The Winston-Salem City Council Committee of the Whole met on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM in the Council Chambers at 101 North Main Street. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Allen Joines and adjourned at 5:35 PM. All nine council members were present. The committee considered consent agenda items, several general agenda items including updates on the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS), affordable housing development, the strategic energy plan, and funding for a non-congregate emergency shelter, with two items deferred to the April 7, 2025 City Council meeting.
Item C-4 was removed from the consent agenda for individual discussion and later approved.
C-4 – Old Greensboro Road Bridge Replacement: Jeff Fansler, Director of Transportation, presented an update on the NCDOT agreement for replacing the bridge over Brushy Fork Creek (total cost $4,815,000). Preliminary engineering will begin, with design taking about 18 months and construction anticipated in 2027-2028, subject to coordination with other NCDOT projects on Old Greensboro Road. Council Member Scippio expressed concern about the timeline. The item was approved unanimously.
G-1 – Update on Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS): Kevin Cheshire, Executive Director of HAWS, provided a detailed presentation on Crystal Towers and other HAWS properties. He addressed resident concerns about maintenance, fire safety, and work order systems, providing data: 1,712 work orders closed in 2024 at Crystal Towers; $607,000 spent on maintenance there in 2024; zero open plumbing work orders at the time of January and February 2025 council meetings; and a draft assessment indicating plumbing in fair to good condition. He highlighted the challenges of aging public housing models and the need for federal advocacy and investment in wraparound services. Council members asked about HUD funding stability, bed bug issues at Healy Towers, and the phased capital improvement plan (over $2 million invested in phases 1-3 at Crystal Towers). This item was for information only; no vote taken.
G-2 – Choice Neighborhood Commercial Facade Improvement Grant Program: Samuel Hunter, Assistant Director of Neighborhood Services, presented the third installment of the Choice Neighborhood grant. The program will provide up to $40,000 in grants (not loans) to commercial businesses in the CNI target area for exterior improvements (siding, roofing, doors, windows, landscaping, fencing). Applicants must be current on taxes and have no code violations; tenants with at least one-year leases are eligible. The program will launch in May 2025 with a one-time funding tranche. Council Member Scippio inquired about outreach to businesses. The item was approved unanimously.
G-3 – Update on Affordable Housing Development Process – Proposal Review: Shantell McClam, Neighborhood Services Director, presented the results of Cycle 1 of the affordable housing development process. Of 50 proposals received, 26 were responsive from 8 developers. The evaluation team recommended conditional award of all four LITEC projects (totaling $6.465 million in gap financing, with $4 million allocated for this cycle) and conditional award of city-owned parcels to Sweitzer Homes LLC for seven single-family lots. The proposals included Windsor Chase (senior 72 units), Tulip Commons Phase II (60 units), McLean Crossing (72 units), and several single-family projects. The strategy is to conditionally award all four to maximize chances of state tax credit awards; unspent funds would roll to the June 2025 cycle. Council members asked for more information on Denton Construction Services (tiny homes) and requested parcel locations. This item was for information only; formal action will be sought at the April 2025 meeting.
G-4 – Report on Strategic Energy Plan: Dr. Shaleen Miller, Director of Sustainability, presented the strategic energy plan, a roadmap to reduce the city's carbon footprint. Key strategies include maximizing energy efficiency, expanding renewable energy (e.g., solar on buildings), increasing electrification of light-duty vehicles, and continuing partnerships. The city's greenhouse gas emissions have not changed significantly since 2008, but LED streetlight conversion (underway) is expected to yield an 8% reduction. Council Member Clark noted dependence on Duke Energy for clean electricity and discussed nuclear power prospects. Council Member Andree-Bowen asked about public EV charging. This item was for information only.
G-5 – Funding to Family Services, Inc. for a Non-Congregate Emergency Shelter: Shereka Floyd, HOME Program Manager, presented a request for $1.5 million in HOME-ARP funds to support construction of a new non-congregate shelter for domestic violence victims. The shelter will replace the existing 1929 building, doubling capacity, with 30,000 square feet and units for up to 90-day crisis stays and six-month bridge housing. The total project cost is $10.8 million; Family Services has raised over 50% of that amount in under a year. The new shelter will comply with a 15-year use period. Council Member Scippio was excused from voting due to her board membership with Family Services. The item was approved unanimously.
Typically these are items that have already been uh recommended unanimously by a committee of the city council or being submitted in accordance with city uh procedure. Generally it's no discussion of the items on this agenda unless the council member so request in which they will remove the item individually and uh will consider it. Items not removed, we'll be inactive to one motion. Uh council members, are there any items on this consent agenda you would like to have removed? C four C4, Councilmember. I move for approval of the battle for the consent agenda. Second. Second by council member Clark. All those in favor of that motion, uh please say aye. Aye. Any opposed no. I'm thinking council member uh joyner, you voted yes, I believe. Give me a thumbs up. I did. Okay, I got you now. All right. All right, we'll go to item C4. Item C4, consideration of items related to the North Carolina Department of Transportation agreement for replacement of the old Greensboro Road Bridge over Brushy Fork Creek. Councilmember Sipio. Yes. Um this is going to be a major um for that bridge. So I'd just like for you to let us know and the public know what is the timetable for this. Thank you, Councilmember Scipio, and good afternoon. Mayor Join, Mayor Pro Tem Adams, members of the committee and council. Uh good question. So this this at a high level is just an agreement with NCDOT to fund the replacement of the old Greensboro Road Bridge just east of Fish Street. And right now, this item really allows us to enter that agreement and just start the preliminary engineering work. And so that that work will commence. Obviously, we have to get under contract for design services. That'll take some time. But right now, this project will be in design for the next about 18 months with uh a lot of make ready work and then it'll go into construction in 2027, 2028. There's one thing I wanted to make sure that we're having to coordinate closely that the committee is aware of, and I want to be clear because NCDOT has other bridge replacement projects on Old Greensboro Road out towards Limble out towards Limble Road. And so this project will have to be closely coordinated with those projects because it will affect traffic in the whole area. You think about schools at Atkins in the vicinity and things like that. So we'll be coordinating very closely with both projects. And so while we say 2027, 2028, it is really contingent on that coordination details as we worked at those new lots with the North Carolina DOT. So happy to answer any further questions. Thank you. That was my concern. Would you like to make a motion? Yes, I move that we approve C4. Okay. Second by uh council member Hall. All any discussion. All those in favor of that motion, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed, no. And that is unanimous. Thank you very much. We'll now go to the general agenda.