County Manager Shontell Robinson highlights some of the key findings in the Forsyth County 2026 Community Survey.
October 2026 - Vol. 25
Forsyth County Government held its annual Forsyth Fun Fest in Highland Avenue Park on Sept. 26.
Early Voting Begins Oct 15
Early Voting for the November 3 General Election will be held from Thursday, Oct. 15 through Saturday, Oct. 31. A registered voter may vote at any early voting location regardless of their place of residence within the county. During the early voting period, eligible individuals may also register to vote and vote at the same time.
You can view the schedule and a list of this year’s Early Voting sites on the Board of Elections website.
A constitutional amendment will be on the ballot this fall that can affect how counties collect property tax. We want to make sure you know how your tax dollars are used in Forsyth County.
Our top three areas of expense in the county budget are:
Education $193.5 Million or 32% of the budget
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Forsyth Technical Community College, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Public Safety - $116.5M or 19.4% of the budget
Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services, Interagency Communications, Emergency Management, Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center
Health and Human Services - $101.1M or 16% of the budget
Public Health - Provides health education, vaccinations, sexually transmitted infection testing and services, and environmental health services. Other services include WIC, birth and death records, communicable disease prevention and control, school nurses, dental services, pregnancy care and parenting programs and more. $28.5M
Social Services - Facilitates benefits to help with food, day care, Medicaid, energy bills, and Work First cash assistance. Also provides protective services for children and adults, oversees foster and adoptive services and enforces child support. $60.7M
Behavioral Health Services - Manages the County's mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability responsibilities. Also manages behavioral health and opioid settlement funds. $6.7M
Animal Shelter - Provides a safe haven to stray, injured and homeless animals and pet adoption services. $1.8M
Youth Services - Funds housing Forsyth County juveniles at youth detention facilities outside the County and facilitates pass-through funds for the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC), which awards grants aimed at reducing youth delinquency. $2.1M
County Manager
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
Commissioners had a busy September with everything from dedicating the new disc golf course at Tanglewood Park to meeting residents at Forsyth Fun Fest.
Forsyth County Commissioner Tonya McDaniel was also chosen to be part of The Hunt Institute's sixth cohort of North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows. This bipartisan group of 24 local leaders from across the state will engage with national experts to tackle the state's most pressing education challenges, from early childhood to workforce development.
Here are this month’s meetings:
- Thursday, Oct. 1 2 p.m. Meeting
- Monday, Oct. 12 2 p.m. Briefing
- Thursday, Oct. 15 6 p.m. Meeting
- Monday, Oct. 26 2 p.m. Briefing
- Thursday, Oct. 29 2 p.m. Meeting
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.
All commissioner meetings 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.
Medicaid Changes
Changes are coming to Medicaid that will affect who qualifies for it and what the requirements are for Medicaid Expansion. For non-U.S. citizens, new federal rules begin on Oct. 1, 2026. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, most adults ages 19 through 64 will renew their Medicaid every six months instead of once per year.
There are five steps people can take now.
- See if the work requirements apply to you on the state website or by contacting Forsyth DSS at 336-703-3800
- Make sure your local DSS has your correct address and phone number.
- Respond to any letter as soon as you get it.
- Save important papers. Keep things like pay stubs, school records and volunteer logs, benefit letters or medical records which may be needed as proof to keep your Medicaid coverage.
- Create an enhanced ePASS account if you do not already have one. You can use it to upload documents to show proof of work, school or volunteer activities.
Flu Shots
Free flu shots start Oct. 5 at Forsyth County Department of Public Health, 799 Highland Ave. Clinic hours are Monday-Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Thursday 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. No appointment is needed. If you have Medicaid or private insurance, please bring your card with you.
Domestic Violence Month
Forsyth County will be recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month throughout October.
On Oct. 1, Forsyth County Commissioners will present a Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution at their 2 p.m. Meeting held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street in Winston-Salem.
On Oct. 14 at noon, a panel discussion will be held on “(Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know about Emergency 50B Domestic Violence Protective Orders” at the Highland Auditorium, 725 N. Highland Ave.
On Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m., a vigil honoring victims and celebrating survivors of domestic violence will be held in the courtyard in front of the Forsyth County Government Center.
Black Maternal & Infant Health Conference
The annual Black Maternal and Infant Health Conference will be Wednesday, October 7 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Albert H. Anderson Jr. Conference Center at Winston-Salem State University. Forsyth County Department of Public Health is partnering with the Black Pearls Society to host the event.
