Winston-Salem General Government Committee Meeting: August 11, 2025
Winston-Salem General Government Committee Meeting – August 11, 2025
The General Government Committee of the Winston-Salem City Council met on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 4:00 PM under Chair Mayor Pro Tempore Denise D. Adams. The committee considered a consent agenda with two items and five general agenda items. Notable discussions included a proposal to lease public parkland for a new downtown amphitheater, a presentation on the WS/FC Housing Loan Fund, and approvals for a pier naming, additional Choice Neighborhoods funding, and a loan assumption for Goler Manor. The meeting adjourned at 5:31 PM.
Consent Calendar
- C-1: Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant Application – Pulled for discussion. Housing Programs Manager Sherika Floyd explained the application process, including community rating panels and review by the Commission on Ending Homelessness. Council Member Hall expressed support for improved transparency. The committee later approved the item (vote 4-0) and forwarded it to the City Council.
- C-2: 1814 E. 18th Street Demolition – Approved consent vote. Public hearing set for September 2, 2025.
Discussion Items
- G-1: Downtown Amphitheater Lease – Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe presented a proposal by Don Flow (Flow Automotive), Jim Brammer (Concert Stuff Group), and Bucky Dame to lease city-owned parkland for a 5,000-seat amphitheater. The lease would be for five years with a two-year extension option at $12/year. A Recreation & Parks Commission resolution supported negotiations. Concerns raised by Council Members included:
- Impact on residents (Crystal Towers, Sixth Street) and road closures.
- Noise and compliance with the 11 PM curfew.
- Whether the site was considered for affordable housing (staff confirmed it was not).
- Revenue distribution (artists receive most proceeds; some free community events planned).
- Police security costs (off-duty officers paid by event organizers).
- Alternative venues (Corpening Plaza, Winston Square Park) – determined too small. Council Member Hall expressed general support but stressed inclusive planning. Council Member Burke questioned the $12 lease fee and noted the city’s priority on affordable housing. Chair Adams voiced concerns about lack of prior public notice and requested data on tourism growth. A motion to forward the item to City Council without recommendation failed 2-2 (Joiner, Hall aye; Adams, Burke nay). However, the committee later voted 4-0 to forward it without recommendation after Chair Adams declared a deadlock and moved forward without a formal recommendation. The item will go to City Council on September 2, 2025.
- G-2: WS/FC Housing Loan Fund Presentation – Elaine Summerfield (Winston-Salem Foundation) presented a plan for a $40 million housing loan fund, with $10 million in top-loss capital from philanthropy. The fund, managed by Self-Help Ventures Fund, would provide acquisition bridge and gap financing for affordable housing. Council Member Joiner asked about the Durham fund’s status; it is fully deployed and being expanded. Mayor Joines noted the city may consider seeding the fund. No vote taken; presentation for information.
- G-3: Salem Lake Pier Naming in Honor of Brian K. Hutchins – William Royston (Recreation & Parks) described Hutchins’ 30+ years of service, including overseeing fishing tournaments and working while on dialysis. The pier was recently renovated. The committee approved (4-0) forwarding to City Council.
- G-4: Additional Funding for Choice Neighborhoods Phase 2 & 3 – Samuel Hunter (Neighborhood Services) requested $3 million additional to close a $5.5 million gap for 112–115 mixed-income units (Phase 2: 72 units, Phase 3: 42 units). HUD could cover the remaining $2.5 million if the city commits $3 million. Phase 1 (81 units) is fully leased. Council Member Scipio asked about tax implications; Aspire (Housing Authority) will provide details. The committee approved (4-0) forwarding to City Council.
- G-5: Goler Manor II Loan Assumption – Shantell McClam (Neighborhood Services) presented a $200,000 HOME loan assumption by Goler Manor II, LLC to facilitate renovations of a 79-unit senior complex with a 4% LIHTC award. Tanya Skillman (Anchor) noted the $25 million renovation scope. Council Member Joiner asked about financial sustainability. The committee approved (4-0) with an amended contingency for any future LIHTC award, not limited to 2025. Forwarded to City Council.
Key Outcomes
- C-1: Approved and forwarded to City Council.
- C-2: Approved on consent; public hearing September 2, 2025.
- G-1: Forwarded to City Council without recommendation despite a 2-2 tie on the motion (resulting in a deadlock and subsequent forwarding).
- G-3: Approved and forwarded.
- G-4: Approved and forwarded.
- G-5: Approved and forwarded with amended contingency.
Meeting Transcript
No, everyone. Welcome to the general government committee. As you all know, we did not meet during the month of July. So we are I'm really, I think we had a packed agenda in June. I'm almost sure of it. And uh I'm glad to see that this one is not so much packed today. Uh we have two consent items and we have five general agenda items. And usually the uh process for committee and the council is that we uh review the consent items first, but first are there any first clerk call the role, please. See, this is what happens when you get a month off from school. Um chairperson, Mayor Pro Tim. Here vice chair, council member joyner. Present. Councilmember Burke here, and council member hall. Here would the clerk please call with any uh council members, committee members. Well, all I got is the well, I got one council member. How are you doing? Doing good. All right. Would like to see any of the consent items pulled. I think earlier uh councilmember uh Hall Ford said that Ford Hall said that she wanted C1 pulled. Yes. Okay, uh may are there any others. If not, now I have a motion to receive the balance of the consent agenda. Move for approval. Second. All those in favor of the uh motion. Uh we will we're voting with verbal, right? All of those please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, like signed. Would the clerk please call item C1? Item C1 resolution authorizing annual submission of continuum of care homeless assistance grant application, acceptance of grant funds, and execution of subgrantee agreements. Councilmember. Thank you. Um Mayor Pro Tim Adams. Thank you for being here. I uh called this, pulled this item because I wanted to make sure that uh residents understood just kind of what the protocol was once we receive federal funds from um HUD and then how that is broken down with our continuum of care, particularly as we are allocating funds to local agencies who may operate in this space. No problem. Sharika Floyd Housing Programs Manager with the neighborhood services department. Um currently the res the action item that you have before you is for us to actually apply for funds for the next um HUD fiscal year. So we are um we opened our application cycle for local agencies to submit applications. Um we will submit our application to HUD once the RFP from HUD is released. Once the agency submit applications, we have a rating panel consisting of seven individuals from the community who review the applications, they complete site visits and then they determine on a ranking score on how the funds are distributed in the community. The recommendations from the rating panel are then presented to the continuum care council. The Contemporary Care Council is a group of over 48 agencies, advocates, and local providers from Novant to our local shelters that um review that recommendation, and that recommendation again goes to our continuum of care commission on ending homelessness. The commission on ending homelessness is 16 individuals appointed by city council and the mayor, as well as by the containment care council and the county commissioners who oversee the funds, policies, and procedures, and though um they will submit that for approval and then it will come back here to you to the city council for approval for the submission of the application. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim. I just want to say, Ms. Floyd, that uh probably uh our newer members don't know that we did tweak or edit our process over the past year or so.
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