News Flash

$605.7 Million Budget Proposed for 2023-2024

City employees, firefighters and sworn law enforcement officers would receive pay increases and the city’s minimum wage would rise to $15.45 per hour in order to increase retention, and fill crucial vacancies, in the city’s proposed $6...

City Pools Opening Memorial Day Weekend

        The city’s summer aquatics program gets underway this weekend when Bolton Pool and Winston Waterworks open for the Memorial Day weekend, May 27-29. Both facilities will be open noon to 6 p.m. Saturday,...

Changes in City Operations for the Memorial Day Holiday

City offices will be closed Monday, May 29, to observe Memorial Day. CityLink 311, the city’s citizen service call center, will not be staffed but non-911 emergency calls will be forwarded to on-call staff with the appropriate department. Reques...

Request for Proposals for CONTINUUM OF CARE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS

The City of Winston-Salem seeks proposals for funding to be available under the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grants Program (CoC) for the FY23 Program Year.  The CoC is a community wide system of care with the goal of ending homelessness...

Council Member Burke Statement on Proposed Apartment Renovations

On Monday night the City Council approved a $750,000 plan to renovate ten city-owned apartments at 1200 Willie Davis Drive and 1635 N. Cleveland Ave. The renovations will include necessary repairs and updates. Landscaping, cabinets, countertops and applia...

Council Member Burke Statement on Proposed Apartment Renovations

On Monday night the City Council approved a $750,000 plan to renovate ten city-owned apartments at 1200 Willie Davis Drive and 1635 N. Cleveland Ave. The renovations will include necessary repairs and updates. Landscaping, cabinets, countertops and applia...

The Winston-Salem Fire Department is accepting applications!

Applications Available for City of Winston-Salem University

The city is inviting citizens to apply for the next class of City of Winston-Salem University, to be held for 12 weeks starting Aug. 24, 2023. This free, in-person program gives citizens a better understanding of city government, including the responsibil...

Historic Resources Commission Turns 75!

The Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission (HRC) and Old Salem Historic District turn 75 on December 21, 2023! Today’s Commission was established in 2002 when the Forsyth County Joint Historic Properties Commission (HPC) and Winston-Salem Historic D...

Drink Up! Our Local Tap Water Surpasses Federal Requirements

For more than twenty years, drinking water in Forsyth County has met or surpassed all water quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. That excellent record continues today with the 2022 Water Quality Report recently published b...

Now’s the Time to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Emergency Management is encouraging residents to plan now for hurricane season by updating their emergency plans and supply kits. Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through November. 

To encourage resid...

New Comprehensive Plan Underway!

The Planning and Development Services Department has started the process to create our new comprehensive plan, Forward 2045. The comprehensive plan is the official public document that serves as the guide for future development decisions and covers topics...

Council Member Burke Statement on Proposed Airport Compromise

Northeast Ward Council Member Barbara Hanes Burke issued the following statement today on the proposed compromise on the status of Smith Reynolds Airport:

“I met with Mayor Allen Joines and Representative Donny Lambeth on April 19 regarding the b...

City Reorganizes Department To Focus on Affordable Housing and Code Enforcement

The city has divided the Community Development Department into two new departments—Neighborhood Services, which will focus on code enforcement and neighborhood revitalization, and Housing Development, which will focus on building new affordable ...

Smith Reynolds Airport Compromise Proposed

Local and state leaders have worked to reach a compromise that would keep Smith Reynolds airport within the city limits, but would create a special airport tax arrangement whereby property owners located at the airport would pay half of the city tax rate ...

Section of Underwood Avenue To Be Closed for Extended Period Starting April 20

The portion of Underwood Avenue between Northwest Boulevard and 13th Street will be closed starting Thursday, April 20, to complete drainage and sewer pipe repairs. Work is scheduled to be complete by June 30. There will be no access inside the closed por...

