Summary
Johnston County approved a design services agreement with Moseley Architects and an owner's‑agent agreement with Stevenson General Contractors for a proposed new Department of Social Services building on the Massey Hughes tract; officials discussed a design contract of roughly $6.9 million, a construction manager owner's‑agent not‑to‑exceed amount of $250,200, and an all‑in project estimate of about $103 million.
County legal staff asked the board on Jan. 5 to approve a design services agreement with Moseley Architects and a construction manager/owner’s‑agent agreement with Stevenson General Contractors for a proposed Department of Social Services facility on the Massey Hughes tract near the public safety center.
County Attorney Slusser said the design services contract covers design through construction closeout and reported a design fee in the neighborhood of $6.9 million. She said the county envisions a step‑by‑step oversight approach and could off‑ramp the project if necessary. The owner’s‑agent contract with Stevenson General Contractors was described as an hourly agreement with a not‑to‑exceed amount of $250,200; the principal hourly rate cited was $150 and $75 for support staff.
Slusser and consultants said an early conceptual estimate for the all‑in project cost, including a generous contingency, was approximately $103 million; design services would represent roughly 6–7% of that total under the preliminary assumptions presented. Commissioners expressed broad support for moving the design phase forward, noting prior board planning sessions had made a new DSS building a top capital priority because staff are currently spread across multiple cramped locations.
The board moved and approved both the Moseley Architects design agreement and the Stevenson owner’s‑agent agreement by voice vote. Staff said design work would take roughly 12 months and that additional approvals would return to the board at future steps if construction is recommended.
