Apr 2025 - Vol. 7
The ribbon was cut on the new J. Dudley Watts Jr. Belews Lake Park on March 24.
Forsyth County Commissioners to Hold Budget Meetings
Forsyth County Commissioners are holding a series of meetings on the 2025/2026 budget.
Budget workshops will be held leading up to the presentation of the manager’s proposed budget in May and the commissioners adopting a budget in June. The budget sets the county’s spending and tax rate for the next fiscal year, which will begin July 1.
- Commissioners Budget Workshop on April 7 starting at 9 a.m.
- Commissioners Meeting on May 8 at 2 p.m. when the county manager will present a proposed budget
- Detailed Budget Presentation on May 15 beginning at 9 a.m.
- Budget Public Hearing on May 19 at 6 p.m.
- Budget Workshop on May 22 starting at 9 a.m.
- Budget Workshops on May 29 and June 2 starting at 9 a.m. (if needed)
- Special Meeting to possibly adopt the budget on June 5 at 2 p.m.
If the budget isn’t adopted by the commissioners on June 5, the commissioners will consider it at a later meeting in June, but prior to June 30, as required by state statutes.
All budget meetings and workshops are held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St. Free parking is available in the Government Center’s deck.
Meetings and the Public Hearing are held in the Commissioners Meeting Room on the Fifth Floor, and Workshops are held in the Fourth Floor Multi-Purpose Room. They will all be streamed on Facebook, YouTube and the county’s website, forsyth.cc.
To view information about the current 2024/2025 budget and past county budgets, visit: https://forsyth.cc/budget/.
Protecting Against West Nile Virus
Watch Ryan Harrison, a Vector Control Specialist with Forsyth Public Health, in action as he looks for potential areas where mosquitoes could breed at the home of Forsyth Communications Director Ed McNeal.
Mosquitoes can carry diseases like the West Nile Virus and infect humans they bite. To help control the mosquito population, residents should pay attention to standing water on their property that mosquitoes can breed in. Residents should dump out any standing water around their home every seven days and after rain. If the water cannot be dumped, it should be treated with a larvicide to kill any mosquito larvae.
You can view the full property walkthrough Harrison did for this video here.
For more information, visit our Mosquito Control webpage.
County Manager
Spring is here and that means the budget season has started. Work is underway to produce one of the most important documents in all of county government: a balanced budget.
Last year, the budget directed how we would spend $583.7 million. Creating the budget includes understanding the needs of the community we serve, making sure we meet our many statutory responsibilities, and supporting our team who carry out this important work. As part of this process, we are also responsible for setting a tax rate annually. This year, that rate is being determined based on the new property appraisals.
What’s in the county budget? It funds the following areas:
Public Safety- Emergency Management, Emergency Services, Sheriff’s Office
Health and Health Services- Animal Shelter, Social Services, Public Health, Behavioral Health Services, Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center
Education- Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, NC Cooperative Extension Service
Culture and Recreation- Forsyth County Libraries and Parks
Community and Economic Development- Airport, Community and Economic Development, City/County Planning and Development
Administration and Support Services- Budget & Management, Finance, General Services, Human Resources, Management Information Services, MapForsyth, Purchasing, Attorney, County Commissioners and Manager, Communications
General Government- Board of Elections, Register of Deeds, Tax Administration
The budget touches the life of every resident in Forsyth County. For that reason, we want to make sure that you know the various ways to hear and participate in the Budget workshops and meetings. That schedule is in this newsletter and on our website. You can see these sessions in person or live via the Forsyth County YouTube page, our Facebook page, and WSTV13 on Spectrum Cable. I hope to see you there.
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
Forsyth County Commissioners attended ribbon cutting celebrations for the new Belews Lake Park, 7455 Craig Rd, and the renovated Strickland Center at Forsyth Technical Community College in March.
The Commissioners meeting schedule for this month will be
Monday, April 7- Commissioners will hold a 9 a.m. Budget Workshop followed by a 2 p.m. Briefing
Thursday, April 10- Commissioner will hold a Regular Meeting at 2 p.m. where they’ll vote on various items and hear from residents during their regular public comment session
Monday, April 21- Commissioners will hold a 2 p.m. Briefing
Thursday, April 24- Regular Commissioners Meeting at 2 p.m. that includes public comments and voting on items
Meetings are held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St. Meetings are streamed live in their entirety on the Forsyth County YouTube, Facebook, as well as the Forsyth County website and are also broadcasted live on WSTV13 on Spectrum cable.
