What Johnston County voters should know about the Soil & Water board race 2026.
Disclosure: I am a candidate for this seat. I'm sharing public records so voters can see them for themselves. I'm not alleging that anyone did anything wrong.
This year, 2 seats on the Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors are on the ballot. Two current board members, John M. Langdon and Dewitt Hardee, are seeking re-election. Both have received public conservation funding while serving. Here is what the public records show.
John M. Langdon: state cost-share contracts
The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services publishes a report of cost-share contracts awarded to Soil & Water Conservation board members. It lists these for Mr. Langdon:
Contract 51-2024-015, Rock-lined Outlet, Johnston County: $7,965
Contract 51-2024-401, Non-field Farm Road BMP, $8,713 (noted as a repair to contract 51-2018-408)
Contract 51-2026-005, Grade Stabilization Structure, $22,332 (January 2026 supervisor contracts report)
These total $39,010. The state document includes a signed statement from Mr. Langdon that he did not vote on or try to influence the approval of his applications. North Carolina law (G.S. 139-4(e)) specifically says that a board member receiving a cost-share grant is not a conflict of interest. These contracts were disclosed through the state's own process.
Dewitt Hardee: conservation easements
The Johnston Soil and Water district's own website reports that the district purchased two conservation easements from Dewitt and %$#& Hardee, covering 52.66 and 25.31 acres along Johnsons Chapel Road north of Benson. According to that page, the Hardees received $552,000 for the larger tract and $261,000 for the smaller one, a total of $813,000. The money came from the state Farmland Preservation Trust Fund and the USDA Agricultural Land Easement Program. The page was last updated June 9, 2026.
A conservation easement is a one-time payment for permanently giving up development rights on farmland. Easements like this protect farmland, and I'm not suggesting the program is anything but legitimate.
Conservation funding is public money, and the Soil & Water board is a lower-profile office that few voters follow. Board members are allowed to apply for these programs. Voters should still know who has received them, how much, and how the approvals were handled. I am submitting a public records request for the meeting minutes and any recusal or conflict-of-interest disclosures tied to these awards and I'll share what I receive.
Sources: NCDA&CS Soil & Water Conservation Commission, Attachment 10, Commission Member Contracts; NCDA&CS January 2026 supervisor contracts report; Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District news page, "Soil and Water Conservation Purchases 78 Acres to Remain Farmland Forever"
That is all!
Carry on!
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