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Residents press commissioners for budget transparency, urge protection of school employment protections and social services
Summary
During public comment, residents and organizers urged clearer budget transparency, preservation of equal‑employment protections (Policy 7,100) under review by the Board of Education, and protection of social services for hungry and low‑income residents; commissioners acknowledged concerns and pointed to upcoming budget hearings.
Multiple residents and organizers used the May 18 public‑comment period to press the Johnston County Board of Commissioners for greater budget transparency and to urge the county and local boards to protect vulnerable residents.
Ben Chapman told the board he was concerned that the Johnston County Board of Education was considering removing equal‑employment protections in "policy 7,100," specifically citing possible removal of protections for pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation and gender identity. "Please encourage the Board of Education to drop the recommendation to remove these 7 words from policy 7,100," Chapman said during public comment; no board of education representative responded at the county meeting.
Organizers with Down Home North Carolina delivered a transparency resolution and asked commissioners to publicly support openness while acknowledging they understand some matters fall outside the county’s authority. One speaker referenced a reported state budget shortfall, saying North Carolina faces a projected $2,800,000,000 gap that could force cuts to education and public safety.
Several residents described personal struggles with hunger, housing costs and utility shutoffs. Mary Blank, a co‑leader with Indivisible of Johnston County, asked the county to prioritize feeding people and connecting eligible households to assistance; Emily Myers and Mary Barbara Staunton described the difficulty of covering basic needs amid rising costs.
Derek Appwhite, representing Friends of Johnston County Parks, urged the board to accept the Triangle Land Conservancy’s gift of property for parks and open space (the board later approved the Rosedary Park transfer). Commissioners thanked speakers and acknowledged the strong turnout, and several commissioners said they would pursue additional transparency in the coming year, including earlier workshops on budget assumptions and projections.
The comments were delivered during the public comment item; the commission responded with appreciation and proposed procedural steps (workshop timing) rather than formal policy changes during the May 18 meeting.
