Good evening, everyone.

I'm Alan Joins, Mayor of Winston Salem.

It's my pleasure to call to order this January 5th meeting of the Winston Salem City Council and ask the city clerk to call the roll, please.

Councilmember Joyner.

Present.

Councilmember Clark.

Councilmember Andrew Bowen.

Councilmember Scipio.

Present.

Mayor Praetim Adams.

Here.

Councilmember Taylor.

Present.

Councilmember Hall.

Present.

And Councilmember Burke.

Here.

Thank you.

Would you please join the City Council and meet in a moment of silence?

Thank you very much.

Would you join the City Council meeting the Pledge of Allegiance?

Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic.

One nation under God with liberty and justice from thank you.

Our Sergeant Honor tonight is Lieutenant Chu and our Fire Marshal is Fire Marshal Watson.

We thank both of you for being with us tonight.

We are televising this meeting live tonight on TV 13.

And it will be replayed tomorrow at 9 a.m.

and again Wednesday night at 9 p.m.

Of course, as you know, copies of our agendas as well as videos of previous meetings are always available online on the city's website.

And you just click on the watch meetings online option.

I'd like to recognize our city manager for his uh update.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Uh a couple of items tonight.

First, the City of Winston Salem has released its fiscal year 2627 community agency funding request for proposals and funding applications, and that was done today.

The city is offering two separate requests for proposals.

One will cover local funding through the city's general fund.

The second will cover intergovernmental funding or entitlement funding, including the community development block grants, the home investment partnership program funds, housing opportunities for persons with aids, emergency solutions grants, and rapid unsheltered survivor housing funds.

Applications are available through the neighborly application portal and can be accessed on the city's website.

And again, that'll be open for um, I think for the better part of the month.

Nominations are also being accepted through February 27th for the Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Memorial Walk of Fame.

Nominees must have sustained excellence in their artistic field, the deceased, and former residents of Winston Salem.

More information is available, including the nomination form on our website under City of Winston Salem.org walk off fame.

And I should have said on the previous item on the grants, it's also on our website, City of Winston Salem.org/slash budget.

The recreation and parks department has updated its fee schedule for 2026, primarily affecting Nate Recreation Center rental fees and summer camp and after school fees, which was done by the city council as a part of your budget process.

Due to rising costs for maintenance, utilities and supplies have made it necessary to increase some of our fees to support the programs and activities offered at these community centers.

Financial assistance is available for seniors, low-income households, and people with disabilities for select programs.

And these fees are consistent with what um are typically being charged in our surrounding communities.

In terms of solid waste collection updates, our leaf collection round two collections have moved to quadrants three and four, which are the west and northwest sections.

Once these areas have been completed, uh round three and the final round will begin again in quadrants one and two.

If you have a Christmas tree that you want to dispose, the city is offering several options for residents who need to do that.

Residents in single family homes inside the city limits can put their Christmas trees at the curb for pickup during their regular city brush collection day.

All lights, decorations, tree stands, and nails must be removed from the trees.

Please be aware that it may take several weeks to collect all of the trees in town.

And more of information is also available on the city's website if you would like to get that.

The Office of Sustainability is accepting nominations for people who lead the way in making Winston Salem more sustainable.

They have award types for the young leader of the year for 18 and under, a resident of the year, green initiative of the year, and organization of the year.

And the categories that they're looking for nominees are in energy reduction and renewables, wildlife preservation and native plants, waste reduction or management, quality of life improvement, water conservation or mitigation pollution.

So I think there should be mitigation.

The nomination form is available on the website at City Wants to Salem.org slash sustainability.

Winners will be honored at the Piedmont Environmental Alliance Fair on April 18th, 2026.