City Offers Free Legal Help to Citizens Facing Evictions

Citizens who are facing evictions may qualify for free legal help through the Right-to-Counsel program, a partnership between the city and Legal Aid of North Carolina, with a goal of reducing housing displacement and homelessness.

The program is funded thr...

City Celebrates Award From National League of Cities and Cultural Diversity Month With Events

The National League of Cities has recognized Winston-Salem for its innovative programs involving cultural diversity and its efforts to promote inclusion and involvement among its citizens. The city placed second among cities with populations between 200,0...

City Takes Over Recycling Collections

The city will take over recycling collection service from Waste Management of Carolinas Inc., beginning on Monday, April 3. The current recycling collection schedules will remain in place, said Helen Peplowski, the city’s sustainability program ...

Mayor Joines’ Statement on House Bill 459

Mayor Allen Joines today released the following statement on House Bill 459:

“City Council members and I have learned that House Bill 459 was filed yesterday to deannex Smith Reynolds Airport from the city of Winston-Salem. This action would resu...

Police Accepting Applications for Youth Citizens’ Police Academy

The Winston-Salem Police Department is now accepting applications online for the Youth Citizens’ Police Academy. This program is being offered to young men and women, from the sixth through 12th grades, who are interested in learning about the W...

Winston-Salem Recreation App Puts the City’s Parks at User’s Fingertips

The Winston-Salem Recreation app gives users information about the city of Winston-Salem’s over 80 parks and greenways. Citizens can find specific amenities such as dog parks, ball fields and tennis courts. They can reserve shelters, as well as ...

Collection System Improvement Program

Sewage spills (aka: sanitary sewer overflows) in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County have been drastically reduced in recent years. This is primarily due to proactive measures by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities as part of their Collection System Impro...

City Manager Lee Garrity To Retire June 23

City Manager Lee Garrity has informed Mayor Allen Joines and the City Council that he is retiring effective June 23. At his retirement Garrity, 61, will have served the citizens of Winston-Salem for more than 32 years, including almost 17 years as city ma...

New Smart Meters are WaterSavvy

Watch our 3-minute introduction to WaterSavvy: https://youtu.be/2blmArJo7E4.

Since late 2020, contractors for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities have been installing new “smart” water meters as part of a systemwide infrastructure upgrade. Customers rec...

Click or Call - At Your Service!

Need help with WSFC Utilities services?

• Pay Bill or Billing Questions: cityofws.org/paywater    *DRIVE-THROUGH service is available at two locations & there's also a night deposit. See the In Person tab on the table.

• Start, Stop or...

Can the Grease to Prevent Sewer Backups

As family and friends gather and we prepare for holiday feasts, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities reminds you to Can the Grease. 

Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid the mess and expense of a raw sewage backup. Just pour or scrape cooki...

Eviction Diversion Packet Offers Resources for Those Facing Eviction

A group of community organizations convened by the Human Relations Department has created an Eviction Diversion Packet with information and resources to help residents facing eviction. 

The packet is available in English and in Spanish and is post...

African American Heritage Initiative Offering Virtual Orientation Starting on Juneteenth

In conjunction with Juneteenth, the city’s African American Heritage Initiative Committee is posting this Saturday an online “virtual orientation” to better assist city residents who want to become involved with the initiative’s mission of preserving the ...

City Edition - March 2021

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• Bulky Item Collection Now Underway
• Forsyth Creek Week Returns March 20 - 28
• Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Certification Web T...

Donate to those in need

Several area nonprofit agencies are generously providing financial assistance for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities customers with past-due water and sewer bills.

If you’d like to contribute to these charitable organizations, please select f...

City Edition - December 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• City Conducting Resident Satisfaction Survey
• Joines Authorizes Enforcement of Cooper’s Emergency Orders
• Most of Winst...

City Edition - October 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• On-Street Parking Enforcement Back in Effect
• Public Safety Agencies Holding Drive-Through “Trunk or Treat”...

City Edition - August 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• Winston-Salem Cancels the Carolina Classic Fair
• Fire Department Offering "Virtual" Citizen Fire Academy
• New Liberty S...

