County Manager Shontell Robinson's monthly message encourages Facebook users to watch an upcoming series on men who survived prostate cancer.
June 2025 - Vol. 9
Forsyth County Commissioners participated in a ribbon cutting for the new Winston-Salem location for Excel Interior Door, which plans to invest $10.5 million and add 69 new jobs over the next 5 years.
Excel Interior Door brings jobs to Winston-Salem
Forsyth County Commissioners participated in a ribbon cutting for Excel Interior Door, which opened a new location in Winston-Salem last month to meet growing demands for its products. The Alabama-based company plans to invest $10.5 million and create 69 new jobs over the next 5 year in Forsyth County. It now occupies a 144,000 square-foot spec building on the campus of Union Cross Industrial Center.
The new facility was made possible, in part, by county incentives that will not exceed half of what the company will pay in County property tax over the next five years and is contingent on it meeting capital investment and job creation goals.
“We are happy to support the expansion of Excel Interior Door and provide them increased access to their customer base from here in Forsyth County,” says Don Martin, chair of the Forsyth County Commissioners. “With recent advanced manufacturing growth, we are confident that more companies will take advantage of our ideal location and talent pool.”
New Highland Avenue Park and facilities to open June 13
Forsyth County Government will hold a celebration for newly completed additions to its Health and Human Services Campus on June 13 from 10-11 a.m. in the newly renovated auditorium in Annex 1, 725 Highland Ave.
A guided tour will be offered after the ceremony. The tour will include the new Highland Avenue Park. The new park features a stage, courts for basketball and pickleball, and more.
It will also include renovations to the Highland Avenue Center, 650 Highland Avenue, which will house a new 16-bed adult facility-based crisis center. The renovations also include spaces for the County’s Behavorial Health Services like the Forsyth County Pharmacy, the Stepping Up program, and Substance Use Health Education and Prevention Services, all of which recently relocated to the Highland Avenue Center. These additions-- along with previously existing services at the Center like behavioral health urgent care, medical primary care and open access outpatient services—create a robust continuum of care for individuals in one location.
After the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to go to the Men’s Health Week Finale happening at the neighboring Public Health Department, which will feature a talk about men’s wellness, free blood pressure checks and vendors that offer health and wellness services to the community.
County Manager
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
Last month, the Forsyth County Commissioners held numerous budget workshops and are almost ready to approve the FY26 County Budget, which will go into effect on July 1.
County Manager Shontell Robinson presented a budget proposal to the commissioners on May 8. You can read the presentation and view the full proposed budget on our budget webpage. Commissioners heard from the public in a Budget Hearing and thoroughly discussed and carefully deliberated the budget during last month’s budget meetings. They’re expected to vote on the final budget on June 5, which will include setting the new county property tax and fire tax rates.
Additionally, the commissioners also have regular meeting and briefings this month. Here's this month's schedule:
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Monday, June 2
Briefing at 2 p.m. -
Thursday, June 5
Special Meeting to Possibly Adopt the Budget and Regular Meeting starting at 2 p.m. -
Monday, June 16
Briefing at 2 p.m. -
Thursday, June 19
Meeting at 2 p.m.
During briefings, staff brief the commissioners on the items they'll vote in that week's meeting. During meetings, they vote on various items and hear from residents during their regular public comment session.
Meetings and briefings are held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St. Meetings are streamed live in their entirety on Forsyth County YouTube and Facebook, as well as the Forsyth County website and are also broadcasted live on WSTV13 on Spectrum cable.
Also in May, county commissioners and staff were proud to host the North Carolina Assocation of County Commissioners (NCACC) District Meeting at N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Forsyth County Center.
Small business owners get help in boosting their business
Forsyth County Community and Economic Development celebrated the latest graduates of its Small Business IDA (Individual Development Account) program last month, which is a match savings program for low to moderate income small business owners. Combining financial literacy and small business education with a strategic savings plan, participants earn funds to expand their small business. The entrepreneurs plan to use the funds they earned on everything from marketing to equipment to help improve and expand their businesses.