This year’s conference, themed “Sacred Bodies, Broken Systems: Reimagining Black Maternal and Infant Health,” will bring together health professionals, community leaders, advocates and families for meaningful conversations focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
It will feature keynote speaker Michelle Browder, along with a panel of local and regional voices sharing expertise and perspectives on black maternal and infant health.
Registration for the Black Maternal and Infant Health Conference is required by using this online form.
Walk a Mile to Save Our Babies & Community Baby Shower
Join us for the 2026 Walk a Mile to Save Our Babies & Community Baby Shower as we come together to honor the babies we’ve lost, celebrate healthy beginnings, and support families in our community.
It’ll be held Saturday, Oct. 10 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at Highland Avenue Park. Bring the family and join us for a one-mile remembrance walk, live music, family activities, giveaways, food, health education, and community resources.
Together, we can raise awareness, promote healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, and work toward improving maternal and infant health in our community.
Vendor, volunteer and partnership opportunities are available! To get involved, you can contact Jasmine Harris via email.
Registration for Walk a Mile to Save Our Babies is preferred, but not required, by using this online form.
Forsyth Fire Celebrates 75 Years
Our County Fire Division celebrated its 75th anniversary last month with a ceremony attended by both current and former fire personnel.
The Forsyth County Fire began in 1951 when, at the urging of County Commissioner Wally Dunham, Forsyth County hired its first paid firefighters. These personnel responded to fires in the rural areas of the county, inspected the public schools and worked with various community groups to help organize volunteer fire departments. Twelve volunteer fire departments were organized between 1951 and 1954. In 1954, Forsyth County appointed its first Fire Marshal, who was to head the county fire department and coordinate the activities of the volunteer fire departments.
Today there are 18 volunteer fire departments, and the Forsyth Fire Division continues to support them by providing additional firefighters and equipment for structure fires and major incidents along with training activities.
You can view photos from the Fire Division's 75th anniversary event on Flikr.
Veterans Cup
Our Forsyth County Government team defended our title and supported a worthy cause by winning the 4th Annual Veterans Cup Trivia Night (for the fourth time!).
Our team consisted of County Attorney Gordan Watkins, Commissioner Chris Parker, HHS Board Chair Heather Parker, Commissioner Vice-Chair Gray Wilson, County Manager Shontell Robinson, Airport Director Mark Davidson and Library Supportive Services Associate Artie Sparrow.
Veterans Cup is a non-profit that holds coffee get-togethers for veterans. The goal of the coffees is to build peer-to-peer support networks, redirect PTSD and help prevent suicide. Learn more about their events on the Veterans Cup website.
Precinct Officials Get Certification
Last month, the Forsyth County Board of Elections recognized the first graduates from its Precinct Officials Certification Program. Held in partnership with Forsyth Tech and taught by Elections Director Tim Tsujii, the six-week program covers all aspects of election administration including the history of elections, election laws and procedures. It's the only precinct certification class in North Carolina and is open to all Forsyth County voters. You can learn more about the Precinct Officials Certification Program on the Board of Elections website.
Annie Vasquez Appointed to State Board
We want to congratulate Substance Use Services Coordinator Annie Vasquez,on her appointment by the governor to the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board (NC ASPPB). \ It is mandatory to hold a NC ASPPB credential in order to practice substance use disorder treatment services in North Carolina.
Annie, who works in our Behavioral Health Services Department, will serve a three-year term on the board, bringing her experience, expertise and dedication to this important role.
Learn more about the work of the NC ASPPB.
Forsyth Holds Fun Fest
Thank you to everyone who came to Forsyth Fun Fest! We had a great time at Highland Avenue Park with information for residents about our services, a job fair, flu shots, activities for kids, grilled hot dogs for attendees and more. We hope to see everyone next year! You can view more photos from Fun Fest here.
Disc Golf Now Open
Tanglewood Park’s new disc golf course opened to the public on Sept. 18, offering something for players of all ages and skill levels. An opening ceremony was held with County Commissioner Chair Gloria Whisenhunt throwing the first disc.
Disc golf is free with regular park admission or a valid annual Tanglewood Park pass.
World of Work
Hear about last month’s World of Work, which exposed high school students to different careers and included a Community Career Fair at the Benton Convention Center. Forsyth County Government was proud to be the presenting sponsor for this event.
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