Forsyth County North Carolina Government

We celebrated the opening of the The Solution Spay-Neuter Clinic at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter - NC today with a tour of the facility for the commissioners and the media.

Forsyth County commissioners approved an upfit for the Animal Shelter’s surgical suite and have leased it to the Humane Solution Spay-Neuter Program in exchange for providing spay/neuter services. Humane Solution is providing veterinary staff and volunteers to run the clinic.

With the shelter being filled to capacity several times in recent weeks, spaying and neutering to reduce the number of strays and unwanted animals has never been more important.

Creative Wellness Community Day 2024 will be held at United Health Centers, 2101 Peters Creek Parkway, on July 27 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. featuring a day of arts, wellness and family fun.

The event includes food trucks along with music, dance and poetry performances. It’ll also feature health screenings, yoga, art therapy workshops, wellness talks, information on community resources and the opportunity to contribute to a community mural. This transformational event celebrates the power of the arts and holistic practices in mental and physical health.

New County Manager Shontell Robinson will hold her next Listening Sessions from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the following Forsyth County Library branches:

Clemmons Library - Tues, July 30
Malloy/Jordan - Thurs, Aug 1
Lewisville - Tues Aug 6
Paddison Memorial - Tues, Aug 13
Rural Hall - Wed, Aug 14
Southside - Tues, Aug 20
Reynolda Manor - Wed, Aug 21

Medicaid Tailored Plans include home and community-based services to help members and caregivers get the support they need at home. Learn more at https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/tailored-plans/19151i

Forsyth County Public Health is holding a Back to School Event with Mia Magazine with free backpacks and school supplies in the parking lot of Compare Foods, 951 Silas Creek Parkway, on Saturday, July 27, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Domestic violence in the home​ affects more than just adults.

Our Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center serves individuals and families impacted by Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Elder Abuse, Child Maltreatment and Human Trafficking.

It's located at
725 Highland Avenue Annex 1
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 776-3255
Service Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm
https://forsyth.cc/bridgestohope/

Deputy County Manager Damon Sanders-Pratt will retire at the end of July after 28 years of service to the county.

Sanders-Pratt joined Forsyth County Government as a Budget & Management analyst in 1996. He worked his way up over the years as a deputy clerk to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, special assistant to the manager and assistant county manager. In 2009, he became a deputy county manager.

As deputy county manager, the departments he oversees include Parks and Recreation, Emergency Services, Cooperative Extension Service and the county’s Public Library system.

Sanders-Pratt led the construction efforts for many new facilities, including the current courthouse, Central Library and Kaleideum museum in downtown Winston-Salem. He also oversaw the construction of the current branch libraries in Kernersville and Clemmons, new parks in Tobaccoville and Belews Lake, improvements at the Public Safety Building and renovations of other facilities.

“Damon Sanders-Pratt has ably served the county for the past 28 years in a number of operations areas that culminated in his service as the deputy county manager’s role for the past 15 years,” said Martin. “While serving as vice chairman and chairman, I have had the pleasure of participating in several ground-breaking and dedication ceremonies. Damon has always provided me with draft remarks to use on these special occasions. He is a creative writer and always provided me not only with the necessary details of the project but added some humor and interesting background information related to the project. When talking to him about his retirement plans, I was pleased to learn that he has plans to research and write a book. I look forward to reading that but want to thank him for his significant service to Forsyth County and wish him well.”

County Commissioner Vice Chair Gloria Whisenhunt, who became a commissioner the same year Damon was hired by the county, described him as a successful and well-regarded deputy manager and says she will miss his sense of humor, his great smile and his devotion to Forsyth County.

County Manager Shontell Robinson describes Sanders-Pratt’s leadership style as “servant leadership.”

“He treats every person with civility, trust and respect and acts as a selfless mentor and always displays positivity and optimism even in the toughest situations and challenges,” she said.

Dudley Watts, the previous county manger, called Sanders-Pratt a “consummate public sector leader.”

“His professionalism and dedication to the job, layered with his amazing sense of humor and mischievousness, made every day an adventure,” said Watts.

Sanders-Pratt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Washington & Lee University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He's served in numerous groups and boards over the years including Forsyth County Smart Start, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, North Carolina Local Government Budget Association, Forsyth Futures, YMCA, Novant Health Foundation, Twin City Youth Soccer Association, American Heart Association, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and the Lions Club.

“It’s been a privilege to spend the vast majority of my career with Forsyth County Local Government,” said Sanders-Pratt. “Being provided opportunities to work with many dedicated and talented coworkers and others on projects important to where I live has been rewarding. Serving in the Budget & Management Department and later the Manager’s Office has been a great experience. Seeing policy considerations, decisions, commitment, and the sacrifices Commissioners make for their constituents and Forsyth County has been invaluable. I’m glad to have had a small part in Forsyth County’s continued evolution.”

Today is International Self-Care Day. Join us in recognizing the importance of self-care in our wellbeing and visit the National Institute of Mental Health to learn about important ways to practice self-care. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health

Deputy Tax Assessor/Collector Michael D. Po***ck and Tax Assessor/Collector John Burgiss gave their annual presentation yesterday on taxes collected in the fiscal year 2023-2024. The tax collection rate was 99.29 percent (the fourth highest ever!) thanks to county taxpayers (93.5 percent of whom paid their taxes on time) and the hard work of the tax staff, some of which were in the audience. This is the ninth consecutive year the collection rate has been more than 99 percent. Tax bills for this year are anticipated to go out on July 26.

Medicaid Tailored Plans cover NEMT services or free rides to medical appointments. Learn more at https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/tailored-plans/moving-to-a-tailored-plan

Gray Wilson was sworn-in today as the newest Forsyth County commissioner.

Wilson is a local lawyer who was appointed to the seat formerly held by retired County Commissioner Dave Plyler and will serve out the rest of his term until the winners of this year's election for county commissioner are sworn-in in December.

To view his bio, visit https://forsyth.cc/Commissioners/meet_wilson.aspx

Forsyth County Community & Economic Development will be accepting applications for its upcoming Micro-Enterprise Individual Development Account (IDA) Program beginning August 1st through September 30th, 2024.

There will be two information sessions held at S.G. Atkins CDC Enterprise Center on Tuesday, July 23 at 6:00pm and Monday, August 12th at 6:00pm. about the specifics of eligibility and the application process.

The IDA program is a match savings program for low to moderate income persons who operate a business in Forsyth County. Participants will receive financial literacy education provided by Experiment in Self Reliance (ESR) and small business training provided by S.G. Atkins Community Development Corporation. Upon completion of the program, participants will be eligible to receive matching grants up to $16,000 toward approved business assets.

Eligibility:
- Located in Forsyth County
- In business on or prior to January 1, 2024
- Income less than 120% of the area median income (AMI)

Visit: https://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/housing/SmallBusinessIDA.aspx

New County Manager Shontell Robinson continued her Listening Sessions last night at Carver School Road Branch Library to hear from county residents.

Eight more meetings will be held from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the following Forsyth County Library branches:

Central Library - Thurs, July 18
Clemmons Library - Tues, July 30
Malloy/Jordan - Thurs, Aug 1
Lewisville - Tues Aug 6
Paddison Memorial - Tues, Aug 13
Rural Hall - Wed, Aug 14
Southside - Tues, Aug 20
Reynolda Manor - Wed, Aug 21

Real love is NEVER abusive or violent.​

Our Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center serves individuals and families impacted by Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Elder Abuse, Child Maltreatment and Human Trafficking.

It's located at
725 Highland Avenue Annex 1
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 776-3255
Service Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm
https://forsyth.cc/bridgestohope/