The graduates from this IDA class were Cheresa Miller (Cheresa's Hair Design), Lakenya Samuel (The Good Life Nail Bar), Precious Hairston (Precious Paparazzi), Lindey Lengyel (Blue Stream Enviromental), and Samantha McKinney (Create A Heart Marketing).
The Small Business IDA program is taking applications for this year’s cohort through July 5. You can find more information and apply at: forsyth.cc/housing/SmallBusinessIDA.aspx
Forsyth County is proud to work with its partners, Experiment In Self-Reliance and S.G Atkins Community Development Corporation, and The Winston Salem Foundation on this program.
Summer Reading celebrates art and creativity
Embark on a journey of art and creativity with The Forsyth County Public Library Summer Reading Program ... Color Our World! Art has the power to transform, uplift, and connect us, and the Forsyth County Public Library strives to do that every day for the communities we serve. We hope you’ll learn, try and experience something new this summer through our programs, books and services.
Plan your summer by checking out the Library's online calendar, and printed calendars will be available at all branches while supplies last. Featured programs will include many not-to-miss experiences for all ages.
When you’re not attending programs or performances at branches, we hope you’ll take some time this summer to read. Librarians have curated more than a dozen reading recommendation lists for multiple age groups and genres.
Attending programs and reading books can do more than just enrich your life or teach you something new. You can also win prizes! Check out the Reading Logs page for more details.
Men’s Health Week
Forsyth Department of Public Health, 799 N. Highland Avenue, is holding a number of events for Men’s Health Week:
Monday, June 9: Red Cross Blood Drive - The drive will be from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Make an appointment to give at bit.ly/ForsythBloodDrive. Everyone is welcome to come and give the gift of life!
Tuesday, June 10: T-Shirt Tuesday - Wear a blue t-shirt and/or a Men's Health Button in recognition of Men's Health Week.
Wednesday, June 11: Walk it out Wednesday - Join Public Health staff at 11 a.m. in front of Forsyth Public Health for a 1-mile walk around the Health and Human Services Campus.
Thursday, June 12: Talk it out Thursday - Be on the lookout for a Men's Health Video capturing different views on the Men's Health Program and men's health in general on the Forsyth County NC Health and Human Services Facebook page.
Friday, June 13: Men! How Are Your Numbers? Finale Event - A health and wellness resource fair will be held at Forsyth Public Health from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. An educational session with Dr. John Card of Novant Health on high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart health and more will be held at noon. Free blood pressure checks will be available.
Also in June, there will be a series of videos posted throughout the month with the stories of local prostate cancer survivors.
New site highlights impact of mental health and suicide in Forsyth County
Suicide is among the top five leading causes of death for people ages 10 to 65 in North Carolina. Between 2019 and 2024, Forsyth County emergency services responded to over 24,000 calls related to mental health and suicide. “Untold Stories: The Mental Health and Suicide Story of Forsyth County” explores these emergency services calls through interactive maps and dashboards.
“Untold Stories” can be found at forsyth.cc/untold_stories. The new site uses data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to show the zip codes and demographics of the mental health and suicide calls, so users can see how different communities are affected. Local and national crisis services are linked throughout Untold Stories, encouraging residents to reach out for support if they need it.
Untold Stories was created by the MapForsyth and Behavioral Health Services departments of Forsyth County Government.
Forsyth County employees raise more than $7,600 for Arts Council
Forsyth County Government employees raised $7,612.25 for the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County during a two-week long workplace campaign in May.
This year’s campaign, which celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Arts Council, exceeded the county’s $7,500 goal. County employees contributed through pledging money, which often involved them setting an amount per paycheck to go to the non-profit.
Departments also held a variety of fundraisers including raffles, bake sales, a cake auction, an art auction, a painting class, a paper airplane throwing contest and more. A lunchtime finale for the campaign was held on May 16 at the Forsyth County Government Center with local artists showing their wares and demonstrating their craft.
