County Manager Shontell Robinson invites residents to take HHS community surveys, linked below.
July 2025 - Vol. 10
Forsyth HHS Campus celebrates new additions
Forsyth County Health and Human Services (HHS) celebrated the completion of three projects on its Highland Avenue campus on June 13, which includes a new park, renovated auditorium and newly designed Highland Avenue Center providing expanded behavioral health services.
The auditorium and park will be available for the public to reserve at a later date, through the Forsyth County HHS website, forsyth.cc/hhs.
The new additions to the HHS campus are:
Annex 1 Auditorium, 725 N. Highland Ave.
The newly renovated auditorium was designed as a location where creativity, community and expression positively contribute to the health and well-being of Forsyth County residents. The auditorium seats 125 people and is fully ADA-accessible. It is an ideal location for performances, workshops and gatherings.
Highland Avenue Park, 642 Highland Ave.
The new 2-acre park offers open green space for relaxation and play, and a covered shelter/ outdoor amphitheater for community events. It also features pickleball and basketball courts, along with a wheelchair-accessible playground designed for individuals of all ages and abilities. Like all county parks, it’s open from dawn until dusk.
Highland Avenue Center Expansion, 650 Highland Ave.
The Highland Avenue Center renovations provide space for a more expansive continuum of services for individuals with behavioral health and medical needs. The Center includes a 16-bed adult facility-based crisis center, 24/7 Behavioral Health Urgent Care, walk-in outpatient services, primary care providers and the county’s pharmacy. The county’s Stepping Up program and Substance Use Prevention and Education program are also now located on the second floor. Partners Health Management, the local management entity/managed care organization (LME/MCO), also has space in the building.
New county budget maintains services and invests in community
Forsyth County commissioners approved a $591 million budget on June 5 that maintains county services, increases school funding and continues their support of community agencies while strengthening the county’s fiscal health.
The budget grew by a modest 0.9 percent over the current fiscal year, maintaining current services to residents while providing community grants to local non-profits. The budget sets the property tax rate at 53.52 cents per $100 of property value, a decrease of 14.26 cents due to the historic increases in property values found during reappraisal.
Education remains the county’s top spending area with $195.6 million or 33 percent of the budget. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County (WS/FC) Schools receives 92 percent of those funds, or $180.6 million, with Forsyth Technical Community College and Cooperative Extension receiving the remainder. That’s a $6.7 million, or 3.9 percent, increase in recurring funds, using a new funding formula that provides predictable and sustainable funding. Additionally, education bond projects, like building and renovating schools, make up $62.2 million of the $86.5 million devoted to debt service in the General Fund.
Public Safety is the county’s second largest service area by expenditures, with 18 percent of the budget or $107.7 million. The Sheriff’s Office receives 73 percent of those funds, or $79 million, and Emergency Services receives 28 percent of those funds, or $26 million.
The budget went into effect on July 1. You can find more information on the budget and view the approved budget, on the budget webpage.
County Manager
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
The commissioners had a busy month in June, which included passing the FY26 budget. For July, they’ll take a break from meetings at the beginning of the month as they attend the National Assocation of County Commissioners (NACo) Conference in Philadelphia from July 11-14.
The commissioners will meet next in a Briefing on July 21 at 2 p.m. On July 24, they’ll have a Bimonthly Morning Discussion Session at 10 a.m. and a Meeting at 2 p.m.
During briefings, staff brief the commissioners on the items they'll vote on 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.
Last month, Forsyth County Commissioners and staff met with state lawmakers in Raleigh to discuss issues affecting county residents. While in Raleigh, Commissioner Chair Don Martin also spoke during a Housing Regulatory Reform Committee meeting on the County’s concerns about Senate Bill 205 (formerly HB 765), which would enact sweeping changes restricting local government’s oversight of planning, zoning and development.
Forsyth County Commissioners and staff with state lawmakers in Raleigh.
Libraries have blood pressure self-monitoring stations
Public Health Educator Katelyn Hiatt and American Heart Association's Jennifer Graziano with the Self-Measured Blood Pressure Station in the Copy Center on the first floor of the Forsyth County Central Library.
There are self-monitoring blood pressure stations at both the Forsyth County Central Library and the Carver School Road Branch Library, thanks to a collaboration between the Forsyth County Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association of the Triad.
Both stations have chairs library visitors can sit in while using the blood pressure monitor. The stations have information on how to use the device and what the results mean along with pencils and paper to record the results. The entire process takes less than a minute.
The information provided by the Forsyth County Public Library and the American Heart Association is not a substitute for medical advice from your doctor. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions regarding medical condition, diagnosis or treatment.
County has 3 new department heads
Forsyth County Government has three new department heads that were selected after a competitive recruitment process.
