facilty,” said R.S. “Butch” Lawter Jr., chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “With larger advance manufacturing projects announced here in Johnston County and around the Triangle Region, this unique flex space opportunity will help expand the…

JoCo Report — Johnston Regional Airport continues to be a major driver of economic activity and contributes $210,000,000 to the local economy and supports 1,100 direct and ancillary jobs according to a new report released by the NC Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation. “The latest impact report provided by NCDOT shows the immense value that Johnston Regional Airport brings to our local and state economies. We are proud that Johnston Regional (JNX) is being recognized as a leading general aviation airport in North Carolina, and with the ongoing support from our legislators and NCDOT, we can continue down a path of sustainable and manageable growth,” said Ken Starling, Chairman of the Johnston County Airport Authority.  Read more

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday night to approve up to $17.5 million in matching funds to build a 60,000 sq.-ft. Advance Manufacturing Workforce Center in Four Oaks. The facility would have the same transformative economic development potential that the Johnston County Workforce Development Center (WDC) has made for the bio-pharma sector in the western part of the county. The new center, which will be housed on a 16-acre property currently owned by the Town of Four Oaks, will be operated by Johnston Community College as part of a collaborative vision spearheaded by the I-95/I-40 Crossroads of American Economic Development Alliance. The Crossroads Alliance was formed last year by leaders in the Town of Four Oaks and the City of Dunn to enhance infrastructure, workforce readiness, product development and job growth in southern Johnston County and northern Harnett County. The new training site will sit near Exit 87, across from the Four Oaks Business Park, within easy view of thousands of motorists traveling I-95 every day. “Regional cooperation is a proven path to sustainable economic progress across generations,” says R.S. “Butch” Lawter, Jr., chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “Our county is eager to partner…

Governor Roy Cooper announced recently that in 2021 domestic visitors to Johnston County spent $255.47 million, which is an increase of 40.5% from 2020 data. These findings are prepared by the US Travel Association and commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “Johnston County has seen a return of leisure travel along our interstates 95 and 40, and we remain fortunate that our location in North Carolina benefits our hotel properties. We continue to face the challenges of supply chain issues, high gas prices, and workforce shortages, however, our industry is resilient and strives to provide the product and services our visitors expect,” stated Donna Bailey-Taylor, President/CEO of the Johnston County Visitors Bureau. So, what does 40.5% tourism growth mean for the county: ● Visitors to Johnston County spend $699,918 a day in local businesses such as hotels, retail and outlet shopping, attractions, dining, and travel services. ● $11.7m in state tax and $9.0m in local tax receipts which provide county services and reduce the tax burden on every household in the county by $292.00. ● Johnston County’s visitor spending represents 9% of the state’s tourism economic impact. ● Room tax collection…

Smithfield, NC– The Johnston County Board of Commissioners recently adopted a $309 million budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 during its regularly scheduled Board meeting. The budget takes effect on July 1, 2022 and maintains the current tax rate of 73 cents per $100 of property value. “We are pleased to adopt this budget as we continue to value our role as financial stewards of County funds,” said Board Chairman, Butch Lawter. “The Board has also prioritized employee retention and recruitment efforts to preserve the excellent services and programs that residents expect in Johnston County.” The Board voted to allocate $85,573,000 for Johnston County Public Schools’ current expenses. Johnston Community College will receive $6,028,933 for current expenses and $1,090,943 for capital outlay. The Board also approved rural fire tax increases for several fire departments to help maintain a consistent level of service and retain quality firefighters. Funding highlights from this year’s budget Include: Employee pay adjustments of 3% in July with a potential performance pay adjustment of up to 2% in October. 51 new positions approved for 13 County departments to expand customer service. Fee increases approved for building inspections, public utilities and solid waste services.     The Board approved $722,000 to…

