The City Council Committee of the Whole met on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM in the City Hall, 101 North Main Street, Winston-Salem. All nine council members were present. The meeting covered consent agenda items, finance, public works, general government, and public safety topics, lasting until 3:46 PM. Key actions included approval of license renewals, budget amendments, a Microsoft enterprise agreement, and a greenway wayfinding project, along with informational updates on the annual audit, area planning, homelessness initiatives, and police district four progress.
No public comments were made during the meeting.
Financial Statement Audit, Single Audit, and Annual Comprehensive Financial Report – CFO Kelly Latham introduced the audit; Dan Gogerty of Cherry Beckert presented. The city received an unmodified (clean) opinion. The single audit is delayed due to late federal guidelines (issued day before Thanksgiving) but is expected within a week. No material weaknesses, control deficiencies, or corrected adjustments were identified. Uncorrected adjustments were technical accounting items with no cash impact. The city adopted GASB 101 on compensated absences, adding a $5 million liability (no cash flow effect). No financial performance indicators of concern. The report is pending Local Government Commission approval; posting expected within one to two weeks.
Resolution Approving a New Microsoft Enterprise Agreement with SHI International Corporation – $3,965,406 – CIO Tom Kureczka presented a three-year renewal (March 1, 2026 – February 28, 2029). The contract covers city-wide licensing for servers, desktops, cloud services, and includes new tools: 250 M365 Copilot add-ons (AI), enhanced e-discovery, remote device management, and cyber analytics. Annual costs: Year 1 – $1.18M, Year 2 – $1.2M, Year 3 – ~$1.5M. Savings from retiring existing tools estimated at $50,000–$100,000. Training and AI data security were discussed. Council Member Scippio confirmed the agreement supports police department technology needs. Motion by Mayor Pro Tempore Adams, second by Council Member Scippio; approved 8-0.
Overview of Forward 2045 Area Plan Process – Assistant Planning Director Amy Crum presented the new area plan series covering every parcel in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Key changes: focus solely on land use (not repeating transportation or other plans), shorter documents with more graphics, and new boundaries based on geography (not wards). The first plan (Northeast Suburban) begins January 28, 2026, with three to five public meetings per plan area. Plans will take about six years, with two per year. Council Member Joiner asked about property owner rights – no zoning changes; recommendations only. Council Member Joiner also requested youth engagement. Council Member Scippio emphasized overlaying other plans. This item was for information only.
Update on Homelessness Initiatives – Housing Program Manager Shereka Floyd presented the second part of an earlier briefing. Accomplishments: revived Project Homeless Connect, increased city-county partnership (county contributed $181,194 in local funds for shelter operations), winter shelters opened (Annex 2 with 35 beds, plus others). As of January 4, 2026, 75 women and 167 men served. Coordinated entry system revamped with a light-touch assistance program for rapid re-housing. A 24/7 call center contract with NC211 was signed. Needs: staff wages (60% below living wage), interim housing for families and single women, non-congregate shelter options, affordable housing, and housing retention. Future ideas include master leasing, rehabbing city-owned properties (10 units on Burton Street being renovated for permanent supportive housing), tiny houses (e.g., Eden Village model), and a Tampa Hope-style warehouse project. Council Member Adams requested city contribution figures; City Manager Lanier noted total homeless spending ~$3.7 million (including Continuum of Care, ESG, CDBG). Council discussed public restrooms, point-in-time count methodology (HUD requires sundown, but council encouraged alternative daytime counts for advocacy). Item was for information only.
I get the sadest books for you. I just want us to stop until you want to be about you, baby. Just for me, just want to stop you. And if I get the back, I think the back of the back. And ask the city clerk to call the roll, please. Councilmember joyner. Present. Councilmember Clark. Councilmember Andrew Bowen. Here. Councilmember Scipio. President. Mayor Pro Tim Adams. Here. Councilmember Taylor. Present. Councilmember Hall. Present. And Councilmember Burke. Here. Thank you very much. We do have we'll be uh in the past, we'll we'll do the consent agenda and then we'll turn the various uh committees over to the appropriate uh chairman to move forward. Uh Councilmember, are there any items on the consent agenda you'd like to have removed? So you know when uh I'll declare uh for a motion. Thank you. Second second by council member Hall. All those in favor of the motion to approve the consent agenda, please say aye. Aye. When opposed, no, and that is unanimous. Thank you. We'll now go to the finance committee, and I'll turn the meeting over to the chairman. Uh Mr. Clark. Sure. Where is Rell? I see you out there. But first items city clerk, please read the first item. Information on the financial statement audit, single audit, and the annual comprehensive financial report. Okay. Ms. Rao, I'll let you or Ms. Latham, whoever wants to talk may talk. Good afternoon, Chair Clark. Mayor joins, Mayor Pro Tim Adams and members of City Council. Um before I turn it over to our auditors, Cherry Beckert, um, Dan Gogerty is here. Um, I have been asked to brief you um on the penny rounding situation. Um, given the fact that the Secretary of the Treasury has ceased production on the penny. We are beginning to have some shortages uh with our penny change fund. And the banks also have a limited supply of pennies, therefore, um I believe you were briefed on Friday that we are implementing a rounding policy, much similar to what USPS and some of the other larger companies are doing. Um this is called symmetric rounding, where you round up or down.