General Government Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026
General Government Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026
The General Government Committee of the Winston-Salem City Council met on June 8, 2026, at 3:00 PM (rescheduled from 4:00 PM) under Chair Mayor Pro Tempore Denise D. Adams. Present: Council Members Vivián V. Joiner and Barbara Hanes Burke. Council Member Regina Hall was absent. The meeting covered consent agenda items and five general agenda items, followed by a closed session and adjournment at 4:31 PM.
Consent Calendar
- C-1. Ordinance Amending Chapter 46 of the City Code Relating to Noise – Phase 2: Committee recommended approval, forwarded to City Council on June 15, 2026.
- C-2. Approval of the General Government Committee Summary of Minutes (April 13, 2026): Approved by consent vote.
Discussion Items
- G-1. Proposed Downtown Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Skate Park Partnership with Skate WS Foundation – Jason Thiel (President, Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership), Bryan Ledbetter, and Jerry Cooper (Skate WS Foundation) presented the concept of a "HiWatt" skate plaza between 7th and 8th Streets on Marshall. Features include a pump track, children's playground, walking path, and branded amenities. Estimated cost: $1.5–$2 million. Council Member Joiner moved to direct staff to prepare a complete exhibit and plan for City Council. Motion seconded by Council Member Burke, carried 3-0.
- G-2. Resolution Supporting Partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Triad, Inc. – Ben Rowe (Assistant City Manager) and William Royston (Director of Recreation and Parks) presented. The partnership would locate after-school and summer programming at Minnie Lee Davis Harris Community Center, with potential expansion. Council Member Burke moved approval; motion seconded by Council Member Joiner. Committee recommended approval, forwarded to City Council on June 15, 2026. Vote: 3-0.
- G-3. Resolution Awarding a Contract to Provide Services within the Downtown Winston-Salem Business Improvement District (BID) – Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership (DWSP) – $714,460 – Ken Millett (Economic Development Director) presented. DWSP was the sole proposer for three scopes (cleaner environment – scored 500/500; enhanced physical appearance – 493/500; stronger marketing and promotion – 490/500). The economic development scope will be handled separately. Five-year contract beginning July 1, 2026. Council Member Burke expressed support but emphasized the need for intentional economic development in underinvested areas like the Northeast Ward. Motion by Council Member Joiner, seconded by Council Member Burke. Carried 3-0.
- G-4. Resolution Authorizing S.G. Atkins Community Development Corporation Co-Housing Project Location Site, Service Change and Six-Month Extension – Project moved from North Patterson to a site behind the Enterprise Center. Service changed from five mothers with children to four mothers with accompanying children. Contract extended from December 31, 2026, to June 30, 2027. Council Member Burke moved approval; seconded by Council Member Joiner. Carried 3-0.
- G-5. Request for a Public Hearing on UDO-CC35 Text Amendments to Chapters 3–9 of the Unified Development Ordinance – A. Murphy (Planning) presented 16 changes (10 spelling/numbering corrections, 3 clarifications, 3 conflict removals). Clarifications include exempting townhomes and four-unit or fewer multifamily buildings from MLKO standards, aligning child care facility standards with state statute, and removing the three-year renewal requirement for land clearing inert debris landfills. Planning board unanimously recommended approval. Committee approved the request for a public hearing set for August 17, 2026. Motion by Council Member Joiner, seconded by Council Member Burke. Carried 3-0.
Closed Session
- A motion to enter closed session pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(5) to instruct staff regarding the acquisition of real property was made by Mayor Pro Tempore Adams, seconded by Council Member Joiner. Carried unanimously (3-0). The closed session ended and the meeting reconvened.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- G-1: Staff directed to develop a complete exhibit and plan for City Council on the DIY skate park.
- G-2, G-3, G-4: Recommended for approval, forwarded to City Council on June 15, 2026.
- G-5: Public hearing on UDO text amendments scheduled for August 17, 2026.
- Closed session held to discuss real property acquisition.
- Meeting adjourned at 4:31 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I played yesterday. I played my uh seventeen year old. Yeah. I wasn't going to call them on. I meant a lot more to him than it had. We need some of those. I feel like testing, testing. Testing. Testing. Testing, testing, testing. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Welcome to the general government meeting. As you know, we had to move the time a little bit, but it's okay. I see all of you are here, and thank you so much for being so uh common. What's it accommodating? Accommodating again. I was telling the mayor, I'm a little brain sleep today. I I was on roller skates by him yesterday all day. All day to last night. So I'm tired. Um we have the consent agenda and the general agenda. Um would anyone like to pull anything, any committee members uh from the consent agenda? And if not, could I get a motion to approve the consent agenda, please? Uh one thing to note uh C one is uh noise on this uh again, that's just a continuation of the conversations we've been having for the past probably two, three, four months. That's just a to make it citywide, the issues of the decimal readings for amplified noise. Okay. Could I have a motion or does anyone want to pull any item off the consent agenda to be reviewed by staff? Move for approval. Second. The consent agenda has been properly uh moved and seconded. All those in favor, please let it be known by saying aye. Thank you so much. Would the clerk please call the first item on the general uh agenda, please? Item G one, proposed downtown do it yourself, skate park partnership with Skate Winston Salem Foundation. Mr. Rao. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Adams, Mayor Joins, members of City Council. Uh just want to recognize Jason Thiel, who's the president of the downtown Winston Salem Partnership, and Brian Ledbetter and Jerry Cooper, who are part of Skate WS Foundation's uh staff has been in discussions with them about the uh prospect of developing a new downtown, what they call DIY skate park, and uh they're gonna provide you some information about the concept at this point, it's just uh really what the guidance we're looking from you all is uh to whether you want us to to move forward with discussions and develop a lease agreement with them. So I'll recognize Mr. Thiel, Mr. Ladbetter, Mr. Cooper. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, um Mayor, Mainer of the City Council, and committee members. Would you give your name and address it? Yes, ma'am, thank you. Jason Thiel, 515 North Cherry Street, President of the Downtown Winston Salem Partnership. Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate this opportunity to provide information to you today on this proposed DIY skate park.
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