City Edition - July 2020

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Inside this month’s edition:

• Old Greensboro Road Bridge Fully Closed
• Virtual Workshops Scheduled for Pedestrian Plan
• Community Meal Program Continues With N...

Winston-Salem Wins Four Telly Awards

NEWS RELEASEMarketing and CommunicationsJune 5, 2020

A WSTV profile of Police Capt. Rick Newnum and a public service announcement for social medial about holiday collection changes were honored during the 2020 Telly Awards.

“Behind the Badge &...

City Edition - June 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• $470.6 Million Budget Proposed for 2020-2021
• Brush Collection, Code Enforcement, Yard-Waste Fee Collection Resume
• Phase 2 Chang...

Upcoming City Bond Issue Earns Highest Possible Credit Ratings

NEWS RELEASEFinancial Management ServicesMay 29, 2020

All three credit rating agencies have assigned AAA ratings – their highest possible ratings -- to the $89 million in general obligation bonds the city is scheduled to sell in June. The high ra...

$470.6 Million Budget Proposed for 2020-2021

NEWS RELEASEBudget and Evaluation OfficeMay 21, 2020

City services to residents would remain at current levels, but the city would implement a variety of belt-tightening measures to close a $13.4 million shortfall driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, under the...

City Edition - May 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• Winston-Salem Wins $30 Million Grant to Transform Cleveland Avenue Homes
• City Panel Awards 23 COVID-19 Response Fund Grants
• Joi...

No Wipes in Pipes!

Toilet paper shortages have exposed the growing problem of wipes clogging our sewer system. As people run out of toilet tissue they may turn to other products. Unfortunately, “flushable” wipes are falsely labeled and are part of multip...

City Edition - April 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• COVID-19 NEWS
  • Stay-at-home Order in Effect
  • Bulky Item Collections Suspended
  • City Allocates 1 Million to Help Economic Victims of...

City Edition - March 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• Bulky Item Collection Begins March 2
• Information Sessions on Downtown Two-Way Street Conversions 
• Learn More about Cit...

City Edition - February 2021

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• City Soliciting Voluntary Participation in Survey
• Fire Department Consultant’s Report Delivered
• Virtual Programs Scheduled in in February...

City Edition - February 2020

Read the newest edition of City Edition, plus sign up to receive the next one in your inbox.

Inside this month’s edition:

• City Observing Black History Month
• Fairgrounds Unveils Logo for Carolina Classic Fair
• Nominations Sought for Walk of Fame
• Regist...

City Edition - January 2020

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Inside this month's edition:

• Local Governance Study Commission Holding Public Information/Input Sessions
• Learn More about City Recreation Opportunities at Open House...

Outstanding Women Leaders Committee Accepting Scholarship Applications

NEWS RELEASEMarketing and CommunicationsNov. 21, 2019

The Outstanding Women Leaders Program Committee is accepting applications for its 2020 Future Outstanding Women Leaders Scholarship, to be awarded next spring. Applications must be submitted by Jan. 31....

Applications Available for City of Winston-Salem University

NEWS RELEASEMarketing & CommunicationsOct. 2, 2019

The city is accepting applications for the next class of City of Winston-Salem University, to be held for 12 weeks starting Jan. 30, 2020. This free program gives citizens a better understanding of cit...

Applicants Sought for Community Appearance Commission

NEWS RELEASECity SecretarySept. 3, 2019

Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian H. Burke is accepting applications from citizens interested in filling a vacancy on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Community Appearance Commission.

The vacancy must be filled by a person who...

Funeral Arrangements for Bill Stuart Announced

NEWS RELEASEMarketing and CommunicationsAug. 6, 2019

Funeral Arrangements for Bill Stuart Announced; Memorial Book Available for Citizens to Express Their Condolences

The funeral for retired City Manager Bill Stuart will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10...

Bond Projects

Check the progress of bond projects voters approved in 2014 and 2018.