Campaign organizers were grateful for the participation of local artists and the support and generosity of county employees.
“We hit our mark—over $7,500 raised, 200+ attendees at the Finale, and nearly 30 vendors!” said Campaign HR Representative Victoria Burgos. “But the real story is the team behind it. The Forsyth County crew made it all happen-- they didn’t just support the arts, they made them shine!”
The Arts Council is the biggest driver of cultural investment in Forsyth County. The Arts Council provides operational support to a broad range of partner arts organizations that provide 800,000 experiences a year, including music, visual art, theater, festivals, film and independent bookstores. Forsyth County is one of many workplace campaigns that help fund the Arts Council.
“On behalf of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, I want to extend our deepest thanks to the incredible employees of Forsyth County for raising $7,612.25 during your May 2025 workplace campaign,” said Arts Council Development Director Eurikca Felipe Eustache. “Your generosity and belief in the power of the arts help sustain a vibrant, creative community for everyone in Forsyth County.”
The Arts Council is one of only two organizations the county participates in fundraising campaigns for, the other being the United Way of Forsyth County.
Forsyth Tax Collector John Burgiss retires
Forsyth County Tax Assessor and Collector John Burgiss retired at the end of May after 31 years of service.
Burgiss started his career in property taxes in Alleghany County in 1992. He then transitioned to Forsyth County in 1994 and worked his way up as an appraiser, reappraisal coordinator and appraisal manager before becoming the county’s tax assessor and collector in 2011. Under his leadership, the Tax Department has maintained a collection rate of more than 99 percent for the last ten years.
“John will be sorely missed,” said County Manager Shontell Robinson. “He has been a tremendous asset to our county—respected for his ability to navigate challenging situations with skill and grace, and for the strong, collaborative relationships he’s built with staff, community partners, peers, and elected officials.”
During Burgiss’ tenure, the department started its customer service call center, worked through its collection processes to ensure they’re as fair and thorough as possible, and transitioned from internal tax software to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) NC Property Tax System.
“It has been an honor to serve Forsyth County and the public these past 31 years. I am grateful for the opportunities afforded me and have greatly enjoyed the wonderful support of the County Commissioners, management, staff and the public,” said Burgiss. “It has certainly been a pleasure working alongside the many smart, caring and dedicated members of Tax Administration whom I will sincerely miss. I wish everyone the very best.”
Beware of Medicaid Texting Scams
We’ve been made aware of a texting scam targeting Medicaid recipients. The scam pretends to be from your Medicaid Health Plan and falsely claims that your Medicaid benefits have been terminated. It then includes a link to "reapply" — DO NOT CLICK IT.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Medicaid will NEVER ask you to reapply through a text link.
- If you're unsure about your benefits, contact your local Social Services office directly.
- Do not share personal information through suspicious texts, emails, or links.
Need help? Call Forsyth County Social Services at (336) 703-3800.
Measles Website and Vaccination Clinic
Forsyth Department of Public Health has a new website with information on measles and vaccination recommendations at forsyth.cc/hhs/measles.aspx.
To help kids stay on schedule with their vaccinations, MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccination will continue to be available at Forsyth Public Health, 799 N. Highland Avenue. You can call 336-703-3100 for appointments. Clinic appointments are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Walks-ins are taken on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Thursdays 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Parents or guardians must accompany the child during the visit. Families should bring their child’s immunization records and health insurance information. Forsyth Public Health accepts Medicaid, Cigna, and Aetna insurance plans. Individuals verified as uninsured may be eligible to receive the vaccine at no cost.
Cooperative Extension naturalist on co-existing with wildlife
Cooperative Extension Naturalist Acacia Fike-Nelson talks about wild animals that homeowners can encounter around their house like snakes and bats, how they can be beneficial, and how to discourage them from taking up residence on your property.
Food assistance recipients receive help with job training
Hear the story of Joshua Hopper, one of many FNS (Food and Nutrition Services) benefit recipients who are also receiving assistance with training for a new career through More Than a Job NC.
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