Winston-Salem City Council Meeting - October 7, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Winston-Salem City Council Meeting - October 7, 2024
The Winston-Salem City Council met on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 6:00 PM. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Allen Joines, with all nine council members present. The meeting included proclamations, a consent agenda with one item removed, several public hearings, and a closed session. The meeting adjourned at 7:06 PM.
Honorariums
- Proclamation Declaring October 2024 National Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Presented to Dr. J. Nelson-Weaver, Vice President of Clinical and Community Services of Family Services. Speakers highlighted partnerships with city departments and other agencies to support survivors.
- Proclamation Declaring Lights Out Winston-Salem 2024: Accepted by Chris Marsh, President of Forsyth Audubon Club, emphasizing collaboration to reduce light pollution and protect migratory birds.
- Proclamation Declaring October 2024 as Fire Prevention Month: Accepted by Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Chaz Browning, who noted that modern furnishings and open floor plans make fires more deadly and stressed the importance of working smoke alarms.
City Manager Update
City Manager Pate provided updates on:
- Hurricane Helene response: Over 20 fire department personnel, 60% of emergency management, and approximately 25 police officers deployed to western North Carolina; utilities on standby.
- Incident at the fair: Adults and juveniles acting inappropriately; police increasing surveillance; strong encouragement for families to attend together; no mandates yet.
- Customer Service Week celebrations.
- Upcoming events: Winston-Salem Beautiful Big Sweep (Oct 12), WSTA public input session (Oct 16), strategic planning drop-in sessions (Oct 21-30), Fire Station 13 rededication (Oct 17), International Village Festival (Oct 26).
- Recognition: State Attorney General Josh Stein presented Dogwood Awards to Chief William Penn and BEAR Team Director Kristen Ryan.
Consent Calendar
- Items C-1 through C-5, C-7, and C-8 were approved unanimously by voice vote after C-6 was removed for individual consideration.
- C-1: Resolution to apply for federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Replacement Program.
- C-2: Resolution authorizing changes in the State Highway Secondary Road System.
- C-3: Items related to use of Federal Transit Administration Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program (local match $80,000).
- C-4: Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant for BEAR Team expansion ($700,000).
- C-5: Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Ordinances amendment.
- C-7: Contract for replacement of four bus lifts to Alan Tye & Associates ($821,843.59).
- C-8: Approval of City Council Summary of Minutes from September 16, 2024.
Discussion Items
- C-6: Resolution Awarding Purchase Order for Sixty Ford Interceptor Police Pursuit Vehicles – Deacon Jones Ford – $2,395,974.00: Removed from consent for discussion. Councilmember Larson inquired about delivery of hybrid vehicles (three received so far) and whether hybrids are considered for police use. Motion to approve passed unanimously.
- G-1: Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Annual Report of the Downtown Winston-Salem Business Improvement District: Jason Thiel, president of Winston-Salem Downtown Partnership, presented the report. The BID raises about $600,000 annually from an additional property tax in the core downtown for clean, safe, and marketing programs. He acknowledged the Clean Team and the summer concert series. Councilmember Scippio praised downtown improvements. This was an information item only.
- G-2: Consideration of City Council’s 2024 Revised November Meeting Schedule: The city manager recommended moving the November 25 meeting to November 18 to avoid Thanksgiving week. Councilmember Adams questioned conflict with diversity training but was clarified. Motion approved unanimously.
- G-3 through G-5: Public Hearings on Street Closings (North Ward):
- G-3: Petition to close a portion of Deacon Boulevard and terminate the encroachment agreement for an underground pedestrian tunnel. No public comment. Councilmember Scippio asked for clarification; city staff explained the old portion will close only after the realigned Deacon Boulevard is built and accepted. Motion approved unanimously.
- G-4: Petition to close portions of Baity Street, Silas Street, and W 32nd Street. During the public hearing, an individual attempted to speak but was ruled out of order by the mayor (public comment not scheduled for that item). No other speakers. Motion approved unanimously.
