Johnston County budget hearing draws funding requests from district attorney, schools and nonprofits

Johnston County commissioners opened a public hearing June 2 on the manager's proposed fiscal year 2025'26 budget and heard a string of funding requests from the district attorney's office, the county school system and local nonprofits seeking continued or new county support.

District Attorney Susan Doyle told the board the local office needs the three positions the county currently funds to meet rising workloads tied to the state's eCourts rollout. "It has increased the workload," Doyle said, and she asked the commissioners to continue funding the two legal assistant slots and one assistant district attorney now paid locally. Doyle said the county's share for the three positions in the manager's proposed budget is $256,364 and repeated that she expects the positions should ultimately be state-funded.

The request underscored a theme repeated by other presenters: agencies say state or federal funding shortfalls and administrative changes are increasing local demand. County Manager Rick Hester had opened the hearing by reminding the public that the manager's plan is a proposal the board will refine before a final vote expected June 16.

Johnston County Public Schools Chair Lynn Andrews gave the board a detailed breakdown of the district's local request, saying the district is the seventh-largest in the state with enrollment of about 37,000 students and urging continued local support for teacher pay, operations and capital needs. "We are the seventh largest district in the state, enrollment of over 37,000," Andrews said. The school system is asking the county for roughly…