Michael Duncan is the county’s new Behavioral Health Services director. A U.S. Navy veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Duncan most recently worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the role of National Project Leader.
Duncan will oversee County funding for behavioral health services, opioid settlement funding, and programs such as the Stepping Up Initiative, Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH), Substance Use Health Education and Prevention, pharmacy, and Peer Support at the library.
Leslie Rose will become the director of the Forsyth County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension on July 1. She has more than nine years of experience with Forsyth Cooperative Extension. She most recently served in the role of Extension Horticulture Agent and Director of the Arboretum and Gardens at Tanglewood Park
A Department of Forsyth County, Cooperative Extension Forsyth County Center is the outreach arm of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University and the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at NC A&T State University.
Amanda Markle will be the county’s new tax collector and assessor, beginning July 7.
Markle has 21 years of experience in tax administration. She began her career in 2004 as a revenue agent in Wake County Tax Administration before being promoted to an administrative services coordinator in 2012. In 2017, she became division manager for Durham’s Tax Administration. She was promoted to deputy tax assessor in Durham in 2020.
LINKS celebrates graduating foster teens
The LINKS program celebrated its teens in foster care who had just graduated high school at a special banquet held on May 30 at Creations by Pashara.
LINKS is an independent living program at the Department of Social Services that works with youth in foster care between 14-21 years old to help them prepare for adulthood by teaching them skills for independence. LINKS assists foster youth with things like education, learning life skills and finding stable housing.
The teens heard words of inspiration from Life Coach Sima Clark who talked about overcoming her own struggles when she lost both parents while she was in college. The teens also received a certificate and gifts to celebrate their graduations.
You can learn more about LINKS at forsyth.cc/hhs/teen_services.aspx.
Life Coach Sima Clark speaks at a celebration of graduating foster teens in the LINKS program.
NC HHS Secretary visits Forsyth County
NC HHS Secretary Devdutta Sangvai speaks as Deputy NC HHS Secretary Mike Lee, Forsyth DSS Director Christa Smith and Senior Social Worker Supervisor Tiffany Graves look on.
NC Health and Human Services Secretary Devdutta Sangvai held a news conference on June 18 on PATH NC after visiting the Forsyth County Department of Social Services, which is among the first 15 counties in the state to use the new statewide child welfare case management system. PATH NC allows social workers to have the complete history of the families they're working with, even if they've moved from other counties. Forsyth DSS was the first agency to input a case into the new system, which will be implemented statewide next year.
The full news conference can be streamed here.
County Employees Recognized by Commissioners
Forsyth County Commissioners honored 13 employees who were nominated for the NC Association of County Commissioners Heroic Hands award, which honors county employees for their public service.
Behavioral Health Services Coordinator Annie Vasquez was chosen for the state recognition. She maintains a naloxone vending machine at the detention center, manages Opioid Settlement activities, coordinates the Forsyth Regional Opioid and Substance Use Team, was instrumental in providing naloxone to WSFCS, implemented a stigma index survey, and offered family members that experienced a loss an opportunity to share their stories via videos. She cares deeply for our community and serves as a beacon of hope for many.
You can learn about the other nominees here.
Forsyth HHS seeks community input
Residents have an opportunity to give their input on mental and medical health in our community.
Forsyth Behavioral Health Services and Salem College are partnering to collect data on mental health and suicide stigma in Forsyth County in a survey that you can take here.
Forsyth County Public Health is conducting a Community Health Opinion Survey to identify priority health issues in our community and guide the development of programs and projects that you can take here.
The survey is also available in Spanish here.
New trail system coming to Horizons Park
Forsyth County Parks and Recreation is building a brand-new multi-modal trail system at Horizons Park! This project will bring 8+ miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and more — plus trailer-friendly parking, water stations, signage, and beautiful views.
It’ll feature natural surface trails north of Memorial Industrial School Road with five unique routes: Beech Trail, Cedar Trail, Poplar Loop, Oak Loop, and Pine Trail. It’s estimated completion date is for Spring 2026.
Please be aware of ongoing construction in and around the project site and throughout other areas of the park. For your safety, exercise caution at all times and follow posted signage.
Downpayment Assistance Training
Community and Economic Development held a Downpayment Assistance Training for lenders, realtors and housing professionals last month with North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and Financial Pathways of the Piedmont.
You can learn about downpayment assistance opportunities on Community and Economic Development's website.
Parent and Youth Overdose Awareness Training
Behavioral Health Services will host an informative interactive training on opioid overdose prevention and awareness for youth ages 12–18 on July 8 from 6–7:30 PM in the second-floor conference rooms at the Highland Avenue Center, 650 Highland Ave. Parents are welcome to join an optional, simultaneous discussion on communicating effectively with youth about drugs and well-being.
Registration is required and you can register here.
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