A new historical marker will be unveiled on April 30 at C3 Church near Clayton to commemorate the Triangle area’s earliest known church. Local Baptists built Three Creeks Meeting House prior to 1757 in the aftermath of the First Great Awakening. Worshippers came from farms scattered along Black, Middle, and Swift Creeks and the congregation flourished through the second half of the 18th century. By the early 19th century they appear to have disbanded. The name Three Creeks soon faded from the area’s collective memory and its location was lost. That is, until recently discovered documents pointed local historians from the Johnston County Heritage Center to a forgotten forest knoll next to a new subdivision in the County’s Cleveland Township. “For a long time local historians believed the old Three Creeks Church was somewhere in the Panther Branch area of Wake County” says Heritage Center Director Todd Johnson. “However, land records and meeting minutes of the Kehukee Baptist Association in the 1770s place it near the mouth of Wood’s Branch where it flows into Swift Creek in western Johnston County. After finding some overlooked sources,” Johnson adds, “there was this eureka moment.” Johnson shared his findings with local resident David…

College Represents $138.7 Million Dollars in Annual Economic Impact on Local Area A new, in-depth economic impact analysis found that Johnston Community College has a $138.7 million annual impact on the regional economy. The college supports 2,774 jobs each year, or one out of every 29 jobs in Johnston County. The impact of the increased earnings of Johnston Community College alumni and the businesses they work for totaled more than $100 million annually. “These numbers confirm that JCC is in tune with its mission and working diligently for the upward mobility of its students and our local economy. I am grateful for the efforts put forth by our employees in supporting significant and positive impacts resulting in measurable economic value for the county and the great state of North Carolina,” says Johnston Community College President David Johnson. The report also assesses the economic impact of five Johnston Community College programs on the area economy, the return on investment for students, and the benefits generated for N.C. taxpayers. The high-demand career pathways quantified in the report include jobs and programs related to truck driver training, nursing, paralegal technology, bioprocess technology, and engineering. Copies of JCC’s economic impact studies, fact sheets, and summaries can be…

The Johnston County Tourism Authority has been awarded a grant in the amount of $111,900 from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (NCTTFC). This funding will support the JoCo Grows Agriculture Steering Committee’s efforts to market and gain awareness of the importance of agriculture in Johnston County.   Grant funding will be utilized for a project entitled, Consumers and Farmers: Bridging the Gap. The Johnston County Tourism Authority will work in partnership with the NC Cooperative Extension Johnston County Center and the JoCo Grows Agriculture Steering Committee over the next 36-months to execute the grant. This includes several innovative marketing projects, holding public on-farm events, and engaging in educational outreach to support agricultural profitability and productivity for Johnston County farmers. Other grant programs will include video production, social media promotion, cost-share marketing grants for farmers, and expanding listings on the NC Farms App.  “We are so thankful to the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission for their support of the JoCo Grows Agriculture initiative,” said Bryant Spivey, County Extension Director – Johnston. “This effort grew out of recommendations from our Johnston County Extension Advisory Council as a way to connect the growing population of our county to local farms and agribusiness.” As strawberry season approaches,…

Selma’s Eastfield Crossing Project Set to Benefit from Rail Access The Johnston County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last night to formally accept a $750,000 infrastructure grant as part of the North Carolina Railroad Company’s Build Ready Sites initiative. The award will be applied to upgrades and improvements in Selma that will support the county’s Eastfield Crossing project. “Johnston County is proud to be one of six North Carolina counties to be selected to participate in this important statewide product development initiative,” said R.S. “Butch” Lawter Jr., chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “There’s no part of Johnston County that isn’t seeing progress right now, with new communities like Eastfield Crossing offering a major boost to Selma and the central part of our county.” Eastfield Crossing is one of the largest developments currently underway in Johnston County. The mixed-use property spans more than 400 acres and is within easy reach of I-95 and US Highway 70. It is also located in one for four federally Opportunity Zones in the county. In addition to hotels, retail spaces, and residential neighborhoods and amenities, Eastfield Crossing will feature a million-square-foot business park. AdVenture Development, a multi-faceted commercial real estate company with…