WS Chronicle

Last week, Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines visited with the Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity (MCWSV) to discuss the proposed bonds and the projects they will fund.

The mayor came out to the conference to reassure the people that a majority of the money in the proposed bonds is allocated to the four wards in minority communities. 

“I brought together a citizens committee and they came up with a proposed package for 2018,” said Joines.  “If those bonds are approved, I will appoint another oversight committee.”

According to the mayor, the proposed bond issue will include over $72 million; over $40 million of that is allocated to the wards in minority communities.  Some of the projects include: replacement of the Liberty Street Fire Station, renovation of Carl Russell and W.R. Anderson community centers, Winston Lake Golf Course improvements and the East End Area Plan Implementation, just to name a few.

“If the bonds are approved, the city would still be one of lowest, when it comes to taxes and fees, among the major cities in the state,” Joines said.  “This proposed bond will be coming to the voters in November and I believe it is a good project, not only for the city, but particularly for minority wards, who will continue to benefit from it as we build infrastructure to allow our city to go forward.”

The mayor also fielded questions from the conference about such things as minority contractors, gentrification and examples of what the city plans for the Economic Development and Redevelopment portion of the bond. 

Joines adequately answered the questions by reassuring the conference that minority contractors would be involved in the bond projects just as they did with the 2014 bond.  He also stated that the people living in the area of the East End Area Plan Implementation would not be displaced from their homes.

The Rev. Dr. Williams, president of the MCWSV, said he was pleased with the mayor’s presentation last Tuesday, Sept. 11.  He is confident the proposed bond will include the minority wards just as the last bond did.

“I want to ask the citizens to consider the mayor’s track record first of all,” he said.  “I am very happy from the documents he provided so when you get down to the nuts and bolts, what really drives reality is the facts.”

“He showed us, from data, that he believes in our community and he believed enough to invest in our community.  I thought that was key, to me, as an individual and a local pastor that I would be comfortable to ask my congregation to support it, based on the track record and the facts.”

Williams says, for anyone that is doubting the proposed bond, “just follow the money.”  He says that the mayor was very transparent about where the money will go, so that should be sufficient for those who have any doubts.

“I think the mayor heard our concerns and I think he truly did what he said he was going to do,” Williams continued. 

The City of Winston-Salem has proposed a bond referendum with $122 million worth of projects, in five categories. Each category will be listed separately on the ballot.

They cover:

*$43.7 million for streets and sidewalks.

*$31 million for parks and recreation.

*$21.1 million for public safety facilities.

*$14.5 million for economic development.

*$11.7 million for housing.