Johnston County approves short-term lease of former Tucker Furniture for county offices

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners voted May 4 to move forward with a temporary downtown lease of the former Tucker Furniture building to relieve immediate space shortages for public utilities and technology services.

County manager Mister Hester told commissioners the proposed lease would be a four-year agreement at $12 per square foot covering approximately 17,903 square feet. He said renovation and occupancy costs would be split roughly between the public utilities enterprise fund (funded by water and wastewater revenues) and the general fund, depending on final square-foot allocations.

"It was a 4 year term, Mister Godwin. $12 a square foot. ... It's 17,903 square feet," Mister Hester said when presenting the terms to the board.

Commissioners discussed convenience and public access, with supporters saying keeping services downtown preserves customer access and provides needed meeting and training space for county departments. One commissioner said renting was a short-term fix until permanent county buildings can be completed. After discussion, a commissioner moved to proceed with the plan and a second was offered; the board approved the action by voice vote.

The board record does not show a roll-call tally; the motion passed by voice. The manager said details and visuals were available on meeting screens and that commissioners could tour the space before implementation.

Next steps: staff will finalize lease documents and oversee renovations; the item was approved to proceed with leasing the space as an interim measure while longer-term facilities are pursued.