Winston-Salem City Council Meeting September 3, 2024: Approvals, Housing Loan Forgiveness, and Economic Development
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Winston-Salem City Council Meeting Summary: September 3, 2024
The Winston-Salem City Council convened on September 3, 2024, at 6:00 PM to address a consent agenda, general agenda items, and a closed session. The meeting included a city manager update on economic development and community events, a proclamation for Smart Start Month, approval of all consent agenda items, a vote on housing loan forgiveness, and approval of a demolition order and economic development assistance for Project Kohlrabi.
Consent Calendar
All 22 items on the Consent Agenda were approved unanimously with one motion. Key items included:
- Ordinance repealing a portion of city code related to 45 MPH speed limits on Griffith Road (South and Southwest Wards).
- Ordinance amending firearms code to allow wildlife officers to discharge rifles at Smith Reynolds Airport for deer and wild turkey elimination until August 19, 2025.
- Acceptance of a $5,000 GHSP grant for the BikeSafe Regional Coordinator position.
- Acceptance of a 15th year of funding for the Forsyth County DWI Joint Task Force, including interlocal and mutual assistance agreements with Forsyth County and Kernersville.
- Resolutions authorizing grant applications and fund acceptance for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program and the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program.
- Resolution amending the location of the United Health Centers Transformational Grant from Northwest Boulevard/Liberty Street to Kernersville Road/Waughtown Street.
- Interlocal agreement with the Village of Clemmons for zoning enforcement and administrative services.
- Award of purchase order for five hybrid-electric buses to New Flyer of America Inc. for $5,232,900 under the FTA Low or No Emission Grant Program.
- Acceptance of FTA Section 5310 (Enhanced Mobility) and Section 5307 (Job Access Reverse Commute) grant awards.
- Purchase orders for concrete pipe and quarry products from Vulcan Construction Material, LP for $740,669.50.
- Declaration of city-owned equipment as surplus and authorization for public auction.
- Annual blanket purchase orders for sole source technology vendors.
- Engineering and design services agreement for Phase II of the Long Branch Trail with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. for $1,007,235.29.
- Construction contract for Winston Lake Golf Course tree removal with W Brown Construction, LLC for $720,657.27.
- Resolution rescinding prior council actions on certain economic development agreements/projects.
- Amendments to the FY 2024-2025 budget ordinances (August 2024 amendments).
- Approval of meeting minutes from August 19, 2024.
- Setting public hearing dates for three street closure petitions (Deacon Boulevard, Baity/Silas/32nd Streets, and Bethabara Road/Joyce Avenue) for October 7, 2024.
Public Comments & Testimony
No public comments were made during the public hearings for the following items:
- Demolition of 1818 N. Dunleith Street (G-3): No speakers.
- Economic development assistance for Project Kohlrabi (G-4): No speakers from the public; Ellis Keifer from Greater Winston-Salem spoke in support.
Discussion Items
- City Manager Update: City Manager Pate reported on the Midtown economic development project (presented by Coleman Team of Front Street Capital), the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in February 2025, a new historic neighborhood recognition program, mosquito and West Nile virus awareness, upcoming events (NC Board of Transportation visit, Fiesta Festival), and recognitions (Winston-Salem ranked #6 among mid-sized cities by Cleaver; $500,000+ National Park Service grant for Potter's House rehab at Historic Bethabara Park).
- G-2: Housing Finance Fund Loan Forgiveness – 207 N. Spring Street: Samuel Hunter, Assistant Director of Neighborhood Services, presented the request. The property is owned by Spring Street Co-op LLC, and the loan balance is $156,869.89. The request includes conditions: clear title within 12 months, recorded restrictive covenants for affordability (30-50% of AMI for 30 years), and certificate of occupancy within 24 months. Council members expressed concerns about property condition (vacant for 7 years) but supported with conditions.
- G-3: Demolition of 1818 N. Dunleith Street: Samuel Hunter presented that the property has been unoccupied for at least 6 months, with violations dating back to 2016; owner could not be contacted. More than 50% of the structure's present value is damaged. Councilmember Burke noted supporting demolition.
- G-4: Economic Development Assistance for Project Kohlrabi: Ken Millett presented that the company is Foster USA (Foster Cavinis), a fresh produce distributor. The project would create 305 new jobs (140 transferred) at an average salary of $55,452, and $6.25 million in capital investment. Staff recommends $86,550 in performance-based incentives (50% of net new property taxes over 5 years). Ellis Keifer from Greater Winston-Salem expressed support.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (7-0).
- G-1 (October Schedule): Approved unanimously (7-0).
- G-2 (Loan Forgiveness): Approved 6-1, with Council Member MacIntosh voting no. Conditions stipulated in the motion were acknowledged.
- G-3 (Demolition): Approved unanimously.
- G-4 (Project Kohlrabi): Approved unanimously.
- Closed Session: Held to discuss city attorney applicants and other personnel matters. No action taken following the closed session; meeting adjourned.
Discrepancy Note
The minutes state that the consent agenda was approved with 7 ayes, but the transcript indicates Mayor Joines did not vote. The general agenda votes also show 7 ayes (excluding the Mayor, consistent with standard practice). No other discrepancies noted.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. I'm Alan Joins, Mayor of Winston Salem. It's my pleasure to call to order this September 3rd meeting of the Winston Salem City Council. I would ask the uh city clerk to call the roll, please. Councilmember Larson. Present. Councilmember Clark is present coming in in a second. Councilmember Mundy. Councilmember Scipio. President. Mayor Per Tim Adams. Councilmember Taylor. Present. Councilmember Macintosh. Sure. And Councilmember Burke. We do have a quorum, counting the ones in the ante room. So please uh as we go into our moment of silence here. I just want us to keep uh our city clerk and in our thoughts and prayers for her loss recently. So we're sorry for that. If you please join city council and me in a moment of silence. Thank you. Would you please join the city council meeting the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag. And to the republic and individual with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Our Sergeant in Arms tonight is Lieutenant Barry Martin. Lieutenant, thank you for uh being with us tonight. I'd like to recognize our city manager for his uh update. Uh thank you, Your Honor. Just uh uh several things tonight, but I'm gonna start with uh uh with a report from um from Coleman Team, who's the president and managing partner of the Front Street Capitol, and he's gonna give us a quick update on the midtown economic development project. That's uh exciting thing happening in our community. So thank you, Coleman. Mr. Team Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Pate. Mayor joins, Mayor Pro Temp Adams, City Council. Um appreciate the opportunity to give you a quick update on this project. I feel like I was here not that long ago, and tonight is a exciting update, kind of a just a general update ahead of. We've been making so much progress since we last talked. The project is actually being made public starting next week. So tonight is to make you aware of that. It is to give you an update on the infrastructure projects. As you remember, we have 35 million dollars from the state that is funneling through the city for the implementation of some really strategic infrastructure projects that will allow the future funding of this project to happen. We have received our second round of pricing. As you'd imagine, infrastructure is significantly expensive, so we're massaging that budget, understanding what projects can be prioritized. Um we've been meeting monthly now with the city staff. Um sincere thanks to Aaron and Ben and the air full staff, those projects those without those meetings. This project, quite frankly, would not be breaking ground by the end of the year, and it would be a very long project.
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