- G-5: Petition to close portions of Bethabara Road, unnamed right-of-way, and Joyce Avenue. No public comment. Motion approved unanimously.
- G-6: Resolution Authorizing Annual Submission of Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant Application, Acceptance of Grant Funds and Execution of Subgrantee Agreements for Fiscal Year 2024: Presented by Shereka Floyd, Home Program Manager. The city is requesting more funds than previous years due to biannual application, system improvements (in-person assessments, removing bottlenecks), and a higher score (82% vs. national median 72%) enabling bonus requests. Councilmembers discussed communication with affected populations and assurance of receiving requested funds. Funds will be awarded in spring 2025. Motion approved unanimously.
Closed Session
A motion was made to go into closed session pursuant to N.C.G.S. §143-318.11(a)(1) and (6) to discuss applicants for city attorney and other personnel matters. The motion passed 8-0. The closed session ended, and a motion to adjourn was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved (8-0) with C-6 removed.
- C-6 (police vehicles) approved unanimously.
- G-2 (November meeting schedule change) approved unanimously.
- G-3, G-4, G-5 (street closures) approved unanimously.
- G-6 (homeless assistance grant) approved unanimously.
- City Council entered closed session (8-0) to discuss personnel.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'm Alan Joins, Mayor of Winston Salem. And I call to order this meeting of the Winston Salem City Council and ask the city clerk to call the roll, please. Councilmember Larson. President. Councilmember Clark. Here. Councilmember Mundy. Present. Councilmember Scipio. Mayor Pratim Adams. Here. Councilmember Taylor. Present. Councilmember McIntosh? Here. And Councilmember Burke. Here. Thank you very much. Would you please join the City Council meeting a moment of silence? Of course it goes without saying we're keeping our good friends and colleagues in the Western part of the state in their prayers every day. Would you please join the city council meeting the Pledge of Allegiance? Pledge allegiance to the United States of America to the Republic. One nation under God individual with liberty and justice. Thank you. Our Sergeant Arms tonight is Lieutenant L.A. Viewell. Lieutenant, thank you for uh being with us tonight. Um I would like to recognize our city manager, Mr. Pate for his uh update. Uh thank you uh your Honor. A couple of things that uh we want to to go over tonight, and um uh first I just want to give a just a quick note about uh uh Hurricane Helena uh impacts and and what the city is doing. The city has been playing an active role in trying to assist our colleagues in the western part of the state. We've had uh upwards in the in the upper 20s in our fire department that have been uh in the area. Uh 60 percent of our emergency management team is actually up there assisting other uh areas right now uh up in the middle in the middle twenties in terms of our police officers that are in that area now. There will be some rotation coming back and forth. Uh we know our utilities folks are on standby right now, will probably be deployed here in the next uh week or so to go out uh to the west to help with some of the the devastation that's going on in the utility system. So it it is it is very much as everybody's seeing a huge tragedy in that area. Uh the city has provided some other supplies to those. Our emergency management folks have reported back on some of the specific needs and some of the areas where they're at, and there's been some work and some uh reaching out to some of our local vendors or local businesses to actually help provide some things like specific types of clothing and other things to the to the area. So there's been a real great outpouring of community service towards helping our folks in western North Carolina, and I want to uh again applaud our employees that have already spent time going out there and being a part of this. This is not an not a typical assignment for anyone when they get there. They typically have to be self-contained. They're not don't necessarily have a place to stay, they don't have places where they can go get food to eat. Uh so it's it is it is really a labor of love for these folks uh in helping their other communities. So we do appreciate the the efforts that they're putting into that, and um so as they're coming back, they'll have lots of pictures and stories to share, I'm sure, of what they've seen in that area, but uh just wanted to mention that the city is playing a significant role. The city may be involved even more over the next few weeks, depending on some things that the feds might want to do. So we'll keep you informed as that uh comes up. The other item um just on to start with, I wanted to talk about is um I I did have the opportunity to go to the to the fair on several occasions um this weekend. It's uh it's a great event.
openpublica.com