In May, the Commissioner will hold a series of Budget meetings and workshops, including an evening Public Hearing on the budget, and will adopt the budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year in June. You can view the Commissioners full schedule here.
County Commissioners and staff attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference in Washington, DC from March 1-4 and met with legislators who represent our area to discuss the concerns and needs of our community.
J. Dudley Watts Jr. Belews Lake Park Ribbon Cutting
We cut the ribbon on the J. Dudley Watts Jr. Belews Lake Park, located at 7455 Craig Road, last month. Former County Manager Dudley Watts, who the park is named after, was in attendance along with elected officials, and representatives from Duke Energy (who sold the land to the County), and Stimmel Associates and Bar Construction (who built the park).
Community Baby Shower to be Held April 12
Forsyth County Department of Public Health is holding a Community Baby Shower for expecting mothers and mothers with young children on Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Health and Human Services Campus, 799 N. Highland Avenue.
The event will feature free resources, raffle prizes, games, giveaways, food and expert advice on maternal and infant health. It's designed to address disparities in black maternal health.
Attendees are encouraged to preregister by April 5 for the event.
Wear Jeans on April 30 for Sexual Assault Awareness
Everyone is encouraged to wear jeans on Wednesday, April 30, for Denim Day to support survivors of sexual assault and raise awareness of sexual violence.
Denim Day is part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which takes place in April. The day came about after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans, with justices reasoning the victim must have helped her attacker take off her pants, which implied consent. The next day, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans in solidarity with the victim.
Businesses and organizations are encouraged to let their employees wear jeans on Denim Day or another day in April.
Locally, survivors of sexual assault can seek help from the Forsyth County Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center, which serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child maltreatment, elder abuse and human trafficking.
Forsyth County Bridges to Hope is located at 725 Highland Avenue in Winston-Salem. It’s open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and can be reached at (336) 776-3255.
Men Talk Too on Financial Health and Doctor’s Visits
Our Men’s Health program holds “Men Talk Too!” discussions twice a month on a wide range of topics that affect men.
This month’s meetings are held from 6-7 p.m. at Forsyth County Central Library, 660 W. Fifth St. in the Third Floor Reading Room. Light refreshments will be provided.
April 1- Let’s Talk Financial Health
Danny Freeman, the CEO/Principal Advisor of Darda Financial Services and author of “Building Wealth through Spiritual Health,” will discuss financial health.
April 15- Let’s Talk About Getting the Most Out of Your Doctor’s Visit
Dr. John Card, the Physician Liaison for Novant Health’s Office of Health Equity and Community Engagement for the Greater Winston-Salem area, will speak about getting the most out of a doctor’s visit.
Drug Prevention Education Available for Youth Groups
Do you work with youth ages 13-18 or are part of a youth organization? Are you interested in drug prevention education for the youth you work with, provided by our substance use health educator?
You can fill out the interest form for Forsyth County Behavioral Health Services’ Youth Substance Use Prevention Program here: forms.office.com/g/Vb04A4adt3.
The program uses the Safety First prevention education curriculum, developed by Stanford University's REACH Lab. Designed for youth ages 13-18, the program includes 13 lessons on alcohol, opioids/fentanyl, psychedelics, and other drugs, as well as healthy coping strategies, mindfulness, and media literacy. Additional lessons focus on tobacco, vaping, and cannabis prevention. While the curriculum encourages abstinence, it also includes harm reduction strategies and provides scientifically accurate information to empower youth to quit or reduce harm if they are using substances. All resources are free and available online.
Career Development Workshop for High Schoolers
Forsyth Public Health is hosting a Career Development Workshop for high school students in Forsyth County on April 9 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hear from guest speaker LaShanda Morgan, PHR, HR Consultant at NC State University, and various organizations that offer career development resources and services. For more information and to register, visit: https://forms.office.com/g/VXXhYizmU1.
Community Health Survey
Take the Community Health Assessment Survey today to help identify priority health issues in our community and guide the development of programs and projects.
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